A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment

Raj Raghunathan, ISB

What are the determinants of a happy and fulfilling life?

This is surely one of life’s biggest questions, and a question that has interested many of our
ancestors. Buddha famously gave up his kingdom in search of happiness. Several Greek
philosophers (from Aristotle to Epicurus and Plato to Socrates) had their own views on what it
takes to be happy. And of course, we all have our own theories about happiness too. How valid
are our theories? Until recently, if you wished for an answer to this question, you would've been
forced to base it on discussions with spiritual leaders. Or, if you were lucky, you could've based it
on late-night (and perhaps intoxicant-fueled) conversations with friends and family. Happily, all
that has changed now. Over the past decade-and-a-half, scientists have gotten into the act big
time. We now have a pretty good idea of what it takes to lead a happy and fulfilling life. This
course, based on the award-winning class offered both at the Indian School of Business and at
the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, developed by Prof. Raj
Raghunathan (aka "Dr. Happy-smarts") draws content from a variety of fields, including
psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral decision theory to offer a tested and practical recipe
for leading a life of happiness and fulfillment. Although not mandatory, reading Prof. Raj's
forthcoming book, titled If you're so smart, why aren't you happy? can help you review and
assimilate the material covered in this book at your leisure. For Coursera learners alone, the
hardcover version of the book is available for a deep discount of 50%, plus shipping and
handling. You can order the hardcover for 50% off by writing to Aaron at:
Aaron@800ceoread.com. Please mention that you are a student of the "coursera happiness
course" in your email. The course will feature guest appearances by several well-known thought
leaders, including: - Dan Ariely (author of Predictably Irrational and, soon to be released,
Irrationally Yours), - Ed Diener (“Dr. Happiness”), - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (author of Flow), By
taking this course, you will discover the answers to questions such as: - Why aren’t the smart-
and-the-successful as happy as they could—or should—be - What are the “7 Deadly Happiness
Sins” that even the smart and the successful commit?, and - What are the “7 Habits of the Highly
Happy” and how can you implement them in your life? By the end of the course, I expect
students who have been diligent with the lectures and exercises to not just gain a deeper
understanding of the science of happiness, but to also be significantly happier.