Mo Gawdat’s formula (Happiness = Reality – Expectations) becomes actionable in seconds: Notice negative thoughts, pause, consciously replace them with what’s working. That’s it.
Life’s greatest illusion? That happiness requires complex solutions. The science backs this up – Harvard’s 75-year happiness study reveals it’s our perception, not circumstances, that shapes joy.
Start here: When a negative thought hits, say, “Thank you, brain, for trying to protect me.” Then, choose a better thought. This neuroplasticity trick, studied at Stanford, literally rewires your brain.
The math is simple: Two minutes to notice—one minute to shift. Share with two people.
According to Nicholas Christakis’s landmark study, happiness spreads through networks up to three degrees of separation. Your choice affects not just you but potentially 1,000 others.
Your move. Will you share this with two others, or not?
