There’re three things, once one’s basic needs are fulfilled, that academic literature points to as the ingredients for happiness — having meaningful social relationships, being good at things to be done, and having the freedom to live life as per one’s terms.
But the investigations into happiness has also produced something a little less understandable — being better educated, richer, or more gifted doesn’t do much to forecast whether someone will be happy. It might mean someone is less likely to be pleased with life.
