Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat

Robert Biswas-Diener - The Adventures of the 'Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology'

January 21, 2021 Mo Gawdat and Robert Biswas-Diener Episode 82
Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat
Robert Biswas-Diener - The Adventures of the 'Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology'
Show Notes

Today's guest is Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya, and Israel.

He is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness and known for his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. Robert has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed academic articles and chapters, two of which are “citation classics” (cited more than 1,000 times each). Dr. Biswas-Diener has authored seven books, including The Courage Quotient, the 2007 PROSE Award winner, Happiness, and the New York Times Best Seller, The Upside of Your Dark Side.

Listen as we discuss:

  • The importance of dealing with sadness without trying to soften the reality
  • Accepting that guilt is functional without exaggerating it into something malicious
  • How writing his book taught him to allow his kids to feel frustrated sometimes
  • Buying safety for our kids often costs them opportunity as well
  • We are allergic to discomfort.
  • His experiences living in a remote village in India and hunting in Greenland
  • The common threads of what make people happy regardless of culture
  • Digging into your happy memories to generate happiness on demand (so cool)
  • Ramadan fasting, simulating poverty, and its effect on gratitude
  • The joy of the anticipation often outweighs the anticipated experience
  • Liking vs. Wanting
  • Relationships pay off more than money toward happiness
  • The man who calculated exactly how much money he needs to be happy, and did it

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Connect with Robert Biswas-Diener on Twitter @biswasdiener and his website, robertdiener.com.

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LinkedIn: /in/mogawdat
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Website: mogawdat.com

Don't forget to subscribe to Slo Mo for new episodes every Saturday. Only with your help can we reach One Billion Happy #onebillionhappy