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The Art of True Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks

Dr. Arthur Brooks, PhD, professor at Vanderbilt University and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, is an expert on the science of happiness. He shares the three “macronutrients” of true happiness and tools for you to understand what specifically is in the way of you accessing more happiness and a sense of purpose. Dr. Brooks’ work goes beyond stories and observations by offering potent self-discovery tools for you to identify what truly matters most to you and how to shape your life around those things, and doing so, experience more joy and fulfillment. Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/JUfnMOH Pre-order Andrew's book Protocols: https://protocolsbook.com Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Huberman Lab Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Timestamps 00:00:00 Arthur Brooks 00:02:40 Public Science Education 00:04:18 Happiness, Unhappiness, Tool: 3 Macronutrients of Happiness 00:07:44 #1: Enjoyment, Pleasure; Animal Impulses vs Moral Aspirations; Exercise 00:17:35 Sponsors: OurPlace & Helix Sleep 00:20:41 Positive Self-Reflection, Public Commitments & Declare Moral Aspiration 00:26:45 Moral Differences, Politics 00:34:02 Tool: Proper Leisure & Values; Enrichment 00:41:47 Deepening Relationships & Shared Suffering 00:48:50 Sponsor: AG1 00:50:08 #2: Satisfaction, Struggle & Purpose 00:56:32 Struggle & Leisure, High Achievers; Happier with Age, Retirement 01:03:26 #3: Meaning, Regret, Idols 01:10:10 Sponsor: David 01:11:20 Regret, Tool: Identifying Your Idol, Four Idols 01:29:29 Vices & Virtues, Resisting Vices & Pursuing Moral Aspirations 01:35:50 Admiration & Unique Self-Expression; Heroes 01:44:43 Teaching & Sharing Knowledge 01:49:55 Sponsor: LMNT 01:51:15 Idols & Hedonic Treadmill, Addictive Behaviors & Quantification 01:58:26 Life Meaning & Fundamental Experiences, Tool: Break Technology Addiction 02:07:02 Faith, Gradual Exploration, Desire for the Divine 02:12:20 Atheism, Death & Nonexistence; Practice Before Feeling 02:18:18 Practicing Faith, Aging & Deepening Faith; Prayer Practice 02:26:53 Spouse Relationship; Addiction, Workaholism 02:35:06 Meaning of Your Life, Tool: 3 Questions of Meaning 02:43:25 Acknowledgments, Pilgrimages 02:47:23 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #hubermanlab #arthurbrooks Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Dr. Arthur BrooksguestAndrew Hubermanhost
Sep 14, 20262h 49mWatch on YouTube ↗

Episode Details

EPISODE INFO

Released
September 14, 2026
Duration
2h 49m
Channel
Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube
▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Dr. Arthur Brooks, PhD, professor at Vanderbilt University and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, is an expert on the science of happiness. He shares the three “macronutrients” of true happiness and tools for you to understand what specifically is in the way of you accessing more happiness and a sense of purpose. Dr. Brooks’ work goes beyond stories and observations by offering potent self-discovery tools for you to identify what truly matters most to you and how to shape your life around those things, and doing so, experience more joy and fulfillment. Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/JUfnMOH Pre-order Andrew's book Protocols: https://protocolsbook.com Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Huberman Lab Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Timestamps 00:00:00 Arthur Brooks 00:02:40 Public Science Education 00:04:18 Happiness, Unhappiness, Tool: 3 Macronutrients of Happiness 00:07:44 #1: Enjoyment, Pleasure; Animal Impulses vs Moral Aspirations; Exercise 00:17:35 Sponsors: OurPlace & Helix Sleep 00:20:41 Positive Self-Reflection, Public Commitments & Declare Moral Aspiration 00:26:45 Moral Differences, Politics 00:34:02 Tool: Proper Leisure & Values; Enrichment 00:41:47 Deepening Relationships & Shared Suffering 00:48:50 Sponsor: AG1 00:50:08 #2: Satisfaction, Struggle & Purpose 00:56:32 Struggle & Leisure, High Achievers; Happier with Age, Retirement 01:03:26 #3: Meaning, Regret, Idols 01:10:10 Sponsor: David 01:11:20 Regret, Tool: Identifying Your Idol, Four Idols 01:29:29 Vices & Virtues, Resisting Vices & Pursuing Moral Aspirations 01:35:50 Admiration & Unique Self-Expression; Heroes 01:44:43 Teaching & Sharing Knowledge 01:49:55 Sponsor: LMNT 01:51:15 Idols & Hedonic Treadmill, Addictive Behaviors & Quantification 01:58:26 Life Meaning & Fundamental Experiences, Tool: Break Technology Addiction 02:07:02 Faith, Gradual Exploration, Desire for the Divine 02:12:20 Atheism, Death & Nonexistence; Practice Before Feeling 02:18:18 Practicing Faith, Aging & Deepening Faith; Prayer Practice 02:26:53 Spouse Relationship; Addiction, Workaholism 02:35:06 Meaning of Your Life, Tool: 3 Questions of Meaning 02:43:25 Acknowledgments, Pilgrimages 02:47:23 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #hubermanlab #arthurbrooks Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

  • Dr. Arthur Brooks

    guest

    Behavioral scientist and professor known for work on happiness, meaning, and human well-being.

  • Andrew Huberman

    host

    Professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Dr. Arthur Brooks and Andrew Huberman, The Art of True Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks explores happiness built from enjoyment, satisfaction, meaning—and embraced suffering Brooks frames true happiness as a three-part construct—enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning—and argues that avoiding suffering undermines all three.

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