George Vaillant, a Harvard Professor was interested in just these questions and over a 40 year study analysed Harvard Graduates. He detailed his findings in a book called ‘Adaptation to Life’.
What most interested me about this study was this…Vaillant found that 5% of the people in the study were what Psychologist’s call optimally adjusted – meaning they were about as happy as they could reasonably expect to be.
The bottom twenty per cent have personality traits and attitudes that would always make life an uphill battle. These are the people that always blame others. Maybe they don’t believe anything else is possible and so don’t try. Or perhaps they’re always looking for a free lunch or to cheat others.
Another 15% are generally happy, but could get more joy from their lives.
But the bulk of people – 60% – veer from top to bottom depending on the circumstances that happen in their lives. In other words life bounces them around.
Now there was no significant difference in intelligence, family background, luck or any other factor usually quoted as responsible for differences between people.
All had tragedies and opportunities over the course of the study.
In other words there was no external differences. The only differences were ones of attitude, personality and character. Differences in the perspective they looked at the world and so reacted to it.
This is great news because it means that it doesn’t matter what your situation… or what cards you’re dealt by life… because if you take the time to develop these perspectives and outlooks… you’ll be one of the ‘lucky’ ones that is in control and most importantly enjoys their life.
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