Having it all: Exploring the 'Hedonic Treadmill' Theory

During my six-year research journey, earning my doctorate was the ultimate goal. I believed it would bring me lasting happiness. Achieving this milestone brought undeniable joy and a sense of accomplishment.

- DR HASEENA KABEER

We often delight in watching fairy tales where characters achieve their "happily ever after," finding joy and contentment as they live out their dreams. These stories captivate us because they offer a vision of perfect, unending happiness. However, in real life, this kind of lasting contentment often remains elusive. While fairy tales end with a satisfying conclusion, our experiences can be quite different.

The Hedonic Treadmill Theory suggests that, unlike in fairy tales, our happiness is not permanent. Instead, no matter how much we achieve or how many dreams we fulfill, our sense of satisfaction tends to return to a baseline level. This means that the joy we feel after reaching our goals often fades, and we are left in search of the next source of happiness. Recognizing this pattern can help us adjust our expectations and focus on finding enduring contentment in our everyday lives, rather than expecting a perpetual fairy-tale ending. This approach contrasts the idealized happiness of fairy tales with the more complex reality of human contentment, framing it within the context of the Hedonic Treadmill Theory.