#6 | Why We're Unhappy - The Expectation Gap

Length: 20 minutes

This excellent TEDx talk by Nat Ware addresses the role of expectations in our overall sense of happiness. In short, we tend to feel unhappy when our expectations exceed our reality, also called the expectation gap. This expectation gap is shaped by three forces:

1. Comparison to our imagination: Technology and social media present idealized, filtered versions of life, creating unrealistic standards.

2. Comparison to others: Our sense of success or wealth depends on those around us, e.g. being the richest in a poor neighborhood feels different than being average in a rich one.

3. Comparison to the past: Progress makes us feel good; when we move backward or stagnate, we feel unhappy.

To take a step towards our own happiness, it is important to understand how our expectation gaps are formed and how they work.