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What % of Your Happiness Do You Really Control? Science Answers

The surprising answer and what you can do about it

Pranshu "Maverick" Dwivedi
5 min readFeb 24, 2023
Photo by Agustin Fernandez on Unsplash

Take control of your own destiny, we’ve all been told.

But how much of our life do we really control? I’ve always wondered.

We sure don’t decide our genetics, what family we’re born into, or what country we’re born in. Our skin tone, race, and a whole of other internal and external characteristics are all decided for us.

Is there a scientific answer to this question at all? I ventured into looking at one of the most important end goals of most things we do.

Happiness.

I’d like to think that the end goal of most things we do or desire is happiness.

Some people want more money, some people want to look good, some people seek love, and others want more power — but these are all things that in the end are towards the pursuit of happiness.

So what really controls our happiness and how much of it is in our own hands?

Research shows 60% of happiness is outside of our control

A lot of people like to think happiness is a state of mind and you can just “choose to be happy.” Easier said than done of…

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Pranshu "Maverick" Dwivedi
Pranshu "Maverick" Dwivedi

Written by Pranshu "Maverick" Dwivedi

Stay-at-home-dad who "retired" from a 12-year career in finance at the age of 35. Curious thinker with an opinion on nearly everything and is here to share it.

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