A new research study published online in the Journal of Happiness Studies has proven what we here at Fandha have known for a long time  – that happiness is a skill one develops with practice and, like learning to play a musical instrument, we can get better at it over time with practice.  This study suggests that people can experience greater happiness on a daily basis after working hard and mastering a skill.  Although the actual “work” involved in developing this skill usually produces stress in the moment, the payoff is greater happiness and quality of life down the road and for a longer term.

“People often give up their goals because they are stressful, but we found that there is benefit at the end of the day from learning to do something well. And what’s striking is that you don’t have to reach your goal to see the benefits to your happiness and well-being,” said Ryan Howell, professor of psychology at San Francisco State University.

“No pain, no gain is the rule when it comes to gaining happiness from increasing our competence at something.”

The study found that people who engage in behaviors that increase competency, for example at work, school or the gym, experience decreased momentary happiness, higher momentary stress and lower levels of enjoyment.  Despite these negative effects felt on an hourly basis, participants reported that, when they looked back and reflected on their day as a whole, these same activities made them feel happy and satisfied.  This interesting finding suggests that people may need to endure temporary stress to reap the happiness benefits associated with increased competency in their chosen pursuits.

In addition to this need for proficiency in life-affirming pursuits, the study looked at the need to be autonomous, self-directed as well as feel connected to others, and examined how fulfilling these needs affected a person’s happiness moment by moment within a day.

For two days, participants reported how they spent each hour, the enjoyment and stress experienced in that hour, and whether the activity met their need for competency, connectedness to others or autonomy. A second group of participants completed a similar survey, but reported on the day as a whole.

The greatest increase in momentary happiness was experienced by participants who engaged in something that met their need for autonomy — any behavior that a person feels they have chosen, rather than obligated to do, and that helps them further their interests and goals.

The authors of the study suggest that shifting the balance of needs met in a day could help people find ways to cope with short-term stress in the workplace. ‘Our results suggest that you can decrease the momentary stress associated with improving your skill or ability by ensuring you are also meeting the need for autonomy and connectedness, for example performing the activity alongside other people or making sure it is something you have chosen to do and is true to who you are,’ Howell said.