Why Your Happiness Always Returns to Baseline (and How to Raise It) | 103

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In 1978, researchers compared two groups you’d never expect: lottery winners and accident victims who had become paraplegic. The results shocked the world.

Within a year, both groups had returned to nearly the same level of happiness as before.

This is the science of hedonic adaptation — our brain’s tendency to normalize no matter what happens. Winning millions. Losing everything. We always come back to baseline.

But here’s the hopeful part: your baseline isn’t fixed. You can raise it.

In this episode, I break down:
 • The famous “lottery vs. paraplegic” study on baseline happiness.
 • Why we imagine extremes in the future (arrival fallacy).
 • Four science-backed ways to elevate your baseline happiness: gratitude, relationships, purposeful work, and meditation.
 • How to frame the future realistically so you’re no longer disappointed by extremes.

🎧 Whether you’re chasing big goals or recovering from setbacks, this episode will show you how to live at a higher baseline.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5EsTEpQAjU4BxUrDoFyZ6b

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🧠 More from Jack:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: [e-mail]

💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.

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🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.

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