Serendipity struck last night. As I was clicking on my TV remote, putting off the choice between writing or sleeping, I happened on "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central. At that moment Jon Stewart was introducing Tal Ben-Shahar, author of the book Happier and instructor of the most popular class at Harvard—a class on Positive Psychology.
In his book Happier, Ben-Shahar emphasizes goal-setting and the effect goals have on changing one’s life.
Jon Stewart, ever the cleverly entertaining cynic, poked fun at the concept of a Happiness course with its overtones of self-help. Stewart asked if the class is popular because it’s easy.
Ben-Shahar held his own, showing his witty side as well as that of the scholarly researcher. He said that his class conveys the research and science behind the emerging field of positive psychology and also helps students improve the quality of their own lives.
Experience tells those of us who have taught college students that students need to find meaning in the academic process beyond the notion that one day it will all be over. In the middle of exams, papers, and required readings, it’s easy to feel isolated and anchorless.
Ben-Shahar says that having goals demonstrates hope, or in his words, “the belief that we are capable of overcoming obstacles.”
To illustrate, Ben-Shahar compares life to a journey in which you’re walking along with a knapsack on your back until you come to a brick wall. Do you turn back or “throw your knapsack over the wall, thus committing yourself to finding ways of getting through, around, or over the wall?”
The first difficult choice is setting the goal. Throwing your knapsack over the wall takes faith in yourself, but even more importantly, the willingness to make a commitment. This is what I will do. I will find a way.
The brick wall is a pivotal choice. You can commit to scaling that wall or turn back. Committing to a specific, stated goal makes it easier to keep going. And surmounting that brick wall bodes well for overcoming additional brick walls in your future.
Makes sense, right? And so obvious! Or as Jon Stewart said to Ben-Shahar about positive psychology and also about Ben-Shahar's teaching positive psychology at Harvard, “It’s a fascinating subject and one I can’t believe you’re getting away with.”
To see the Tal Ben-Shahar video clip, go to
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml and click on the box for the Tal Ben-Shahar video.
I’d love to hear your reaction to Tal Ben-Shahar.
