Hedonic Treadmill

We quickly adapt back to our baseline level of happiness after positive or negative life changes. Lasting happiness from external achievements is an illusion.

• Studies show lottery winners return to their prior happiness baseline within one year of winning.
• Buying a luxury car produces a brief, intense spike of pleasure — then we adapt completely and are back where we started emotionally.
• Paraplegics, after a period of adjustment, report happiness levels surprisingly close to non-disabled individuals — the reverse treadmill works too.