What if there was nothing to fix?
A different way to live, grounded in science, therapy, and Zen.
From Bob Waldinger
The philosophy
Life can feel like a problem to solve.
But what if the fixing is the problem?
For more than 4 decades, Robert Waldinger has studied what makes life truly good.
Who is Bob?
Decades of research.
A lifetime of practice.
Bob Waldinger, MD, is the fourth director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development — one of the longest-running studies of human life ever conducted. His TED Talk on what makes a good life has been viewed over 50 million times.
Zen PriestSoto & Rinzai Lineages- ResearcherAdult Development
- PsychiatristBoard Certified MD
- Global SpeakerInspiring good lives
- Zen PriestSoto & Rinzai Lineages
- ResearcherAdult Development
- PsychiatristBoard Certified MD
- Global SpeakerInspiring good lives
Hidden in Plain Sight
With Bob Waldinger, MD
Bob invites you to start every week differently: with a short practice and a reflection that helps you see your life more clearly.
What makes a good life?
Lessons from the longest
study on happiness
Psychiatrist Bob Waldinger, director of the 85-year old study on adult development, shares what decades of research reveal about what actually makes a good life.
The book
What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life? A good life?
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, shows that the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize. These insights offer simple steps to live a happier life today.
Try it out
A simple meditation practice
Try a simple meditation with Bob, right here, right now.
Insights
Mind & life
Explore meditations, talks, and videos that combine Zen practice, psychiatry, and decades of research to support a more mindful, meaningful life.
Self-Consciousness with Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy talks with Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and author of The Good Life, about what eight decades of research reveal makes life truly meaningful. His answer isn’t money, fame, or achievement—it’s the quality of our connections and how we nurture them across a lifetime. Five Key Takeaways: Relationships Drive…
Feel Better, Live More
From The World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness – Professors Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz. They are directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, an extraordinary research project that began in 1938 and has followed participants for more than eight decades. In this clip, they explain why nurturing high-quality relationships may be one of…
A Bit of Optimism
We’re taking some time off to bring you even more episodes of A Bit of Optimism that you’re going to love! In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes, like this one with Harvard professor Robert Waldinger. We all want to live a happy life. But what does the research say about how to…
‘Harvard Thinking’: Can people change? | The Harvard Gazette
One thing is certain in the new year — we’ll evolve, with or without resolutions. In podcast, experts consider our responsibility....