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Arthur Brooks

Professor, Vanderbilt University; Senior Fellow, Harvard Business School, Vanderbilt University

Search every verified Arthur Brooks interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Arthur Brooks, a professor at Vanderbilt University and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, has recently discussed the science of happiness in several public appearances. In an October 2026 conversation with Dean Tom Steenburgh at Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management, Brooks argued that happiness is not a feeling but a pursuit involving enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning, and he stated that leaders often mistakenly view working on their own happiness as selfish. He also promoted an upcoming Leadership and Happiness retreat in Boca Raton, Florida, describing it as a way for participants to develop a strategic plan for their future happiness and success. Brooks also appeared on the Huberman Lab podcast in September 2026, where he outlined what he called the three "macronutrients" of happiness—enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning—and discussed the importance of learning, practicing, and teaching ideas to spread them. In other engagements, including a Leadership Summit and a Veritas forum at Stanford, he addressed topics such as vocation, the role of love and faith in a meaningful life, and the difference between building a resume and building a life worth living. He has also spoken publicly about his personal religious practices, including the Jesus Prayer and attending Mass, and has suggested that replacing screen time with spiritual practices can improve well-being.

Recent appearances

  • Leadership and Happiness: A Conversation Between Arthur Brooks and Dean Tom Steenburgh

    October 12, 2026 · 📺 Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management

    What does it take to lead well and live well at the same time? New Vanderbilt professor and bestselling author Arthur Brooks joins Dean Tom Steenburgh of the Owen Graduate School of Management for a candid conversation about the science of happiness, and why it matters for anyone who leads people, teams, or organizations. They discuss how leaders can build lives with more meaning, why success and satisfaction don’t always go together, and what it looks like to lead from a place of purpose. Take the conversation further at the Leadership and Happiness retreat in Boca Raton, Florida, Dec. 7–…

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  • How to Build a Legacy | Dr. Arthur Brooks & Dr. Andrew Huberman

    September 29, 2026 · 📺 Huberman Lab Clips

    Dr. Arthur Brooks and Dr. Andrew Huberman discuss why understanding the science behind a practice makes people more likely to adopt it, and how the learn-practice-teach cycle turns knowledge into lasting habits that spread to others without needing attribution. Dr. Arthur Brooks, PhD, professor at Vanderbilt University and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, is an expert on the science of happiness. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine and host of the Huberman Lab podcast. Watch the full episode:    • The…

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  • The Art of True Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks

    September 14, 2026 · 📺 Andrew Huberman and Dr. Arthur Brooks

    Dr. Arthur Brooks, PhD, professor at Vanderbilt University and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, is an expert on the science of happiness. He shares the three “macronutrients” of true happiness and tools for you to understand what specifically is in the way of you accessing more happiness and a sense of purpose. Dr. Brooks’ work goes beyond stories and observations by offering potent self-discovery tools for you to identify what truly matters most to you and how to shape your life around those things, and doing so, experience more joy and fulfillment. Show notes: https://go.hubermanl…

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  • How to Find Happiness ft. Arthur Brooks

    September 14, 2026 · 📺 Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

    Millions today describe a growing sense of emptiness; in short, a lack of meaning. And there’s a reason: Rapid cultural, economic, and technological changes have rewired our brains, which has rendered the why of life—its coherence, purpose, and significance—out of reach. This is a discussion on how to push back against these changes and find personal meaning that contributes to a fulfilling life and greater capacity for leadership and service. Featuring: Moderator Anthony Foxx, Director of the Center for Public Leadership Arthur Brooks, who teaches the science of happiness at Harvard Universi…

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  • The Meaning of Your Life | Arthur Brooks | Leadership Summit 2026

    September 09, 2026 · 📺 Amazing Parish

    On happiness, vocation, and the difference between building a resume and building a life worth living.

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  • Harvard Professor: You MUST Do this in the Morning! | Arthur Brooks

    August 27, 2026 · 📺 informo

    Professor Arthur Brooks, previously at Harvard Business School, shares his evidence based morning routine, how to be happy, why you are unhappy, and how to spend your money. 0:00 Intro 1:00 Why entrepreneurs are unhappy 4:59 Happiness is genetic? 7:31 Try the Happiness Test 11:00 Do friends make you happy? 15:30 Do you have a happy marriage? 21:00 Social media makes you unhappy? Not true. 24:20 Morning routine to be happy 30:18 AI will make us unhappy? Copyright © Informo. All rights reserved. This content, including all videos, images, audio, scripts, edits, and thumbnails, is protected b…

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  • When Will I Be Satisfied? | Arthur Brooks & Andrew Huberman

    August 25, 2026 · 📺 The Veritas Forum and Dr. Arthur Brooks

    Arthur Brooks (Vanderbilt) and Andrew Huberman (Stanford) explore the role of science and faith in seeking a meaningful life. | Held by the Veritas at Stanford student organization at Stanford University, 4/22/2026 | Explore more at https://www.veritas.org. Co-released with permission from the Veritas at Stanford student organization. Speakers: Arthur Brooks - Vanderbilt Professor, Bestselling Author, and Happiness Expert Andrew Huberman - Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, Host of the Huberman Labs Podcast Moderator: Charles Lee - Profess…

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  • The 3 macronutrients of happiness and how to build them into your life with Professor Arthur Brooks

    August 25, 2026 · 📺 The Doctor's Kitchen

    How do you become happier? Professor Arthur Brooks describes 3 “macronutrients” for a happier life: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. Rather than chasing positive feelings, the idea is to build more of each into our everyday lives. We get into some really practical ways to do this, including: • Why being bored is good for your brain • The three times to put your phone away each day • How to make your downtime more meaningful • How to find more meaning through love, awe and spirituality 👤 About today’s guest: Arthur Brooks is a professor at Vanderbilt University, a senior fellow at Harva…

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  • The Ancient Christian Prayer That's The Antidote to Modern Distraction | Arthur Brooks

    August 15, 2026 · 📺 Winston Marshall Clips

    Arthur Brooks joins The Winston Marshall Show to discuss prayer, sleep, Christianity and how replacing screens with spiritual practice can reshape your relationship with God. Brooks, a bestselling author and happiness researcher who is now a Vanderbilt University professor and senior fellow at Harvard Business School, explains why falling asleep with the television on can disrupt sleep architecture and describes the prayer routine he has followed for decades. He explores the Jesus Prayer, 'The Way of a Pilgrim', the Lord’s Prayer, the Catholic Rosary and his practice of attending Mass, explai…

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  • Your phone addiction is keeping you from achieving flow state | Arthur Brooks

    August 13, 2026 · 📺 Big Think Clips and 2 more

    Become a Big Think member to unlock expert classes, premium print issues, exclusive events and more: https://bigthink.com/membership/?utm_... Arthur Brooks has a blunt test for whether you're addicted to your phone: put it away for an hour and count how many times you think about it. More than once every five minutes, he says, and the diagnosis is in. Brooks walks through why almost nobody believes they're addicted to their device, and gives a 3-step protocol to breaking it. Watch Arthur Brooks' Full Interview ►   • The hidden cost of never being bored | Art...   ------------------------…

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  • Young people say their lives feel fake. Here’s why | Arthur Brooks

    August 11, 2026 · 📺 Big Think Clips and 2 more

    Become a Big Think member to unlock expert classes, premium print issues, exclusive events and more: https://bigthink.com/membership/?utm_... Arthur Brooks doesn't think generational blame or fragile-kid theories explain the tripling of depression rates in the last 15 years. He argues the real culprit is a collapse in meaning, tracing it to a neuroscientific explanation: a right brain built for love, mystery, and purpose that we've been systematically starving in favor of left-brain engineering solutions. Watch Arthur Brooks' Full Interview ►   • The hidden cost of never being bored | Art..…

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  • The hidden cost of never being bored | Arthur Brooks: Full Interview

    August 07, 2026 · 📺 Big Think and Dr. Arthur Brooks

    Become a Big Think member to unlock expert classes, premium print issues, exclusive events and more: https://bigthink.com/membership/?utm_... Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►    / @bigthink   Up next, The blueprint for becoming an emotionally mature adult, in 68 minutes | Mark Manson: Full Interview ►    • The blueprint for becoming an emotionally ...   Arthur Brooks studies happiness for a living, and he says the epidemic of depression and anxiety among young adults comes down to one culprit: a meaning crisis. Brooks walks through the biology of falling in love, the real formula behind…

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Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“Yeah. So the answer is no. The answer is no. But that that that's not that's not a sufficient answer that the real the real answer is why because happiness doesn't scale up in that particular way for all the reasons that we actually talked about. I think that's a bad policy goal and it would be particularly dilitterious and ineffective and exercising futility in a culture like the United States which is one of the bl”

“Starting around 2008, my students started to fail that exam. Couldn't figure it out. And every year after 2008, they failed it with greater frequency. And today, 50% of my students fail that exam. They don't have answers to that question. Something happened around 2008. Almost as if a diabolical force had entered our life and society and sucked our ability to ascertain the meaning of life to take it away from us. Can”

“It is true that money can't buy happiness under the traditional circumstances. People think, well, if I get a boat, will I be happier? No, you won't. If I get the world's most expensive car, will I be happier? Nope. A fourth house. These things won't do it. But there are ways that you can spend money on that you actually should that will bring greater happiness. There's five ways you can spend your money. You can buy”

“The depression and anxiety epidemic that we see all around the world, that's not because of work burnout. That's because of social media and screens. That's because of the overuse of technology. And what that's done is that's leeched the sense of meaning out of our lives. Now, there's a reason for that fundamentally, which is when you're using technology, you're forcing brain activity into the left hemisphere of your”

“We need a new relationship with a technology that's subjugating us. I am not of the view that engineers and technologists are trying to ruin our lives. But we have a mis and disordered relationship with these devices and it is child abuse if we don't start standing up to this. And if you want a better culture, solve this. Second is this. We need to go deeper in what we even talk about. Those questions I gave you. Whe”

“We get really good at the complicated left side stuff, but what we care about are the complex things on the right. That's the life and life. And here we have a problem, my friends. Life today is all on the left hand side. Since 2008 or so, we've gone from asking complex questions about mystery and meaning to being bombarded by data and information about complicated questions that we never even asked. We've created th”

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