Experts
Tal Ben-Shahar
Psychology Lecturer, Harvard University
Positive psychologists have found a series of scientifically-proven ways for you live a happier life. Read More
A conversation with the author of “The Pursuit of Perfect” and “Happier.” Read More
Tal Ban Shahar’s best career advice involved getting some important words on paper. Read More
Tal Ben Shahar wrote the book on avoiding the drive for perfectionism and enjoying an imperfect life. So what does he say about his own career regrets? Read More
Tal Ben-Shahar’s most important lesson to his students to be sure to fail, and to fail well. He explains why this is and introduces us to the most successful individual in history at failing, Thomas Edison. Read More
Happiness expert Tal Ben Shahar has dedicated ample time to his research on how romantic relationships can promote—and prevent—happiness. He tells Big Think what makes a winning relationship. Read More
Tal Ben Shahar is very concerned about the state of education in our country: he explains why a “happiness curriculum” starting in childhood is a key to fixing what’s wrong with our school system. Read More
For however elusive happiness is to define, there are very specific things people can do each day that are proven to increase happiness: Tal Ben Shahar has spent his career studying them. He gave Big Think several practical happiness tips, including changing your calendar, buying a notebook, and changing your approach to car parking. Read More
In the face of tragedy, lack of success, or plain bad luck, those promoting happiness can be frankly annoying. Tal Ben Shahar told Big Think that true happiness is only possible by feeling true pain and that luck can actually be taught. Read More
Why are corporations paying positive psychologists big fees to repair their cultures? Tal Ben Shahar, an expert in the field, explains how corporations can benefit from a focus on the positive and gives specific tips that workplaces of any size can use to promote happiness and efficiency. Read More
Sure happiness is great, but what about groundbreaking yet tortured artists and unhappy but principled workaholic reformers? And is the theory of positive psychology fodder for governments to make citizens responsible for their own happiness despite material deficiencies? Tal Ben Shahar, author of Happier, takes on these arguments. Read More
Facebook and Twitter, by making our lives increasingly public, make avoiding the dangerous drive towards perfectionism difficult—Tal Ben Shahar explains why. Read More
It’s a refreshing thought: a psychologist that doesn’t ask about your problems, but about your successes. But does that mean we all should be seeing “positive” shrinks? Tal Ben Shahar told Big Think the reasoning and the history behind positive psychology. Read More
Tal Ben Shahar is widely respected academic, but he is also a proud self-help guru. He told Big Think the problem with most books labeled “self-help” these days, defined what true self-help is, and recommended some classics of the genre. Read More
About Tal Ben-Shahar
Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer at Harvard University. He currently teaches the largest course at Harvard on "Positive Psychology" and the third largest on "The Psychology of Leadership"--with a total of over 1,400 students.
Tal consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporation, the general public, and at-risk populations. Topics include happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, mindfulness, and leadership.
An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.