# Why chasing happiness often backfires

> Psychologists found that actively pursuing happiness exhausts your mental resources and makes you less happy overall.
- Title: Why chasing happiness often backfires · Psychologies
- Summary: Psychologists found that actively pursuing happiness exhausts your mental resources and makes you less happy overall. Actively seeking happiness depletes…
- Keywords: happiness pursuit, self-regulation, mental exhaustion, well-being, psychology research, aekyoung kim, sam maglio, applied psychology, self-control, decision-making, chasing, happiness
- Source: Psychologies — https://psychologies.com/moi/se-connaitre/bonheur/Les-psys-lobservent-nous-faisons-presque-tous-cette-chose-en-pensant-quelle-nous-rendra-plus-heureux-alors-quelle-produit-souvent-leffet-inverse-590582
- Author: Louise Leboyer
- Published: 2026-09-18T13:31:10+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: happiness pursuit, self-regulation, mental exhaustion, well-being, psychology research, aekyoung kim, sam maglio, applied psychology, self-control, decision-making
## The happiness paradox
Chasing happiness often produces the opposite effect. Research shows that actively pursuing happiness leads to less happiness and less available time.

> De plus en plus d'études suggèrent que la recherche du bonheur, au lieu d'aboutir à plus de bonheur, entraîne souvent des conséquences négatives
## The study that proved it
Researchers Aekyoung Kim and Sam J. Maglio published findings in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being examining how happiness-seeking affects overall well-being.
## Four experiments revealed the truth
Researchers ran four studies: surveying 532 adults on happiness-seeking and self-control, testing 369 participants on purchasing decisions, measuring chocolate consumption in 36 people, and tracking puzzle-solving in 188 participants.
## Self-control takes the hit
People who scored higher on happiness-seeking scales showed weaker self-control and spent less time on decision-making. Even brief prompts to pursue happiness reduced self-discipline.
## The snowball effect explained
Pursuing happiness demands mental effort that exhausts you and weakens your ability to regulate thoughts, emotions, and behavior. This reduces your capacity to resist temptation and make good decisions.

> La quête du bonheur s'apparente à un effet boule de neige. Vous décidez de vous rendre plus heureux, mais cet effort réduit votre capacité à faire les choses qui vous rendent plus heureux
## Stop trying so hard
The research suggests that constantly chasing happiness is counterproductive. Instead of actively pursuing it, focus on living well and let happiness follow naturally.
## Key takeaway

Actively seeking happiness depletes your self-control, making it harder to do the things that actually make you happy.