Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness

Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness

The Legacy of Albert Ellis

Albert Ellis was writing about personal happiness long before the formal disciple of positive psychology was founded and, in this new book, Bernard dispenses Ellis' no-nonsense advice based on transcripts of over 100 public demonstrations.

Written for the general public and professionals alike, this book reveals how the principles of rational living identified by Albert Ellis, one of the world's most influential and popular psychologists, can be used by anyone to achieve lifelong happiness.

Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness:
Reveals the 11 principles of rational living, identified by Albert Ellis that, when put into practice, can consistently increase levels of personal happiness.
Includes selected excerpts from Ellis' writings as well as verbatim transcripts of his public lectures revealing the difference between the psychological architectures of emotional unhappiness and human happiness.
Offers insights into how 'rationality' can be used by anyone to reduce the intensity of negative emotions, to increase the frequency of positive emotions and to promote life satisfaction.

Professor Michael E. Bernard is an international consultant to universities, educational authorities, organisations, and government. He is the founder of You Can Do It! Education, a program for promoting student social-emotional well-being and achievement that is being used in over 6,000 schools worldwide. He is the author of over 50 books, 15 book chapters, and 40 journal articles and his newest program is 'The High Performance Mindset at Work'.

Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness
Wiley
Author: Michael E. Bernard
ISBN: 9780470683118
Price: $39.95

Interview with Michael E. Bernard

Question: What originally inspired you to write this book?

Michael E. Bernard: Important ideas about how to pursue happiness using one's innate capacity for rational thinking had not been written about and deserved to see the light of day.


Question: What research went into Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness?

Michael E. Bernard: Based on Albert Ellis' 60 years of professional experiences in helping thousands of people overcome emotional misery and live happier lives plus the wisdom of great philosophers such as Epictetus.


Question: How were you able to get your hands on the transcripts of over 100 public demonstrations?

Michael E. Bernard: I have worked for many years with Albert Ellis who several years back knowing that I was working on a book trusted me with his valuable collection of audiotapes of public lectures and therapy sessions that reveal the essence of how rationality helps people to develop their potential for rationality.


Question: Can you explain a couple of the 11 principles of rational living?

Michael E. Bernard: Self-Direction. If you don't search for personal happiness, no one else is going to do it for you. Actively plan for doing new experiences that will bring you happiness. Minimise those activities that bring you displeasure.

Risk Taking and Experimentation: Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone and try new activities that might interest you that you know nothing about. Be prepared to make mistakes but give the new activity a chance to see if you enjoy it.

High Frustration Tolerance and Willpower. Happiness requires overcoming inertia (getting off your butt) and not expecting life to deliver happiness to your door step. Make a decision to do new and different things that have the potential to bring you happiness including meeting new people. And then put the decision into action no matter how uncomfortable it seems at first.


Interview by Brooke Hunter