Want to be happier? Stay in the moment | Matt Killingsworth

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Alex Chiu 審譯者: 建松 刘

So, people want a lot of things out of life,

所以人們總是想從生活中得到許多東西

but I think, more than anything else, they want happiness.

但我認為，相較於其他，人們想要的是幸福

Aristotle called happiness "the chief good," the end

亞里斯多德將幸福稱為｢最重要的好事｣，也是

towards which all other things aim.

所有其他事情最終的歸宿

According to this view, the reason we want a big house

這樣來看的話，我們想要大房子

or a nice car

或一部好車子

or a good job

或是好工作的原因

isn't that these things are intrinsically valuable.

並不是這些事物本身的價值

It's that we expect them to bring us

而是期待這些東西可以帶給我們

happiness.

幸福

Now in the last 50 years, we Americans have gotten

半個世紀以來，我們美國人已經得到

a lot of the things that we want. We're richer.

很多很多東西。我們變得富有。

We live longer. We have access to technology

我們的壽命更長。我們透過科技

that would have seemed like science fiction

過著幾年前還是被認為科幻小說中

just a few years ago.

才有的生活

The paradox of happiness is that even though the

這種存在於矛盾的幸福就是

objective conditions of our lives have improved dramatically,

我們的物質生活得到了前所未有的提高

we haven't actually gotten any happier.

而實際上我們卻沒有更快樂

Maybe because these conventional notions of progress

這或許是因為這些傳統意義上的進步

haven't delivered big benefits in terms of happiness,

從幸福的角度來說並沒有給我們帶來多大的價值

there's been an increased interest in recent years

這些年，人們更加關注

in happiness itself.

幸福本身。

People have been debating the causes of happiness

人們爭辯幸福的成因

for a really long time, in fact for thousands of years,

由來已久，事實上已歷經數千年了

but it seems like many of those debates remain unresolved.

但似乎這些爭辯尚未得到結果

Well, as with many other domains in life, I think

我覺得，對於生活中的其它領域

the scientific method has the potential to answer this question.

用科學的研究方法是有希望回答這個問題的

In fact, in the last few years, there's been an explosion

事實上，近幾年來，研究幸福

in research on happiness. For example, we've learned a lot

已蔚為風潮。例如，我們學到很多

about its demographics, how things like income

關於這方面的統計資料，例如收入

and education, gender and marriage relate to it.

教育、性別和婚姻這些與幸福有關聯的因素

But one of the puzzles this has revealed is that

而困擾我們的問題是

factors like these don't seem to have a particularly strong effect.

以上這些因素對於人的幸福來說似乎沒有特殊的影響

Yes, it's better to make more money rather than less,

當然，賺的錢越多越好

or to graduate from college instead of dropping out,

拿到大學學位勝過於輟學

but the differences in happiness tend to be small.

但是對於幸福與否，差異卻很小

Which leaves the question, what are the big causes of happiness?

問題是，究竟甚麼是成就幸福的主因呢？

I think that's a question we haven't really answered yet,

我想這個問題我們還沒真正得到答案

but I think something that has the potential to be an answer

但是已經有些端倪

is that maybe happiness has an awful lot to do with

或許幸福在很大程度上

the contents of our moment-to-moment experiences.

和我們轉瞬之間的思考內容有關聯

It certainly seems that we're going about our lives,

很明顯地，我們如何過日子

that what we're doing, who we're with, what we're thinking about,

我們正在做甚麼，和誰一起，想些甚麼

have a big influence on our happiness, and yet

都和我們的幸福息息相關，而且

these are the very factors that have been very difficult,

這些重要的因素，一直是很難

in fact almost impossible, for scientists to study.

事實上是不可能，用科學方法去研究的

A few years ago, I came up with a way to study people's happiness

幾年前，我想到一個研究幸福的方法

moment to moment as they're going about their daily lives

我們試圖關注人們日常生活中片刻之間的生活片段

on a massive scale all over the world, something we'd never

而得到的數據是基於世界範圍內的調查的，而這個研究也是前所未有的

been able to do before. Called trackyourhappiness.org,

我們為此建立了一個網站 網址是trackyourhappiness.org (你的幸福足跡)

it uses the iPhone to monitor people's happiness in real time.

我們透過蘋果手機去實時監測人們真實的幸福時刻

How does this work? Basically, I send people signals

如何進行呢？基本上，我會傳送受測者一些訊號

at random points throughout the day, and then I ask them

一天中隨機幾次，我問他們

a bunch of questions about their moment-to-moment experience

一系列的問題，關於每個片刻的體驗

at the instant just before the signal.

就在收到訊號前的當下感覺

The idea is that, if we can watch how people's happiness

這個想法是，如果我們能觀察人們

goes up and down over the course of the day,

在那一天中幸福感的高低起伏

minute to minute in some cases,

有些是分鐘之間的體驗

and try to understand how what people are doing,

並試著去了解當人們做甚麼

who they're with, what they're thinking about, and all

和誰在一起，想些甚麼

the other factors that describe our day, how those might

所有能形容自己那天的重點，那些因素是如何

relate to those changes in happiness, we might be able

和幸福感的改變產生關聯，我們就有可能

to discover some of the things that really have

發覺那些對於人的幸福

a big influence on happiness.

有著重大影響的因素。

We've been fortunate with this project to collect

我們很幸運地透過這個項目收集到了

quite a lot of data, a lot more data of this kind than I think

很多很多資訊

has ever been collected before,

比我先前預想的還多

over 650,000 real-time reports

我們收到了超過65萬筆的即時紀錄

from over 15,000 people.

而這些是從1萬5千多人中得到的

And it's not just a lot of people, it's a really diverse group,

不僅人數眾多，還涵蓋各式各樣的群體

people from a wide range of ages, from 18 to late 80s,

各個年齡層，18歲到80多歲

a wide range of incomes, education levels,

不論學歷高低，收入多寡

people who are married, divorced, widowed, etc.

已婚、離婚、守寡者等等

They collectively represent every one of

這些受訪人代表了

86 occupational categories and hail from over 80 countries.

來自超過80多個國家和86個不同行業的群體

What I'd like to do with the rest of my time with you today

剩下的時間，我想和大家

is talk a little bit about one of the areas that we've been

分享一下我們調查中涉及到的一個領域

investigating, and that's mind-wandering.

那就是｢分心｣

As human beings, we have this unique ability

身而為人，我們擁有一項獨特能力

to have our minds stray away from the present.

就是讓思緒脫離現況

This guy is sitting here working on his computer,

這傢伙坐在電腦前工作

and yet he could be thinking about

但他可能正想到

the vacation he had last month,

上個月的假期

wondering what he's going to have for dinner.

想著晚餐要吃甚麼

Maybe he's worried that he's going bald. (Laughter)

或許正煩惱自己可能會禿頭

This ability to focus our attention on something other

這種可將注意力從現狀轉移到

than the present is really amazing. It allows us to learn

其他地方的能力其實相當神奇。讓我們能用許多方式

and plan and reason in ways that no other species of animal can.

學習、計畫和推理，這是其他物種無法做到的

And yet it's not clear what the relationship is

可是還不能清楚說明這項能力的運用和

between our use of this ability and our happiness.

幸福之間的關係

You've probably heard people suggest that you should

或許有人曾向你建議

stay focused on the present. "Be here now,"

專注眼前的事。｢活在當下｣

you've probably heard a hundred times.

可能都聽膩了

Maybe, to really be happy, we need to stay completely

也許，要幸福，我們還真的要完完全全地

immersed and focused on our experience in the moment.

專心致志在當下的體驗

Maybe these people are right. Maybe mind-wandering

這些忠告也許是對的，分心

is a bad thing.

不是一件好事

On the other hand, when our minds wander,

換言之，分心

they're unconstrained. We can't change the physical reality

是自然而然的事情。我們不能改變物質的現狀

in front of us, but we can go anywhere in our minds.

卻能任由心思隨意奔馳

Since we know people want to be happy, maybe

我們知道人們都想快樂，或許

when our minds wander, they're going to someplace happier than the place

任由思緒四處晃蕩，會帶我們到比眼前更快樂的地方

that they're leaving. It would make a lot of sense.

也是有道理的

In other words, maybe the pleasures of the mind

換句話說，也許透過分心

allow us to increase our happiness with mind-wandering.

能帶給我們心情的愉快，增加幸福感

Well, since I'm a scientist, I'd like to try to

因為我是科學家，比較傾向

resolve this debate with some data, and in particular

透過數據來解決爭辯，我在這裡特別

I'd like to present some data to you from three questions

為大家提供3個問題的一些數據

that I ask with Track Your Happiness. Remember, this is from

這些得自於｢你的幸福足跡｣。別忘了，這是來自於

sort of moment-to-moment experience in people's real lives.

一系列受訪者真實生活的每個片刻的經驗

There are three questions. The first one is a happiness question:

3個問題。首先是關於幸福的問題

How do you feel, on a scale ranging from very bad

從量表最壞到最好的分數，你感覺如何？

to very good? Second, an activity question:

其次，關於活動的問題

What are you doing, on a list of 22 different activities

你正在做甚麼？表列中有22個不同的活動

including things like eating and working and watching TV?

包含像吃東西、工作和看電視

And finally a mind-wandering question:

最後是分心的問題

Are you thinking about something other

對於當下進行的活動中

than what you're currently doing?

你心有旁騖嗎？

People could say no -- in other words, I'm focused only on my task --

他們可能回答｢不｣--也就是｢我專注在眼前的事情｣--

or yes -- I am thinking about something else --

或｢是｣--｢我正在胡思亂想｣--

and the topic of those thoughts are pleasant,

以及這些想法會讓你愉快

neutral or unpleasant.

沒特別感覺或是不愉快

Any of those yes responses are what we called mind-wandering.

對於所有｢是｣的答覆，我們歸類為｢分心｣

So what did we find?

我們發現了甚麼

This graph shows happiness on the vertical axis,

這個圖表顯示幸福感在垂直軸線上

and you can see that bar there representing how happy

可以看到條狀圖表示當人們

people are when they're focused on the present,

專注在當下時，感覺有多快樂

when they're not mind-wandering.

當他們不分心時

As it turns out, people are substantially less happy

事實證明，人們分心時遠比

when their minds are wandering than when they're not.

不分心時不快樂

Now you might look at this result and say, okay, sure,

你們現在看著這個結果，可能說：好吧，應該是這樣

on average people are less happy when they're mind-wandering,

一般人處在分心狀態時，比較不快樂

but surely when their minds are straying away

但是當他們的思緒能從一些

from something that wasn't very enjoyable to begin with,

不開心的事情中脫離

at least then mind-wandering should be doing something good for us.

至少，分心對我們還是有些好處

Nope. As it turns out,

不，事實證明

people are less happy when they're mind-wandering

人們處於分心狀態時，都是較不快樂的

no matter what they're doing. For example,

不管他們當時在做甚麼。例如

people don't really like commuting to work very much.

應該沒有人喜歡長時間的上班

It's one of their least enjoyable activities, and yet

這是最無趣的活動之一，但是

they are substantially happier when they're focused

他們覺得專注在上班這件事上

only on their commute than when their mind is going

相較於胡思亂想

off to something else.

還要快樂許多

It's amazing.

真令人意想不到

So how could this be happening? I think part of the reason,

為什麼會這樣？我猜想部分原因

a big part of the reason, is that when our minds wander,

大部分的原因，當我們胡思亂想時

we often think about unpleasant things, and they are

通常會想到不愉快的事

enormously less happy when they do that,

當做這些事情時會讓他們相當不愉快

our worries, our anxieties, our regrets,

想到憂愁、焦慮和後悔的事情

and yet even when people are thinking about something

即使想到一些沒有特別感覺的事情

neutral, they're still considerably less happy

比起心無旁騖

than when they're not mind-wandering at all.

還是會覺得較不快樂

Even when they're thinking about something they would describe as pleasant,

甚至他們想的是愉快的事情

they're actually just slightly less happy

比起心無旁騖

than when they aren't mind-wandering.

還是少了一點快樂

If mind-wandering were a slot machine, it would be like

如果分心是一部吃角子老虎

having the chance to lose 50 dollars, 20 dollars

讓我們有機會損失50元、20元

or one dollar. Right? You'd never want to play. (Laughter)

或是1元。你不會想玩，對吧

So I've been talking about this, suggesting, perhaps,

我的重點是，告訴你們或許

that mind-wandering causes unhappiness, but all

分心是導致感覺不幸福的成因

I've really shown you is that these two things are correlated.

我已經證明二者是有關係的

It's possible that's the case, but it might also be the case

這個案例可能互成因果

that when people are unhappy, then they mind-wander.

當人們不快樂時，他們就容易分心

Maybe that's what's really going on. How could we ever

或許這樣更講得通。我們如何

disentangle these two possibilites?

釐清這兩種可能呢？

Well, one fact that we can take advantage of, I think a fact

有一個我們可以運用的事實，這個事實

you'll all agree is true, is that time goes forward, not

你們都會同意，時間只會往前

backward. Right? The cause has to come before the effect.

不會倒退，對吧？成因總是在結果之前

We're lucky in this data we have many responses from each person,

我們很幸運地，這些資料包含每個受訪者的許多回應

and so we can look and see, does mind-wandering

我們得以好好觀察，分心是否

tend to precede unhappiness, or does unhappiness

產生在感覺不幸福之前，或者不幸福感

tend to precede mind-wandering, to get some insight

在分心前產生，就能夠多少理解

into the causal direction.

這不同的方向

As it turns out, there is a strong relationship between

事實證明，兩者之間有強烈關聯

mind-wandering now and being unhappy a short time later,

分心後會立即感覺不幸福

consistent with the idea that mind-wandering is causing people to be unhappy.

和分心造成人們不快樂的想法是一致的

In contrast, there's no relationship between being unhappy

對照下，並沒有發現這樣的關聯

now and mind-wandering a short time later.

不快樂會立即分心

In other words, mind-wandering very likely seems to be

換言之，分心似乎就是感覺不幸福的主因

an actual cause, and not merely a consequence, of unhappiness.

而非結果

A few minutes ago, I likened mind-wandering

幾分鐘前，我將分心比喻為

to a slot machine you'd never want to play.

你不會想玩的吃角子老虎

Well, how often do people's minds wander?

那麼，我們常分心嗎？

Turns out, they wander a lot. In fact, really a lot.

事實證明，常常。事實上，相當多

Forty-seven percent of the time, people are thinking

47%的時間，人們想著

about something other than what they're currently doing.

不是眼前進行的事情

How does that depend on what people are doing?

程度取決於正在做甚麼事

This shows the rate of mind-wandering across 22 activities

這裡顯示22種活動的分心程度

ranging from a high of 65 percent — (Laughter) —

從最高的65%

when people are taking a shower, brushing their teeth,

在沖澡時，刷牙時

to 50 percent when they're working,

50%在工作時

to 40 percent when they're exercising,

40%在運動時

all the way down to this one short bar on the right

一路往下到最右邊最短的條狀圖

that I think some of you are probably laughing at.

或許有些人會覺得好笑

Ten percent of the time people's minds are wandering

10%的機率會分心

when they're having sex. (Laughter)

當從事性行為時

But there's something I think that's quite interesting in this graph,

圖表中我認為相當有趣的是

and that is, basically with one exception,

基本上也是一個例外

no matter what people are doing, they're mind-wandering

不論人們做甚麼，都會分心

at least 30 percent of the time, which suggests, I think,

我認為至少30%的時間

that mind-wandering isn't just frequent, it's ubiquitous.

分心不僅常常發生，簡直無處不在

It pervades basically everything that we do.

遍及我們所做的每件事

In my talk today, I've told you a little bit about mind-wandering,

我今天告訴大家一些關於分心的研究

a variable that I think turns out to be fairly important

一個被證明是非常重要的變數

in the equation for happiness.

可以和幸福畫上等號

My hope is that over time, by tracking people's

我希望花更多時間，通過追蹤人們每天

moment-to-moment happiness and their experiences

每個片刻的幸福感和經驗

in daily life, we'll be able to uncover a lot of important causes of happiness,

我們將可以揭開更多成就幸福的重要原因

and then in the end, a scientific understanding of happiness

最終，經由科學方式解讀的幸福

will help us create a future that's not only richer

將幫助我們建立一個不僅更豐富

and healthier, but happier as well.

更健康也更幸福的未來

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝

(Applause)

(掌聲)