In the last few years the field of positive psychology has started to produce significant results to this important question.
Positive psychology researcher Dr. Nansook Park and her colleagues Dr. Christopher Peterson and Dr. Martin Seligman have looked at precisely this question. A study with more than 4000 participants revealed that five significant factors --gratitude, optimism, zest, curiosity, and the ability to love and be loved--are more closely and consistently related to life satisfaction . In other words it's not money or business success that makes us happy, but good old fashioned virtues of being in the community and being interested and excited by life.
Martin Seligman, commenting on this research, writes: “In my opinion, the most compelling reason to give special attention to these five key strengths is that each strength on the list is, by definition, mutable. We can all become more grateful, optimistic, zestful, curious, and loving if we are willing to make a concerted effort to do so.”
Martin Seligman has written an interesting book on this topic called Authentic Happiness.
