Much of what we think will improve our wellbeing is either misguided or just plain wrong.
Contrary to what many people believe, wellbeing isn't just about being happy. Nor is it only about being wealthy or successful. And it's certainly not limited to physical health and wellness. In fact, focusing on any of these elements in isolation may drive us to frustration and even a sense of failure.
When striving to improve our lives, we are quick to buy into programs that promise to help us make money, lose weight, or strengthen our relationships. While it might be easier to treat these critical areas in our lives as if they operate independently, they don't. Gallup's comprehensive study of people in more than 150 countries revealed five universal, interconnected elements that shape our lives:
The Five Essential Elements
- Career Wellbeing
- Social Wellbeing
- Financial Wellbeing
- Physical Wellbeing
- Community Wellbeing
Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements will provide you with a holistic view of what contributes to your wellbeing over a lifetime. Written in a conversational style by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Rath and bestselling author Jim Harter, Ph.D., this book is filled with fascinating research and novel ideas for boosting your wellbeing in each of these five areas. As a complement to the book, you will have the opportunity to use Gallup's online Wellbeing FinderTM to help you track and improve your wellbeing over time.
By the time you finish reading this book, you should have a better understanding of what makes life worthwhile. This will enable you to enjoy each day and get more out of your life -- and perhaps most importantly, boost the wellbeing of your friends, family members, colleagues, and others in your community.
About the Authors
Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements is written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Rath and bestselling author Jim Harter, Ph.D.
Tom Rath
Tom Rath has written three international bestsellers in the last decade. His first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Rath's book StrengthsFinder 2.0 is a long-running #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller and was listed by USA Today as the top-selling business book of 2008. His latest bestseller, Strengths Based Leadership, was published in 2009. In total, Rath's books have sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and have made more than 100 appearances on The Wall Street Journal bestseller list.
Rath has been with Gallup for 14 years and leads Gallup's workplace research and leadership consulting around the world. Rath also serves on the board of VHL.org, an organization dedicated to cancer research and patient support. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania. Tom and his wife, Ashley, and their daughter, Harper, live in Washington, D.C.
Jim Harter, Ph.D.
Jim Harter, Ph.D., is Chief Scientist for Gallup's international workplace management and wellbeing practices. He coauthored the New York Times bestseller 12: The Elements of Great Managing, which is based on the largest worldwide study of employee engagement.
Since joining Gallup in 1985, Harter has authored or coauthored more than 1,000 research studies, some of which have been reported on in bestselling management books, academic articles, book chapters, and publications such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He is coauthor of "Manage Your Human Sigma," published in the Harvard Business Review. Harter earned his doctorate in psychological and cultural studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Jim and his wife, RaLinda, and their sons, Joey and Sam, live in Omaha, Nebraska.
