Arthur C. Brooks illuminates the path to happiness at IE Law School’s LawAhead Center
A transformative session with the Director of Leadership and Happiness Laboratory at the Harvard Kennedy School.
On November 27, the LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession at IE Law School, in collaboration with the Center for Health & Well-being at IE University, hosted a transformative session led by Professor Arthur C. Brooks, renowned author and Director of the Leadership & Happiness Laboratory at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Brooks shared actionable strategies for cultivating happiness, emphasizing that “Happiness isn’t a destination; happiness is a direction. It’s not a matter of being but of becoming.”
The event offered a deep dive into Brooks’ philosophy, focusing on the four foundational pillars of happiness: Family, Friends, Meaningful Work, and Faith.
Drawing from his latest bestseller, Build the Life You Want, Brooks presented principles for building a fulfilling life. These included embracing unhappiness as a necessary part of growth, seeking real friendships instead of deal friends, and becoming a happiness teacher.
Emotional Self-Management
Brooks underscored the importance of emotional self-management, providing practical tools such as journaling emotions, practicing gratitude, and reframing negative experiences to foster personal growth. He encouraged attendees to shift their focus from self-perception to outward contributions, reinforcing his belief that “happiness is love in action.”
An Impactful Session
The event left participants inspired and equipped with a renewed understanding of happiness as both a personal and professional endeavor. Attendees were encouraged to apply these insights to their leadership roles in law firms and companies, as well as to their daily lives.
About the LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession
The IE Law School’s LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession fosters reflection on the challenges and opportunities facing the legal sector in Spain and globally. The Center was initially made up of large business law firms such as CMS Albiñana, Cuatrecasas, Gómez Acebo y Pombo, Garrigues, Pérez-Llorca, Roca Junyent, Sagardoy Abogados and Uría Menéndez. Recently, other companies such as AENA, Caixabank, Mapfre, Microsoft y Telefónica.