Now, what does this number mean for you?

Your current score was calculated by adding up your ratings (from the scale of 1 for least happiness to 7 for maximum happiness) for each of the four questions and then dividing the total by four.

It simply tells you where you stand right now and gives you a base, so you can start tracking how your happiness level changes over time. This is not to suggest that you should be obsessed with happiness! Being unhappy at times is normal and natural. Science – and we at Happy Brain Science – suggest that being happier can be a great goal with a lot of benefits, but attempting to be in a constant state of bliss is counterproductive.

How happy are others?

You also might expect to see the average of all results here. We are not showing you those because it turns out that comparing yourself to others is a good way to be less happy. Social comparison is also normal and even necessary. But as this study by Sonja Lyubomirsky and Lee Ross shows, happier people tend to do less of it. So don’t worry about other people’s scores. Focus on how happy you are, how happy you want to be, and techniques you can use to boost your happiness. (You might make others happier in the process, too.)

Why be happier?

We believe that happiness in itself is valuable, but beyond that, increasing your happiness will also make you more productive, creative, resilient, successful, sociable, engaged, and healthier. There are solid scientific studies behind each of these claims.