Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
How to build a life
The Ciceronian Secret to Happiness
July 10, 2025 | reading time: 6 Min.
I do a lot of public speaking for business leaders about how using the science of happiness can improve their organization and make life easier for everyone. But there’s one question I get very frequently: “What about when I have to do hard things that make people unhappy?” For example: having to fire someone, or asking people to make sacrifices. How do I think about this common scenario?