Social Good Summit Miami, 2013. Photo by Anusha Alikhan. 

John C. Havens is the founder of the nonprofit H(app)athon Project and a principal of Transitional Media Consulting. He will deliver the keynote at the upcoming Social Good Summit Miami, sponsored by Knight Foundation. The summit will examine the impact of technology and new media on social good initiatives.

You’re in a convertible Mercedes, dressed in an Armani suit, ushered in to one of the most exclusive clubs in Miami.  Your wallet is jammed with cash, plastic and more phone numbers than you’ll ever use. You have the perfect tan and the perfect life.  So let me ask you a question:  Are you happy?

Your response, “Are you an idiot? Of course I’m happy.”

Great.  Now here’s my next question:

What are you worth?

I’m not interested in the aggregate value of your bank accounts and worldly possessions.  I’m wondering about your sense of wellbeing.  Cars rust. Clothing attracts moths or goes out of style.  And whether you’re able to maintain a lifestyle based on the accumulation of money and stuff, science shows this quest for hedonic happiness won’t improve your intrinsic sense of worth.  In fact, pursuit of ephemeral or mood-based happiness for the sake of it can actually lower your wellbeing over time.

In my recent book, “Hacking H(app)iness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking It Can Change the World,” I set out to prove the idea that, ‘if you want your life to count, you have to take a count of your life.’  What brings you a sense of purpose?  What skills or talents do you have that make you feel you’re the best person you can be, regardless of whether they make you money? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, if you can’t name them, odds are you’re like most people that base their ideas of happiness around the pursuit of wealth or constant positive emotion. Sadly, these things are fleeting and largely uncontrollable. 

Here’s the good news: The science of positive psychology and emerging technologies, such as wearables and apps that measure your physical wellbeing in correlation to your actions, can help you engage your sense of deeper purpose. These are the themes I’ll be discussing in my upcoming keynote at Miami’s Social Good Summit, also titled “Hacking Happiness.” My focus will be on two types of engagement South Floridians can practice to increase their wellbeing and sense of worth:

·      Personal Engagement. While mood-based happiness is normal and enjoyable, trying to take actions simply to inspire positive mood becomes a challenge to pursue on a regular basis. That’s why I subscribe to ideas set forth in positive psychology, such as keeping a gratitude journal, that help remind you of the people and experiences that bring intrinsic value to your life.  

·      Community Engagement. Positive psychology also demonstrates that altruism increases our wellbeing by increasing our sense of self-esteem. This means people we volunteer for may provide us with a greater service than we’re providing to them, for free.

It’s this sense of pragmatic altruism I’m excited to share at the Social Good Summit. Wearable technology and algorithmic analysis don’t hold a candle to the potential of people engaged with a sense of directed purpose.  We just have to switch our focus to worth versus wealth to reap its benefits.  And I can’t wait.

The Social Good Summit will take place Sept. 22-23 at the Miami Innovation Center. Tickets are on sale for $20. The full agenda can be found at www.sgsmiami.com