The Good Life

Positive psychology and what makes life worth living.

Christopher Peterson is professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. See full bio

April 13, 2009, Happiness

Finding the Right Bank to Rob

Where's the metaphorical money that matters most to you?

According to an urban legend, bank robber Willie Sutton was once asked: "Why do you rob banks?" His supposed answer: "Because that's where the money is." In the wake of the world financial crisis, perhaps that's no longer a good answer, but this blog entry is not about literal banks. I hope that the title caught your attention and that you'll read my thoughts about metaphorical banks and the good life.

I have recently read three very good and interesting books: Word Hard, Be Nice which describes how two young teachers, David Levin and Mike Feinberg, created the KIPP schools; Mountains Beyond Mountains which recounts the story of Paul Farmer's quest to cure the world of infectious diseases; and Three Cups of Tea which is the story of mountain climber Greg Mortenson and his peaceful "war" on terror by building schools for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Beyond being inspiring yet non-saccharine accounts of remarkable individuals, these books teach a number of lessons consistent with positive psychology, and I will stress one of them here: the importance of finding something to do with one's life that is highly engaging *and* provides meaning and purpose. Where's the metaphorical money that matters most to you, and how can you get it?

I won't presume to tell you the currency of your realm, but I hope that you have at least considered the matter for yourself. And once you have identified what matters, the stories of David Levin, Mike Feinberg, Paul Farmer, and Greg Mortenson provide excellent advice about how to get it. Hard work and perseverance are essential, as is the advice and counsel of others. And you also need to acquire whatever skills and resources are necessary to make withdrawals. Willie Sutton always carried a weapon into the banks he robbed because "You can't rob a bank on charm and personality." Again, appreciate the metaphorical lesson, not the literal one.

I have found my bank at the University of Michigan, and my work as a college professor is engaging and meaningful, once I sought out the advice of wise colleagues and figured out how to do it. By the way, my work is not always or even frequently fun, but that's okay. For fun, there's always chocolate ice cream.

I close with one more quote attributed to Willie Sutton: "Go where the money is ... and go there often."

Hoping to see your picture soon on a poster on the the wall of a Positive Psychology Post Office.