The hedonic treadmill (also known as hedonic adaptation) is the psychological tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable baseline level of happiness despite major positive or negative life events or changes in our circumstances. cite
Because humans are remarkably resilient, both joy from a big promotion and trauma from a negative event tend to fade over time as we adjust to our new normal. cite
The Striving Cycle
When it comes to positive achievements (like a pay raise or buying a new car), the hedonic treadmill manifests in a predictable four-step loop cite:
- Desire: We believe that acquiring a specific thing or reaching a milestone will make us deeply happy.
- Obtain: We reach the goal and experience a surge of excitement and pleasure.
- Adapt: The novelty wears off, the item or status becomes the “new normal,” and our happiness level drops back to its baseline.
- Desire Again: Because we feel unsatisfied, we set our sights on the next bigger milestone to chase.
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