Adventurers and peaceful people are happier than environmentally conscious and wealth seekers

This is what researchers at the German Otto von Guericke University asked professor Jan Delhey under.

It turned out that there are many paths to a happy life. You can become satisfied both by taking it easy and by seeking experiences or success.

Researchers analyzed the extensive German panel research material.

The answers of more than 3,900 people were included. Respondents rate their satisfaction with their current life on a scale of 0–4.

Four different lifestyles were identified from the answers: prosperous, exciting, serene and sustainable.

A prosperous lifestyle is oriented towards wealth, success and status. An exciting lifestyle focuses on experiences and enjoyment.

A serene life, on the other hand, is based on inner balance and relaxation, while a sustainable life is based on ecology and respect for nature.

The respondents’ average satisfaction with their life was 2.68, while the maximum was 4.

The strongest the link to satisfaction was with an exciting lifestyle, the second strongest with a serene lifestyle, and the third strongest with an affluent lifestyle, statistical analyzes showed.

All three were close to each other. Sustainable living had a slightly weaker connection.

Young respondents, i.e. 18–29-year-olds, had an exciting life most strongly linked to satisfaction, while those over 65 years old had a serene life.

According to the researchers, the results also indicate that the realization of lifestyles that are valuable to oneself can be more important than mere efforts towards them.

The study was published by Journal of Happiness Studies.

Published in Tiede magazine 5/2026

Correction 20.5. 2026 at 1:42 p.m.: The study did not show that adventurousness and serenity make you happier, as the summary originally said. However, adventurousness and serenity are linked to satisfaction.