Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness “Thisbookisthe‘missinglink’betweenoneofthemostprominentmovements inthementalhealthfield–rational-emotiveandcognitive-behavioraltherapy (REBT/CBT) – and one of the ‘hottest’ topics in the clinical field, namely positivepsychology.Byintegratingthetwo,thebookbridgesagap.Exploring theroleofrationalityinhappiness,asconceptualizedbyAlbertEllis,thebook shows(a)howREBT/CBTcanbeappliednotonlyforpreventingandtreating disordersorforhealthpromotion,butalsoforhumandevelopment/optimi- zation;and(b)howpositivepsychologyshouldbeconceptualizedinascientific manner, avoiding Pollyannaish thinking. Indeed, Albert Ellis convincingly argued that rationality is the ‘royal path’ to authentic happiness, and this book is a powerful guide for those interested in exploring and pursuing this path,betheypatients,generalpublicorprofessionals(cliniciansandresearchers alike).” —DrDanielDavid ‘AaronT.Beck’ProfessorofClinicalCognitiveSciences, Babes-BolyaiUniversity,Romania ‘Albert Ellis challenged us to work vigorously to abandon the irrational and emotionallyexplosivedemandsthatwetendtoimposeonourselvesandothers, escalating manageable frustrations into seemingly unbearable disasters, and needlesslypromotinganxiety,depression,anger,andguilt.Witharefreshingly originalemphasisonthepursuitofhappiness,MichaelBernardhasprovideda well-informedandengagingaccountofthelifeandworkofthisfamedrational thinkerandtherapistthatwillmakeEllis’workaccessibletoabroadreadership.’ —ProfessorGeoffreyL.Thorpe UniversityofMaine,USA Rationality and the Pursuit of Happiness The Legacy of Albert Ellis Michael E. Bernard Thiseditionfirstpublished2011 (cid:1)MichaelE.Bernard Wiley-BlackwellisanimprintofJohnWiley&Sons,formedbythemergerofWiley’s globalScientific,Technical,andMedicalbusinesswithBlackwellPublishing. RegisteredOffice JohnWiley&SonsLtd,TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester,WestSussex,PO198SQ,UK EditorialOffices TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester,WestSussex,PO198SQ,UK 9600GarsingtonRoad,Oxford,OX42DQ,UK 350MainStreet,Malden,MA02148-5020,USA Fordetailsofourglobaleditorialoffices,forcustomerservices,andforinformationabouthowto applyforpermissiontoreusethecopyrightmaterialinthisbookpleaseseeourwebsiteat www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell. TherightofMichaelE.Bernardtobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedin accordancewiththeUKCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem, ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingor otherwise,exceptaspermittedbytheUKCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988,withoutthe priorpermissionofthepublisher. Wileyalsopublishesitsbooksinavarietyofelectronicformats.Somecontentthatappearsinprint maynotbeavailableinelectronicbooks. Designationsusedbycompaniestodistinguishtheirproductsareoftenclaimedastrademarks. Allbrandnamesandproductnamesusedinthisbookaretradenames,servicemarks,trademarksor registeredtrademarksoftheirrespectiveowners.Thepublisherisnotassociatedwithany productorvendormentionedinthisbook.Thispublicationisdesignedtoprovideaccurate andauthoritativeinformationinregardtothesubjectmattercovered.Itissoldontheunderstanding thatthepublisherisnotengagedinrenderingprofessionalservices.Ifprofessionaladviceor otherexpertassistanceisrequired,theservicesofacompetentprofessionalshouldbesought. LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Bernard,MichaelEdwin,1950- Rationalityandthepursuitofhappiness:thelegacyofAlbertEllis/MichaelE.Bernard. p.;cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN978-0-470-68312-5(cloth)–ISBN978-0-470-68311-8(pbk.) 1. Ellis,Albert,1913-2007. 2. Rationalemotivebehaviortherapy. I. Title. [DNLM:1. Ellis,Albert,1913–2007. 2. Happiness. 3. Psychotherapy, Rational-Emotive–methods. BF575.H27] RC489.R3B472011 616.89–dc22 2010027832 AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary. Setin10/12ptTimesbyThomsonDigital,Noida,India. PrintedandboundinSingaporebyHoPrintingSingaporePteLtd. 1 2011 PhotoofMichaelBernardinterviewingAlbertEllis(cid:1)MichaelE.Bernard Acknowledgment and Dedication Thegoalofalllifeistohaveaball. AlbertEllis ToAlbertEllis,forhisgenerosityinprovidingover100audio-cassettetapesof publicdemonstrationsandprivatetherapysessionsthathavebeentranscribed and which appear in this book. This book is dedicated to Albert Ellis for his contributiontothewell-beingofmillionsofpeople. Contents Abouttheauthor xiii Preface xv 1 AlbertEllisandthePursuitofHappiness 1 TheEarlyLifeandTimesofAlbertEllis 3 AlbertEllis’(Generally)PleasurableandHappyPersonalLife 4 AlbertEllis’ProfessionalLifewasSelf-actualized 6 EllisSpeaksCommonSense 8 TheDualNatureoftheHumanPsyche 9 Nature–Nurture 10 ThePurposeandGoalsofLife 11 Happiness 12 Self-actualization 14 EllisAbandonsSelf-esteem 16 FindingHappiness:NoApologiesNeeded 17 2 WhyWeGetUnhappy 19 WhatisUnhappiness? 19 ThinkingMakesItSo 21 viii Contents IrrationalThinking 22 IrrationalBeliefsthatCreateUnhappiness 25 TheStrengthofIrrationalConvictions 30 PeopleUpsetThemselvesAboutBeingUpset 35 3 RefusingtoBecomeDesperatelyUnhappy 41 TheDevelopmentofREBT 41 TheABCsofREBT 44 DisputingMethodsandNewRationalEffects 52 TheElegantSolution 63 FunandHumor 64 4 ThePhilosophyofHappiness:PrinciplesofRationalLiving 67 RationalPrinciple1:Self-interest 68 RationalPrinciple2:SocialInterest 70 RationalPrinciple3:Self-direction 70 RationalPrinciple4:Self-acceptance 71 RationalPrinciple5:ToleranceofOthers 73 RationalPrinciple6:Short-termandLong-termHedonism 74 RationalPrinciple7:CommitmenttoCreative,Absorbing ActivitiesandPursuits 75 RationalPrinciple8:ResponsibleRisk-takingandExperimenting 78 RationalPrinciple9:HighFrustrationToleranceandWillpower 79 RationalPrinciple10:ProblemSolving 81 RationalPrinciple11:ScientificThinkingandFlexibility 83 TheRationalMindsetofaHappyandFulfilledPerson 84 5 Love 87 LoveSlobbism 88 RomanticLove 92 JealousyandPossessiveness 98 KeepingLoveAlive 103