Arthur C. Brooks

Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public and Nonprofit Leadership, Harvard; Social Scientist; Bestselling Author & The Atlantic Columnist

Arthur C. Brooks

Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public and Nonprofit Leadership, Harvard; Social Scientist; Bestselling Author & The Atlantic Columnist

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Biography

Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular weekly “How to Build a Life” column.

Brooks is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 15 books, including Build the Life You Want in 2023, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.

Brooks is one of the world’s leading experts on the science of human happiness, appearing in the media and traveling the world to teach people in private companies, universities, public agencies, and faith communities how they can live happier lives and bring greater well-being to others.

Speech Topics

The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness

If you struggle to discern life’s meaning, you’re not alone. Millions today describe a growing sense of emptiness, a lack of purpose and significance. And there’s a reason: Rapid cultural, economic, and technological changes have rewired our brains, reducing their ability to perceive depth and purpose. In this talk, Arthur shows you how to push back against these changes and find the meaning you need to live a happy, fulfilling life.

Six Morning Protocols to Build a Better Life

How you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. In this keynote, Arthur shares the science and habits behind his “Mad Scientist” morning routine, a six-step protocol he uses to lower negative affect, boost positive mood, and make mornings a time of focus and flow. He introduces the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), explains why morning mood matters, and shows you the research-backed habits he uses to improve his overall wellbeing.

Leadership & Happiness in Times of Rapid Change

Periods of change can unsettle even the strongest teams.

Uncertainty drives fear, morale drops, and leaders are left wondering how to steady the ship (while battling their own worries).

Fortunately, science has answers on how to boost morale and happiness in the workplace, even in challenging times, so you can see better performance, stronger culture, and lower turnover.

In this talk, Arthur equips leaders with research-backed strategies to understand and elevate their management styles, boost morale, and lead with confidence — no matter what the business climate brings.

How to Get Happier in an Unhappy World

The evidence is clear: In almost every country, happiness is falling.

Loneliness is rising. Relationships are fraying. Political polarization is on the rise. 

And many people are quietly asking: Is it even possible to feel happy right now?

Arthur’s answer? Yes—if you know what truly drives happiness, and how to practice it daily.

Drawing from his decades of research and experience, Arthur helps audiences understand the fundamentals of happiness science, learn how to implement it each day, and share it with others.

Happiness isn’t a mystery. It’s a skill. And you can learn it.

Leadership & Happiness

Most people think success is the key to happiness, but they are wrong.

Happiness is the key to success. When you can truly understand and manage happiness, success follows. Unfortunately, most people have to learn this fact by hard experience.

Arthur flips the conventional script, showing that when leaders prioritize emotional well-being (their own and their team's), they increase engagement, retention and productivity—as well as improve recruitment.

The key to prospering in highly-competitive labor markets is found in your culture. Companies with a culture of meaning, purpose, and life satisfaction perform better.

Moving from Strength to Strength in Work, Life & Happiness

What happens when the skills that once defined your success start to fade? 

For high-achievers (who we call “strivers”), this shift can feel like a threat to their identity, confidence, and sense of purpose.

In this keynote, Arthur reframes that fear into freedom. Drawing on ancient wisdom, and historical analysis, Arthur reveals how effectiveness and well-being comes not from holding on to past achievements, but from cultivating new habits and redefining success and fulfillment.

This is a talk for anyone navigating transition, reinvention, or the quiet question of what’s next? You’ll leave with a roadmap to redefine success on your own terms—and move into your next chapter with clarity, energy, and peace of mind.

Testimonials

“I appreciate how you personalized your presentation by incorporating AT&T’s purpose, strategy and culture. Doing so helped connect key messaging to the work we do as leaders of the business.”

- Senior Vice President Learning & Development at AT&T

“Your passion for this work jumps off the page and the screen. You offered up your experiences with such authenticity and candor, and it made all the difference for our team.”

- Arnold Ventures

“Arthur’s ability to connect with our team on such a meaningful level sparked engaging discussions, resonated deeply, and has undoubtedly shaped our team’s mindset for the better.”

- Chair and CEO. NASDAQ

“I want you to know that the feedback has been incredible. You made our conference personally impactful for all who attended. Meeting you was my top highlight in a week of highlights.”

- Executive VP, Expedia

“It legitimately felt like I was in a room with 300 people witnessing you present directly to me..."

- Anonymous

“Arthur Brooks is the only person to combine both science and our aspirations about our lives. His work confirms and surprises us about ourselves and how we are progressing.”

- Eric Schmidt, Former Chairman and CEO, Google