Who's Happier at What Age: Men or Women?

I think the happiness factor can be misunderstood or rather men/women are looking for hapiness in the same place throughout their lives. What made you happy at 20 may not even be close to what you need at 40 or 60. Reinvent yourself throughout you life and you may be surprised!

Mr. Trump,

I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago, and really enjoy it. Being a woman, in my mid 30s, I found today's post particularly interesting.

I wanted to share with you a quote (one of many) that I have pinned to the wall in my cube that fits well with your point:

"I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances." by Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731-1802).

~Anneliese

Great insights...and we agree most reach the peek in all differnt cycles in life. But why?

Health and aging have a lot to do with their happiness. It's a sad world sometimes, nobody likes old age, but it's part of life that people hate the most. You are only as old as you feel. And some never figure out true happiness.

Seek healthy lifestyles to burn off the extra miles and create a more positive energy towards happiness at any age. The fountain of youth...is in on ever-ones minds to be at the peek performance, regardless of which age they hit their peeking. We know that being healthy does make a huge difference.

I have had this conversation quite a number of times with a male friend of mine. He constantly claims that men age more gracefully than women and that they actually become more "attractive" as they grow older. The one thing I can see as to why he would say this, his father is very attractive for a 60 year old...and I'm 22. Not many women have the same outcome when they are that age.

I agree with you absolutely Mr. Trump. Wasn't it Lincoln who said Happiness is an inside job? I don't think happiness has ever been connected to my age - except maybe when I was younger on my birthdays (maybe now as I age it will be that way again as I celebrate surviving - after all getting old isn't so bad once you consider the alternative!).

As for the feeling of accomplishment of having the power, the career, the finances, I hope I never fully arrive, but always have something more to reach. I have always found the journey more exciting and exhilerating than the destination. Happiness is in the bumps and curves, and the sudden detours and how I am able to navigate. It lies in the scenic sideroads I would have missed and the panoramic views of the valleys and trenches after I escape them and I climbed above that I see much better in retrospect.

I think though my greatest happiness comes in knowing that my existance somehow made something or someones day better. It comes from tapping my abilities and using them in challenging ways. It comes from pursuing my passions, and from the energy of creation, from learning, and from loving.

I have a great book "There's Always Time for Greatness" by Andrew Postman, that offers examples of people being great at any age from 1-100. As long as we are alive, we can be happy, productive, and aspiring to greatness. It is a choice we make every day.

"happy is the person who honors the lord, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands. The good man's children will be powerful in the land; his descendants will be blessed. His family will be wealthy and rich, and he will be prosperous forever. Light shines in the darkness for good people, for those who are merciful, kind and just."

I love the age issue because it gives me hope! I am 32 and although I feel happy and fulfilled in my personal life, I hope (anticipate) that I will be more confident by the age of 40 in my professional life. Without going into details, it can be incredibly overwhelming to work with people who have been in "the business" for twenty plus years. At the same time, it has forced me to grow up almost overnight. But I look at my parents, being completely successful in the business world at the age of 40 and beyond, and it gives me incredible confidence that the "happiness factor" is possible for people my age and well beyond the age of 50 as well.

Hannah Carmel

Dear Mr. Trump

Now you have the issue that will arise many kind of comments and it is very useful to think that side of life too in this financial situation. I read just in today news here in Finland about this issue and here is what they said:

Recent analysis maintain that get on well at work is one of the most important vitality source of women. Especially women of their 50´s get the most of the energy from their work. They are highly educated, at leader position and also well-to-do and they undergo their work interesting and get assessment.

However, women also considered their physical and mental well-being more important than their work. Also the time of their own and the attitude for living were things that give them energy. Almost 70 % of Finnish women feels that their vitality is high.

Alltough the work brings vitality, it also takes vitality. Many women were distressed, because they felt sometimes that their work was not being good enough or they felt that their contribution was not the best.

being that do they work enough and Vaikka työ tuo naisille elinvoimaa, se myös vie sitä. Monia kyselyyn vastanneita ahdisti huoli siitä, riittääkö ja kelpaako heidän työpanoksensa.

You must take care of your well-being. You can impact to your work in many ways by developing it and the work must be that kind of you like and you must have the feeling that you are trusted. The boss is important person when we think about reasonableness of work. And it is the most important too to get help early when you feel tired in your work.

I am nowadays very anxious to get new challenges in my work and in my life and I am eager also to get more and more education. I like to be in reformation and to create new methods to work and so on.
We must go with the time not against it. Let the past go and fill yourself with new challenges! That is my advice.

I believe that survey result is perhaps an average, if anything.

That would make the most sence to me since the people you know Mr Trump are probably not average, hehe.

On the other hand, I'm 20. And one thing I have that the 40 years men don't have, is my young age, ha! Not much glory in getting older, there comes a point where you just keep getting stiffer, uglier and start to get small and weak, =P. But I don't consider myself "average" anyways. Nobody should consider themselves "average". To me, losers consider themselves average. I mean, where is your spirit if you consider yourself an "average". We are all born unique and should all stay that way. Keep you sole intact, most of all, keep it.

i guess that depends on your definition of "Happy". I am 40 years old, but a very YOUNG 40. I'm in great shape I have a very rewarding career as a Nurse Manager of a Orthopedic/Neurologic Rehabilitation Inpatient Facility. I am happily married (2nd marriage) and have 2 boys, ages 16 and 20. Is happiness defined by your monetary status? I make good money, but when I see things I want and can't afford, my happiness is shrouded by my wants...not my needs. Is happiness defined by your social status -or lack thereof ? At the end of the day, if you can say you're proud of your contribution to the world, your kids are safe, and your husband kisses you when he gets home and says "I missed you" - that is as close to true happiness as a man or a woman can get - no matter what age.

First i would like to thank you for this survey.

I would like to say then that I think that it's the person itself that can bring happiness to her life, i mean, a person in her twenty's has just started her life, men and women are looking for the job they want , the one they're passionate for. As it has been proven, women work harder and are more serious than men, ,personnally, when i'm doing what i love, or any other work i have to do , i involve myself and i do it perfectly as i'm a perfectionnist, and this leads to accomplishment, and can explain why most women are happier before reaching 40. But Men are never happy with what they do they always complain, why ? i don't know ! May be because they are financially more involved in the family life , and that makes them always looking for this perfect job that they find afterr yeeeears of research ...