The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness

The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness argues that most people misunderstand what actually creates lasting happiness. In the book, authors Alex Lickerman and Ash ElDifrawi combine modern psychology with ideas drawn from Buddhist philosophy to explain that our happiness depends primarily on the beliefs we hold about life. They propose that people move through ten psychological “worlds,” or life-conditions, ranging from negative states like Hell, Hunger, Animality, and Anger to more positive ones such as Learning, Realization, and Compassion. Each of the first nine worlds is based on a mistaken belief—or “core delusion”—about what will make us happy, such as thinking happiness comes from getting what we want or avoiding pain. Because these beliefs rely on external conditions, the happiness they produce is fragile and temporary. The authors argue that true, enduring happiness comes from reaching the tenth world—Enlightenment—a psychological state achieved by recognizing a deeper truth about the nature of life and freeing ourselves from those delusions. This The Good Book Club Meeting was held on February 8th, 2026.