Tal Ben-Shahar tackles the number one obstacle to happiness and success: our obsession with achieving 'perfection'. In fact, striving for a flawless life, career or body often has the reverse effect; perfectionists are more likely to have low self-esteem, addictions, and social phobias. In The Pursuit of Perfect, Ben-Shahar -- a 'recovering perfectionist' -- discusses how people can break free from this affliction through a new optimal way of thinking. Applying cutting-edge research in the field of positive psychology -- the principles taught in his popular course at Harvard University -- he provides exercises for selfreflection, mediations and "Time-Ins" to help rediscover what you really want out of life. Most importantly, he shows us the freedom derived from not trying to do it all right all the time and the important lessons that only failure and painful emotions can teach us. You don't have to be PERFECT to be PERFECTLY HAPPY! PRAISE FOR TAL BEN-SHAHAR'S HAPPIER: "This fine book shimmers with a rare brand of good sense that is embedded in scientific knowledge about how to increase happiness. It is easy to see how this is the backbone of the most popular course at Harvard today."