Are Risk Takers Happier?

When I started Aster Journal, there was no guarantee anyone would read it.

In fact, there is still a very real possibility that I will spend weeks summarizing studies for an audience consisting mostly of my husband, a few friends, and whichever relatives feel obligated to click the link.

Starting a project like that feels like a risk, even if nobody's life depends on the outcome.

That got me wondering about something many of us hear growing up: does fortune really favor the bold?

More specifically, are people who take risks actually happier?

We often imagine happy people as the ones saying yes to adventure.

The new job. The cross country move. The business idea. The decision that feels uncertain in the moment but turns into a great story later.

Researchers reviewed 61 studies involving more than 36,000 people to find out. What they discovered was more complicated than a simple yes or no.

What Researchers Found

At first glance, people who were more willing to take risks did report slightly higher wellbeing.

But when researchers looked closer, they noticed something important.

Risk takers were also more likely to be outgoing, emotionally resilient, and open to new experiences. These traits are already known to be linked to happiness.

Once those personality differences were taken into account, risk taking itself no longer looked like a clear advantage.

In other words, it may not be the risks making people happier.

It may be the people taking them.

What It Probably Means

This study suggests that happiness is not about collecting the most daring stories.

It's about the qualities that help people navigate uncertainty well.

After all, "taking a risk" can describe very different behaviors.

Applying for a dream job and betting your savings at a casino both involve uncertainty, but most of us would not put them in the same category.

The findings suggest that confidence, curiosity, resilience, and good judgment may matter far more than risk taking alone.

The real benefit may come from being willing to pursue something meaningful despite not knowing exactly how it will turn out.

Things Worth Keeping in Mind

• ✦The connection between risk taking and wellbeing was relatively small.
• ✦Not all risks have the same potential costs or rewards.
• ✦The study looked at general tendencies, not specific life decisions.
• ✦Personality traits may explain much of the relationship.

The Takeaway

Being bold is not a shortcut to happiness.

The people who seem to benefit most are often not the most reckless. They are the ones who combine courage with good judgment and curiosity with resilience.

A good life may be less about taking bigger risks and more about taking meaningful ones.