As the summer Olympics approach, take a moment to consider the following question. Who do you think will be the happiest medalist on each podium?

Will it be the gold, silver, or bronze medalist?

While it may seem a somewhat obvious answer, that the gold medalists will likely be the happiest person, a powerful lesson comes when we reflect on who is likely to be the second happiest.

Who is happier, the silver or bronze medalist?

Your rational mind will likely tell you that the silver medalist will be the second most happy, as they were the closest to winning. In reality, research1 has shown that the bronze medalist is often happier than the silver medalist.

Why would this be?

Wouldn’t someone who came in 2nd place be happier than someone who came in 3rd?

The........

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