Why do voluntary activities matter most for a dentist's happiness? Because they are the part of happiness you have the most control over. Your set point is fixed and many of your conditions are stuck, but voluntary activities are wide open. The research is clear that these move the needle: physical exercise, anything from a walk around the block to an Ironman, learning new skill sets, picking up a procedure or rebuilding a car or learning an instrument, meditation, volunteering, and real face-to-face social time. Even vacations count, though the surprise is that planning and anticipating a trip can deliver as [...]