How do we find happiness? We tend to follow our gut, which often leads us astray, but Seth Stephens-Davidowitz—New York Times bestselling author and former Google data scientist—says we can use data to choose more wisely and get happier. 

When we make big personal decisions, we consult friends, Google it, or just do what feels right. But Seth says we should instead be following the numbers. In his new book Don’t Trust Your Gut, Seth provides us with science-backed answers for some of life’s biggest questions. Among many other things, he proves that we’re looking for the wrong traits in our romantic partners, that the fanciest schools don’t matter much in raising kids, and that the most boring-sounding jobs are often the most lucrative. With his much-lauded research skills and trademark deadpan humor, Seth shows us how data is the key to making our lives better, more decisive, and happier. “When you know the data on how the world really works,” Seth says, “you are prepared to make better life decisions.”

Watch Seth talk about living the perfect data-driven life here: