The author argues that true happiness is not only possible, but can be cultivated by identifying and using many of the strengths and traits that we already possess. By identifying the best of ourselves we can significantly improve our lives and that of those around us.
The book includes numerous tests to help us define our optimism and tell us what we must do to improve our attitude towards life.
The book not only includes the author's theories on the subject, but is extensively documented with third-party studies.