Mark Williamson, Author & Happiness Engineer
FIND YOUR PURPOSE
FIND YOUR PURPOSE
HOW IT ALL STARTED
What really matters in life?
Dr Mark Williamson walked away from a successful corporate career because he encountered an idea that changed everything: happiness is not a luxury or a by-product; it’s something that science can measure and we can actively build in our own lives and communities. Mark found his purpose: to promote action for a happier world.
In 2011, he co-founded Action for Happiness with economist Professor Lord Richard Layard and others including Sir Anthony Seldon, Vanessa King and Sir Geoff Mulgan. The Dalai Lama became their first member and Patron. Today AFH is the world's largest non-commercial wellbeing community with over 800,000 members across 100+ countries.
Dr Mark Williamson
Brief Biography
Dr Mark Williamson is co-founder and Director of Action for Happiness, taking it from a concept on paper in 2010 to a thriving, global mass movement with over 800,000 members across 100+ countries. Mark has collaborated with many of the world’s leading happiness experts and teachers, including the Dalai Lama, and he has hosted live events with over 500,000 people taking part.
Prior to Action for Happiness, Mark had a wide range of experience across commercial and non-profit organisations, from start-ups to large multinationals. He was Director of Innovation at the Carbon Trust and founder of online initiative What You Can Do. He spent nine years as a management consultant at Accenture and also worked for Hewlett Packard Labs and Orange.
Mark has an MBA from IMD business school in Switzerland, where he received the President’s Award. He has a PhD and first-class honours degree in Engineering from the University of Bristol. He is a Sainsbury Management Fellow, Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the RSA. In 2010 he gave up the corporate world and changed direction to focus on happiness and wellbeing. In 2022 he was awarded an additional Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his work with Action for Happiness.
Mark lives in Kingston with his wife Kate and they have three children: Emily, Daisy and Harry. He loves cycling and football and is a long-suffering Aston Villa fan. He’s also passionate about music and plays guitar in a band called The Report.
The ‘HAPPINESS
ENGINEER’.
I’m not a guru, I’m a happiness engineer.
I don’t have a secret formula for happiness. What I do have is 15+ years of working with leading wellbeing experts and testing their ideas with many thousands of people in the real world, including in my own life. I was originally an electrical engineer, applying the science of wireless transmission to help design better networks. My life has changed direction radically, but I still use those engineering principles. These days I’m applying the science of wellbeing to help design better lives.
Kind Words from Supporters:
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![Dr Kelli Harding - Dr. Williamson is a brilliant happiness engineer]()
“Dr. Williamson is a brilliant happiness engineer and a kind, trusted guide on your path to creating a happier life.”
- Dr Kelli Harding
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![Prof. Sir Geoff Mulgan - Mark is one of those gentle, super-smart people]()
"Mark is one of those gentle, super-smart people who quietly changes the world while no-one is quite looking."
- Prof. Sir Geoff Mulgan
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![Dr Maria Sirois - Mark brings a comprehensive and generous template for the possibility of a happier life]()
“Dr. Mark Williamson brings a comprehensive and generous template for the possibility of a happier life, leading to a happier world.”
- Dr Maria Sirois
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![Matthieu Ricard - a convincing and inspiring manner that genuine happiness is a skill, a way of being]()
“Mark Williamson shows us in a convincing and inspiring manner that genuine happiness is a skill, a way of being.”
- Matthieu Ricard
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![Dr Kristin Neff - Mark offers clear, doable ways to make life meaningfully happier]()
"Drawing on scientific research and years of experience helping people apply these ideas in the real world, Mark offers clear, doable ways to make life meaningfully happier."
- Dr Kristin Neff
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![Satish Kumar - Mark offers wise advice to cultivate true happiness in everyday life]()
"Mark Williamson, who has gained many insights through his long experiences in the field, offers wise advice to cultivate true happiness in everyday life."
- Satish Kumar
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![Nic Marks - Dr Mark Williamson makes a refreshing case for happiness as something serious practical within reach]()
"Dr Mark Williamson makes a refreshing case for happiness as something serious, practical and within reach."
- Nic Marks
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![Prof. Robert J Waldinger - Mark invites us to slow down pay attention]()
"Mark invites us to slow down, pay attention and make the small choices that lead to a richer life."
- Prof. Robert J Waldinger
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![Mo Gawdat - Mark has dedicated his life to changing lives]()
“Mark has dedicated his life to changing lives - in a way that feels like a friend showing you how life can be made better. Life changing indeed.”
- Mo Gawdat
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![Julia Samuel - Mark has written a wise and compassionate guide]()
“Mark has written a wise and compassionate guide to help you care for yourself and for others."
- Julia Samuel
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![Prof. Richard Layard]()
“The exceptional, wise, multi-talented leader of Action for Happiness.”
- Prof. Richard Layard
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![Shawn Achor]()
“Mark has taken the best of what science shows about human flourishing and translated it into clear, actionable practices we can use in our everyday lives."
- Shawn Achor
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![Dr Tal Ben Shahar]()
"Mark brings together a wide survey of happiness interventions without compromising on depth, weaving scientific findings with engaging stories and concrete practices."
- Dr Tal Ben Shahar
Ways to Connect
with Mark’s Work
All the places and spaces you can connect with my work:
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01. BOOK
Make Life Happier shares all the insights from 15 years of Action for Happiness to help you feel better, find meaning and make a difference.
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02. PODCAST
Listen to Mark’s inspiring conversations with some of the world’s leading experts on subjects relating to happiness and wellbeing.
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03. SPEAKING
Mark has extensive experience in giving talks for organisations and at big events to share proven ideas for how to make life happier.
THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT Mark.
NO. 1
At the end of each day Mark writes down three things he’s grateful for and gives the day a “happiness score” out of 100. He’s got 10+ years of happiness data and trends.
NO. 2
When he realised his inner voice was berating him with harsh f-word insults, Mark reframed this word into a daily reflection to remind him to be “Friendly, Useful, Calm and Kind”.
NO. 3
Mark has a rather daft life mission to “cycle to the moon” (384,400 km) in his lifetime. He’s only 45% of the way there so far, but currently on track to “arrive” around age 82!