Bhutan first introduced the idea that GDP now doesn't accurately reflect the quality of life or how happy their inhabitants are. Happiness is an emotion and like all emotions it has a level of individuality to it. You can be in the richest country in the world, having access to all sorts of facilities, but that can still not fulfill you. Different factors are prioritized differently in a person’s life, but which factors are the most important?

Considering everything, the UN started the happiness index in 2012, which takes that individuality into account. Instead of considering the external factors, it asks the question, how close are you to your ideal life? More specifically, if you were on a ladder with the 10th step being your ideal life, which step are you on?