Why are so many of us constantly overworked, never entirely satisfied with the level of success we’re achieving, and most of the time swinging between different levels of “being content” rather than feeling deeply fulfilled and happy? Even though we belong to the most privileged cohort in a world that provides us with anything we could possibly wish for? Something must be deeply flawed, doesn’t it?
Is it maybe that the way we set our goals, the way we measure success, and most importantly, our strategy to reach happiness are deceptive? If so, could we change the game completely only by changing those strategies? It seems so. Shawn Achor, a fervent advocate and leading teacher of Positive Psychology is convinced that by inverting our common assumption that happiness is a consequence of success, we will become not only happier, but also more productive and eventually more successfully.
I think he is spot-on. And he does not only explain why, he also provides a simple yet extremely powerful way to make that change happen in each and every one of us. If you are curious to learn how, watch his brilliantly funny and eye-opening TED talk (you’ll probably need to watch it a few times in a row, it’s soo rich!). And if you like what you see there, you might want to have a look at his book “The Happiness Advantage”, in which he goes into great detail on how to apply Positive Psychology to boost productivity, success, and well-being in the work place. Required reading for any Leader, I’d like to say.
Enjoy – and start maximizing your positive impact today!