"The Happy Secret to Better Work"

Shawn Achor is a researcher at Harvard University studying happiness along with positive psychology.  He believes that reality does not shape one, but it's the limbs of reality which your brain views the world which actually shapes one's reality.  And if the limbs are changed, happiness, educational, and business outcomes will be changed as well.  

Achor concluded that students attending Harvard University were extremely happy to finally have been accepted into the University.  But after two weeks or so, the student's brains were focused on the workload, complaints, and stress of life at school.  Their goals had moved on. 

Many say that working harder is how people become more successful therefore leading to  more happiness.  But Anchor argues that is a backwards way of thinking.  Due to the constant changing goal of success it is extremely difficult to feel accomplished and happy for long periods of time.  Think about it.  One struggles to get good grades, but then once accomplished must get better grades.  Happiness is on the opposite side of success and one's brain never gets there.  Many think they must be successful to be happier but the brain works the other way.  

Upon these findings, Achor suggested that only ten percent of long term happiness can be predicted.  The other ninety percent of long term happiness does not come from the external world, but in the way one's brain processes the world.  Therefore, Achor believes that it is a necessity to change the formula for happiness and success.  "We can change the way we can affect reality," Anchor preached.  

Furthermore, only twenty five percent of job successes are predicted by IQ and the other seventy-five percent are predicted by one's optimism levels, social supports, and ability to see stress as a challenge instead of a threat.  

There is a a term called happiness advantage which implies that the brain performs much better at a positive stance as opposed to negative (stressful). With a happiness advantage, creativity rises along with intelligence and productivity.  In summary, Achor believes that it is a must to reverse the formula for happiness and success along with talking about the positives of the world.  Random acts of kindness are definitely a start to reverse the formula.  With a new formula, "we can create a world of positivity and a real revolution" (Achor).  So try to start thinking confidently and being happy within yourself.  What truly makes one happy?



Authority: Shawn Achor
Accuracy: posted by reliable source (Ted Talks)
Timeliness: February 2012
Video Source:
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html