We’ve got it all wrong. What I mean is, we think that if we are successful then we’ll be happy. It turns out, our logic is flawed. The great news is we can fix this!
Let me ask you this. Have you ever thought any of these things:
- If I just get a job, then I’ll be happy.
- When I get that promotion, life will be great.
- I want a good paying job and then everything will be OK.
- I am miserable in my job and I need a new one.
How our thoughts lead to happiness, productivity, etc
Well, if you are like most people, I am wagering that these thoughts are pretty common. But I’ve got news for you. Research and studies prove that these thoughts do not work in your favor. Shawn Achor worked for over 10 years at Harvard and has conducted research on happiness and human potential. He is working with organizations to help them re-program the thinking of their employees to make them more productive.
Achor states in his TEDx Talk (video below)
Only 25 percent of job successes are predicted by I.Q. 75 percent of job successes are predicted by your optimism levels, your social support and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat.
Here is Shawn in action at TEDx Bloomington. He is funny, factual and a fast talker. This is a quick 12 minute video worth every minute of your time. Please, watch it!
Your Assignment
Now that you’ve watched it, how will you behave differently this week and for the next 21 days?
For the next 21 days…
Start today with your gratitude journal, as Achor recommends. Take 2 minutes every day to recount the positive things from the day prior! What you are doing is training your brain to think positively. Please, don’t you owe it to yourself to be happy? This is within your control!
[...] In a previous Motivation Monday, I wrote about how Shawn Achor suggests we can change our mindsets. Be Happy Then Succeed is the [...]
[...] can’t climb your way out of a paper bag. So start taking care of your mental health today. Be Happy Then Succeed is the secret to taking care of [...]
[...] It is difficult to stay motivated when you feel rejected, frustrated or helpless. Unfortunately, these are the emotions inherent in job search. Especially a long-term term one. Staying positive is one of the most important things for you to do, yet often elusive. Some how, some way, you have to re-frame how you view your situation, sort of like the glass of water…is it half full or half empty. Yes, it is possible to retrain your brain. Shaun Achor is an expert on happiness and human potential! I wrote a post and shared a video on how you can absolutely change your attitude- please go read Be Happy, Then Succeed. [...]