In one of the most viewed TED talks, Shawn Achor, an advocate of positive psychology and researcher who spent 12 years at Harvard studying what makes people happy, provides a fast-paced, entertaining explanation of the link between happiness and success. The focus of the research not being of the average population, but rather outliers – people who have achieved great fulfillment and success despite challenges or obstacles.
Shawn discusses how certain people have developed the ability to stay positive regardless of their circumstance by changing the lens through which their brain perceives information.  In other words, people have the ability to choose happiness.  According to Achor, happiness is not predicted by the external world but rather an individual’s optimism, social support, and ability to see stress or hardship as a challenge to be overcome.
Traditionally, the formula for happiness that we are all taught consists of – the harder you work, the more successful you will be; and, the more success you achieve, the happier you will be. The common belief is that we need to be successful in order to be happy; when in fact, the reverse is true.  Your brain performs better when in a positive versus neutral or stressful state.  In this positive state, the neurotransmitter Dopamine is released which heightens the learning centers of the brain.  The brain is more efficient – resulting in more productive and creative output.  Studies of various professions indicate that people demonstrate higher productivity and resiliency, and experience less burnout when consistently in a positive state.
Achor cites studies done with various companies where employees were asked to practice the following activities consistently, at a minimum of 2-minute increments, over a 21-day period:  Acknowledge 3 Gratitudes, Meditate, Exercise, Journal, and Perform Acts of Kindness.  Participants not only experienced a change in mental state but also reported feeling a greater sense of well-being and productivity as a result of consistently performing all five activities.
Through the research on positive psychology, it has been discovered that people can reverse the traditional formula for happiness and success by re-wiring their brain to focus on the positive.  A way to accomplish this is to develop a habitual practice of the five activities listed above.  As Achor explains, the practice of Gratitude focuses on what you have, not what you don’t have, and trains the brain to focus on the positive vs. negative. Meditation allows you to quiet the self-talk, focus and stay centered on your values.  Exercise releases chemicals that produce feelings of pleasure and teaches your brain that your behavior matters. Journaling about one positive experience from the prior 24 hours allows you to re-experience it.  Acts of kindness, as simple as a single “thank you” or acknowledgement once per day, make us feel good, because as humans we naturally get joy out of connecting with and helping others.
It’s no mystery that happy employees are more productive and take better care of customers.  Because of the research, businesses are investing in initiatives to develop “happy” cultures, as part of their commitment to wellness or as an opportunity to attract and engage employees. Qualcomm, on Fortune’s 2014 list of Greatest Places to Work, provides employees with tools and seminars on positive psychology.  Another company that clearly understands the link between happiness and success is Zappos, now owned by Amazon.com.  Known for their unwavering commitment to their values and culture, Zappos employees share the belief that delivering happiness is their purpose and ultimately leads to profits and success. Those who are hired that do not share this steadfast commitment are offered a large severance to pursue other employment that more closely matches their values and interests. Based on Zappos’ success, Amazon.com has adopted a similar practice.
So where do we go from here? In Achor’s research, we learned that consistent practices can help bring a much greater sense for happiness within an individual—but instilling this behavior in our employees may be a much larger initiative than simply having employees read an article or a book on this subject. Leaders of organizations should consider regular, company-wide communication and training that helps employees recognize the value of positive thinking and provide tools to work on these behaviors. A culture of happiness does not happen overnight; rather, it is through consistent behavior practices that can inspire true change in the long-run.
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