I've written before about how the growth mindset can increase productivity, enhance networking success, and give a variety of other business aspects a crucial boost.
Along these lines, I'd like to introduce a concept known as the Happiness Advantage, which was developed by New York Times best-selling author Shawn Achor.
In a nutshell, hard evidence suggests that happiness begets success.
Pretty simple, right?
If you'd like to understand how to increase productivity, well-being, and growth then read on to discover the 7 principles of the Happiness Advantage and how they can work for you.
Martin Seligman is credited as the father of Positive Psychology and its efforts to scientifically explore human potential. But in the business world, Shawn Achor is most known for bringing Positive Psychology to the forefront of our minds.
Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage, puts a definitive emphasis on personal growth, and describes 7 principles for achieving increased well-being.
1. The Happiness Advantage
To achieve success, allow yourself to be driven by habits that encourage happiness.
(note: be prepared to laugh, because Shawn is hilarious!)
2. The Fulcrum and the Lever
It's no surprise that our performance will change when our habits and thought processes change, since negative routines and fixed mindsets adversely impact our ability to push through our comfort zones and grow into our best selves.
3. The Tetris Effect
At first glance, this principal appears to be similar to the Fulcrum and the Lever above. But it's not. Instead, this principle is about training our brains to scan for and recognize positive options so that we develop pattern recognition toward the positive.
4. Falling-Up
Failure is an opportunity for growth. If you really want to know how to increase productivity at work, start by handling failure and stress in healthy ways then look at the results of your labor over time.
5. The Zorro Circle
If big goals are all we try to achieve, we risk becoming overwhelmed and deflated. When we start with small goals, we maintain a sense of control and truly drive our own success.
6. The 20-Second Rule
Habits develop from our thoughts and actions. Likewise, when we change our thinking and actions, our habits follow suit. For most of us, it typically takes more than 20 seconds to make a dent in our negative habits, but the strategy can be universally applied: The more we can lower (or even eliminate) the minimum quantity of energy we use to begin a negative habit, the more we enhance our ability to jump-start positive change.
7. Social Investment
Possibly the most important of the 7 principles, investing in your social network is proven to be a critical component of success in both work and health. It can literally add years to your life. The most successful people respond to adversity by turning to their social networks, which make them more productive, engaged, energetic, and resilient.
CONCLUSION
If you'd like to dig deeper, Achor's Onsite and Virtual Training Opportunities are considered to be some of the most successful corporate training programs on the planet.
Additionally, Achor's team worked with Happify to create The Happiness Advantage: Fuel Your Success at Work where you’ll find exercises that bring the lessons of the book to your everyday life.
"Happiness actually raises an individual's intelligence and success rate."
Shawn Achor