This is a very funny video, which has some interesting insights on the relationship between success and happiness.
According to Shawn Achor, who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and who’s research on happiness made the cover of Harvard Business Review in 2012:
- Most people believe that factors in the external world predict our happiness. However, 90% of happiness is based on how your brain processes the external world.
- 75% of job success is determined by optimism levels, social support and ability to see stress as a challenge (instead of a threat). Only 25% is determined by IQ.
- So we need to change the way our brain processes the external world and also change the formula for happiness and success.
- Current formula: If I work harder, I’ll be more successful and then I’ll be happier. This is flawed because whenever we achieve a success, our brain changes the goal post e.g. you got into a good school for under graduation – now you need to get into a better school for post graduation. You got a good job with a good salary – now aim for a better one. So you never reach the end goal of success and therefore never reach happiness.
- New formula: The current formula needs to be reversed. We need a way to be positive and happy in the present. . We need to be happy first, which leads us to be much more productive in all aspects of life – which leads to success.
