by Allen Cardoza
Society has the success formula all wrong. Success does not create lasting happiness. Neuroscientific research suggests, however, that you will be successful if you start from a solid foundation of happiness.
Speaking to Allen Cardoza and Dr. Melody Foxx, Shawn Achor, an award-winning Harvard University teacher and author of The Happiness Advantage, said his extensive studies of Fortune 500 executives and cross-cultural research in 42 countries showed that positive psychology created the peak performance associated with success.
It’s somewhat of an urban legend to put success before happiness. This myth arose because success does create some happiness. But this happiness does not last very long, nor does it run very deep.
There is another reason why this almost stereotypical success model is patently false: Success is always a moving target. When you achieve one goal, there is always a bigger challenge hiding behind it. So the happiness of each goal is short-lived and then there is the stress and challenge of the new goal.
If the success formula, as traditionally taught, were true, then the media would not report a high incidence of depression, drug abuse, and divorce by society’s most successful people. In fact, celebrities, NFL players, and CEOs would be models of happiness.
The Mindset Problem
The mindset problem has two aspects. The first: happiness depends on external events. The second: happiness depends on solving personal problems.
When the economy collapsed, the world’s largest banks sent Shawn on a tour of banking crisis centers to restore confidence and forward progress. He has worked with doctors in Dubai, farmers in Zimbabwe, CEOs in Hong Kong, and students in South Africa. In his travels around the world during the global recession, Achor was surprised to find that people in poor countries like Mozambique and Venezuela were happier than people in affluent developed countries who had most of their basic needs more than met.
Happiness has no correlation with problem solving skills. Focusing on problems tends to create more problems and makes a person feel scared, even depressed. Even when the problems are solved somehow, it does not result in happiness, only a sense of relief and a drop in anxiety.
Looking to find more advice on happiness, then visit Answers 4 The Family to find the best advice on happiness.
