How many times have you heard this rule, or acted like this: Work harder and you will be more successful. If you are more successful than you will be happier. It works, is not it? Well, it has been scientifically disproved. Actually, this behavior is contra productive.

Shawn Achor just proved with his researches and experiments, that if you can change how you see your reality can change your mindset and your life.

After spending twelve years at Harvard University, Shawn Achor has become one of the world’s leading experts on the connection between happiness and success. His research on mindset made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED Talk is one of the most popular of all time with over 13 million views, and his lecture airing on PBS has been seen by millions. Shawn has lectured or worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as the NFL, the NBA, the Pentagon, and the White House. Shawn is the author of New York Times best-selling books The Happiness Advantage (2010) and Before Happiness (2013). He has now lectured in more than 50 countries speaking to CEOs

 

This is how negative thinking holding you back

90% of your happiness is predicted how you, your brain see your external world. If you can change how you see happiness and success than you can change your reality. Why is it important? Only 25% of job success is predicted by IQ. 75% of your job success is predicted by your optimism level, your social support, and the ability is to see stress as a challenge instead of as a thread.

We need to reverse our formula for happiness and success and we have not followed this rule: “Work harder and you will be more successful. If you are more successful than you will be happier.” If you achieve any goal or any success you will just extend your goals. If you hit a sales target, you will change your sales target. If your happiness is related to a success, you will never get there. Because you always will have higher and higher goals. We think that we have to be successful than we could be happy. The problem is, that our brain works in the opposite order.

 

How to use happiness to become more successful at work (or anything else)

If your brain has a ‘positive advantage’ you can achieve a higher performance level. You will achieve more if you are positive. When you are positive your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy level rises.

If your brain is positive, you will be

• 31% more productive
• 37% better at sales
• 19% faster and accurate

 

How could you make positivity a habit for you?

You can change your habit and become more positive and successful if you spend 2 minutes for 21 days in a row with the following things.

1. Write down 3 things what you are grateful for
2. Journal 1 positive things what has happened with you in the past 24 hours
3. Exercise
4. Pray, which can teach you to focus (actually Achor emphasize meditating but prayer works better for
   me, and I think it will work for you also)
5. Send out 1 positive email to somebody in your network

I think 21 days in a row is good enough investment for your success and happiness. Try it out and share your experiences in the comments! I will also do it!

Question: Have you tried this 21 days challenge? What is your experience, what are your
thought?
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Used articles for this post:

• http://goodthinkinc.com/speaking/shawn-achor/
• http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en