We all know the paradox of the chicken and the
egg—historically, one must have preceded the other. Drawing on Darwin’s theory
of evolution, we can surmise that the familiar chicken must have evolved in
phases, first from reptile to bird through natural selection, and then from
wild pheasant to domesticated fowl through artificial selection. So the first
“chicken” probably hatched from an egg laid by a pheasant-like animal that
wasn’t quite a chicken. But then, what distinguishes a chicken from a
not-quite-chicken? It’s all very complicated.
Happiness and success are also strongly
correlated, and at first glance, the question of which occurs first would seem
to pose a similar intellectual challenge. In fact, much academic literature
supports the presence of a causal relationship that may seem counter-intuitive:
happiness promotes success, but success doesn’t necessarily promote happiness.
Why is this? And what are the implications of
this relationship for the way we organize our personal and professional lives?
The
evidence
In his bestseller The Happiness Advantage and in his popular 2011 TED Talk, positive psychology expert
Shawn Achor draws on his own extensive research—including case studies at
Harvard University and in the private sector—to argue that happiness is a
catalyst for success in both academic and professional endeavours. He also
alludes to a growing body of knowledge in the fields of neuroscience and
positive psychology that buttress this conclusion.
An explanation Achor offers for the failure of
measurable success to consistently induce happiness, is the problem of moving
goalposts. Once we reach a particular goal, we tend to immediately adopt a more
ambitious one. While goal-setting and ambition are generally desirable traits,
aspirations can become unhealthy if we view them from a glass-half-empty
perspective, don’t take time to acknowledge our achievements, and constantly
berate ourselves over a perceived failure to attain “real” success. To
paraphrase Achor, by framing happiness as a product of success, we indefinitely
push both happiness and success beyond our cognitive horizon. And in turn, the
absence of life satisfaction here and now can actually hamper our future
prospects.
Tips for
boosting your day-to-day positivity
•
Show gratitude to the people who
contribute meaningfully to your life, including colleagues, friends, and loved
ones. Reflect on your accomplishments with pride, and take time (3-5 minutes) to actively
appreciate the positives. Try making a daily journal entry of three things for
which you are grateful. Over time, this exercise will train your mind to seek
out opportunities rather than dwell on hazards.
•
Keep calm and manage your schedule so as
to mitigate stress. Chip away at long-term projects incrementally to avoid
procrastination-induced deadline anxiety. Focus on conserving energy throughout
the workday, so that you keep some in reserve for recreational activities,
quality time with friends and family, and hobbies while you’re away from the
office. When stress shows up (and it occasionally will), embrace the challenge
and think about how great you’ll feel once you’ve conquered it.
•
Be kind to others. This is a win-win:
agents and recipients of compassion both tend to experience higher levels of
life satisfaction. Random acts of kindness, which could be as simple as sending
a brief e-mail to show appreciation for the efforts of an employee or
co-worker, can make an enduring beneficial impact on the culture of your
workplace.
•
Clear your head. Sometimes in order to
refocus, we need to temporarily un-focus. If you experience a feeling of
stagnation at work, try stepping away for a while and enjoying a pleasurable
activity. Upon your return, you may be pleasantly surprised by the ease with
which your work flows, and by the new insights and creativity your mind
generates.
•
Eat healthy, balanced meals and allocate
enough time for them that you avoid constantly “eating on the run”. Feelings of
burnout, irritability, and energy lapses are often at least partly attributable
to inadequate nutrition.
