What if you could easily predict your future happiness? Do you ever wonder how you can create true, positive changes in your life?
Happiness is easier than you think — you’ve just been thinking about it the wrong way.
Shawn Achor, CEO of Good Think Inc., discusses the correlation of positivity and happiness in his TED Talk, “The Happy Secret to Better Work.” In this popular, fast-paced and funny talk, Achor explores the powerful truth of positive psychology:
[arve url=”https://embed.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work” /]
Achor explains how the original model of happiness is broken. People think working hard leads to success, and success leads to happiness. But this theory is backward. Positivity shapes reality, and thus our happiness. According to Achor, studies show that 90 percent of your long-term happiness is predicted in the way your brain processes the world.
If you implement small changes, those changes ripple outward. It’s big picture thinking.
Companies want less burnout and less turnover. So how do you implement this into the workplace? That’s easy. Raise positivity levels. This can be done through well-being programs, journaling and exercise to name a few. Execute small habits each day to create a long-term revolution.
“We’ve found that there are ways that you can train your brain to be able to become more positive. In just a two-minute span of time done for 21 days in a row, we can actually rewire your brain, allowing your brain to actually work more optimistically and more successfully.” — Shawn Achor
If the model is broken, flip it. It’s happiness that leads to success, and success leads to working hard.
Love TED Talks? Listen to our favorite motivational TED Talks to get inspired and unleash your inner changemaker.