Could Happiness Be A Superpower?

What if the key to your greatest achievements lay not in tireless effort, but in the joyful pursuit of happiness?

The other week, I was in Woodland Park, Colorado, at the local Goodwill. While my daughter examined every possible clothing option the place had to offer, I had some time to peruse the book section. And there, I ran across "The Happiness Advantage" by Shawn Achor. I dropped $1.99 and bought the book and tore through it in stolen moments in the little city above the clouds.

"The Happiness Advantage" asks us to consider whether happiness is not a reward for success, but instead the driving force behind it. Achor combines research from positive psychology with real-life examples to show how a positive mindset can lead to improved performance, stronger relationships, and greater resilience.

So this week let’s dive into the key concepts of Achor's book and explore how its principles can change our approach to productivity, leadership, and life.

The Seven Principles of the Happiness Advantage

In his book, Achor introduces seven principles that provide a roadmap for harnessing the power of happiness to drive success. These principles are designed to be practical and actionable, so that anyone can apply them to their work and daily life.

Let’s jump into each of these principles and touch on their core concepts, practical applications, and the impact they can have on productivity, leadership, and personal growth​.

Principle 1: The Happiness Advantage

How often have you thought, "Once I achieve this goal, make a certain amount of money, or get promoted, then I'll be happy"? Achor argues that this approach is fundamentally flawed. As we achieve each success, we tend to move our goalposts further out which perpetually delays our happiness. In reality, we become more successful when we are happier and more positive. The key is to harness the power of positivity to drive our success rather than seeing happiness as some distant reward. So, what can this look like? One way is to start your day with a positive ritual, like listing three things that you're grateful for. I’ve started doing this recently and it’s been great. It only takes a couple of minutes and it forces me to remind myself of the things in my life that are going well.

Principle 2: The Fulcrum and the Lever

This principle is about realizing the incredible power our thoughts and beliefs have over our experiences. By shifting our mindset to a more positive and optimistic outlook, we can unlock greater potential and achieve better outcomes.

Think of it like this: if you view challenges as terrible obstacles, they likely will be terrible obstacles. But if you see them as opportunities for growth, you'll be more likely to overcome them. This shift in perspective can drastically impact your success and happiness.

One practical way to adjust your mindset is through positive affirmations and reframing those negative thoughts. When faced with a challenge, instead of thinking, "This is too hard," try shifting to, "This is an opportunity to learn and grow." This simple mental shift helps me stay motivated and focused on doing what’s possible rather focusing on life’s difficulties.

Principle 3: The Tetris Effect

This principle is named after the phenomenon observed in people who play Tetris for hours on end—they start seeing Tetris shapes in everyday objects. Similarly, we can condition our minds to recognize positive patterns and opportunities instead of obstacles and threats.

We can train the mind to see what we want it to see. When we focus on the positives, we start to see more possibilities and solutions. This shift in perception can really enhance our productivity and overall well-being. For example, instead of dwelling on what's wrong in a situation, we can train ourselves to look for what's right and build on that!

One practical way to implement the Tetris Effect is by keeping a daily gratitude journal. Spend a couple of minutes each day journaling about a positive experience. This simple exercise helps rewire your brain to notice and appreciate the good in your life.

Principle 4: Falling Up

This principle focuses on the notion that setbacks and challenges can actually propel us forward. It’s about harnessing the lessons learned from difficult experiences to achieve greater heights.

We all face adversity, but the key is how we respond to it. Rather than being paralyzed by setbacks, we can choose to "fall up" and use these experiences to build resilience. Research shows that individuals who view challenges as opportunities for growth are more likely to experience positive outcomes in the long run.

Ryan Holiday’s book "The Obstacle Is the Way" also emphasizes the power of perception and the importance of viewing obstacles as opportunities for improvement. Holiday draws on the lessons of the Stoics, which teaches that our perceptions shape our reality. By accepting and embracing obstacles, we can turn them into advantages. This mindset aligns with the idea of "falling up," where we transform adversity into a catalyst for growth.

Principle 5: The Zorro Circle

This principle is inspired by the story of Zorro, who began his journey as a skilled swordsman by mastering small, manageable tasks before tackling larger challenges. Similarly, when we focus on small, achievable goals, we can gradually regain a sense of control and expand our influence.

When faced with overwhelming tasks or crises, it’s easy to feel out of control. The Zorro Circle principle teaches us to break down these large challenges into smaller, more manageable portions. By focusing on what we can control, we build confidence and momentum, which can then be applied to larger goals.

A practical way to implement this principle is to start by identifying a small area where you can make immediate progress. For example, if you're feeling overwhelmed at work, start by organizing your workspace or prioritizing your tasks for the day. This small action can give you a sense of accomplishment and make it easier to tackle bigger tasks. In short, the Zorro Circle principle highlights the power of incremental progress and the importance of starting small to achieve big results.

Principle 6: The 20-Second Rule

The 20-Second Rule focuses on lowering the barriers to starting good habits and increasing the barriers to engaging in undesirable ones. By making it easier to begin positive activities and more difficult to perform negative ones, we can create lasting changes in our behavior. For example, placing your workout clothes next to your bed makes it easier to exercise in the morning, while storing junk food in an inconvenient location makes it less likely you'll snack on it impulsively. This principle leverages small adjustments to our environment to promote healthier, more productive habits.

Activation energy is defined as the minimum amount of extra energy required by a reacting molecule to get converted into a product.

Achor’s book discusses the concept of activation energy which is the initial effort required to start a task. If this effort is too high, we're less likely to follow through. The 20-Second Rule says that reducing this initial effort by just 20 seconds can make a big difference in our ability to adopt new habits. A practical application here is meal preparation. If you want to eat healthier, spend some time on the weekend preparing healthy snacks and meals for the week. Having nutritious options easily available reduces the temptation to grab unhealthy snacks.

By strategically reducing the effort required to start positive habits and increasing the effort for negative ones, the 20-Second Rule helps create lasting behavioral changes. In a nutshell, reducing friction in your desired habits makes it easier to be more consistent.

Principle 7: Social Investment

The principle of Social Investment emphasizes the major impact of our relationships on our well-being. Strong social connections provide emotional support, improve our mental health, and increase our ability to cope with stress.

Studies have shown that people with robust social networks are happier, healthier, and more successful. For example, research indicates that employees with strong social ties at work are more productive and less likely to experience burnout​. In personal life, people with close friendships and supportive families tend to live longer and report higher levels of life satisfaction​.

One practical way to foster social investment is to prioritize regular check-ins with friends, family, and colleagues. This could be as simple as scheduling a consistent lunch date with a friend. This not only strengthens relationships but can provide a solid support system during difficult times.

Investing in social relationships is not just about building a network for professional gain; it’s about creating meaningful connections. By making a conscious effort to nurture these relationships, we can boost our happiness, resilience, and ultimately our overall success. It’s not about how many connections you have on LinkedIn or Facebook, but more about the importance of social ties as a foundational element of a fulfilling and productive life.

Conclusion

For just two dollars, I got a lot out of this book. Yes, it was a bit heavy on the anecdotes and I wanted more practical examples, but all in all it was an impactful read. I think "The Happiness Advantage" offers a lot of good insights into how happiness can fuel success (instead of the other way around).

So experiment with some of these concepts and see if these positive changes make a difference in your personal and professional life - if they do, let me know!