Maximizing Success through Happiness: How Science Proves Conventional Wisdom Wrong

Introduction

The conventional way of thinking suggests that hard work leads to success, which in turn results in happiness. However, science has proven that happiness and optimism fuel both performance and achievement. In this article, we will explore the facts that explain how happiness can fix the conventional wisdom of linking success to happiness. We will examine the following facts:

Fact 1 – The better your brain is at identifying positives, the greater your chance at success.
Fact 2 – This optimism must be rational (but for 80% of us it isn’t).
Fact 3 – It is often the perception of stress and not the actual stress that derails you.
Fact 4 – We all have a base level of happiness but it can be elevated.

Fact 1 – The better your brain is at identifying positives, the greater your chance at success.

Our brain receives 11 million pieces of stimulus every day, and it is tasked with interpreting and processing all this input. Our brain has to decide what to focus on, and thus, your reality is a choice. The better your brain is at using its energy to focus on the positive, the greater your chance of success. This does not mean that you have to only have happy thoughts and experiences at work. It means that you can choose to interpret most input as positive.

Fact 2 – This optimism must be rational (but for 80% of us it isn’t).

It does not matter how much cold calling, following up, meeting and greeting, and networking you do. If you do not have a great product or service, your efforts will not be effective. When you have an excellent product or service, being happy and optimistic is the fast-track way to success.

Science shows that 80% of American men think that they would be in the top half of the population in their social skills. The problem is that there are only 50% in the top half. Therefore, happy people tend to overestimate their abilities and will have confidence in situations where they have no skills to back up their confidence. Having awareness of this and calculating it into your decisions is vital to making accurate predictions for future success.

Do you have a fixed mindset, believing you have all the skills you are ever going to have and that success relies on your current skill-set, or do you have a growth mindset? A growth mindset says, “I may not currently have that skill, but I can change through experience and application.”

Fact 3 – It is often the perception of stress and not the actual stress that derails you.

It is a vicious circle when you have so much stress that you are stressed about being stressed. The definition used at the Chopra center for stress is what happens to you when something comes between you and something you want. The average person encounters at least eight sources of stress in a day. Fight or Flight happens when your body encounters stress, resulting in an increase in blood pressure, the release of stress hormones, an increase in insulin, a decrease in growth and sex hormones, weakened immunity, clotting of blood platelets, and decreased circulation to the digestive tract.

Long-term exposure to Fight or Flight can lead to heart disease, anxiety, insomnia, addictions, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, infections, cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and digestive disturbances.

Fact 4 – We all have a base level of happiness but it can be elevated.

Our happy homeostasis is like our base level of happiness. Winning the lottery might temporarily change our happiness, but scientific research has shown that our happiness returns to its prior level quite quickly unless we train ourselves to think differently. Nature accounts for approximately 40% of our happiness, circumstances like having enough food, shelter, and not being scared for your life count for 10%, and the remaining 50% is up to you.

Here are a few simple and scientifically proven steps to becoming happier:

1. Have a sense of purpose.
2. Feel connected to those around you.
3. Let go of the past.
4. Be authentic.
5. Have some fun.
6. Take mindful moments.
7. Be grateful.

Conclusion

Remember, work can be a chore or full of joy, the choice is always yours. By understanding these four facts about happiness and success, you can make a wise choice in your actions and mindset towards your work. Maximizing your happiness can lead to better performance and achievement, and ultimately, greater success.