“Empirical research demonstrates a relationship between happiness and career success. For example, happy people receive higher earnings, exhibit better performance, and obtain more favorable supervisor evaluations than their less happy peers. Researchers have posited that success leads to happiness, but Boehm and Lyubomirsky reviewed the relevant research in 2008 and argued that the alternative hypothesis—that happiness causes success—may be equally plausible. A decade later, we return to the literature to supplement studies we previously cited with new research and to determine whether the results of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental investigations provide additional support for this hypothesis. We conclude that the evidence continues to persuasively suggest that happiness is correlated with and often precedes career success and that experimentally enhancing positive emotions leads to improved outcomes in the workplace.” [Julia K. Boehm, Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2018, Journal of Career Assessment]
Americans are the most unhappy people in the world!
Anti-depressant usage in the US has increased 400 percent since 1994, according to ABC 13 news. This probably isn’t news to any of us, considering how American culture values and glorifies material wealth, substance use like alcohol, fast food, diet culture, commercial religion, and quick fixes for just about anything. Just look at how pervasive some of these unproductive values are in our society, like the glorification of luxury cars, [MC Big Data, 2015, Medium] and how material attitudes and goals tend to have a lower life satisfaction in the long run. [Nickerson et. al., 2003, Psychological Sciences]
Studies also show that higher salaries don’t cause higher levels of happiness, to a point. In fact, even though financial stability brings a certain level comfort and happiness, a 2017 study from Gallup and Time showed that joy and elation peaks when people hit a certain level of income. In other words, chances of experiencing positive emotions (happiness, enjoyment and laughter) can increase with household income, but only to a limit depending on where you live. Surprisingly, data suggests that if you live in NYC, LA, Seattle, or Philadelphia your happiness (or positive emotions) will not increase after $99,000-$105,000. If you live in Chicago, the salary cap for increased happiness is $54,000, and Atlanta is $42,000.
50-10-40 Rule
Thankfully, we can create happiness, we just have to know how and commit to it.
50% of happiness is heritable, and therefore not easily changed, while 10% of happiness is determined by the circumstance in which you live, which may be modifiable but not always, and the remaining 40% of happiness is determined by your actions, your attitude or optimism, and the way you handle situations.
Fortunately, positive psychology has come up with 120 interventions that ANYONE can adopt to increase 40% of their happiness. Some of these interventions include:
Strengths! Focus on your strengths [not your weaknesses!] and align your work and life to leverage these strengths.
“Studies show that that the more you accept who and how you are, the happier you are likely to become.” -Dr. Jane Gruber, Psychologist
Gratitude! A positive emotional state in which one recognizes and appreciates what one has received in life. Research shows that taking time to experience gratitude can make you happier and even healthier.
Savoring! Remembering positive past experiences and how you felt in that moment and savor these memories often; savoring is the act of stepping outside of an experience to review and appreciate it. Savoring intensifies and lengthens the positive emotions that come with doing something you love.
Social connection! Research shows that happy people spend more time with others and have a richer set of social connections than unhappy people. Studies even show that the simple act of talking to a stranger on the street can boost our mood more than we expect.
Be nice! Random acts of kindness towards others; research shows that happy people are motivated to do kind things for others.
Exercise! Research suggests that ~30 minutes a day of exercise can boost your mood in addition to making your body healthier.
Sleep! One of the reasons we’re so unhappy in our modern lives is that we’re consistently sleep deprived. Research shows that sleep can improve your mood more than we often expect.
Meditation! A practice of intentionally turning your attention away from distracting thoughts toward a single point of reference (e.g., the breath, bodily sensations, compassion, a specific thought, etc.). Research shows that meditation can have a number of positive benefits, including more positive moods, increased concentration, and more feelings of social connection.
Why does this matter in the career context?
The more happy you become the more likely you'll be satisficed, purposeful, and successful in your career.
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You’ll know what you are best at. The happier you are the more likely you’ll be able to find a job that you love and enjoy, because you’ll understand what you’re best at and how to leverage that in your work.
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You’ll have a growth mindset. A growth mindset requires positivity, optimism, and the belief that intelligence can be learned. The result of a growth mindset is more effective problem solving, endurance, resilience, innovation, creativity, etc. This typically equates to better performance and increased impact.
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You’ll be happier outside of work. The happier you are in your career, the happier you’ll be in your life in general, since one of the key pathways to a “well-lived life” is what Martin Seligman calls, “a life of engagement,” which means you are highly engaged with how you spend your time, be it with your work, parenting, or leisure, and within these areas you find “flow,” which is when time stops and you are in the moment and present with that activity. This flow state some refer to as your genius mode and essentially is when you are working within your strengths. Determining your strengths and then designing your work and life around these talents and gifts will give you high levels of happiness.
More Recourses
Are you ready to increase your happiness and improve your career? Schedule a free strategy session with me and we’ll create a road map for you.
Interested in assessing how happy you are? Take this free happiness survey called the PERMA profiler, which measures flourishing in five domains: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.
You can also check out this free Yale course, The Science of Well-Being taught by Laurie Santos, a 10-week self-study course online that not only gives you the theory and research of happiness, but teaches you HOW to build the practices in your daily life to increase your happiness. I highly recommend it.
Other books out there if this topic interests you:
1- The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirksy
2- Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, Thaler and Sunstein
3- Flourish: A New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being - and how to Achieve Them, Martin Seligman