If you’ve ever wondered what the most successful people in the world know that the rest of us don’t, then do we have the show for you!
Today we’re going to talk with one of the most positive researchers in the world! * Bio at bottom. His name is Shawn Achor and he’s one of the world’s leading experts on the connection between happiness and success.
His research on mindset made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED talk is one of the most popular with over 11 million views, he’s lectured or worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as the NFL, the NBA, the Pentagon and the White House.
Shawn is the author of New York Times best-selling books The Happiness Advantage (2010) and Before Happiness (2013) and he recently did a two-hour interview with Oprah at her house to discuss his mission to bring positive psychology to the world.
Today we’re going to talk using positive psychology to rewrite your own maps, and completely transform your life. This means greater success at work, happiness at home, and new outlook, for a new you.
It’s come at an incredible time too. Our show hits our one month anniversary, tomorrow. At present we have thousands of listeners in at least 78 countries, we’re growing exponentially with today being our highest growth day ever, and this morning, we woke up to find we’re the #15 self-help show in the world…all in under one month.
I want to talk with Steve about this, about how our mindset and our maps truly create our reality -> and how to use that to our advantage!
So what’s the goal of today’s show: To give you the advice you need to become a “positive genius” and bring tremendous success into your life!
Topics include:

What creates greater levels of happiness.
Why when you’re happy first, everything improves –

How happiness is really is first step before success.


Most important: First have to believe change is possible –

Understanding this is the biggest change in positive psychology movement


Understanding why happiness must precede success and why success does NOT bring happiness

This is why “successful” movie stars, musicians, professional athletes, and even tenured professors are not happy.
And is why Oprah was depressed at the height of her career
And why Shawn Achor himself was depressed while at Harvard


Understanding that it’s not about your genes, even if you’re “pre-disposed” toward something
May have genes that predispose you, but it’s not about your genes.
Making small changes in your life on a daily basis can have major impact on rewiring your mind.
Small changes have macro-level affects on our intelligence creativity and ability to be positive.
Big question is: What’s the smallest intervention possible?

 

Key Exercise: For 21 days in a row think of 3 things they’re grateful for each morning or each day you get into work (CHECK OUT OUR HAPPINESS MEDITATION FOR A SIMILAR GUIDED MEDITATION EXERCISE)

This activity of scanning the world is extremely powerful. It can take people who have been genetically low-level pessimists, and in 21 days turn them into life-long optimists!!!
Doing this exercise with 4 year olds at the dinner table, having them scan for things to be grateful for, can turn them from lifelong default pessimist to lifelong optimist.


Every outcome improves when human brain is positive first

As important children practice this as brushing their teeth or eating breakfast.
An extremely important habit for both kids and adults alike – for adults important to practice this before going to work, or first thing when they get in to work.

Important note on this exercise: Must be things are grateful for that are NEW (that’s occurred over last 24 hours and why)
Rewires the brain to start to scan for the positive and see the opportunities that are around you.


Without exercises like this, your ability to focus on the positive can atrophy.
5 HABITS THAT CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE

Every day when get into work, first job to write 2 minute positive email