“When you look at a mountain
alone, you perceive it to be ten to
twenty percent steeper than when you
look at it with a friend,” said Achor.
Being with others forges social bonds,
social bonds lead to happiness, and
happiness leads to improved outcomes
in school, work and health. In essence,
being around others unlocks our
potential, which is something that,
according to Achor, you likely already
know on some level: “We all have that
friend that we’re funnier, or smarter, or
more creative when we’re around.”
“When you look at
a mountain alone,
you perceive it to
be ten to twenty
percent steeper
than when you look
at it with a friend.”
— SHAWN ACHOR
Improving your happiness will
improve the happiness of those around
you, and vice versa, allowing everyone
to reach their potential together. This is
because humans are designed to
“mirror” each other. “Negativity, stress
and anxiety spread like secondhand
smoke,” Achor stated, but he also
affirmed that happiness spreads too:
“Happiness attracts happiness.”
Shawn’s keynote was a testament to
the power of human connection. For an
ISPA Conference & Expo whose theme
was “CONNECT,” there could be no
better way to begin the event.
The Hutchinson family came onstage for the presentation of the ISPA Visionary Award.
teeth, Achor says that happiness is
something that you should work on
every day. By cultivating these two
happiness hygiene habits, you can be
happier within just 21 days. But keep at
it—just like showering today doesn’t
keep you clean next week, so to do
these habits have to be practiced every
day to keep working.
1. SAY THREE NEW THINGS YOU’RE
GRATEFUL FOR EVERY DAY
Shawn practices this with his family.
Each day, everyone writes three new
things for which they’re grateful on slips
of paper, and then puts those papers in
a jar. Before long, the jar will be full of
things that make you happy—a
powerful visual metaphor that reinforces
your state of mind. According to Achor,
this habit doesn’t work when you write
the same three things every day: they
have to be different. When the jar is full,
or when you’re having a tough day, pull
out a handful of slips and read them.
You’ll find all sorts of joyful names,
memories and events that you may have
forgotten about.
2. TAKE TWO MINUTES TO SEND A
TEXT OR EMAIL PRAISING
SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE
Shawn’s most recent research emphasizes
how we can unlock our true professional
and personal potential by building our
relationships with others. Cultivate your
relationships by sending someone in your
life a text, email or note praising them
every day. After 21 days, your social
connection score (as tested by sociolo-
gists) would be within the top ten percent
of people worldwide. A strong social
network is the greatest predictor of overall
happiness, and one’s social connection
score is as accurate a predictor of lifespan
as obesity and smoking. n
SHAWN’S HAPPINESS
HYGIENE HABITS
Just like showering and brushing your
November 2018
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PULSE
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