NEIL PASRICHA : 2023 ISPA CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42
empathy , compassion and understanding . What does EQ help with ? Becoming a better leader , teacher , parent and sibling . Another study from Science Magazine in 2013 showed that reading literary fiction helps improve empathy and social functioning . And , finally , a 2013 study at Emory University showed MRIs taken the morning after test subjects were asked to read sections of a novel showed an increase in connectivity in the left temporal cortex . What ’ s that ? The area of the brain associated with receptivity for language . The MRIs were done the next day . Just imagine the long-term benefits of cracking open a book every day .
P : The happiness model most people learn at a young age is the reverse of the happiness equation covered within your work . How does your happiness equation differ from the traditional work hard , achieve success , attain happiness model ? NP : Exactly .
The happiness model we ’ re taught from a young age is completely backward . We are taught that we work hard in order to achieve big success and then we ’ re happy . That ’ s how I grew up ! That ’ s what my parents taught me . We think it goes like this : l Great work ➙ Big success ➙ Be happy ! You know :
l Study hard ! ➙ Straight A ’ s ! ➙ Be happy ! l Interview lots ! ➙ Great job ! ➙ Be happy ! l Work overtime ! ➙ Get promoted ! ➙ Be happy ! But it doesn ’ t work like that in real life . That model is broken . We do great work , have a big success , but instead of being happy , we just set new goals . Now we study for the next job , the next degree , the next promotion . Why stop at a college degree when you can get a Master ’ s ? Why stop at director when you can be VP ? Why stop at one house when you can have two ? We never get to happiness . We just always push it further and further away .
Now what happens when we snap “ Be happy ” off the end of this scribble and stick it on the beginning ? Then these important six words look like this : Be happy ➙ Great work ➙ Big success !
Now everything changes . Everything changes . If we start with being happy , then we feel great . We look great . We exercise . We connect . What happens ? We end up doing great work because we feel great doing it . What does great work lead to ? Big success . Massive feelings of accomplishment and the resulting degrees , promotions , and phone calls from your mom telling you she ’ s proud of you .
Research shows happy people are 31 percent more productive , have 37 percent higher sales , and are three times
44 PULSE n NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022