The Happiness Advantage

The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work

By: Shawn Achor

Narrated by: Shawn Achor

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • An engaging, deeply researched guide to flourishing in a world of increasing stress and negativity—the inspiration for one of the most popular TED Talks of all time

“Powerful [and] charming . . . A book for just about anyone . . . The philosophies in this book are easily the best wire frames to build a happy and successful life.”—Medium

Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it is the realization that we can.

Our most commonly held formula for success is broken. Conventional wisdom holds that once we succeed, we’ll be happy; that once we get that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But the science reveals this formula to be backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around.

Research shows that happy employees are more productive, more creative, and better problem solvers than their unhappy peers. And positive people are significantly healthier and less stressed and enjoy deeper social interaction than the less positive people around them.

Drawing on original research—including one of the largest studies of happiness ever conducted—and work in boardrooms and classrooms across forty-two countries, Shawn Achor shows us how to rewire our brains for positivity and optimism to reap the happiness advantage in our lives, our careers, and even our health. His strategies include:

• The Tetris Effect: how to retrain our brains to spot patterns of possibility so we can see and seize opportunities all around us
• Social Investment: how to earn the dividends of a strong social support network
• The Ripple Effect: how to spread positive change within our teams, companies, and families

By turns fascinating, hopeful, and timely, The Happiness Advantage reveals how small shifts in our mind-set and habits can produce big gains at work, at home, and elsewhere.

©2010 Shawn Achor (P)2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Shawn Achor is funny, self-deprecating, and devastating to my notions of what his field is all about…. I'm butter to his knife." (The Boston Globe)

"Achor bases his training on a burgeoning body of research on the positive psychology movement, which emphasizes instilling resiliency and positive attitudes." (The Wall Street Journal)

“Achor transports us to his virtual classroom, a journey along which we glean the seven secrets of happiness. The Happiness Advantage reveals the most important discoveries coming out of modern psychology.” (Rom Brafman, bestselling co-author of Sway and Click)

Two thumbs up

As a lead generation company, innovation and creativity are crucial for us to stay ahead of the curve. Its no surprise that this book dives into a few things we naturally do, because we happen to be positive people. Even more importantly, is how this book can be a tool to increase happiness (by applying some changes in ones life), how we can inject happiness more frequently to jump start creativity and innovation in the workplace, and this book has already helped define a few of the things we never articulated but truly look for in a good partnership or hire. This was a great read/listen, with studies, scientific, etc... and if it were up to me, not only should managers and owners read this book...but high school freshman and sophomores as they begin to start wandering down career and college paths. It begs the question, do you want to get into a certain school, or do you want to be happy in life? This book has the ability to plant some major seeds to help prevent negative tracks in life that are hard to u-turn out of...2 thumbs up!

There's science behind that smile

I'm convinced that before religion people must have looked inside themselves to give them confidence, motivation, and comfort. There is nothing soft about how the author attempts to get the point accross and I would urge anyone that is looking to understand more about the chemical reactions occuring in their bodies affect how they go about dealing with life to read/listen to this book. As someone that is interested in understanding how the intangible drives the tangible I was personally drawn in to the authors narratives and recommendations.

Love this book!

Anyone who works outside of their home should listen to this book. Shawn Acher is amazing.

Life Affirming. Life Changing.

It is so nice, so refreshing (and something so long overdue) to listen to science and statistics supporting the validity, Intelligence, and productivity of HAPPINESS. Thank you, Sean.

Easy to apply!

Easy to apply to your every day and you gain big returns and you feel good too!

practicing positive principles improves everything

Good advice that I can actually use.
now to just start practicing them myself. This book has convinced me as I become more positive, my world will become more positive including those around me.

LOVE THIS

We started a book club unintentionally at work. I work at a local Children's Hospital and this has really helped my whole team. It's sometimes hard to see sick children all day and so this has helped us improve our level of teamwork as well as see potential in helping others. We're rippling everywhere. Just a smile goes a long way.

Great book and awesome research

I got a lot out of this book, lots of great insights about happiness with great examples and practical stories to help a guy figure out how to apply the principles

Loved it.

Definitely a keeper. Will listen to it again and again and am seriously considering buying a paperback or kindle version as well to refer back to.

Happy can be taught!

Good book!
Excellent resources!
Will listen to again :)
Happiness is essential for longevity and this book will help lead in a good direction to change.