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)

funny and fundamental

this was a fun read! I enjoyed all the science mixed in with personal stories. Shawn's famous Ted talk let me to this book. neither will disappoint!

I laughed at the notion....

.... that folks would spend hundreds of thousands to acknowledge the obvious but found myself affirmed in much of my leadership and retooling in others bc common sense is rarely common practice!!!! Great easy read

Very good

Started slow for me, but once it got into the principals, wow. Very cool stuff.

I’d recommend this to anyone in a negative mindset and anyone in business who wants to better understand people’s effects on one another and what that means for there business and productivity.

I give it 5 starts for simply being the a very useful book to learn important practices and understand people and in many ways the way our own interactions and our own mindsets can work for or against our goals.

Read this book!

Great book

I actually read the book back in 2011 but I wanted to listen to the audible version to remind myself of some principles and stories. I recommend it.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Would you listen to The Happiness Advantage again? Why?

Absolutely. There's a LOT of information to take in - many, many research studies cited.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Happiness Advantage?

The author's story of being duped by psychologists into falling down painfully 300 times thinking he was 'helping the aged'. Hilarious stuff.

Any additional comments?

The author's sense of humour shines in this book. Although the underlying theme is repetitive, it needs to be to drive it home. This is not a fluffy, positive thinking book, but one based in positive psychology. Very helpful information on how to 'train your brain' for success and, above all, happiness.

Geek's Guide to Happiness

I enjoyed this book so much that I sent the following recommendation to the staff that I work with just before the holidays:

"If you have occasion to look for a new book to pick up this holiday, here's my latest recommendation: The Happiness Advantage, by Shawn Achor.

This deceptively simple little book is 256 pgs. (7 hrs. 23 min. on audio) of practical application of decades of empirical psychological research on happiness, what it takes to attain it, the seven principles you need to know, and how to apply them to your work, personal, and spiritual lives. Seriously, if I had the money, I'd buy a copy for everyone I know and start handing it out on street corners to strangers. Before I even finished reading it I found shifts occurring in my thinking, feelings, and beliefs.

As a self-proclaimed research geek, this book is right up my alley, but it is anything but boring. Mr. Achor (a Harvard grad and lecturer by way of Waco, Texas ;-) places each idea in a string of narratives powerful enough to move you and engaging enough to keep your attention. Since I don't have the funds to buy the book for you, I hope that each of you will read the excerpt and at least pass the information along to those you know and love."

I hope you take my advice, and Mr. Achor's. I think you'll be "happy" that you did.

Very inspirational

I love this book!
Sean Achor is a great narrator, the concepts are logical and easy to follow. This book has made a positive impact in my life.

Love this

Whether you do some of the things offered here or none of them, this book will be life changing. My plan is to listen again and continue to learn how to apply the lessons. At a minimum his voice is soothing and calming, and gives you a sense of happiness.

Spread this to the world!

A good combination of generalized principles to adapt to circumstances mixed with specific ideas to improve happiness. Well rounded, and inspiring.

Easy to listen but very practical informaton

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I listened to this book in car in two days. It was east to listen and the narrator Shawn Achor was very good in keeping my attention. The book gives examples of studies done by various scientists and psychologists. Some of them we've already heard or read but these examples makes the book more interesting and makes it easier to remember the points the book is making.

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that I can easyly apply some of the principles to my everyday life.

Have you listened to any of Shawn Achor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

Keep smiling and keep your mood high since moods and emotions are infectious.
20 second's rule,