The Serious Business of Being Happy

Nobel Prize winner, Albert Schweitzer, explained it perfectly when he said, “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”

Too often, especially when times are tough, we get stuck in a pattern of negativity as the little voice in our head confirms, “Of course I’m not happy.  Nothing ever goes right in my life.” Wow – talk about dangerous.

Science has proven that negative minds literally cannot see solutions as well as those who stay positive. The result is a vicious cycle of negative, pessimistic thinking that breeds more problems, more discontent and ultimately failure.

So how can we create more positivity and happiness? 

Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, said it best, “Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude.”

And he’s right.  The fact is, we have the power to control our thoughts and if we want to thrive, we need to use that power to our advantage. This is especially important for the success of a business because the attitude of the leadership team is contagious.  Great leaders aspire to be positive and create a culture that employees feel good about and smart owners recognize it starts at the top.

So what are some practical ways you can create a culture of happiness in your business? In Chapter Three of The Success Code: 9 Principles to Small Business Success, I outline ten ways you can ‘bring the right mindset’ into your business to inspire and influence your team. Here are three essentials:

1. Stay focused on the positive. “Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral, or stressed. If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present, then our brains work even more successfully as we’re able to work harder, faster, and more intelligently,” reported Shaun Achor, professor at Wharton Business School. The “Happiness Advantage“ is real.
2. Take ownership for everything you do. The most successful (and happiest)people take full responsibility for everything in their lives – including their thoughts, attitudes and behavior. Remember that success begins from happiness within.
3. Surround yourself with positive people. Attitudes radiate throughout an organization. Even one sour apple can slowly rot the whole bushel. Jim Rohn, one of the early leaders of the personal development movement said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” For business owners, those five people often include employees. Always consider the fact that the people we choose to associate with have a powerful influence on our own outlook and success. And that this influence goes both ways.

Although it’s not always easy to stay positive under stress, happiness is serious business. A positive and solution-based outlook will carry you and your business much further than staying focused on the negative.