The Pursuit of Goals and Happiness

The Positive Energy Model

Many people including myself are in constant pursuit of happiness. Too often we are pursuing the wrong things that we think will make us happy. For the longest time I thought I could become happier if I got a better job, made more money, had more material assets and accomplished my grandest goals. I was wrong.

We need to be happy with the process of achieving our goals in order to reach the destination in a desirable manner. 

“Happiness is a journey.. not a destination.” - Ben Sweetland

I read a book a few months ago called The Happiness Advantage that literally flipped the happiness formula for me. This book reverses modern day thinking by presenting a new model for success. The common belief is that we will become successful ie; get a high paying job and then as a result be happy.

It turns out the reverse is actually true. Your level of happiness will help boost your motivational drive to work harder and as a result produce more success in your life. After reading this I drew a positive energy model on a sticky note and I have been looking at it each day at work ever since. The result? More energy, productivity and success. 

So just how do we go about boosting our happiness and reversing this formula that has been ingrained in our minds?

First, rid of some of your unhealthy habits.

Second, adopt some healthy habits and practice them on a daily basis.

Five Simple Habits to Create A Positive Boost in Your Happiness

1. Gratitude: Create a gratitude journal and write down three things that you are grateful for each day. I am calling this 30 Days of Appreciation and it is my challenge for December. So far the results are very positive. Here is my appreciation framework:
2. Journaling: Write about your thoughts, feelings, goals, values, mission, purpose and anything else of importance. Check in with yourself on a daily basis. Are you in alignment? There is something magical about putting pen to paper and visualizing your feelings.
3. Exercise: A short 15 minute daily exercise routine may be all you have the time for, but this 15 minutes could become the most valuable time you dedicate to yourself each day. Exercise before work will boost your mood, energy level and set you up with an accomplishment before even walking into the office.
4. Meditation: I am still very new to the practice of meditation, but have found that time spent consciously focusing on little things like your breathing, first smells and sounds in the morning and reading positive literature help keep me grounded in the present.
5. Random Acts of Kindness: Conscious acts of kindness to other human beings is one of the most amazing things we can share. These need not be glorifying. They can be as simple as taking on household chores that we do not normally manage, holding the door for someone else entering a restaurant behind you, telling someone you appreciate them, buying someone elses lunch for no reason, picking up your neighbors trash can after it blew over in the wind, picking up a piece of garbage while walking to work and so on.

During my Monday morning spin at home before breakfast I was watching Shawn Anchor’s Ted Talk - The Happy Secret to Better Work for the second time and it dawned on me that I integrated his top five suggestions for boosting your happiness as i’ve written about above. The results have been astounding. I suggest you try for yourself :)

Summit as friends!
Scott Rowley

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