The Science of Friendship
With strong social support, we can accomplish impressive feats of resilience and even extend our lives.
Laugh Your Way to a Happy Workplace
Use humor to foster a positive work environment.
Why Working More Is Making You Less Productive
Your downtime is more precious than you think.
Why You Should Map Your Mental World
Notice the areas of your life that might not get the attention they deserve.
How Asking for Help Is a Sign of Strength and Humility
We think depending on on others is a sign of weakness and that being self-reliant is the key to success. But the opposite is true.
Don’t Sprint the Marathon
Focus on the process, not the finish line.
Why You Need to Stop Worrying About Failing
Do you know what “icing the kicker” means? In football, when a kicker is preparing to make a potential game-winning field goal, the opposing coach will often call a timeout right before the ball is snapped. The thinking behind this strategy is that a last-second timeout will distract the kicker and disrupt his rhythm. The […]
The Upside of Being Under Pressure Together
As part of an ROTC scholarship, I spent a summer during college in naval training. It taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Every night of boot camp, we would go to bed fully clothed for a 4 a.m. wakeup. We were allowed only five minutes to eat meals; our officers liked to say that […]
Why You Need Positive People in Your Life
One big mistake people make is not realizing that happiness is an individual choice. But every choice is influenced by the people in our lives. If you change your life influencers for the better, you can dramatically increase your chances for happiness and success. In my research, I’ve found that positive social connection is the […]
How to Quiet Life’s Negative Noise
Have you ever wondered why Las Vegas casinos are so loud? By using bright, flashing lights and a noisy atmosphere, they’re distracting you from the fact that you’re losing money. Noise isn’t merely a distraction; it also gets in the way of, and even blocks, signals that can guide you to positive growth. When these […]
How to Replace Your Bad Habits with Good Ones
We often think that if we had more choices, it would be easier to change our lives. In fact, we do have plenty of choices, but we don’t change. What we really need in our lives to make a positive change are fewer choices. In The Happiness Advantage, I wrote about the 20-Second Rule. This […]
Does Your Office Have a Positive Vibe?
In any line of work, there’s a good chance you do your fair of selling. You’re selling your ideas, your products, even yourself. Maybe you’re not in sales—but don’t forget to sell the great work you’re doing to your employees and others around you, too. Selling positivity internally is crucial! In 2012 I spoke at […]
