Are you happy at your job? If not, the problem might not be your job, but the way you are approaching it mentally. In a TED presentation, Shawn Achor, CEO of Good Thinking, Inc., explores how the “lens” we use to look at life affects our attitude and our performance.
Achor is a very funny, engaging presenter. However, his science is serious, especially for those people who are cheating themselves by focusing on negativity. Achor’s discipline is called “positive psychology,” which shouldn’t be confused with any kind of simple self-help program. It is a new and growing specialty in psychology that focuses on how our attitude can be readjusted through exercises that emphasize gratitude and helping others. Achor’s studies have found that a person with a positive outlook is 31% more productive at work. More importantly, positive people are focusing on what they have, not what they lack.
I strongly recommend this 12 minute video. It’s fun and insightful.
