“Happy New Year!” We say that the first few weeks of January to our friends and family (By the way, what is the cutoff date, when we should stop using that greeting?). It got me thinking...
Aristotle’s sage advice came to mind, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” Similarly, the 14th Dalai Lama proclaimed, "I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness.” It’s even in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes...
"Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. But, if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and sits softly on your shoulder." Henry David Thoreau
Here are some “other things” to focus on:
- Help others find happiness.
“I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” Albert Schweitzer
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” Chinese Proverb
- Do what makes your “heart sing.”
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Albert Schweitzer
"The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does." James M. Barrie
- Control your desires and be grateful for what you have.
“If you want what you get, you’ve always got what you want, because you’ve always got what you get.” Zen Buddhist Mediation
“That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.” Henry David Thoreau
- Pursue a cause.
“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“It’s one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no person can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Choose to be happy.
“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln
"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances." Martha Washington
THE LEADERSHIP LESSON....HAPPINESS WORKS!
On the January-February cover of the Harvard Business Review is a bright yellow “happy face,” and the title “The Value of Happiness, How Employee Well-Being Drives Profits.” Several articles within validate the economic power of happiness.
In an article by Shawn Achor, entitled "Positive Intelligence," the author reveals research which proves that “happiness actually precedes success,” not the contrary. “Happy employees are more productive, more creative, and better at problem solving than their unhappy peers.”
In a second article, "Creating Sustainable Performance," by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath, advise that “employees who are thriving demonstrated 16% better overall performance, 125% less burnout, 32% more commitment to the organization, and 46% more job satisfaction than their peers.” Proof positive that happiness works!
Dedicate 2012 to building a happy workforce. But remember, only happy leaders can create happy climates, that produce happy team members.
With that, I wish you a very HAPPY 2012!
- Glenn Furuya's blog
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