Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change

by Shawn Achor

Why are some people able to make positive change while others remain the same?

In his international bestseller, The Happiness Advantage, Harvard trained researcher Shawn Achor described why happiness is the precursor to greater success. This book is about what comes before both. Because before we can be happy or successful, we need to first develop the ability to see that positive change is possible. Only once we learn to see the world through a more positive lens can we summon all our motivation, emotion, and intelligence to achieve our personal and professional goals.

In Before Happiness, Achor reveals five actionable, proven strategies for changing our lens to positive:

· The Most Valuable Reality: See a broader range of ideas and solutions by changing the details on which your brain chooses to focus
· Success Mapping: Set goals oriented around the things in life that matter to you most, whether career advancement or family or making a difference in the world
· The X-spot: Use success accelerants to propel you more quickly towards those goals, whether finishing a marathon, reaching a sales target, learning a language, or losing 10 pounds
· Noise-Canceling: Boost the signal pointing you to opportunities and possibilities that others miss
· Positive Inception: Transfer these skills to your team, your employees, and everyone around you

By mastering these strategies, you’ll create an renewable source of positivity, motivation, and engagement that will allow you to reach your fullest potential in everything you do.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Development, Business, Audiobook, Leadership

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Shawn Achor is an American educator, author, and speaker known for his advocacy of positive psychology. He is best known for his research reversing the formula of success leading to happiness—his research shows that happiness in fact leads to success. Achor spent 12 years studying what makes people happy at Harvard University. He later authored The Happiness Advantage and founded the Institute of Positive Research and GoodThinkInc. His TEDx talk "The Happy Secret to Better Work" is one of the 20-most viewed TED talks.

Reviews

[Ayelet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with so many great tips for setting yourself for a happier work life. There was a lot I took away from this one- such as the importance of smiling just 3 extra times per day, and that you can't make up for one negative interaction with one positive one... you need 3 positive ones! While I recognized some of the studies referenced, such as the hospital that adopted the smile within 10 feet, say hello within 5 feet, but there was a lot of original research as well.
There were times when I felt left out that I didn't read THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE first, since that seems to have a lot more corresponding tips for life, as opposed to just work. I think I am going to have to read that one next.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a pre-publication galley of this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway. The author Shawn Achor is a young Harvard-trained researcher in the field of positive psychology. The writing style is breezy. His voice is enthusiastic and full of phrases that sound more suited for the marketing world than psychology. I find helpful some of the criteria in the "Noise Canceling" chapter. "Noise" is information that comes to us through the news, email, radio, conversations and any other source that does more to distract us than help us towards our goals. He lists four criteria for incoming information. If the information fits any of the four criteria, it's probably noise. 1) If it's unusable and I won't alter my behavior because of it. 2) If it's untimely and I'm not going to use it before it ceases to be applicable. 3) If it's hypothetical. 4) If it distracts me from my goals.
Related mostly to criteria 1 and 4, I have a tendency to get caught up in sad news that I am powerless to change. Achor gives me permission to spend less time (even five minutes a day less) focusing on these issues and events so that I may turn my focus to what I can control.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you tell me a book is about happiness, I’m gonna check it out. I just am.

This one was not a disappointment. Here are the ideas I took away:

“...in the working world the most valuable reality is one in which there is at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions….Below this ration, engagement plummeted and turnover rates shot up. In fact, Losada found that the highest-performing teams had a 6:1 ration.”

“...Dr. Loretta Malandro names some of the most common blind spots that hold us back in our careers. The primary one...is an inability to rely on other people: when most executives face a massive challenge or stressor, they try to figure out how to solve the problem alone….The second most common blind spot among business leaders is...the ability to see the effect their decisions will have upon their teams. Leaders with this blind spot assume that everyone will view their decisions and choices in the same way they do, or they downplay the importance of feedback; as a result, their perspective on problems or challenges is limited. The final common blind spot is…”bottling it up,” or concealing emotions….”

“...we need to change how we judge people…the human tendency to judge our own behavior based on context but to attribute others’ behavior to their character.”

“...if you take the power lead (simply by being first to speak) and start with the positive...you can rewrite the script of the entire interaction.”

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Before Happiness courtesy of the publisher, but had a hunch I'd enjoy it (if you know me, you know all about my intrigue with the science of happiness). When I actually cracked it open though, I was most pleasantly blown away.

Before Happiness is all about changing your perspective on life. By reshaping your environment and looking at a situation from a new perspective can give you the tools you need to make the most out of anything - a lofty goal, an unexpected challenge, you name it! I read a lot about the science of happiness and goal-setting in my spare time, and after awhile, the analysis and advice starts to all blur together. Just by changing your outlook, however, Achor posits that you can radically change your performance and outcome and gives you the tools to do it, walking you though the process step-by-step.

Sure, there are steps to achieving your goals that get reiterated time after time, and for good reason, but Achor approaches this whole "how to be happier" in a new way, offering up strategies that were new, even to me. Many of the strategies are active and framed as small activities, like drawing a map of your world (it sounds crazy now, but just try it!) and mapping your goals that are really helpful.

And to top it all off, Achor brings some really hilarious stories to the forefront to illustrate his points. It's like reading about being happy was fun or something...

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly liked Before Happiness. For the most part, Achor addresses different clinically-strategies for leaders as they attempt to create positive organizations and teams that are likely to succeed. Most of this is extremely useful and applicable to many different types of groups.

I am a little creeped out by the "inception" portion, in which we can supposedly manipulate people to be more productive and happy. That feels a little icky to me--especially when one of his main examples are low-wage WalMart employees. Apparently, WalMart hired Dr. Achor to help with the intractable problem of their impoverished employees who are, for SOME reason, not as happy as they ought to be. Meanwhile, the Waltons sit on their stacks of billions, and it doesn't occur to them that maybe a decent living wage is a contributor to happiness . . . But, anyway, aside from that chapter, the rest of the book? Really, really helpful.

[Natali · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of good stuff in here. Achor makes an effort to include new research on positive psychology and I appreciated that. He presents academic research along with actionable tips on how to create positive momentum in your life.

I found myself implementing his tips without even thinking about them. Particularly those about positive interactions, meaning markers, and using your email inbox for good. A very worth and fast read. Read it!

[Jane Dugger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource for incorporating new activities to promote happiness & success in your life. There is also easy to understand science & data to explain why these things work.

What are the 3 most interesting things I learned from this book?

1 - Using this question to help keep your focus on non-fiction reads. This idea encouraged me to listen more acutely and analyze what I was hearing. Often causing me to ask the question, would this work in my life?

2 - Use the power lead. The first person to speak in a conversation sets the tone of the entire encounter. This can be used at work or home. Leading off interactions with something positive like a compliment, etc.

3 - Incorporate the 10/5 Way. This is the basis of the Ritz Carlton hotel's fantastic customer service. If you are within 10' of someone, acknowledge & smile at them. If you are with 5' of someone, greet them. I *LOVE* this concept. I am a big greeter & good morning-er (much to my other half's chagrin). I practiced this at work and it was great.

Why was reading this important?
There is always room for improvement. I was raised very much in this outlook but I learned some new techniques and how this is all supported with science.

Well done.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book & am going to buy it. I thought it gave easy-to-understand ideas for changing the things we do to help increase our levels of happiness.

My notes from the book:

1. Choose the most valuable reality:
-recognize the existence of multiple realities by changing the details your brain chooses to focus on.
-See a greater range of realities by adding vantage points and seeing the world from a broader perspective.
-Select the most valuable reality that is both positive and true

2. Mental maps

-identify and set better goals using markers of meaning
-chart more direct routes to goals
-map success routes before escape routes

3. Success accelerants
-zoom in on the target, make it seem closer
-magnify the target size
-decrease energy required

4. Noise canceling
-cancel negative or useless noise
-learn the 4 criteria of noise
-reduce overall volume of noise
-learn to cancel out noise of worry, fear, anxiety, & pessimism by 3 waves of positive energy

---wave 1--I will keep my worry in proportion to the likelihood of the event
---wave 2--I will not ruin 10,000 days to be right on a handful
---wave 3--I will not equate worrying with being loving or responsible

5. Positive inception

-transfer positive reality to others
-create easy to replicate positive patterns & habits & help them spread
-take the power lead
-appeal to emotion & craft shared, meaningful narratives
-create renewable, sustainable source of positive energy that motivates & energizes those around you

p. 91-92

...fundamental attribution error, which is the human tendency to judge our own behavior based on context but to attribute others' behabior to their character...We need to give others the same benefit of the doubt that we give ourselves. Not doing so is a counterproductive error that results from putting ourselves on the center of our maps. But by consciously choosing to reorient our maps so that we try to explain others' behavior on the basis of context rather than character, we can slowly begin to expand the borders of our mental universe.

p. 175
1. How often has this negative event happened to me in the past?
2. How often does this negative event happen to people in my situation?

p. 189
The 10/5 Way involves just a few behavioral rules: If a guest walks by a Ritz employee within 10 feet, the employee should make eye contact and smile. If that guest walks by within five feet, the employee should say "Hello."

p. 192
Our personalities may be distinct and unique, but our brains are highly interconnected; they are linked on a wireless mirror network.
...our thoughts and perceptions are what dictate our nonverbal actions

[Sarah Brousseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 19/55: Before Happiness: How Creating a Positive Reality First Amplifies Your Levels of Happiness and Success by Shawn Achor. I've learning quite a bit, more so than any other novels of this kind I have read in the past. I love the explanation of the ratio between the positive and negtaive in both a professionnel (3:1) and personal (5:1) level can do. It didn't say you can't be negative, more like you can shape your thinking to shape a more positive and more fulfilling reality, for every negative thought, try adding a few positives in there and see where that can take you. I enjoyed reading about the mental maps, understanding more what drives me to become a better person, in all areas of my life and how to enhance the abilities to its full potential using positivity to shape the reality I want to achieve. All in all, one of my favorite success and happiness books so far in 2019!

[Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy to have won this as a Goodreads giveaway! This book has really changed the way I look at the world, and react to it... I am on my way for a second read (yes, it IS worth a second read) then, I might add more to this review... suffice it to say, even if you think you are positive and happy... this book will still make you think... and thinking is a good thing :)

[Toni Vanschoyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books. Have on kindle and audible as well

[Robert Sutherland · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the intersection of traditional intelligence, emotional intelligence, and social intelligence lies positive genius. By looking at things at different angles, you can frame reality more positively--not delusionally but emphasizing what is important but also true. Build a map to get there. Approach the finish then sprint to the goal (find the "X" spot). Drown out the noise by boosting the signal (reduce unnecessary, uncontrollable input by just 5% and see what happens). Then work with others to leverage your and their positive genius.

There are many good points. And there are just as many self aggrandizing references to "When I was at Harvard" and "When I was in Naval Officer Training" or "When I went to Divinity School...."

[Sarah Solorzano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

This book had a lot of good points about becoming a more positive thinker to enhance your life. The research cities was convincing and relevant to the topics.

A lot of the example scenarios given though were based in an office setting which became quite dry and repetitive to me. I don’t work in an office and while the tips were still applicable, I found myself more engaged when the author related the tip to a more everyday scenario like in a coffee shop.

Also, I listened to the book and it was quite dry. Maybe this one would’ve been better read ☺️

[Lee Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was somewhat just regurgitated information already covered in Nate Silver's Signal and the Noise and Dweck's Mindset. There were some other case studies referenced that sounded pretty familiar that I couldn't remember where I'd heard them. Very little original information but the content is still interesting even if not new.

[Kelsey Mech · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book explores some interesting studies and research around happiness but is written in a super accessible way. I definitely got some solid takeaways from it in terms of how to go about shifting thinking toward being more positive and really enjoyed reading it overall.

[Sarah's Reading Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his research and the practical application ideas he provides. I read this book twice in a row to fully retain the information. This will be a book I read yearly. I think everyone needs to read this. If they followed its principles, the world would be a much better place. ❤

[Daniel Ottenwalder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not trying to toot my own horn but I feel like I lived a lot of these principles but helpful to hear the unconscious bit

[Rhiannon Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Very thought provoking concepts throughout the book,life changing ideas, for those willing to make the changes. Well written and well researched. Absolutely fascinating book.

[Andy]

DNF.

[Roxan AlexanderArntson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ❤️ Shawn Achor! This book was inspiring, but more than that, it gives practical applications and documented, scientific evidence of success.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really great ideas and examples of what we can do to improve our lives. My one point is that sometimes whether at work or in your personal life, there are some cruel, toxic people that no matter how much you reframe or try to stay positive you need to get away from them.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

What you focus on becomes your reality. I will not ruin a thousand days to be right on a handful.

If information doesn't cause change actions/results, it is meaningless noise.

[SJ L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it isn’t quite fair (or positive) to compare this book to The Happiness Advantage. That book blew me away, and I’m a big believer in positive psychology in the workplace and in personal life. This book is a decent follow up, but it’s a bit of a sophomore slump (like the second Taking Back Sunday album, or the second book by the author of the Kite Runner).
That being said, there are still great points that can be applied to life, and as Hamlet would say “that’s the rub.” You can read these books all you want, but in order to gain anything you have to apply what you’re learning. In essence, this book is very much like positive existentialism – take hold of your life, focus on the positive. Control thoughts, words, then actions. The application framework is essentially invented, but more positive and effective than the status quo.
Here’s an outline of what the book teaches, along with relevant quotes and ideas for how to apply it.

What’s the goal?
Positive genius – a mindset of positivity and growth
“Positive genius is not about optimism or pessimism, or seeing the glass as half empty or half full. Because in truth, half empty and half full are not the only possible outcomes. Both optimists and pessimists are so focused on how to interpret the single glass in front of them, they can miss the fact that there is a third, equally true reality – a pitcher of water on the table to refill the glass.” 14
How do you get there?
4 steps – reality architecture (choose the most positive reality), mental cartography (mapping out a path to success), the X-spot (lame name, idea = chart your progress towards the goal instead of worrying about what you haven’t accomplished), noise canceling (eliminating or zoning out negativity), positive inception (pay it forward and spread the love)
I. Positive Architecture – choose the positive reality. Happiness and the way you perceive life is a choice. As Henry Ford said, “if you think you can or you can’t, you’re probably right.” Choose positive realities, think less about your college debt and more about the opportunities having a degree affords you.
“Because your brain can only process forty bits of information per second every minute of every day, you are merely picking and choosing from the eleven million pieces of information your senses are receiving. In truth, there is not one reality: there are millions of possibilities that could be constructed into a reality in every given second. It all depends on which information your brain chooses to process! 25
Steps – recognize alternative realities (see the glass half full or the pitcher of water), add vantage points (different perspectives and ask about the why behind the situation), purse the most valuable reality (put your effort into the best option).
Even stress can be positive. “The process involved three steps: becoming aware of the stress, looking for the meaning behind the stress (for example, I’m stressed about this project because I know I’ll get a promotion if I succeed), and then, most important channeling the stress response to improve motivation and productivity. 33
Maintain a 5:1 positive to negative ratio of descriptions if you want to stay married. For life situations, 3:1 is a solid ratio. You can do this through a writing exercise where you jot down words about a situation for one minute or thirty seconds and give yourself three points for each positive word and one point for negative words.
Implementation tips – go to museums, do something prosocial (help others!), fuel your reality (eat well, exercise, make decisions after you eat), add vantage points (maintain a positivity ration of 3:1 for things and 5:1 for relationships), seek diverse voices (cultures and viewpoints), remind yourself of change (write down previous positive changes to remind yourself you can)
II. Mental Cartography – map a route to success based on meaning
When we have meaning, our brains release a storehouse of resources to help make us more successful. Mental maps without meaning, on the other hand, lead to apathy, depression, burnout, and ultimately failure. That’s because success without meaning is hollow and not worth the effort. 66
Do this: Highlight what matters, reorient your map around meaning, map success instead of escape or failure
Yale University researcher Amy Wrzensniewski found that the difference between individuals who see their occupation as a “job,” a “career,” or a “calling” is based upon the meaning they find in their work rather than job title or position. 72
Fun exercise – draw a map of your life, whatever you put in the middle matters. If for example you drew your house in the middle, then work, then the mall you are indicating what matters to you. “This is exactly how we all map our mental worlds: those things that matter most to us loom largest and in the center, whereas the things we care less about are smaller and pushed out to the periphery…sometimes we fail to assign meaning to things that perhaps we should. So what you don’t map can be as important as what you do. Could your map be missing important markers that would help you navigate your path to success? 75
Useful tip if you’re assigned something you don’t really want to do – remind yourself why before beginning (ie – I’m reading this material to better perform at my job, or to earn my degree) – “I would take the book, and right inside the front cover I would write three things I hoped to learn from it, or why reading this text was important beyond just my grade. Sometimes I would have to do a bit of research online to find out why this text was important or ask the professor why were reading it. When I did, I always discovered that these texts held a lot more meaning to me than I’d initially realized. 78
Map hijackers [things that prevent you from success] are commonly found in the health area of your map. Let’s say you want to lose weight. Now ask yourself why you want to lose weight and what effects you expect…people often reply that it’s so they can start liking themselves again. That meaning marker is not effective in getting you to change your habits. In fact, it hijacks those efforts because it’s grounded in a negative reality: you do not currently like yourself. An answer indicating a true meaning marker would be that you want to live longer, set a healthier example for your children, or have the energy to do other activities. Map hijackers don’t only derail your progress, they sap your life of meaning and happiness. [This may be why Alan Carr’s Easy Way to Quit Smoking is brilliant, it turns quitting tobacco from a negative to a positive] 80
Certain environmental triggers hijacked those addicts’ attempts to avoid crime or get sober, so can certain triggers hijack our best efforts at work…The only way to banish these kinds of hijackers is to replace them with meaning markers. In the example of the stock analyst who would get [down about the stock market being down and then go surf the web and eat junk food] it would mean perhaps replacing his morning habit of checking the state of the market with another, more meaningful habit, like e-mailing a friend or family member or reading his favorite blog. By starting the day with a positive, he would become more motivated and energized about his writing and less prone to procrastination. 83
Think about something you want to accomplish in your personal life, whether it’s starting your own business, getting the corner office, or leading your team in sales. Take out a sheet of paper and write down all the resources you currently have that can be used to get you toward that goal. By resources I don’t just mean money. I mean intellectual, emotional, and social resources – like your leadership skills or your ability to stay calm under pressure or your good relationship with someone in the corporate office. This will help you shift to a more positive orientation by forcing your brain to focus on all the reasons why you are likely to get the promotion, rather than to waste its finite resources worrying about reasons you might not. 88
Does my behavior today lead towards one of my meaning markers?
Tips – diversify your meaning portfolio (spread happiness around your life in terms of relationships, family, spiritual matters, hobbies, work, etc), do a daily meaning orientation (“ask at the beginning of the day what’s one action I will take today that will get me closer to my meaningful goals” 105, journal three positives at the end of the day, reflect monthly on your progress), map your life, spot and stop the hijackers (anything that throws you off the path, checking email, looking at the news, pulling up social media, gossiping and ask “what can I do today to avoid those hijackers?” Replace them with positive, meaningful habits), use a treasure map (ask first “let’s figure out how success is possible before taking about what might go wrong”), update your map (monthly reflection).
III. The X-Spot – Finding Success Accelerators
Do this - Zoom in on the Target (proximity - change your brain’s perspective so you think you are closer to the end goal), magnify the target size (likelihood of success), recalculate thrust (energy required to get you there).
Visualization is not the means to your goals. It is the accelerant that gets you on the right trajectory to your goals. 142
IV. Noise Canceling – Ignoring the BS
Noise can be a huge distorter of reality. Vegas casinos know this; that’s why they overload your brain with sounds and lights to distract you from the reality you are losing money. 147
Do this – Recognize the signal (signal = information that is true and reliable and alerts you to the opportunities, possibilities, and resources that will help you reach your fullest potential. 149), stop the addiction to noise (noise is everything else: any information that is negative, false, or unnecessary or that prevents you from perceiving a world in which success is possible. 149), cancel the internal noise (negative self-talk, etc)
Most of us are at the top of the proverbial food chain in our professional lives, even if we don’t always realize it. By “top of the food chain” I don’t necessarily mean the corporate hierarchy; you can be the work equivalent of a lion, whether you are a CEO or a midlevel manager or even an entry-level assistant. What I mean by top of the food chain is that you are a smart, competent, valued professional…So why do we often believe otherwise? Why do we allow our brains to see not making one sale, not getting one promotion we wanted, or having one negative interaction with our boss as evidence that we don’t deserve to succeed. 160
Look for active and passive ways to cancel noise.
Disengage from conversations of media that meet any of the four criteria of noise: unusable, untimely, hypothetical, or distracting. 166 [note, that’s for self-improvement or productivity in the world place, positive hypothetical thinking leads to innovation and creativity and is 100% necessary in the intellectual life.]
V. Positive Inception – spreading positivity to others
Do this – success franchising (coming up with a positive behavior change that is easily replicated), script writing (changing a prevailing social script by making it positive), and creating a shared narrative (creating value and meaning by appealing to emotion). 183
The 10/5 Way – involves a few simple behavioral rules that all staff are trained to follow. If a guest walks by a Ritz employee within ten feet, the employee should make eye contact and smile. If that guest walks by within five feet, the employee should say, “hello.” 189 [this worked to improve a hospital and frankly is applicable to almost any business situation]
Measuring a message = SIN – Strength of the message (S), the immediacy (I), and the number of sources (N). First, make it strong, next win over the easy to win over, then grow. 200
When you give praise, don’t just say it with words; be sure to make your face and tone fit your words. Nodding encouragingly while coworkers talk not only raises their feelings of being understood but increases connection. Make sure that your tone and nonverbal are not connoting fatigue or boredom. A simple but incredibly powerful way to ensure that your nonverbal are positive is one I learned from a manager out in Las Vegas. Here’s the secret: take a look at the person talking to you. Thanks to our neural network, we unconsciously mirror the people we are with. So if the person you are talking to is not similar, seems fatigued or disengaged, or seems anxious, changes are your nonverbal are not as positive as they need to be. If you don’t like what you are seeing, change yourself first and see if the other person follows the script. 206
People are much more likely to adopt your reality when it’s both emotional and real. 214

[Carla Parreira]

Trechos sublinhados: "...É verdade que a felicidade leva ao sucesso, mas o que faz uma pessoa (especialmente uma diante de obstáculos e dificuldades) acreditar que ainda é possível ser feliz? Por que o sucesso e a felicidade podem parecer uma possibilidade para uma pessoa, mas algo impossível para outra na mesma posição ou situação?... Algumas pessoas viviam em uma realidade na qual a felicidade e o sucesso pareciam possíveis, apesar dos obstáculos. Outras viviam em uma “realidade” na qual isso era inviável. Afinal, como alguém pode esperar atingir a felicidade ou o sucesso, se estiver preso na mentalidade de que nada disso é factível? Comecei a perceber que, se quiséssemos criar uma mudança concreta, duradoura e sustentável, precisávamos mostrar às pessoas como mudar a essência de sua realidade ou, em outras palavras, as lentes que usam para enxergar o mundo... E é só quando escolhemos acreditar que vivemos em um mundo no qual as dificuldades podem ser superadas, que o nosso comportamento pode fazer alguma diferença e que a mudança é possível, que conseguimos mobilizar toda a nossa motivação, energia e recursos emocionais e intelectuais para fazer essa mudança acontecer... Antes da felicidade e do sucesso vem a nossa percepção de mundo. Portanto, antes de podermos ser felizes e bem-sucedidos, precisamos criar uma realidade positiva que nos permita enxergar que a felicidade e o sucesso são possíveis... Quando falo de uma realidade positiva, não estou me referindo a uma realidade na qual coisas boas acontecem em um passe de mágica pelo puro poder do pensamento positivo. Refiro-me a uma realidade na qual você pode mobilizar todos os seus recursos cognitivos, intelectuais e emocionais para criar uma mudança positiva porque acredita na possibilidade de uma verdadeira mudança. A capacidade de criar repetidamente esse tipo de realidade é chamada de gênio positivo. Como se constatou, esse é o mais importante precursor do sucesso, do bom desempenho e até da felicidade... Apresentarei cinco etapas práticas e baseadas em pesquisas para ajudá-lo a reforçar seu gênio positivo e, por consequência, seus índices de sucesso. As etapas são: 1.Escolha a realidade mais valiosa: como enxergar diferentes realidades e escolher aquela que leva ao crescimento positivo. 2.Mapeie seus marcadores de significado: como identificar e mapear o melhor caminho para atingir seus objetivos. 3.Encontre o ponto X: como usar aceleradores de sucesso para atingir seus objetivos com mais rapidez. 4.Cancele o ruído: como intensificar o sinal que aponta para maiores oportunidades, possibilidades e recursos. 5.Crie a inserção positiva: como ampliar os efeitos de uma mentalidade positiva, transferindo sua realidade positiva para os outros. Antes do potencial vem a motivação. Antes da motivação vem a emoção. E, antes da emoção, vem a sua realidade. Essa realidade faz toda a diferença entre uma felicidade passageira e uma mentalidade permanente que promove o sucesso em todas as suas iniciativas pessoais e profissionais... O sucesso não depende apenas de quanta inteligência você tem, mas de quanto de sua inteligência você acredita que pode usar... Ser feliz não requer fechar os olhos para os aspectos negativos do nosso ambiente, mas acreditar que temos o poder de fazer algo a respeito... Rm praticamente todas as situações, existem diferentes realidades que são tão verdadeiras quanto as realidades que nosso cérebro foi programado para esperar... Tudo depende de quais informações seu cérebro escolhe processar! Então, se a sua realidade é uma escolha, a próxima pergunta é: você escolheu a realidade que vai ajudá-lo a levar suas diferentes inteligências a atingir seu máximo potencial e promover mais sucesso e crescimento? Caso contrário, como você pode escolher uma realidade capaz de criar mais valor?... Pense em qualquer objeto comum, do dia a dia, e tente fazer o maior número de versões que puder imaginar. Pense não só em diferentes formas, tamanhos e desenhos, mas em diferentes ângulos e pontos de vista vantajosos. No começo, pode parecer um exercício bobo, mas vai valer a pena desenvolver essa habilidade porque o ajudará a usar toda a gama de inteligências para enxergar detalhes, conexões e soluções que mais ninguém vê... Se estiver tendo dificuldade para enxergar detalhes no seu mundo que talvez não tenha percebido antes, também é interessante mudar seus padrões. Vá para o trabalho por um caminho diferente ou faça questão de conversar todo dia com uma pessoa com quem normalmente não conversaria... Quanto mais o cérebro precisar se empenhar e trabalhar para examinar o mundo em busca de diferentes realidades, maior será sua criatividade, sua capacidade de resolver problemas e até sua empatia pelas pessoas que não veem o mundo do mesmo modo que você... É incrível constatar quantos recursos do nosso cérebro gastamos procurando rotas de fuga para escapar de situações ou ambientes onde o sucesso ainda é possível. É por isso que, se gastarmos tempo e energia demais mapeando caminhos para fugir dos aspectos negativos da nossa vida em vez de nos aproximar dos aspectos positivos, reduziremos radicalmente nossas chances de encontrar oportunidades... Usar um mapa mental que sempre aponta para a fuga restringe as oportunidades, as possibilidades e os recursos que você consegue enxergar. Pior ainda é que, se mapearmos apenas os caminhos para o fracasso, é inevitável acabarmos presos nesses caminhos. O fracasso se tornará nossa realidade, confirmando nossos piores temores e levando a ainda mais desesperança e pessimismo... As pessoas que têm uma mentalidade negativa mudam constantemente sua orientação do mundo até essa orientação justificar seu pessimismo... Mapear o percurso visando primeiro ao sucesso lhe possibilitará aproveitar melhor todas as suas inteligências e construir um prisma do sucesso... Quanto mais perto você perceber que o sucesso está, mais rápido você se aproxima dele... Criar percepções mais positivas das nossas metas pode aumentar muito o nosso engajamento, foco, produtividade e motivação e, em consequência, aumentar a velocidade na qual as atingimos... Quanto mais perto nos percebemos do sucesso, maiores são nossas chances de sermos bem-sucedidos. E, ao cuidadosamente 'pintarmos' nossos alvos para parecerem mais perto, podemos desencadear o ímpeto, a energia, o foco, a motivação e os recursos cognitivos que nos ajudarão a chegar lá mais rápido... O pessimismo, uma das formas mais comuns de ruído interno, é um mecanismo de defesa que nosso cérebro usa para tentar reduzir o impacto dos eventos negativos que vivenciamos... O que vai acabar ocorrendo é que nenhuma energia ou recurso cognitivo vai ser alocado para tentar obter um resultado melhor. Você vai passar o dia inteiro se defendendo, em vez de jogando na ofensiva. É raro ouvirmos falar desse outro aspecto perigoso do pessimismo, então tenha paciência..."

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A positivity genius. WOW! What a concept! Positive thinking: simple yet with a complex application to YOUR life.
So many illuminating statistical takeaways from scientific studies.
I like self-help books but this one takes the cake.
Best book I've read all year!

One of the examples of his motivation chapter was comparing a business which tested two coffee stamping cards. The first was ‘buy 10 coffees, get one free.’ The second was buy twelve coffees, get one free.’ And this card had the first two coffees already stamped. So it was still 10 coffees to get one free. The second one worked faster. Customers also sped up their purchases once they were halfway. Similar to marathon runners who sprint at their last minute. Because the goal is in reach. The feeling of being almost finished is important, he says.
Also he illustrates in the workplace that if one bad incident happens, it sends us into a black mood. It would take 3 good incidences to boost us up again. The same for a husband’s mistake against his wife. He should buy not one, but three bunches of flowers to fix it. Such insight.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Achor's book the Happiness Advantage was life changing. It's a 5 star book and you should read it if you haven't. This book is a follow-up that is a little more academic, with more complicated tips on how to get to "happiness." In that way--its academic approach and more conceptual advice--it is not the same as Happiness Advantage. That said, it was never meant to be Happiness Advantage and Achor says that right off the bat, telling us it's a different book. It's a further exploration of positive psychology and its studies and lessons learned and for that, it's a worthwhile read. I enjoyed the book and look forward to more great things from Achor and his team. My advice to you if you're interested in the topic: Read both books, but definitely Happiness Advantage first.

[uosɯɐS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably should have read The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work, but this is the book that became available first. It's more geared towards the business world, but it's easy enough to imagine how these things might apply to the rest of life.

Basically, this is a fairly practical look at how to do "positive thinking."

[Ken Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book. Basic principle: Think positive. But you know what, I'm thinking better because of this book. I would recommend skimming this one after you get the basic thesis.

I was also a little offended that his purpose it becomes apparent is to get you a promotion at work. He says, for example, to routinize your mornings so that the time flies by. I'm reading this and thinking to myself, make my free time fly by so I have more energy to work? I want work to fly by so I have more energy for free time! That's me anyways. If you're all about working, then routinize your morning.

[Todd Mckeever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Title: Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change
Author: Shawn Achor
Year Published: 2013

Introduction to the Book
In Before Happiness, Shawn Achor builds on his previous work (The Happiness Advantage) by asking a critical question: what comes before happiness and success? His answer—your perception. This book explores how to train your brain to see more possibilities, reframe obstacles, and create lasting positive change. It’s a mindset manual for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone who wants to create meaning and momentum in life.

Before Happiness aligns with the ABC Growth System: it challenges how you Assess situations, offers ways to Build mental and emotional strength, and shows how to Cultivate lasting progress.

Key Themes and Takeaways

Chapter 1: The Most Valuable Reality
• Main Takeaway: Success starts with seeing a positive, accurate reality—not just being blindly optimistic.
• Coaching Action: Reflect daily on three good things you observed or experienced to start retraining your perception.
• Apps:
• Gratitude: A simple app that prompts daily gratitude journaling.
• Why: Builds awareness of the good that already exists—critical to creating a new mental map.
• Evernote: Capture thoughts, patterns, and moments of clarity for long-term reference.
• Why: Your mindset is shaped by what you record and revisit. Evernote helps build a thought library.
• Books:
• The Happiness Advantage – Achor’s previous book that explains how happiness leads to success.
• Why: Provides the foundational science that Before Happiness builds on.
• Quote: “The better your brain is at using the information around you, the more positive, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive you become.”

Chapter 2: Mapping Success
• Main Takeaway: Successful people mentally map out more routes to their goals—then believe they can take them.
• Coaching Action: Write down 3 alternative paths to achieve a current goal.
• Apps:
• MindNode or Miro: Visual mind-mapping apps for mapping out goal options.
• Why: Seeing options visually increases mental flexibility and reduces the paralysis of “one way thinking.”
• Books:
• Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans – Teaches how to prototype different life and career paths.
• Why: Reinforces this idea of multiple success maps and choosing your path.
• Quote: “Happiness and success are not just about how you view the world; they’re about the map you choose to follow.”

Chapter 3: Finding the X-Spot
• Main Takeaway: Peak performance comes when you believe success is possible and you’re close to achieving it.
• Coaching Action: Break goals into smaller wins and track progress visually.
• Apps:
• Trello: Track small wins on task boards to build momentum.
• Why: Seeing progress builds motivation and makes your goal feel closer.
• Way of Life: A habit tracker that provides visual streaks.
• Why: Helps create a daily sense of achievement and forward motion.
• Books:
• Atomic Habits by James Clear – Emphasizes small steps and habit tracking.
• Why: Reinforces the science behind visible progress and performance peaks.
• Quote: “Perception of progress fuels our belief in the possibility of success.”

Chapter 4: Noise-Canceling
• Main Takeaway: We need to filter out mental and emotional “noise” to stay focused on meaningful goals.
• Coaching Action: Identify your top 3 distractions and design one boundary or system to reduce each.
• Apps:
• Freedom or Forest: Apps that block distractions during focus sessions.
• Why: Actively cuts the mental noise that derails productivity.
• Snipd: Captures key podcast/book moments so you’re consuming intentionally, not aimlessly.
• Why: Makes your learning more intentional and focused.
• Books:
• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – A guide to intentional tech use.
• Why: Teaches how to control digital noise instead of being consumed by it.
• Quote: “Happiness depends not on how much information we get, but on our ability to filter it.”

Chapter 5: Positive Inception
• Main Takeaway: You can spread belief and success to others by shaping their environment and language.
• Coaching Action: Send one daily message of encouragement or gratitude to someone in your network.
• Apps:
• IFTTT + Gmail or Slack: Automate sending check-in messages or gratitude notes weekly.
• Why: Automating positivity creates consistency in your influence.
• Buffer: Pre-schedule empowering content to build a brand of positivity.
• Why: Shapes public perception and spreads positive signals consistently.
• Books:
• Tribes by Seth Godin – Encourages leaders to build communities through belief and shared vision.
• Why: Reinforces the ripple effect of leadership and influence.
• Quote: “By transmitting positive realities to others, we amplify our own.”


Summary of the Book
Before Happiness argues that real success and happiness are not found “out there,” but created through perception and intentional habit-building. Achor’s blend of research and practical exercises makes this book a field guide to rewiring how we think, feel, and lead. It’s ideal for leaders, entrepreneurs, or anyone feeling stuck in a fog of negativity or uncertainty.

I include Apps, Books and Coaching with my book reviews because it fits within my system of toddmckeever.com which is where I use these reviews first.

[Clayton Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Many practical actionable tips for improving your life and creating happiness. I also appreciated the author's awareness that people aren't going to take action on each tip. He allows for the reader to employ just a few of the strategies which still lead to life changing outcomes.