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The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success
Everyone wants happiness and success, yet the pursuit of both has never been more elusive. As work and personal demands rise, we try to keep up by juggling everything better, moving faster, and doing more. While we might succeed in the short term, this approach comes at a high cost in the long term: it hurts our well-being, our relationships, and—paradoxically—our productivity.
In this life-changing book, Emma Seppälä explains that the reason we are burning ourselves out is that we fall for outdated theories of success. We are taught that getting ahead means doing everything that’s thrown at us with razor-sharp focus and iron discipline, that success depends on our drive and talents, and that achievement cannot happen without stress.
The Happiness Track demolishes these counterproductive theories. Drawing on the latest scientific research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, and mindfulness,
Seppälä demonstrates that being happy is the most productive thing we can do to thrive—whether at work or at home. She shares practical strategies for applying these scientific findings to our daily lives.
A fulfilling, successful, and anxiety-free life is within your reach. The Happiness Track will show you the way.
Happiness Is the Fast Track to Success
“Are you a hard-driving, multitasking, conscientiously striving professional? Then your ideas about success are probably all wrong—and you need The Happiness Track, Dr. Emma Seppälä’s investigation into the counter-intuitive factors that create career and life success. The best news of all? All these skills are well within your grasp.”—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
“Emma Seppälä convinces us that reconfiguring our brain for happiness can change the way our lives unfold and the way we approach success. A worthwhile read for anyone who wants to achieve a successful and fulfilling life.”—Amy Cuddy, professor at Harvard Business School and author of Presence
“Backed by extensive research in psychology and neuroscience, The Happiness Track offers a wealth of insight on changing how we approach our work, our personal lives, and our relationships. It’s a carefully researched, engaging look at how to improve ourselves without losing our authenticity or our sanity.”—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals
“Through her research-backed strategies, Emma Seppälä teaches us not only how to thrive in our chosen profession, but how to stay true to ourselves—and enjoy every moment of the process.”—Susan Cain, cofounder of Quiet Revolution and New York Times bestselling author of Quiet
“For decades we’ve been tied to theories of success that have burned us out and driven us into the ground—because we don’t know of any alternatives. The Happiness Track provides us with a highly readable, science-backed solution to obtaining sustainable success, the sort of success we are all really striving for, that leaves us fulfilled, happy, and healthy.”—Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., scientific director at the Imagination Institute at the University of Pennsylvania
In this life-changing book, Emma Seppälä explains that the reason we are burning ourselves out is that we fall for outdated theories of success. We are taught that getting ahead means doing everything that’s thrown at us with razor-sharp focus and iron discipline, that success depends on our drive and talents, and that achievement cannot happen without stress.
The Happiness Track demolishes these counterproductive theories. Drawing on the latest scientific research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, and mindfulness,
Seppälä demonstrates that being happy is the most productive thing we can do to thrive—whether at work or at home. She shares practical strategies for applying these scientific findings to our daily lives.
A fulfilling, successful, and anxiety-free life is within your reach. The Happiness Track will show you the way.
Happiness Is the Fast Track to Success
“Are you a hard-driving, multitasking, conscientiously striving professional? Then your ideas about success are probably all wrong—and you need The Happiness Track, Dr. Emma Seppälä’s investigation into the counter-intuitive factors that create career and life success. The best news of all? All these skills are well within your grasp.”—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
“Emma Seppälä convinces us that reconfiguring our brain for happiness can change the way our lives unfold and the way we approach success. A worthwhile read for anyone who wants to achieve a successful and fulfilling life.”—Amy Cuddy, professor at Harvard Business School and author of Presence
“Backed by extensive research in psychology and neuroscience, The Happiness Track offers a wealth of insight on changing how we approach our work, our personal lives, and our relationships. It’s a carefully researched, engaging look at how to improve ourselves without losing our authenticity or our sanity.”—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals
“Through her research-backed strategies, Emma Seppälä teaches us not only how to thrive in our chosen profession, but how to stay true to ourselves—and enjoy every moment of the process.”—Susan Cain, cofounder of Quiet Revolution and New York Times bestselling author of Quiet
“For decades we’ve been tied to theories of success that have burned us out and driven us into the ground—because we don’t know of any alternatives. The Happiness Track provides us with a highly readable, science-backed solution to obtaining sustainable success, the sort of success we are all really striving for, that leaves us fulfilled, happy, and healthy.”—Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., scientific director at the Imagination Institute at the University of Pennsylvania
Audiobook
First published January 26, 2016
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About the author
Emma Seppälä
11 books99 followersEmma Seppälä, Ph.D., is a faculty member at Yale University, a bestselling author, and an international keynote speaker. She teaches leadership at the Yale School of Management’s and is bestselling author of The Happiness Track (2017) and Sovereign (2024).
She is also Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.
Seppälä’s work and research have been featured in top media and television outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ABC News. She is a repeat guest on Good Morning America, a TEDx speaker, and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, and Psychology Today.
Her research on yoga-based breathing for military veterans was highlighted in the documentary Free the Mind. She is also featured in a number of other documentaries like The Altruism Revolution and What You Do Matters.
She graduated from Yale (BA), Columbia (MA), and Stanford (PhD). Originally from Paris, France, she is a native speaker of French, English, and German and conversant in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
She is also Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.
Seppälä’s work and research have been featured in top media and television outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ABC News. She is a repeat guest on Good Morning America, a TEDx speaker, and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, and Psychology Today.
Her research on yoga-based breathing for military veterans was highlighted in the documentary Free the Mind. She is also featured in a number of other documentaries like The Altruism Revolution and What You Do Matters.
She graduated from Yale (BA), Columbia (MA), and Stanford (PhD). Originally from Paris, France, she is a native speaker of French, English, and German and conversant in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 194 reviews
February 6, 2017
Lately, I’ve been on a happiness-books-binge. That’s to say, I’ve been reading a whole number of books on the topic of happiness. Call it a personal fascination, a subtle midlife-crisis, or whatever, but I’ve been fascinated by what research says we need to do (or think) to become happier.
The Happiness Track fits into this category, though it’s a little different. That’s because this book isn’t aimed at showing you how to become happier in itself, but at showing you how increased happiness will make you more successful. As the book’s subtitle states: ‘How to apply the science of happiness to accelerate your success’.
The book delivers on this premise. Author Emma Seppälä makes a compelling case that unlike what many of us believe (and are lead to believe) being successful doesn’t make us happier. It’s the other way around: being happier makes us more successful.
She makes a powerful argument against the beliefs in American society and culture especially, that success is the key to happiness, that that success comes at a price (stress, isolation), but if only we keep persevering and focusing on accomplishing even more, we will ultimately become happy.
Instead, she argues, happiness leads to more success and she proposes six keys to get happier and more successful:
1. Live and work in the moment: the thought is here to be present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
2. Tap into your resilience: this is about training your nervous system to bounce back from overdrive (stressful situations).
3. Manage your energy: the concept of being ‘calm’ with deliberate high-energy moments.
4. Do nothing: stimulating your creativity by being idle, diversifying your interests, and making time for fun and play.
5. Be good to yourself: exchanging a highly self-critical approach with self-compassion.
6. Show compassion to others: don’t ‘look out for number one’ but show kindness and compassion to those around you.
Because I’ve read quite a bit on this topic, not all of this was groundbreaking or even new. That being said, the book is well-structured, well-written and every single statement is backed by research—something that’s not always the case with this topic. I did learn some fascinating new concepts, for instance the importance of the breath and how you can use your breath to calm yourself. The whole chapter on tapping into our resilience was fascinating, since it shows a fresh approach to dealing with stress that’s highly practical.
The Happiness Track is a solid addition to the vast literature on becoming happy, or at least happier, and offers solid insights into the relationship between happiness and success. Recommended reading for anyone interested in changing their path to success.
The Happiness Track fits into this category, though it’s a little different. That’s because this book isn’t aimed at showing you how to become happier in itself, but at showing you how increased happiness will make you more successful. As the book’s subtitle states: ‘How to apply the science of happiness to accelerate your success’.
The book delivers on this premise. Author Emma Seppälä makes a compelling case that unlike what many of us believe (and are lead to believe) being successful doesn’t make us happier. It’s the other way around: being happier makes us more successful.
She makes a powerful argument against the beliefs in American society and culture especially, that success is the key to happiness, that that success comes at a price (stress, isolation), but if only we keep persevering and focusing on accomplishing even more, we will ultimately become happy.
Instead, she argues, happiness leads to more success and she proposes six keys to get happier and more successful:
1. Live and work in the moment: the thought is here to be present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
2. Tap into your resilience: this is about training your nervous system to bounce back from overdrive (stressful situations).
3. Manage your energy: the concept of being ‘calm’ with deliberate high-energy moments.
4. Do nothing: stimulating your creativity by being idle, diversifying your interests, and making time for fun and play.
5. Be good to yourself: exchanging a highly self-critical approach with self-compassion.
6. Show compassion to others: don’t ‘look out for number one’ but show kindness and compassion to those around you.
Because I’ve read quite a bit on this topic, not all of this was groundbreaking or even new. That being said, the book is well-structured, well-written and every single statement is backed by research—something that’s not always the case with this topic. I did learn some fascinating new concepts, for instance the importance of the breath and how you can use your breath to calm yourself. The whole chapter on tapping into our resilience was fascinating, since it shows a fresh approach to dealing with stress that’s highly practical.
The Happiness Track is a solid addition to the vast literature on becoming happy, or at least happier, and offers solid insights into the relationship between happiness and success. Recommended reading for anyone interested in changing their path to success.
July 20, 2016
The following is a list of lies we like to tell ourselves in the hope that we'll become more successful:
-Never stop accomplishing.
-Always look out for number one.
-Power through!
-Play to your strengths.
-Always be thinking about what comes next.
-Excitement and high-intensity positive emotions are a sign that we or our colleagues are successful.
Seppala has spent years deconstructing these myths and others during her research to find out what fosters happiness, and why so many of us seem to be incapable of achieving it. In The Happiness Track she explores how in the West, our culture and our learned attitudes about ourselves are often major obstacles standing in the way of our own success and happiness.
If you've ever wanted to justify spending time screwing around at work, then my friends, this is the book for you. It turns out that in order to remain engaged, level-headed and innovative, you can't force creative brilliance by simply working or thinking harder. Seppala argues that the most successful and brilliant people are those who allow themselves to be idle and alone with their thoughts, and this is especially true during periods of high-stress, such as when a major deadline nears. So if you're reading this right now and on your 4th cup of coffee because you just have to finish That Big Thing you're doing, stop. Go sit outside and color a picture or lie down and do nothing for 30 minutes. (Oh, and for heaven's sake, shut off your phone!)
Seppala also argues that it's important we make time to do things that have absolutely nothing to do with our jobs. If you want to be a better accountant/engineer/astronaut/whatever it is that you are, then go ahead and use your vacation time to go to your LEGO enthusiast conference, make YouTube video mashups on the weekends instead of checking your email, or put off that project that's not due right away to learn how to salsa dance. People don't have innovative and successful ideas by doing only career-related things.
Most importantly, she points out that we just need to be kinder to ourselves and others. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes. Try again if you fail. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you can learn to treat yourself with compassion and forgiveness, then you can spread that culture to others, making them feel valued, supported and uplifted. The best people to work with and work for are empaths, so if you're not already treating your colleagues with kindness and acceptance, today is the day to start. You'll find that their loyalty to you will know no bounds, and everyone will live happier, more fulfilled lives as a result.
-Never stop accomplishing.
-Always look out for number one.
-Power through!
-Play to your strengths.
-Always be thinking about what comes next.
-Excitement and high-intensity positive emotions are a sign that we or our colleagues are successful.
Seppala has spent years deconstructing these myths and others during her research to find out what fosters happiness, and why so many of us seem to be incapable of achieving it. In The Happiness Track she explores how in the West, our culture and our learned attitudes about ourselves are often major obstacles standing in the way of our own success and happiness.
If you've ever wanted to justify spending time screwing around at work, then my friends, this is the book for you. It turns out that in order to remain engaged, level-headed and innovative, you can't force creative brilliance by simply working or thinking harder. Seppala argues that the most successful and brilliant people are those who allow themselves to be idle and alone with their thoughts, and this is especially true during periods of high-stress, such as when a major deadline nears. So if you're reading this right now and on your 4th cup of coffee because you just have to finish That Big Thing you're doing, stop. Go sit outside and color a picture or lie down and do nothing for 30 minutes. (Oh, and for heaven's sake, shut off your phone!)
Seppala also argues that it's important we make time to do things that have absolutely nothing to do with our jobs. If you want to be a better accountant/engineer/astronaut/whatever it is that you are, then go ahead and use your vacation time to go to your LEGO enthusiast conference, make YouTube video mashups on the weekends instead of checking your email, or put off that project that's not due right away to learn how to salsa dance. People don't have innovative and successful ideas by doing only career-related things.
Most importantly, she points out that we just need to be kinder to ourselves and others. Forgive yourself when you make mistakes. Try again if you fail. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you can learn to treat yourself with compassion and forgiveness, then you can spread that culture to others, making them feel valued, supported and uplifted. The best people to work with and work for are empaths, so if you're not already treating your colleagues with kindness and acceptance, today is the day to start. You'll find that their loyalty to you will know no bounds, and everyone will live happier, more fulfilled lives as a result.
January 31, 2019
I guess have read about 20 books of self about happiness. This is a well-written book, has a structure and is not bragging like the USA writers do but offer simple bits of advice on how to increase productivity and a more relaxed mindset...so I will not name it as a guide for "happiness". So the title is a bit misleading, otherwise is a good book, written by a Finn that lives in USA. My advice? Don't look for happiness, is an illusion, search for knowledge and love to you, to others, to the whole that surrounds us.
January 29, 2016
‘The Happiness Track’ written by Emma Seppala is nicely written book full of life wisdom, an interesting self-help title about happiness that can be recommended for reading in couple of sittings and then every so often come back.
The book is divided into several chapters each full with numerous helpful advices how to feel better in your life, how to make changes in order to make your life more optimistic and more positive. Also Emma Seppala did not forget to discuss six common myths of success, that though spread all over as common truths are actually incredibly flawed – e.g. you can’t be successful without stressful life.
The author also emphasized the importance of finding happiness in adversity and staying happy even when things are not going as we would like - still, push hard trying to keep smile on your face.
Only change that comes from within us can help us to feel better because things never happen by themselves, all alone. Therefore Emma Seppala gives advices to reader not only on how to be become good in something we chose as our profession, but how to stay what we truly are — enjoying the process of change to start living the life full of love and appreciation which in the end inevitably leads to the path of happiness.
One of the reasons you would read it quickly is Emma Seppala’s writing style - beautiful in its simplicity and her work apart from being wise it's also easy and pleasant to read.
Therefore ‘The Happiness Track’ can be recommended to anyone who wants to make positive changes with own life, reminding ourselves how to reach happiness - with help of author this journey should be much shorter.
The book is divided into several chapters each full with numerous helpful advices how to feel better in your life, how to make changes in order to make your life more optimistic and more positive. Also Emma Seppala did not forget to discuss six common myths of success, that though spread all over as common truths are actually incredibly flawed – e.g. you can’t be successful without stressful life.
The author also emphasized the importance of finding happiness in adversity and staying happy even when things are not going as we would like - still, push hard trying to keep smile on your face.
Only change that comes from within us can help us to feel better because things never happen by themselves, all alone. Therefore Emma Seppala gives advices to reader not only on how to be become good in something we chose as our profession, but how to stay what we truly are — enjoying the process of change to start living the life full of love and appreciation which in the end inevitably leads to the path of happiness.
One of the reasons you would read it quickly is Emma Seppala’s writing style - beautiful in its simplicity and her work apart from being wise it's also easy and pleasant to read.
Therefore ‘The Happiness Track’ can be recommended to anyone who wants to make positive changes with own life, reminding ourselves how to reach happiness - with help of author this journey should be much shorter.
September 30, 2017
About the book: The Happiness Track outlines the simple steps you can take to become happier and more successful. Referencing the latest scientific research, these blinks debunk common myths about how to be successful and set out a concrete plan for you to reduce stress in your life.
About the author: Emma Seppälä is the science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University. At the forefront of happiness research, she regularly publishes in the Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today. The Happiness Track is her first book.
My highlights:
What’s in it for me? Be happier!
Most of us spend our time pursuing other things such as careers, money or love – even though these things are just shades of what might make us happy.
We focus too much on the future, but we can train ourselves to remain in the present moment.
Focusing on the future reduces your attention in the present moment, making you more likely to miss significant things that are happening now.
Staying fully present in the moment will help you perform better at work and may even make your job more enjoyable. And forget about the belief that multitasking is efficient. It isn’t. In fact, performing multiple tasks makes you complete each task much less efficiently.
The first step is to remove unnecessary distractions.
The next step is to focus on tasks in small time increments.
Practicing meditation is another way to stay in the moment.
Many of us live in a world fueled by constant stress, which is said to help us thrive. But it doesn’t!
There are two kinds of stress: the good, short-term kind and the bad, long-term kind.Short-term stress sends adrenaline coursing through the body and often inspires better mental and physical performance.
Too much stress, however, can harm the body and eventually turn into chronic stress, which can lead to illness – and even cause stress in people around you.
Many people today have a weakened resilience to stressful situations
Breathing techniques and slow-paced activities can help build resilience against stress.
Start by closing your eyes and taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes every day. Pay close attention to your breath, noticing whether it is deep or shallow. Make sure to exercise deep, conscious breathing especially if you are angry or stressed.
Another effective technique is called alternate nostril breathing.
If you ever needed an excuse to hug someone you love, here it is! Research has shown that physical contact with a loved one reduces stress, too.
Burnout happens when we worry too much, exhausting our minds and our nerves.
There are three main ways in which you can exhaust your mind.The first is experiencing extreme emotional highs or lows.
The second is trying to exercise self-control all the time.
And finally, if you constantly worry (or worry about upcoming events that you feel will make you more worried)
The solution to preserving your energy is to find something positive in each and every situation.Doing things that make you feel good is simply good for you.
Staying positive and calm will also help you perform better in stressful situations.
Learn these three easy steps to becoming more creative by learning to make time for idleness.
Idleness might be just the medicine your body and soul needs.Contrary to the popular belief that you have to be focused to come up with innovative ideas, not concentrating might be what you need to do.
Many people are so used to being overstimulated that it’s an uncomfortable feeling to let the mind just wander.
First, in between tasks that demand your full attention, perform mindless tasks that only require partial attention
Second, make time for play.
And finally, allow for moments of silence. Instead of filling all your time watching, listening or reading, find a space in which your mind is allowed to be totally quiet – for instance, through meditation.
It’s time to conquer the negativity bias. Less self-criticism, more self-compassion and self-love.
Being too self-critical is counterproductive.Rather than boosting motivation, constant self-criticism can lead to depression. Being tough on yourself makes you focus disproportionately on your negative attributes instead of on your positive ones.
Have more compassion for yourself. Self-love and understanding will give you a healthier, more balanced view of your skills and the world around you. If you adopt a less critical perspective of yourself, you’ll be affected less by internal and external criticisms, and consequently become more resilient to daily stress.
Expressing gratitude helps you focus on what you have instead of what you think you lack.
The benefits of showing gratitude are so overwhelming, it’s surprising we don’t express thanks more often. In fact, expressing gratitude is possibly the greatest act of self-compassion there is.
Writing is another way to become more self-compassionate. Start a journal and let your feelings flow onto the page.
Reap the many rewards that come from being kind to others instead of focusing on yourself.
Focusing too much on yourself can have negative effects. It makes you a poorer judge of people, generally less liked by others
The antidote to being self-absorbed is to look outward with a compassionate, open heart. Compassion means being sensitive to those around you and acknowledging the distress of others.
Final summary
The key to happiness is being present in the moment, eliminating stress and letting your creative juices flow freely. Self-care is important, but so is showing compassion for others. Only by being kind to ourselves and each other can we thrive both as individuals and as a society.
About the author: Emma Seppälä is the science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University. At the forefront of happiness research, she regularly publishes in the Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today. The Happiness Track is her first book.
My highlights:
What’s in it for me? Be happier!
Most of us spend our time pursuing other things such as careers, money or love – even though these things are just shades of what might make us happy.
We focus too much on the future, but we can train ourselves to remain in the present moment.
Focusing on the future reduces your attention in the present moment, making you more likely to miss significant things that are happening now.
Staying fully present in the moment will help you perform better at work and may even make your job more enjoyable. And forget about the belief that multitasking is efficient. It isn’t. In fact, performing multiple tasks makes you complete each task much less efficiently.
The first step is to remove unnecessary distractions.
The next step is to focus on tasks in small time increments.
Practicing meditation is another way to stay in the moment.
Many of us live in a world fueled by constant stress, which is said to help us thrive. But it doesn’t!
There are two kinds of stress: the good, short-term kind and the bad, long-term kind.Short-term stress sends adrenaline coursing through the body and often inspires better mental and physical performance.
Too much stress, however, can harm the body and eventually turn into chronic stress, which can lead to illness – and even cause stress in people around you.
Many people today have a weakened resilience to stressful situations
Breathing techniques and slow-paced activities can help build resilience against stress.
Start by closing your eyes and taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes every day. Pay close attention to your breath, noticing whether it is deep or shallow. Make sure to exercise deep, conscious breathing especially if you are angry or stressed.
Another effective technique is called alternate nostril breathing.
If you ever needed an excuse to hug someone you love, here it is! Research has shown that physical contact with a loved one reduces stress, too.
Burnout happens when we worry too much, exhausting our minds and our nerves.
There are three main ways in which you can exhaust your mind.The first is experiencing extreme emotional highs or lows.
The second is trying to exercise self-control all the time.
And finally, if you constantly worry (or worry about upcoming events that you feel will make you more worried)
The solution to preserving your energy is to find something positive in each and every situation.Doing things that make you feel good is simply good for you.
Staying positive and calm will also help you perform better in stressful situations.
Learn these three easy steps to becoming more creative by learning to make time for idleness.
Idleness might be just the medicine your body and soul needs.Contrary to the popular belief that you have to be focused to come up with innovative ideas, not concentrating might be what you need to do.
Many people are so used to being overstimulated that it’s an uncomfortable feeling to let the mind just wander.
First, in between tasks that demand your full attention, perform mindless tasks that only require partial attention
Second, make time for play.
And finally, allow for moments of silence. Instead of filling all your time watching, listening or reading, find a space in which your mind is allowed to be totally quiet – for instance, through meditation.
It’s time to conquer the negativity bias. Less self-criticism, more self-compassion and self-love.
Being too self-critical is counterproductive.Rather than boosting motivation, constant self-criticism can lead to depression. Being tough on yourself makes you focus disproportionately on your negative attributes instead of on your positive ones.
Have more compassion for yourself. Self-love and understanding will give you a healthier, more balanced view of your skills and the world around you. If you adopt a less critical perspective of yourself, you’ll be affected less by internal and external criticisms, and consequently become more resilient to daily stress.
Expressing gratitude helps you focus on what you have instead of what you think you lack.
The benefits of showing gratitude are so overwhelming, it’s surprising we don’t express thanks more often. In fact, expressing gratitude is possibly the greatest act of self-compassion there is.
Writing is another way to become more self-compassionate. Start a journal and let your feelings flow onto the page.
Reap the many rewards that come from being kind to others instead of focusing on yourself.
Focusing too much on yourself can have negative effects. It makes you a poorer judge of people, generally less liked by others
The antidote to being self-absorbed is to look outward with a compassionate, open heart. Compassion means being sensitive to those around you and acknowledging the distress of others.
Final summary
The key to happiness is being present in the moment, eliminating stress and letting your creative juices flow freely. Self-care is important, but so is showing compassion for others. Only by being kind to ourselves and each other can we thrive both as individuals and as a society.
March 13, 2016
There is a problem with popular psychology which can be summed up in "why explain something simple in 5 pages, when you can take 50 to do it in a more complicated way". This book is a classic culprit. Supposedly it is an attempt to look at what makes people happy or sad, and how they can adopt lifestyle and attitude changes to maximise happiness, backed by solid statistics. It fails however to convince anyone of anything with its poor and very selective set of data, and makes five very simple points in far too many pages. The points are too trite to be worth re-stating, so I will leave it there. I am frequently a sucker for this sort of stuff, so it is probably good that I get reminded from time to time about what rubbish can get written. Regrettably this was recommended in the "Daily Telegraph" as a "top five" example to support people's new year resolution planning. Not sure the reviewer had actually read it however!
Read
June 18, 2016Garbage. Zero stars. Tonnes and tonnes of filler. I stopped reading it when she first cited Beaumeister's research to support her claims, and then 2 pages later cited Carol Dweck's research, also to support her (the author's) claim. But Dweck's research contradicts Beaumeister's research.
And did I mention the filler? An entire chapter, an entire chapter!!!, to tell us to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. Another chapter to tell us of the therapeutic effect of focused breathing.
Do not read this.
And did I mention the filler? An entire chapter, an entire chapter!!!, to tell us to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. Another chapter to tell us of the therapeutic effect of focused breathing.
Do not read this.
February 5, 2017
Far be it from me to criticize a book about happiness, however, I found the book a little dry, a little too scientific. The key points are to be compassionate, be grateful and kind.
July 21, 2022
What are the key ideas?
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/ar...
Debunking the 6 myths of success and happiness:
Falsehood 1: To achieve more and stay competitive, you've got to quickly move from one to-do to another, always keeping an eye on what's next.
Truth: Stop chasing the future - live in the present
Step out of overdrive and tap into your natural residence. Don't multi-task. One thing at a time. Focus on 1st things 1st.
Falsehood 2: You Can't Have Success Without Stress
Truth: If we prioritize our well-being, we actually end up being more productive, performing better, having better relationships with others, which translates into far better outcomes i.e. happiness is not the outcome of success but rather its precursor.
Falsehood 3: Spend every drop of mental energy you have to stay on task despite distractions and temptations.
Truth: Manage your energy not your time
https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-e...
We believe that we can’t have success without stress. Many of us even count on that adrenaline that comes from over-caffeinating ourselves, over-scheduling ourselves, waiting until the last minute to get things done, because we believe that will make us more productive. But if you really look at the data, what long-term stress does, and we’ve probably all heard this so much, is that it really impairs not only our physical health but even our cognitive faculties, like our attention and memory, not to mention our emotional intelligence, our ability to communicate with other people in effective ways.
Get more done by doing more of nothing. Meditate.
Take a movement break. Exercise.
4-7-8 breathing technique by Dr Weil
Art of quitting
Falsehood 4: Focus On Your Own Niche
Truth: Instead of spending all your time focused intently on your field, make time for idleness, fun, and irrelevant interests. You will become more creative and innovative and will be more likely to come up with breakthrough ideas.
Falsehood 5: Play To Your Strengths
Truth: Be good to yourself. Instead of only playing to your strengths and being self-critical, be compassionate with yourself and understand that your brain is built to learn new things. You will improve your ability to excel in the face of challenge and learn from mistakes.
Falsehood 6: Look Out For #1
Truth: Quality of relationships and the most important relationship of all - relationship with yourself
Love and kindness. Compassion.
Longer lasting happiness = a sense of fulfillment. That is a sense of happiness derived out of a sense of purpose, social connection in positive relationships with other people and even a sense of doing something for a greater good, something beyond our own self. The way that this applies to the workplace is that we see, for example, that leaders and employees who are more supportive of others around them, in direct contrast to this theory that we have that we have to look out for number one, they end up performing better, they end up having better relationships, they end up being more charismatic, more liked. Also, their health improves, and even their longevity. There’s a lot to be said for this second type of happiness that we often don’t hear about.
Also see Dr Rajagopal Raghunathan's Coursera course on 'A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment'
https://www.coursera.org/learn/happin...
Podcast on Happiness by Farnam Street w/ Laurie Santos
https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast...
1. Be in the present (mindfulness, be conscious about how I am spending my time)
2. Gratitude mindset (negative visualisation, and be grateful for what I still have)
3. Treasure my free time
4. Cultivate meaningful relationshipsDo something good for others
5. Healthy body (exercise + eat healthy + quality sleep) + healthy mind
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/ar...
Debunking the 6 myths of success and happiness:
Falsehood 1: To achieve more and stay competitive, you've got to quickly move from one to-do to another, always keeping an eye on what's next.
Truth: Stop chasing the future - live in the present
Step out of overdrive and tap into your natural residence. Don't multi-task. One thing at a time. Focus on 1st things 1st.
Falsehood 2: You Can't Have Success Without Stress
Truth: If we prioritize our well-being, we actually end up being more productive, performing better, having better relationships with others, which translates into far better outcomes i.e. happiness is not the outcome of success but rather its precursor.
Falsehood 3: Spend every drop of mental energy you have to stay on task despite distractions and temptations.
Truth: Manage your energy not your time
https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-e...
We believe that we can’t have success without stress. Many of us even count on that adrenaline that comes from over-caffeinating ourselves, over-scheduling ourselves, waiting until the last minute to get things done, because we believe that will make us more productive. But if you really look at the data, what long-term stress does, and we’ve probably all heard this so much, is that it really impairs not only our physical health but even our cognitive faculties, like our attention and memory, not to mention our emotional intelligence, our ability to communicate with other people in effective ways.
Get more done by doing more of nothing. Meditate.
Take a movement break. Exercise.
4-7-8 breathing technique by Dr Weil
Art of quitting
Falsehood 4: Focus On Your Own Niche
Truth: Instead of spending all your time focused intently on your field, make time for idleness, fun, and irrelevant interests. You will become more creative and innovative and will be more likely to come up with breakthrough ideas.
Falsehood 5: Play To Your Strengths
Truth: Be good to yourself. Instead of only playing to your strengths and being self-critical, be compassionate with yourself and understand that your brain is built to learn new things. You will improve your ability to excel in the face of challenge and learn from mistakes.
Falsehood 6: Look Out For #1
Truth: Quality of relationships and the most important relationship of all - relationship with yourself
Love and kindness. Compassion.
Longer lasting happiness = a sense of fulfillment. That is a sense of happiness derived out of a sense of purpose, social connection in positive relationships with other people and even a sense of doing something for a greater good, something beyond our own self. The way that this applies to the workplace is that we see, for example, that leaders and employees who are more supportive of others around them, in direct contrast to this theory that we have that we have to look out for number one, they end up performing better, they end up having better relationships, they end up being more charismatic, more liked. Also, their health improves, and even their longevity. There’s a lot to be said for this second type of happiness that we often don’t hear about.
Also see Dr Rajagopal Raghunathan's Coursera course on 'A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment'
https://www.coursera.org/learn/happin...
Podcast on Happiness by Farnam Street w/ Laurie Santos
https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast...
1. Be in the present (mindfulness, be conscious about how I am spending my time)
2. Gratitude mindset (negative visualisation, and be grateful for what I still have)
3. Treasure my free time
4. Cultivate meaningful relationshipsDo something good for others
5. Healthy body (exercise + eat healthy + quality sleep) + healthy mind
April 5, 2018
This was a very thoughtful book with a multitude of good ideas for making your life less stressful and happier. It's a well researched and cited book making it believable. Some of the points I took away from this book are:
-Live in the present
-Slow down and breathe
-Take a break to manage your self-control
-Downtime can make you more creative
-Working on self-compassion can benefit you in many ways
-Compassion is the opposite of self-focused and is good for your health
There are many others.
Recommended.
-Live in the present
-Slow down and breathe
-Take a break to manage your self-control
-Downtime can make you more creative
-Working on self-compassion can benefit you in many ways
-Compassion is the opposite of self-focused and is good for your health
There are many others.
Recommended.
May 7, 2016
To read more of my reviews, go to http://readingandmusing.com
In The Happiness Track, Emma Seppala, (a Ph.D. from Stanford) notes that in today's society, we strive for happiness and success, but often find both unattainable. We learn that in order to be happy, we need to be successful.
We grow up believing that we need to find a passion at a young age, focus solely on this passion, and work ourselves to the bone so that we can become masters in this field. We tell ourselves that the stress, anxiety and exhaustion that we feel as the result of our work-horse mentality, only means that we're on the right track.
But Seppala argues that the reverse is true -- that in order to be successful, we need to be happy. In order to be happy, we need to take care of ourselves; focusing on our mental well-being, taking necessary work breaks, and remaining mindful and present throughout our every day lives.
Through scientific studies, anecdotal notes, and interviews, Seppala explains just how happiness lends itself fully to success, and provides concrete methods for improving our personal day-to-day happiness factors.
My colleague loves mindful meditation. He gave me this book as a result of multiple conversations about this practice, and while this book is unlike any that I would normally choose for myself, I truly enjoyed it.
The chapters (and my thoughts on each) are as follows:
1 - Stop Chasing the Future. Seppala notes that we're taught to always be looking forward. We're never able to appreciate our achievements, because as soon as we come close to reaching our goal, we're already looking to make progress on the next goal. We miss out on the good things happening around us now.
She's right. The timelines and deadlines I've arranged for myself throughout the years are innumerable. I'm organized and I like structure, so I set goals, and deadlines in all facets of my life. As soon as I finish one thing, I have ten other tasks lined up. I never feel fully at ease in my day, because I'm always looking to make headway in endeavors I haven't yet reached. It's stressful, and I'm always tired. It's no way to live.
2 - Step Out of Overdrive. Seppala states that we need to slow down. The United States is one of the most stressed out privileged nations in the world. Our anxiety costs us billions of dollars per year. 70% of mental health doctors' visits are due to anxiety and stress. This is unfortunate, but it's not any one person's fault. It's the result of a society that values competition and around-the-clock work over our health and mental well-being.
I make jokes all the time about other people contaminating me with their "contagious" stress. Turns out though -- I'm right! When you're stressed, or anxious, your pheromones project this into the air. Others can literally catch your stress. No wonder Americans suffer from such significant mental health issues! And yet, we stigmatize those who reach out for help with a callous "Buck up. It's not that bad." No. Don't "buck up." Get help. You should feel welcome to take care of yourself without judgment. Our attitudes are conflicting and nonsensical.
Our unhealthy need for competition, and desire to always be "on" leads to absurd amounts of multi-tasking. Because we spend so much time multi-tasking, we make mistakes, and never fully commit to the task at hand. By slowing down, we'll not only make less mistakes in the work we do, but we'll enjoy each task more, and feel less aggravation and stress.
3 - Manage Your Energy. Only put your energy toward things that really matter. If the task doesn't require all of your energy, then don't give it all of your energy. Save your high intensity emotions for things that require high intensity.
4 - Get More Done by Doing More of Nothing. I found this chapter so interesting. Seppala discussed how some of the most influential and innovative people of our time came up with their life-changing ideas. Guess where their bouts of genius didn't occur? At work. In their email. In a staff meeting. Sure -- these people worked hard, and tended to their emails, but they also took time out for themselves. They golfed. They fished. They took vacations. In doing these things, in giving their minds rest, they were able to recharge and rejuvenate. Then, because their brains were awake and fully functioning, they were able to tap into their creativity, and create world-altering inventions. It makes sense.
5 - Enjoy a Successful Relationship With Yourself. Be nice to yourself. We live in a society that demands perfection -- and we're horrible to ourselves when we don't achieve it.
Think about how terrible you feel when someone constantly belittles you. Isn't it awful? So then, why constantly belittle yourself? It's not helpful. Accept your mistakes and your shortcomings, and move on.
Also, allow yourself to indulge in activities that do not play to your strengths. If you're not willing to try anything outside of your comfort zone, you're stifling your creativity.
We've created a society in which failure isn't an option. People are afraid to try new things, or to take risks. Because of this, we don't even know what amazing inventions or ideas we could be missing out on. I'm not preaching at you -- to my own detriment, my least favorite thing in the world is to fail.
6 - Understand the Kindness Edge. This was another of my favorite chapters. As we grow through life, we're taught "Look out for yourself. No one else will. Do what you need to do to get ahead. Don't worry about those you need to trample on your climb to the top."
People who follow this mindset often find themselves burned out and alone. Their learned narcissism slowly starts to make them insane. The result of this is an intense unhappiness, and often a mental breakdown.
Leaders, managers, and bosses who are kind, who take the time to listen, who worry about their employees' success, find their own success. Their employees are loyal to them, and work hard for them. Because their employees are happier to do their jobs, their work often yield incredible results.
Success is the result of kindness. I'm lucky -- because I work for this type of person. Unfortunately - he's the first boss I've had who practices this methodology.
Seppala also introduced different ways to achieve a sense of calm. She discussed different mindful meditation practices, yoga courses, art classes, breathing exercises, and nature retreats.
As someone who is anxious, busy, and feeling "behind" much of the time, this book truly resonated with me. I took from it many different activities that I plan to incorporate into my day-to-day in order to increase my daily happiness factor.
However, while I love the idea of practicing happiness and mindfulness, my concern is -- unless everyone is practicing such, will it really be possible to drive any truly positive change? For example, if you work for a boss who values overtime work, will you get fired if you say, "Nah. I'm taking today off."? I'm not sure.
Either way -- I highly recommend reading this book.
In The Happiness Track, Emma Seppala, (a Ph.D. from Stanford) notes that in today's society, we strive for happiness and success, but often find both unattainable. We learn that in order to be happy, we need to be successful.
We grow up believing that we need to find a passion at a young age, focus solely on this passion, and work ourselves to the bone so that we can become masters in this field. We tell ourselves that the stress, anxiety and exhaustion that we feel as the result of our work-horse mentality, only means that we're on the right track.
But Seppala argues that the reverse is true -- that in order to be successful, we need to be happy. In order to be happy, we need to take care of ourselves; focusing on our mental well-being, taking necessary work breaks, and remaining mindful and present throughout our every day lives.
Through scientific studies, anecdotal notes, and interviews, Seppala explains just how happiness lends itself fully to success, and provides concrete methods for improving our personal day-to-day happiness factors.
My colleague loves mindful meditation. He gave me this book as a result of multiple conversations about this practice, and while this book is unlike any that I would normally choose for myself, I truly enjoyed it.
The chapters (and my thoughts on each) are as follows:
1 - Stop Chasing the Future. Seppala notes that we're taught to always be looking forward. We're never able to appreciate our achievements, because as soon as we come close to reaching our goal, we're already looking to make progress on the next goal. We miss out on the good things happening around us now.
She's right. The timelines and deadlines I've arranged for myself throughout the years are innumerable. I'm organized and I like structure, so I set goals, and deadlines in all facets of my life. As soon as I finish one thing, I have ten other tasks lined up. I never feel fully at ease in my day, because I'm always looking to make headway in endeavors I haven't yet reached. It's stressful, and I'm always tired. It's no way to live.
2 - Step Out of Overdrive. Seppala states that we need to slow down. The United States is one of the most stressed out privileged nations in the world. Our anxiety costs us billions of dollars per year. 70% of mental health doctors' visits are due to anxiety and stress. This is unfortunate, but it's not any one person's fault. It's the result of a society that values competition and around-the-clock work over our health and mental well-being.
I make jokes all the time about other people contaminating me with their "contagious" stress. Turns out though -- I'm right! When you're stressed, or anxious, your pheromones project this into the air. Others can literally catch your stress. No wonder Americans suffer from such significant mental health issues! And yet, we stigmatize those who reach out for help with a callous "Buck up. It's not that bad." No. Don't "buck up." Get help. You should feel welcome to take care of yourself without judgment. Our attitudes are conflicting and nonsensical.
Our unhealthy need for competition, and desire to always be "on" leads to absurd amounts of multi-tasking. Because we spend so much time multi-tasking, we make mistakes, and never fully commit to the task at hand. By slowing down, we'll not only make less mistakes in the work we do, but we'll enjoy each task more, and feel less aggravation and stress.
3 - Manage Your Energy. Only put your energy toward things that really matter. If the task doesn't require all of your energy, then don't give it all of your energy. Save your high intensity emotions for things that require high intensity.
4 - Get More Done by Doing More of Nothing. I found this chapter so interesting. Seppala discussed how some of the most influential and innovative people of our time came up with their life-changing ideas. Guess where their bouts of genius didn't occur? At work. In their email. In a staff meeting. Sure -- these people worked hard, and tended to their emails, but they also took time out for themselves. They golfed. They fished. They took vacations. In doing these things, in giving their minds rest, they were able to recharge and rejuvenate. Then, because their brains were awake and fully functioning, they were able to tap into their creativity, and create world-altering inventions. It makes sense.
5 - Enjoy a Successful Relationship With Yourself. Be nice to yourself. We live in a society that demands perfection -- and we're horrible to ourselves when we don't achieve it.
Think about how terrible you feel when someone constantly belittles you. Isn't it awful? So then, why constantly belittle yourself? It's not helpful. Accept your mistakes and your shortcomings, and move on.
Also, allow yourself to indulge in activities that do not play to your strengths. If you're not willing to try anything outside of your comfort zone, you're stifling your creativity.
We've created a society in which failure isn't an option. People are afraid to try new things, or to take risks. Because of this, we don't even know what amazing inventions or ideas we could be missing out on. I'm not preaching at you -- to my own detriment, my least favorite thing in the world is to fail.
6 - Understand the Kindness Edge. This was another of my favorite chapters. As we grow through life, we're taught "Look out for yourself. No one else will. Do what you need to do to get ahead. Don't worry about those you need to trample on your climb to the top."
People who follow this mindset often find themselves burned out and alone. Their learned narcissism slowly starts to make them insane. The result of this is an intense unhappiness, and often a mental breakdown.
Leaders, managers, and bosses who are kind, who take the time to listen, who worry about their employees' success, find their own success. Their employees are loyal to them, and work hard for them. Because their employees are happier to do their jobs, their work often yield incredible results.
Success is the result of kindness. I'm lucky -- because I work for this type of person. Unfortunately - he's the first boss I've had who practices this methodology.
Seppala also introduced different ways to achieve a sense of calm. She discussed different mindful meditation practices, yoga courses, art classes, breathing exercises, and nature retreats.
As someone who is anxious, busy, and feeling "behind" much of the time, this book truly resonated with me. I took from it many different activities that I plan to incorporate into my day-to-day in order to increase my daily happiness factor.
However, while I love the idea of practicing happiness and mindfulness, my concern is -- unless everyone is practicing such, will it really be possible to drive any truly positive change? For example, if you work for a boss who values overtime work, will you get fired if you say, "Nah. I'm taking today off."? I'm not sure.
Either way -- I highly recommend reading this book.
January 23, 2022
Very important and essential, but not very good. Not saying it was bad, tho, but just so obvious and for that, a bit lame.
You can already guess what this was about: be kind to yourself. Take walks, breaks, do nothing, go nuts, have fun, do something outside of your field. This is all very important in doing good work and in leading a good life.
It's all very obvious to me, but I'm afraid it isn't that for everybody. In my field of work (advertising) I often feel that people take their jobs too seriously and are a bit afraid to rock the boat. I've always been a goofball, too lazy and very relaxed. I've also been very stressed and very angry in my job, but it's always been caused by work culture and/or colleagues, their attitudes and demands.
Bill Murray said that the more relaxed you are, the better you are.
And another Bill, Bill Gates, said the following: he always gives the most demanding tasks to the most lazy ones, because they find the easiest way to do it.
That is something that I live by.
Be lazy, be happy, be kind. You'll be very succesful.
You can already guess what this was about: be kind to yourself. Take walks, breaks, do nothing, go nuts, have fun, do something outside of your field. This is all very important in doing good work and in leading a good life.
It's all very obvious to me, but I'm afraid it isn't that for everybody. In my field of work (advertising) I often feel that people take their jobs too seriously and are a bit afraid to rock the boat. I've always been a goofball, too lazy and very relaxed. I've also been very stressed and very angry in my job, but it's always been caused by work culture and/or colleagues, their attitudes and demands.
Bill Murray said that the more relaxed you are, the better you are.
And another Bill, Bill Gates, said the following: he always gives the most demanding tasks to the most lazy ones, because they find the easiest way to do it.
That is something that I live by.
Be lazy, be happy, be kind. You'll be very succesful.
May 21, 2018
Hämmästyttävän hyvä self help -opus, jonka kansi ja nimi antavat odottaa paljon huonompaa kirjaa. Psykologin ja onnellisuustutkijan yleistajuinen yhteenveto siitä, mitä "onnellisuus" tarkoittaa erilaisten tutkimusten mukaan, millaisia komponentteja siinä on ja miten "onnellisuutta" voi tavoitella. Kirjassa vuorottelevat self help -oppaista tuttu tyyli, jossa kerrotaan jostain ihmisestä, joka on kokenut suuren muutoksen ja tymäkät viittaukset psykologisiin tutkimuksiin. Kirjan taustana on amerikkalainen käsitys menestymisestä ja amerikkalainen kulttuuri yleensäkin, mikä ajoittain vieraannuttaa, mutta väärissä oletuksissa itsenäisyydestä ja itsekurista menestymisen ja onnellisuuden takuuna on myös jotain epämiellyttävän tuttua. Omasta näkökulmastani olennaisin luku käsitteli joutilaisuuden tärkeyttä, sillä luvussa annettiin psykologisen tutkimuksen avulla perustelut joutilaisuuden tarpeellisuudelle.
May 9, 2022
This is the only book I’ve ever read by someone with two umlauts in their name. Seriously though, a few weeks after Emma and I met over Twitter, I picked up her book before getting on a plane. I read it on the flight and it’s a nice overview of the world of positive psychology research. I think I’ve read too much on the subject already so not a ton of new info but, like with most books, there were a few gold nuggets. Also, how impressive is it that she’s the Director of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research? I imagine that’s a department full of good people. And lots of fresh flowers. And bean bag chairs. And homemade shortbread on top of all the filing cabinets.
February 7, 2017
I usually don't read self-help sort of books but this one was different. I could identify with a lot of the situations mentioned in the book and am sure many of you will too. Her basic messages to us are echoes of ancient wisdom - look inward more, reflect, be calm from the inside, and listen. But what makes these tenets more approachable is that she gives simple ways to achieve them. She places us firmly in our technology-filled, frenetic environment and tells us how to cope with it. I think I can practice at least a couple of things she says if not all.
January 4, 2022
Je n’ai pas trouvé ce livre révolutionnaire ou special malgré le respect que je porte à l’auteure, je pense que ce livre sera incroyable pour certains surtout pour les personnes peu habituées à ce genre de lecture mais pour moi ce que j’ai lu n’est en rien différent de ce que et j’ai pu lire cent fois ailleurs
October 9, 2022
The themes and advice are consistent with much of what you will find in other books on happiness. The hundreds of note and references for further reading make the book especially useful, providing many useful leads for further research and deeper insights.
July 23, 2021
Nothing new here
December 21, 2022
I liked this book. Some of the stuff is not able to implemented by me because of my adhd, but I did like the book overall.
April 23, 2021
A bit repetitive and slow at times. But overall some very interesting points and good information to add into your every day life.
July 19, 2018
Very cool book by Emma Seppala, someone who has always been a source of inspiration for me since I met her at Stanford. If you’re high achieving and unhappy, and you want to be happy, this is the book you need.
July 9, 2022
So for the first time in a long while, I didn’t actually choose this book. My mother picked it out for me as I’ve been trying to read and gain some outside influence to internalize to better help myself feel and think more appropriately to life. Not to say that I’m depressed but that I’ve been in need of some guidance on how to focus myself to better view myself and the world around to then go about living more happily. Years ago, I read You Are a Badass and that really helped pick me out of the rut I was in. Now, this book destroyed me within its first opening pages by laying myself out bare with its general rhetorical self-questioning and then went on to reassure and comfort myself that everything is indeed alright and how to go forward thinking, feeling, and being better and happier in my day-to-day life.
The big thing about this book that helped put things and my life in perspective to it was seeing or connecting happiness and success with one another. Something where I’ve been mostly happy most of the time but not feeling successful, or not feeling happy because I haven’t felt successful in endeavors or in continued practice and goals. So many times I’d read a question to ask myself and it was as if it was written in that exact moment from someone looking over my current life. I didn’t hate admitting to things because this book helps you to know that that is fine and alright, and that there is ways to feel and think better to be happier and therefore more successful. I was reminded in several ways to the Art of Taking it Easy book by Dr. Brian King I read last fall in that everything that was said was not eye-opening, life-/lifestyle-changing things to readapt your life to, but the subtle nuances of the world to take notice or react to differently to allow yourself to feel and think better.
Simple things like the power of breathing, and how much we can control our moods, thoughts, and emotions through just breathing. That emotions are better left unsuppressed, to not bottle them up or let them get out of control and tire you out. Identify them and calm yourself in knowing that everything will be fine, that good is good enough, and to take time to breath if you need to. But also knowing how to cultivate your happiness in things like making sure you’re setting time away to be creative and “play”, that idleness DOES NOT MEAN LAZINESS, and that breaking up your time and work to be interspersed with gratitude can do more than being hyper-focused on the task at hand. And also how to help control that pesky voice in your head that criticizes yourself into being a voice that centers you when mistakes happen, allows yourself to feel praise, or just keep it quiet so you can calm yourself when everything around you isn’t.
Every time I started reading this book, it was like entering a meditative state, feeling myself relax, tune out the outside world, and feel myself seeing a piece of myself that I can get back and better use in my life. I kept writing little things down to refer to in my everyday life like little reminders or mantras, just enough to stop myself, take a breath, and continue on. Granted, saying that is one thing, actually doing is another, but something that doesn’t seem as daunting or controlling over me like it once was. Sometimes you just need to have someone or read something that just pokes at everything you want changed before you figure out how to change it. This is another one of those books I find to fit with what I need to hear and know to better help myself. I’d highly recommend this to anyone and probably will to a few people I know that would get something immediately out of reading this. I’ll definitely be returning to read this again one day when I need another little refresher to boost myself up and recenter my way of seeing and thinking.
The big thing about this book that helped put things and my life in perspective to it was seeing or connecting happiness and success with one another. Something where I’ve been mostly happy most of the time but not feeling successful, or not feeling happy because I haven’t felt successful in endeavors or in continued practice and goals. So many times I’d read a question to ask myself and it was as if it was written in that exact moment from someone looking over my current life. I didn’t hate admitting to things because this book helps you to know that that is fine and alright, and that there is ways to feel and think better to be happier and therefore more successful. I was reminded in several ways to the Art of Taking it Easy book by Dr. Brian King I read last fall in that everything that was said was not eye-opening, life-/lifestyle-changing things to readapt your life to, but the subtle nuances of the world to take notice or react to differently to allow yourself to feel and think better.
Simple things like the power of breathing, and how much we can control our moods, thoughts, and emotions through just breathing. That emotions are better left unsuppressed, to not bottle them up or let them get out of control and tire you out. Identify them and calm yourself in knowing that everything will be fine, that good is good enough, and to take time to breath if you need to. But also knowing how to cultivate your happiness in things like making sure you’re setting time away to be creative and “play”, that idleness DOES NOT MEAN LAZINESS, and that breaking up your time and work to be interspersed with gratitude can do more than being hyper-focused on the task at hand. And also how to help control that pesky voice in your head that criticizes yourself into being a voice that centers you when mistakes happen, allows yourself to feel praise, or just keep it quiet so you can calm yourself when everything around you isn’t.
Every time I started reading this book, it was like entering a meditative state, feeling myself relax, tune out the outside world, and feel myself seeing a piece of myself that I can get back and better use in my life. I kept writing little things down to refer to in my everyday life like little reminders or mantras, just enough to stop myself, take a breath, and continue on. Granted, saying that is one thing, actually doing is another, but something that doesn’t seem as daunting or controlling over me like it once was. Sometimes you just need to have someone or read something that just pokes at everything you want changed before you figure out how to change it. This is another one of those books I find to fit with what I need to hear and know to better help myself. I’d highly recommend this to anyone and probably will to a few people I know that would get something immediately out of reading this. I’ll definitely be returning to read this again one day when I need another little refresher to boost myself up and recenter my way of seeing and thinking.
May 22, 2018
Seppala provides six suggestions based on her extensive experience as a Psychologist, Professor, and Foundation leader. Because she provides a thorough End Notes section, it is worth the book to have a compilation of leading academic articles to back up her conclusions.
Here are the six:
"1. Live (or work) in the Moment. Instead of always thinking about what's next on your to-do list, focus on the task or conversation at hand. you will become not only more productive but also more charismatic.
2. Tap into your resilience. Instead of living in overdrive, train your nervous system to bounce back from setbacks. you will naturally reduce stress and thrive in the face of difficulties and challenges.
3. Manage your energy. Instead of engaging in exhausting thoughts and emotions, learn to manage your stamina by remaining calm and centered. You'll be able to save precious mental energy for the tasks that need it most.
4. Do nothing. Instead of spending all your time focused intently no your field, make time for idleness, fun, and irrelevant interests. you will become more creative and innovative and will be more likely to come up with breakthrough ideas.
5. Be good to yourself. Instead of only playing to your strengths and being self-critical, be compassionate with yourself and understand that your brain is built to learn new things. you will improve your ability to excel in the face of challenge and learn from mistakes.
6. Show compassion to others. Instead of remaining focused on yourself, express compassion to and show interest in those around you and maintain supportive relationships with your co-workers, boss, and employees. You will dramatically increase the loyalty and commitment of your colleagues and employees, thereby improving productivity, performance, and influence." (pp. 11-12)
Here are the six:
"1. Live (or work) in the Moment. Instead of always thinking about what's next on your to-do list, focus on the task or conversation at hand. you will become not only more productive but also more charismatic.
2. Tap into your resilience. Instead of living in overdrive, train your nervous system to bounce back from setbacks. you will naturally reduce stress and thrive in the face of difficulties and challenges.
3. Manage your energy. Instead of engaging in exhausting thoughts and emotions, learn to manage your stamina by remaining calm and centered. You'll be able to save precious mental energy for the tasks that need it most.
4. Do nothing. Instead of spending all your time focused intently no your field, make time for idleness, fun, and irrelevant interests. you will become more creative and innovative and will be more likely to come up with breakthrough ideas.
5. Be good to yourself. Instead of only playing to your strengths and being self-critical, be compassionate with yourself and understand that your brain is built to learn new things. you will improve your ability to excel in the face of challenge and learn from mistakes.
6. Show compassion to others. Instead of remaining focused on yourself, express compassion to and show interest in those around you and maintain supportive relationships with your co-workers, boss, and employees. You will dramatically increase the loyalty and commitment of your colleagues and employees, thereby improving productivity, performance, and influence." (pp. 11-12)
May 30, 2017
Ok....so here comes a book finally that as a reader & as a book lover,reviewer has made me feel inadequate & inadept on my qualifications to even give a review for this Brilliant,feel good and courageous book.Emma Seppala has just poured in all the years of meticulous research into this beautiful book on happiness & gives a very modern,scientific,rational, extensively research backed book on attaining happiness & has skillfully decovered the myths & complexes that can be very well related mostly by the working professionals.Also most importantly Emma has written the book in a style that makes you feel refreshed & light as she doesn't hammer on the principles which is the most irritating aspect of self help books.The reason why this book stands as a self-motivated help is solely due to the fact that Emma accumulates so much of research & rightfully has given a separate chapters to just the references of research papers ( ironically & rightfully at the same tym most lengthy also)....the each sentence of the book has helped me deconstruct my brains programming and has fed a new code to the Art of living.The research provides evidence to the readers & thus makes everyone (atleast me) to ease for digesting the information as most people including would like a random personal take on something do important like this subject.So great job Mam...this book has helped me a great deal...thanku very much!!!!
May 29, 2016
(2/40) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just finished and tremendously enjoyed ''The Happiness Track'' by Dr. Emma Seppala. Written compassionately, easy to read, very useful and on-point, the book addresses some of today's biggest problems (such as loneliness, anxiety, burn-out) and gives a clear, scientifically-backed solutions. Having worked with Emma through the Stanford Center for Compassion, I know she lives by every word. She is a beautiful person, and this is a beautiful book. Let it be your first summer read. Every page is inspiring and important..... Here are 3 'a-ha moments' I had while reading: 1) ''Research by Stanford psychologist James Gross demonstrated that attempting to suppress emotions (by not showing out emotion) leads to the opposite of what we want. By trying to hide emotions, we actually manifest them more strongly physiologically... Suppressing negative emotions on a regular basis actually makes people experience more negative emotions and less positive emotions.'' 2) ''The best way to manage energy is by cultivating calm. 3) The idea that when you are calm and self-compassionate, you are in a place of personal power. [about self-compassion]: ''In other words, because you feel fine about both your positive and negative attributes, you aren't as influenced and vulnerable to other people's opinions.''
July 10, 2017
Note: I wrote this as part of a book review series I started at my workplace, thus the (slight) emphasis on work.
So, what is this book about?
Western popular culture teaches us that in order to be successful, we must work without ceasing by using all available means to squeeze the most out of every second, including time management, multi-tasking, and stress management. We are also taught to continuously keep our focus on the next thing: the next step, the next goal, the next week, whatever may be around the corner. So why do many of us feel perpetually tired and discontented no matter how many boxes we check off? Psychologist Emma Seppälä’s research shows that these popular but mistaken notions do not lead to long-term success and in fact often undermine our happiness and well-being. If we want to be truly successful in the long term, there is a lot to say for finding happiness in our present situation. This book explains some effective ways to maximize our happiness now and therefore increase our chances of future success in work and in life.
How difficult is the subject matter?
Seppälä’s credentials may seem intimidating at first glance. Not only is she the Science Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, but also she consults for Fortune 500 leaders, she has given multiple talks at TEDx, Google, Apple, and Facebook, her research has been featured in many well-known periodicals including the New York Times, the Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and oh, by the way, she can speak French, English, and German. But for someone with such an envy-worthy résumé, Seppälä writes in a conversational style that is refreshingly down-to-earth. (You have to wonder if this is maybe part of the reason she is so widely published and sought-after for speaking engagements.)
In the book’s introduction, the author lists six strategies for attaining success through happiness, and she dedicates one chapter to each strategy. Although she backs up every strategy with research findings, what stand out more are the stories she tells (both from her own experience and from the experience of others) and the practical tips and techniques she shares for how to stop running a rat race and start living a truly happy, fulfilled life. At just over 200 pages, this book is a short, fairly easy read that I think will be well worth your time.
How can this book help me in my daily work?
This book can help a lot with the “daily” aspect of work. Seppälä argues that by dispensing with popular notions of success that actually drain us and retraining ourselves to focus on maximizing our present happiness, we can become more productive and energetic as well as develop a better work/life balance. You may have heard some of this advice before, but if you’re anything like me, sometimes it takes compelling evidence to act on good advice—and The Happiness Track presents plenty of scientific research to back up these strategies.
What’s the main takeaway?
You can increase your chances of long-term success by focusing more on your present happiness.
What are some key nuggets?
Here are some findings that contradict what popular culture teaches us:
• “Paradoxically, slowing down and focusing on what is happening in front of you right now—being present instead of always having your mind on the next thing—will make you much more successful. Expressions like ‘live in the moment’ or ‘carpe diem’ sound like clichés, yet science backs them up robustly. Research shows that remaining present—rather than constantly focusing on what you have to do next—will make you more productive and happier and, moreover, will give you that elusive quality we attribute to the most successful people: charisma.”
• “In our busy and overwhelmed culture, we are often urged to manage time better. Time management apps, blogs, and workshops abound. We believe that if only we could manage our time, we would get more done and be happier. However, there are only so many hours in a day, no matter how neatly scheduled you are. A better focus—and one that few people understand—is energy management.”
• “So while we believe that success stems from staying focused and being productive nonstop without a minute wasted, the truth is that success depends in large part on unfocusing, relaxing rather than working, and finding time to do nothing—opening up the space in our lives that our brains need for creative processes.”
• “… self-compassion is one of the most fundamental determinants of resilience and success. Where excessive self-criticism can leave us weak and distraught, self-compassion is at the heart of empowerment.”
• “The notion of ‘survival of the fittest’—often misattributed to Charles Darwin—was in fact coined by a political theorist, Herbert Spencer, who wanted to justify social and economic hierarchies. Darwin, by contrast, argued that ‘communities, which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members, would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring.’ Compassion and kindness are the actual cause of our survival over the centuries.”
Any caveats?
Just keep in mind that the words “happiness” and “success” mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, and The Happiness Track offers only general guidelines for achieving these broad goals. The more effectively you can shut out what the world claims is necessary to be happy and successful and understand what makes you truly happy and what success means to you personally, the more likely you are to become the happiest, most successful version of yourself. I love how Maya Angelou, quoted in Seppälä’s introduction, puts it: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
So, what is this book about?
Western popular culture teaches us that in order to be successful, we must work without ceasing by using all available means to squeeze the most out of every second, including time management, multi-tasking, and stress management. We are also taught to continuously keep our focus on the next thing: the next step, the next goal, the next week, whatever may be around the corner. So why do many of us feel perpetually tired and discontented no matter how many boxes we check off? Psychologist Emma Seppälä’s research shows that these popular but mistaken notions do not lead to long-term success and in fact often undermine our happiness and well-being. If we want to be truly successful in the long term, there is a lot to say for finding happiness in our present situation. This book explains some effective ways to maximize our happiness now and therefore increase our chances of future success in work and in life.
How difficult is the subject matter?
Seppälä’s credentials may seem intimidating at first glance. Not only is she the Science Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, but also she consults for Fortune 500 leaders, she has given multiple talks at TEDx, Google, Apple, and Facebook, her research has been featured in many well-known periodicals including the New York Times, the Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and oh, by the way, she can speak French, English, and German. But for someone with such an envy-worthy résumé, Seppälä writes in a conversational style that is refreshingly down-to-earth. (You have to wonder if this is maybe part of the reason she is so widely published and sought-after for speaking engagements.)
In the book’s introduction, the author lists six strategies for attaining success through happiness, and she dedicates one chapter to each strategy. Although she backs up every strategy with research findings, what stand out more are the stories she tells (both from her own experience and from the experience of others) and the practical tips and techniques she shares for how to stop running a rat race and start living a truly happy, fulfilled life. At just over 200 pages, this book is a short, fairly easy read that I think will be well worth your time.
How can this book help me in my daily work?
This book can help a lot with the “daily” aspect of work. Seppälä argues that by dispensing with popular notions of success that actually drain us and retraining ourselves to focus on maximizing our present happiness, we can become more productive and energetic as well as develop a better work/life balance. You may have heard some of this advice before, but if you’re anything like me, sometimes it takes compelling evidence to act on good advice—and The Happiness Track presents plenty of scientific research to back up these strategies.
What’s the main takeaway?
You can increase your chances of long-term success by focusing more on your present happiness.
What are some key nuggets?
Here are some findings that contradict what popular culture teaches us:
• “Paradoxically, slowing down and focusing on what is happening in front of you right now—being present instead of always having your mind on the next thing—will make you much more successful. Expressions like ‘live in the moment’ or ‘carpe diem’ sound like clichés, yet science backs them up robustly. Research shows that remaining present—rather than constantly focusing on what you have to do next—will make you more productive and happier and, moreover, will give you that elusive quality we attribute to the most successful people: charisma.”
• “In our busy and overwhelmed culture, we are often urged to manage time better. Time management apps, blogs, and workshops abound. We believe that if only we could manage our time, we would get more done and be happier. However, there are only so many hours in a day, no matter how neatly scheduled you are. A better focus—and one that few people understand—is energy management.”
• “So while we believe that success stems from staying focused and being productive nonstop without a minute wasted, the truth is that success depends in large part on unfocusing, relaxing rather than working, and finding time to do nothing—opening up the space in our lives that our brains need for creative processes.”
• “… self-compassion is one of the most fundamental determinants of resilience and success. Where excessive self-criticism can leave us weak and distraught, self-compassion is at the heart of empowerment.”
• “The notion of ‘survival of the fittest’—often misattributed to Charles Darwin—was in fact coined by a political theorist, Herbert Spencer, who wanted to justify social and economic hierarchies. Darwin, by contrast, argued that ‘communities, which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members, would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring.’ Compassion and kindness are the actual cause of our survival over the centuries.”
Any caveats?
Just keep in mind that the words “happiness” and “success” mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, and The Happiness Track offers only general guidelines for achieving these broad goals. The more effectively you can shut out what the world claims is necessary to be happy and successful and understand what makes you truly happy and what success means to you personally, the more likely you are to become the happiest, most successful version of yourself. I love how Maya Angelou, quoted in Seppälä’s introduction, puts it: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
March 28, 2016
With ample notes to the research for going deeper, this is a solid overview of studies on mindfulness, compassion, gratitude, and creativity, and how happiness can underpin organizational and personal success. If you're a TED fan or an On Being listener, you'll find familiar content, if not hear the familiar voices. Some readers, I imagine, will want more of a self-help bent, others will want a focused look at the research, but either way, this is a good starting point. Follow this quick read with a closer look into the sources and readily available researcher interviews.
November 15, 2016
I selected this book based upon hearing the author on the Dan Harris 10 Percent Happier podcast. I must admit that I enjoyed that interview more than I enjoyed this book. Some of the key takeaways include to slow-down and be present, to spend time in non-work activities that give the mind time to rest (and to process information), and to more generally take care of yourself first and foremost. I finished this book in a couple hours, and it covers a lot of information that readers of the self-help genre probably already know. Nevertheless, I would recommend it.
February 7, 2017
I first learnt of Emma Seppala when I was taking the Science of Happiness course at the University of Berkeley. (Online). After decades of research on happiness, Seppala's wisdom shines through in this book. The principles she shares, some of those were truly new to me - for example, how to do more by doing nothing. The others about compassion and kindness I had already tried to imbibe. But the art of Wu Wei is my biggest takeaway from this book. Read it once. And practice it as many times.
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