Linking Success to Happiness



Is success and happiness inter-related? Well, that depends on how a person choose to define success and happiness. Besides, we also need to identify which is the "cause" and which is the effect "effect". That is, does success lead to happiness or happiness lead to success?

 

For many years, critics have advocated that success, whether in school, work or relationships, causes happiness. Many of us strive for success, putting long hours into our work or studies in the hopes of achieving success and, as a by product of that success, happiness.

 

However, a study done a psychologist lately found that happiness doesn’t necessarily follow success. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Happiness leads to success. According to the study’s findings, happy people seek out and undertake new goals that reinforce their happiness and other positive emotions. 

 

These psychological studies had examined questions such as “Are happy people more successful than unhappy people? Does happiness precede success? And does positive effects lead to success-oriented behaviours?” The results from all three types of studies suggest that happiness leads to greater successes in life. 

 

The leading psychologist suggested that this might be because happy people frequently experience positive moods and these positive moods prompted them to be more likely to work actively towards new goals and build new resources. When people feel happy, they tend to feel confident, optimistic, and energetic and others find them likeable and sociable.”

 

This doesn’t mean that happy people are always successful and never feel sad.  Part of a healthy sense of well-being includes experiencing painful emotions in response to difficult and painful life circumstances.  These studies found that even generally happy people experienced negative emotions related to challenging or painful life experiences. Other factors also contribute to success, including intelligence, fitness, social support and expertise. 

But, the general conclusion of the study showed that happy individuals are more likely than their less happy peers to have fulfilling marriages and relationships, high incomes, superior work performance, community involvement, robust health and even a long life.

Strategies for Greater Happiness

In my opinion, I felt that one can become a happier person by adopting the following strategies:

Be grateful.

Be optimistic.

Count your blessings.

Use your strengths.

Act kindly.

 

 

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