08/18/2026
TED Talk Tuesday: “The Happy Secret to Better Work” - Shawn Achor
Hey Leaders,
What if we have the formula for success and happiness backwards?
Many of us have been taught to believe that if we work harder, we will become more successful, and once we become successful, we will finally be happy. But in this insightful TED Talk, positive psychology researcher Shawn Achor challenges that thinking.
His research suggests that happiness does not simply follow success. A positive brain can actually help produce it.
Achor calls this the "happiness advantage." When our brains operate from a more positive state, we become more productive, creative, energetic, and capable of responding to challenges effectively.
That has an important application for leadership.
Leaders often focus heavily on results, goals, deadlines, and performance. Those things matter. But if we continually move the goalpost of success, we can create environments where people believe happiness and fulfillment are always waiting somewhere beyond the next achievement.
Effective leadership requires a different approach.
We can create cultures where people are challenged to perform while also being encouraged to recognize progress, practice gratitude, strengthen relationships, and approach difficulties with optimism and resilience.
Achor offers several simple practices for training our brains to recognize the positive:
Write down three new things you are grateful for each day.
Journal about a positive experience.
Exercise regularly.
Practice meditation and focused attention.
Perform intentional acts of kindness, such as thanking or encouraging someone.
These practices may seem small, but repeated consistently, they can help change what our minds look for and how we respond to the world around us.
You can watch the full TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work
This week, consider the environment you are creating for yourself and the people you lead. Are you constantly moving the finish line, or are you also creating space to recognize progress, express gratitude, and celebrate what is going well?
Success does not have to be the prerequisite for happiness. When we cultivate positivity in the present, we put ourselves and those around us in a stronger position to learn, grow, perform, and lead well.
Remember, Better People, Better World.
- Dr. Joe
We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.
