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Light on Leadership
Rethinking the “Work Hard, Then Be Happy” Myth
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Welcome to Light on Leadership! In under two minutes, our newsletter delivers one book recommendation, one leadership action step, and two leadership tips. We know you're busy, so we've designed this content to be both useful and shareable. Enjoy!
What are we reading? The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work.
- by Shawn Achor
Who doesn’t want to be happy? It sounds like an easy question, but how often do we really stop to examine what happiness means and which daily choices help create it?
In the opening sections of The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor turns an old formula upside down. Many of us were taught that if we work hard, achieve success, and finally reach our goals, happiness will follow. But that linear equation—work hard → success → happiness—is flawed. Hard work, discipline, and achievement matter, but the truth is that “enough” is never enough. The moment we hit one goal, our minds leap to the next target. Without intention, we live in a constant chase, rarely pausing to celebrate or appreciate the meaning we’ve already created.
Achor’s research shows that happiness isn’t the reward at the finish line—it’s the fuel at the starting line. When we cultivate positive emotions and gratitude first, we become more resilient, creative, and productive. In other words, happiness isn’t what happens after success; it’s what makes success sustainable.
👉 Quick Action Step:
Take five quiet minutes today to write down three things that already bring meaning to your life or leadership—relationships, daily practices, or moments of joy that don’t depend on your next achievement. Then ask yourself: How can I build more time for these into my week?
Purchase this book! https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Advantage-Principles-Psychology-Performance/dp/0307591549
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Two Tips
In this clip, Shawn Achor challenges the usual mindset that we must succeed to be happy. Instead, he shows how embracing positivity early changes everything—boosting creativity, performance, and well-being.
“Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it’s the realization that we can.”
—Shawn Achor
