Purpose: Why do you work? Many people quickly respond – for the money. But when you really stop to think about it, I bet your answer will be different. Many studies have been done on this, and research shows that most people work for the same reason – and it’s not money! Their primary goal is to feel a sense of purpose in what they do. If you don’t feel a strong purpose for what you do, then chances are you will not bring value to what you do.
Significance: “What comes first, success or significance?” Interestingly enough, you can be successful and not significant but you can not be significant without being successful. Success is a measure of our achievement. Significance is a measure of how our achievement impacts others.
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Happiness. “It pays to be happy?” Recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work. In a Harvard study, psychologists measured levels of happiness (endorphins) among employees across a wide range of industries. They tracked the performance of 272 salespeople over 18 months and what they found was astonishing. Those identified as “optimistic” outsold their “negative” counterparts by 56 percent.
Happiness is not just a mood; it’s a work ethic. Challenge yourself to be happier! You’ll be more successful for having done so.
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