Most of us are familiar with nature's mystery, "which comes first, the chicken or the egg?" Shawn Achor answers another question, "what is the relationship between happiness and success?"
Ask yourself what do the best coaches that you've had share? That often distills to a combination of competence and character. But look inside those qualities and you find positive coaching.
Coaching is a relationship business. Developing trust to believe in what coaches are 'selling' requires belief that coaches care and add value. Negative coaches may struggle to get "buy-in" because players get 'worn down' by constant criticism.
The ability to "speak greatness" matters. Some coaches use the 'sandwich technique' of inserting a teaching point between praise. Nick Saban describes the difference between being an "and" guy (great skills, great character AND) versus a "but" guy (great skills but failed a drug test, got into a bar fight, was in a domestic violence incident).
Shawn Achor wrote The Happiness Advantage discussing the role of positivity and the reality that happiness produces results more than results produce happiness. Here's a summary from DeepSeek AI:
Shawn Achor's *The Happiness Advantage* explores the connection between happiness and success, emphasizing that happiness fuels success rather than the other way around. Here are some key points from the book:
1. **The Happiness Advantage**: Happiness improves productivity, creativity, and performance. Positive emotions broaden our thinking and help us build skills and resources that lead to greater success.
2. **The Fulcrum and the Lever**: Our mindset (fulcrum) determines our potential (lever). By shifting our mindset to focus on positivity, we can achieve greater outcomes.
3. **The Tetris Effect**: Repeated patterns of thought shape our perception. Training our brains to spot positive patterns can help us see opportunities instead of obstacles.
4. **Falling Up**: Adversity can be a stepping stone to growth. Resilient individuals use challenges as opportunities to learn and improve. Use adversity as fuel to work harder.
5. **The Zorro Circle**: Start small by focusing on manageable goals to regain control and build confidence. Gradually expand your efforts to tackle larger challenges. Build on small successes.
6. **The 20-Second Rule**: Reduce barriers to positive habits by making them easier to start (e.g., placing a guitar in a visible spot). Conversely, increase barriers to negative habits. Make great habits easier...bring your workout gear with you, arrange workouts with a friend.
7. **Social Investment**: Strong social connections are a key predictor of happiness and success. Investing in relationships during tough times pays long-term dividends. Teammates make each other stronger.
8. **The Ripple Effect**: Happiness is contagious. A positive attitude can influence teams, organizations, and communities, creating a culture of success. Be stronger together. Henry Ford had a quote, "whether you believe you can or you can't, you're right."
Achor’s work underscores that cultivating happiness and positivity is a strategic advantage in achieving personal and professional success.
Lagniappe. MVB has to excel at S-R. "Be good at what you do a lot."
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