The Mind Decides If It’s in Heaven or Hell

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Acor reminds us that “happiness (and success) is a constantly moving goal post.”

Success; however you define success, requires an open mindset and curiosity.

I took this uncomplicated and important book off my shelf again as a reread for some client work. Nothing wins over another person like positivity, substantive information, and a uniquely relevant approach. In other words, don’t hammer out your speech so much that you can’t be open to the other person’s moods, words, and body language. Be prepared to change course and even your mindset.

Acor asks, how do you open your mind? “The Mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, and hell of heaven” (John Milton in Paradise Lost).  Acor’s Seven Principles provide a significant foundation for flexible insight.

Acor’s first three principles represent the common sense that so often evades us in rushed meetings, conflicts, and strategies. First, retrain our brain to see multiple perspectives. Second, the different mind-view that develops is like a fulcrum that gives us more power as leverage – we have many more options and importantly, clarity. The third, and this is counterintuitive, is that our brains love patterns and similarities. So, we get stuck in a rut, a complaint directed at many consultants, managers, and CEOs. If something worked well, we should use it again, right? Maybe not.

The other principles suggest: we use fails as education, focus on completing small goals using bursts of energy, and being willing to network for our own strength, not just opportunity. A secondary but still substantial benefit? The positivity ripples out, affecting others, creating positive change.