 Photo: Philippe Matsas Opale,
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED For many creative professionals, achieving a successful career is more complicated than in years past. In fact, in a recent survey by The Creative Group, 85 percent of advertising and marketing executives said their profession is more demanding now than it was 10 years ago. Fortunately, finding happiness on the job isn't impossible – even in a demanding and fast-paced field. We tapped positive psychologist and Happier author, Tal Ben-Shahar, to discuss the public's "obsession" with being happy and to learn about strategies for achieving a more satisfying career. The Creative Group (TCG): "Your 'Positive Psychology' class is one of the most highly attended at Harvard University. Why do you think the course became so popular among students? Are we all just an unhappy lot?" Tal Ben-Shahar (TBS): "There has always been an interest in happiness. The difference today is that for the first time, we have a science of happiness: positive psychology. Up until recently, the realm of self-help – of enhancing the quality of our lives – has been dominated by pop-psychology. In many current self-help seminars and books, there's a lot of fun and charisma, and relatively little substance. They promise five quick steps to happiness, the three secrets of success, and four ways to find the perfect lover. These are usually empty promises, and over the years, people have become cynical about self-help.  "On the other side, we have academia, with writing and research that is substantive, but that does not find its way into most households. As I see it, the role of positive psychology – and what my class does – is to bridge between the ivory tower and Main Street, between the rigor of academy and the fun of the self-help movement. And students are attracted to this kind of class because they feel that it's making a real difference in their lives." TCG: "Do you think achieving happiness is harder today, compared to five years ago – especially given the economic climate?" TBS: "Happiness has little to do with the economic situation – to a point. People look for happiness in the wrong places. They think it lies in the next promotion, the next purchase, the next win, the next raise. In fact, it lies within. Happiness is much more determined by our state of mind than by our status or the state of our bank account. Beyond having the basic needs, money won't make us happy." TCG: "Why do you think it's so important for people to pursue work that makes them happy, even if every other aspect of their lives is fulfilling?" TBS: "We spend so many hours a day at work, it would be unfortunate to forgo these hours in terms of the ultimate currency – the currency of happiness." TCG: "In Happier, you encourage people to rewrite their 'job descriptions' as 'job callings.' What exactly do you mean by this and how will people benefit from this exercise?" TBS: "Our experience, to a large degree, is contingent on our interpretation of the world and what we choose to focus on. If our primary focus at work is on the elements that make it a 'job' for us, these are the elements that we will see and experience; in contrast, if our focus is on things that are part of our calling, the parts that are personally meaningful to us, then we are much more likely to see those. I recommend trying this exercise: rewrite your job description into your job calling." TCG: "What are a few feasible things people can do to improve their day-to-day work life?" TBS: "Each night, before going to bed, write down at least five things for which you are grateful – these can be big or little. Write about a meal you had or your child, about a book you read or about a friend you met. People who do that on a regular basis are happier, more likely to achieve their goals and physically healthier. "Exercise regularly. At least three times a week, spend 30 minutes or more in the gym, walking or swimming. Exercise has the same effect as our most powerful psychiatric drugs. "Simplify your life. Find quiet times for reflection, on your own writing in a journal or with an intimate friend. Less is often more. "Introduce social/family time. Have regular date nights with your partner or friends. Have family time, on a regular basis, as a ritual. If we don't actively put time aside, if we don't create a ritual, these things are often lost by the wayside." TCG: "Failure is an inevitable part of any job. What's the best way to overcome a setback and move forward in a positive direction?" TBS: "The most successful scientists and artists – as well as businessmen and -women – throughout history also have been the ones to fail the most times. Babe Ruth is known for his record-breaking number of home runs; few people know that for five seasons he had the highest number of strikeouts. Thomas Watson of IBM once remarked that if you want to increase your success rate, you need to double your failure rate. There are no shortcuts to success. We need to learn to fail, or else we fail to learn." Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D., is one of Harvard University's most popular lecturers and author of Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. He has been profiled on NPR and featured on CNN, CBS, and in The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Ben-Shahar graduated from Harvard with a degree in philosophy and psychology. For the last 10 years, he has been teaching personal and organizational excellence, leadership, ethics and self-esteem. For more information, visit www.talbenshahar.com. |
