Habits are like financial capital – forming one today is an investment that will automatically give out returns for years to come. Shawn Achor More Quotes by Shawn Achor More Quotes From Shawn Achor Happiness is the precursor to success. Shawn Achor precursor The fastest way to disengage an employee is to tell him his work is meaningful only because of the paycheck. Shawn Achor paychecks meaningful way It's hard to find happiness after success if the goalposts of success keep changing. Shawn Achor finding-happiness hard ifs I've worked with farmers in Zimbabwe who've lost their lands. I've worked with people in Venezuela, under threat of kidnappings, whose external world is unstable. But they have very strong social connections with their family and friends. And as a result, they're able to maintain a greater level of happiness and optimism than I've seen from bankers, consultants, or salespeople who are on the road all the time, who follow jobs separated from their families, and, as a result, find themselves missing out on the happiness that comes from those very connections that they severed. Shawn Achor zimbabwe strong jobs As we got more interested in time management and productivity, we lost the individual, and with that individual loss, we lost happiness as well. So I think the world has actually been malnourished as we've focused so much on productivity and ignored happiness and meaning to our own detriment. Shawn Achor time-management loss thinking Positivity is such a high predicator of success rates. Shawn Achor rate positivity You can study gravity forever without learning how to fly. Shawn Achor gravity study forever You spend money on Internet connection for your employees. Why not spend money on the energy that fuels their brains? Shawn Achor connections energy brain Scientifically, happiness is a choice. It is a choice about where your single processor brain will devote its finite resources as you process the world. Shawn Achor choices brain world Turnover can be one of the most expensive problems at a company. Shawn Achor problems most company expensive You've probably noticed how when someone says hello or smiles at you, your automatic reaction is to say hello or smile back. Shawn Achor someone back you smile When people exercise, we talk about endorphins, but endorphins are just short-term. The reason why exercise is valuable is it trains your brain to believe, 'My behavior matters,' which is optimism. Shawn Achor behavior brain believe people Poorly planned and stressful vacations eliminate the positive benefit of time away. The less the stress, the more likely you will experience a positive benefit from the time off. A positive, well-managed vacation can make you happier and less stressed, and you can return with more energy at work and with more meaning in your life. Shawn Achor work time positive life The greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy is a positive and engaged brain. Shawn Achor greatest economy brain positive Taking a vacation can actually increase the likelihood of getting a raise or a promotion. Shawn Achor raise getting promotion vacation Too many people limit their happiness and success by assuming that taking time off from work will send a negative message to their manager and slow their career advancement. Shawn Achor work success time happiness To be truly engaged at work, your brain needs periodic breaks to gain fresh perspective and energy. Shawn Achor perspective energy brain work Smart vacations lead to greater happiness and energy at work and, therefore, greater productivity, intelligence, and resilience. Shawn Achor intelligence smart work happiness I once stayed at a Ritz in D.C., paid for by a client, and when I asked to change rooms because mine smelled of smoke, the hotel immediately found me a better room, then paid for my dinner and drinks and even threw in a free massage to compensate me for the very minor inconvenience. Shawn Achor me smoke dinner change We sometimes think that the best doctors are the ones who have the most specialized knowledge or the fanciest degrees, but in fact, study upon study, including one published in the 'New England Journal of Medicine,' show that the best doctors are the ones who also know how to connect with their patients. Shawn Achor best think sometimes knowledge