It’s not easy being happy–Management Today

“both effort and hard work offer the most promising route to happiness”  Sheldon and Lyubomirsky (2006)

The Psychology at Work blog over on Management Today has an interesting piece from Stuart Duff (Head of Development at Pearn Kandola Business Psychologists).  Referring back to 2006 research, Duff observes that being happy actually requires hard work.

Turning that observation around, you come back to the realisation that hard work [on the right things] brings happiness, which is core to the philosophy of building on your strengths and focusing on the things you love.  It’s a creed which informs the thinking of the likes of Mike Pegg, Nicholas Bate, Katie Ledger and others.

No surprises, no easy road.

It is an observation which is especially relevant to those who work on their own and steer their own paths, be they portfolio workers, interim managers, freelancers or any other form of sovereign professionals.  Hard work is so necessary for success, you had better be sure that the things you are working hard on are the things which will also bring you happiness.

References:

Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). Achieving sustainable gains in happiness: Change your actions, not your circumstances. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 55-86.

Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). Activities last and circumstances fade: An experimental study of the effects of two types of life-change upon sustainable new well-being.