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1-Page Summary of The Happiness Track

Introduction

In today’s society, it seems like everyone is trying to do a million things at once. People are working harder and faster than ever before, but they still don’t feel as though they’re getting enough done. They try to cram in more tasks during the day, checking their social media accounts first thing in the morning while making breakfast and driving to work. Some people even check their emails while watching television or proofreading important documents on their computers when they should be sleeping. This constant busyness leaves many people feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied with life because it doesn’t allow them time for relaxation or quality time with family members or friends.

A new culture has emerged in which people are stressed out and exhausted because they feel like they’re constantly working. It’s the product of six myths of success, including: Never stop achieving; you should be striving for more at all times. Stress is a part of productivity; if you aren’t feeling it, then you aren’t working hard enough. Persevere at all costs; success demands sacrifice and perseverance to succeed. Focus on your niche; focus only on what’s important to your field so that you can become an expert in it. Play to your strengths; do what comes naturally and avoid weakness at all costs. Look out for number one; always put yourself first so that others will respect and admire you as much as possible. These beliefs have helped some individuals reach new levels of greatness, but they’re not healthy or productive overall. They actually make us less productive because they foster misery, stress, burnout, depression, etc., rather than happiness. As we go through our busy lives, how often do we feel trapped by our constant lists? Do we feel guilty when we finally take time off from work or pursue hobbies? Are we overwhelmed with obligations that leave us empty inside?

A culture that places constant performance as the highest priority in life can lead to unhappiness. That’s because success is not necessarily a prerequisite for happiness. Happiness helps you to be more productive, both mentally and emotionally. It allows you to solve problems creatively and bounce back from stress more easily. Happiness also makes it easier for people to work together productively with co-workers and family members. For all these reasons, happiness should be treated as an essential part of success rather than something that comes after achieving impossible goals or milestones.”

The following strategies will help you harness the power of happiness and increase your overall success. By improving your psychological state, you will simplify your life by reducing overextension. This will lead to a greater sense of purpose and satisfaction in all aspects of your life, as well as increased productivity throughout those areas. Happiness becomes the pathway to success.

Strategy 1: Live (and Work) in the Moment

Carole Pertofsky, the director of Wellness and Health Promotion at Stanford University, describes her overachieving students with the illustration of the “Stanford Duck Syndrome.” On one hand, they appear to glide effortlessly across a pond as they achieve their goals. However, under that calm exterior is a frantic effort to keep moving forward because they’re afraid of not being successful enough in the future.

Success is often associated with working yourself to the bone. The idea of success is that you’re able to work hard and achieve your goals by delaying gratification. That’s a good thing, but when you focus too much on future rewards, it can become destructive. For example, if the fantasy of becoming a published author is more enjoyable than writing itself, then you’ll never finish writing your book. If you’re a workaholic who neglects relationships and personal health in order to get productivity rushes, then this mindset becomes destructive as well.

The Happiness Track Book Summary, by Emma Seppala