Working Harder vs. Working Happier: What Research Says about Success
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Co-creator of Perceptual Style Theory
Have you ever been so deeply immersed in a project that you completely lost track of time? Perhaps you were solving a problem, creating something new, or doing work that came naturally to you. Instead of feeling drained, you felt energized and engaged.
Experiences like these remind me of something I have observed repeatedly throughout my years as a business coach: when people have opportunities to use their natural strengths, work can become more satisfying, meaningful, and productive.
When I talk with people about the relationship between natural strengths, happiness, and success, the response is usually enthusiastic. Most recognize the satisfaction that comes from doing something that feels natural to them. Yet many remain skeptical that focusing on their strengths can contribute to professional success. They have spent years believing that achievement must come primarily through hard work, persistence, and overcoming weaknesses.
Why We Believe Success Must Come Before Happiness
Talking to people after a presentation, I have heard many variations on the same theme: “Sounds great, but I have a business to run and don’t have time to be distracted,” or “Sounds like a lot of hard work,” or “You can’t just focus on the positive.”
Recently, though, I discovered an answer to why people can be so negative about being positive! Research in positive psychology shows that many people have a formula for happiness set up in their heads that goes like this: “If I work harder, I will be more successful. If I am more successful, then I will be happy.”
Telling someone who has this formula in his head to work on those skills and talents that are “easy” rather than “hard” is the same as telling him to give up on success and happiness and settle for what they have.
What Positive Psychology Says About Happiness and Performance
Positive psychology offers an important alternative to the belief that happiness must wait until after we achieve success. Research suggests that positive emotions can support creativity, problem-solving, motivation, and productive relationships. While happiness does not guarantee success, feeling engaged and fulfilled in our work can help create conditions in which we perform at our best. Rather than treating happiness as a reward for achievement, we can recognize it as one of the factors that may contribute to meaningful success.
Shawn Achor, author and speaker on positive psychology, has emphasized the importance of studying what helps people thrive rather than focusing exclusively on what holds them back. That idea resonates with my experience. When we devote most of our energy to correcting weaknesses, we may overlook the abilities that come naturally to us. Developing necessary skills remains important, but recognizing and using our natural strengths can make our work more engaging and sustainable.
Building Success Around Your Natural Strengths
If we want to build lasting success, it makes sense to pay attention to the activities that bring us energy, satisfaction, and a sense of purpose. Our natural strengths do not eliminate the need for effort, learning, or persistence. They give us a foundation from which that effort can feel more meaningful and productive.
So, to those who question whether investing in their natural talents is worthwhile, I offer a different perspective: success does not have to mean constantly struggling against what comes naturally to you. Sometimes the most productive work begins with recognizing what you already do well and finding more opportunities to put those strengths to use.
(Interested in learning more about the power of positive psychology? Check out Shawn Achor’s TED talk here: The Happy Secret to Better Work)
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About Lynda-Ross
Lynda-Ross Vega is a partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd. She specializes in helping corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals with interpersonal communications, team dynamics, personal development, and navigating change. Lynda-Ross is co-creator of Perceptual Style Theory, a revolutionary behavioral psychology theory and assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their natural strengths and build the life and career they dream of.
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