Success...
through achievement and ultimate happiness.
By: Emma Vaccaro
The Happiness Expert Shawn Achor has a job unlike a normal businessman in our society: a happiness researcher, author, and motivational speaker. He has established himself as an advocate of positive psychology and demonstrates this through his most recent book, The Happiness Advantage (2010), and his founding of GoodThink, Inc. in 2007. Achor has become one of the leading experts on the connection between success and happiness. For example, in an interview with the Harvard Business Review, Achor explains that in the past, conventional wisdom supposes that if a person works hard they will succeed, which ventures to happiness, but this does not present full truth(Green). If people become provided with the information about where they have the potential to improve, they will ultimately change to develop a more optimistic lifestyle(Achor). Additionally, when developing a positive habit, the neural pathways in the brain make it easier to maintain optimism in the midst of daily challenges(Achor). In essence, by providing people the opportunity to choose to feel happy and encouraging a more positive mindset, success from all individuals can develop. Achor places a large emphasis on the fact the happiness remains a choice. His experiences as a young college student, allow his belief to stand true, as he suffered from depression. Achor explains that depression “tricks you into thinking that you have no control over it”, and claims that daily choices can trump assumption about genes, environments, and neurochemicals(Achor). In an interview with Oprah, Achor explains that “depression is not something we need to fear” because, in reality, the story does not end there.
Additionally, Achor’s research has shown that our brains work significantly better when in a positive state. The author studies businessmen in companies to test their level of happiness and success, and found that the “greatest competitive advantage you could have is a positive and engaged workforce”(Achor). When a boss decides to write a kind email to employees or smile at someone in the hall, those people prove more likely to feel more secure and happy in their current life. An overwhelming study displays that even doctors perform their diagnoses 50% faster with three times more intellectual flexibility when their brain remains positive(Caprino). Skeptics of Achor has claimed that if someone acts as a typical, grumpy person, this happiness and intelligence remains out of reach, but anyone can change and rewire their brain to start a day with positivity, or simply praise their employees. Overall, Shawn Achor wants to encourage Americans to take time out of their day to complete a task that brings them happiness. Small changes in the brain turn to habits, which overall lead to a more healthy and happy life. If employees of high ranking businesses can achieve happiness, while enduring their own stress, any American regardless of age has the capability of changing their mindset and attitude in positive ways.
The Greatest of All Time The world considers Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings as the greatest beach volleyball team of all time(Daniels). Their unbelievable performances and thorough passion for the sport shine when competing on the Olympic stage. Their competitions as a duo ended after the 2012 Olympics, when May decided to end her career with satisfaction, but Walsh continued in the 2016 Rio Olympics to win the bronze. Currently, they both have husbands and children, but their influence on the sport of beach volleyball continues to thrive. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings display their success through their dominance of beach volleyball and their large influence on younger generations. May and Walsh have phenomenal athletic achievements. In their careers as a team, they won 21 consecutive Olympic matches and only lost one set to Austria in 2012 during their 11-year run together(Harter). They earned gold medals in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics. After May tore her achilles tendon in the fall of 2008, the team went on hold, but when May returned she teamed up with a new partner because Walsh became pregnant. May ended up quitting, stating that her “heart wasn’t in it”, but returned with Walsh to the 2012 Olympics where they won their third gold medal(Daniels). Many owe their talent to their relationship of over twelve years, but their commitment and passion for the game and each other presented itself with a strong bond that no one could defeat.
Additionally, their achievement and drive for success has influenced the world and culture of beach volleyball. Dr. Michael Gervais, Director of High Performance Psychology at DISC Sports & Spine Center in Los Angeles, California who worked with the duo stated that their achievement displays the “product of refined skill and mental strength”. May and Walsh prove great ambassadors for the sport by encouraging young girls and boys to play and find their passions in life. Many supporters of Kerri and Misty believe that the duo possess qualities of strong, independent women: poise, finesse, aggression, and humbleness, to name a few. Although they remain amazing volleyball players, they also possess traits of great mothers, wives, and prove an inspiration to many women and young girls. In essence, Walsh and May have overcome boundaries no other beach volleyball duo has before. They made it to the Olympics multiple times, developed a strong partnership, established great families, and ultimately inspired millions of people around the world. As a duo, Kerri and Misty encourage potentially great athletes to strive for success, because if one puts in the effort, positive results can arise. In addition, they want people around the world to believe in themselves, no matter what obstacles may come in the way. They have proved to the world that boundaries should not hold
someone back; obstacles should inspire people to continue moving forward in their journey.Â
Choose Happiness “Pay it Forward” (2000), directed by Mimi Leder and written by Leslie Dixon, portrays the story of twelve-year old Trevor Mckinney of Las Vegas Nevada who begins a movement of kind acts in his community, known as “paying it forward”. Trevor believed the world did not want him to feel happy with an alcoholic mother and an absent, abusive father. When Trevor starts seventh grade, his new social studies teacher, Eugene Simonet, gives the students an assignment to devise and put into action a plan that can change the world for the better. Trevor creates the plan for a charitable program based on doing good deeds for others; he calls it “Pay it forward”. He explains that the recipient of a favor does a favor for three other people, rather than paying it back to the original. The movement turns national and people everywhere begin to spread the message of paying it forward. “Pay It Forward” best idolizes the theme of how simple gestures can ultimately change both the recipient and the giver’s life. Trevor gained his own personal satisfaction by completing these tasks and the recipients gained a choice to change their own and others’ lives. It ultimately proves that a person can choose happiness over letting outdoor factors control their life. Trevor took this assignment as an opportunity to accomplish something special for not only his community, but set an example for the world to follow. In another inspiring film, “The Blind Side” (2009), a true story unfolds of a high schooler, named Michael Oher, who suffered through an impoverished upbringing
while attending Wingate Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee. Eventually, Michael befriends a boy named Sean Tuohy, who introduces Michael to his family, including Sean’s mother Leigh Anne. One night, Leigh Anne sees Michael walking along the road in the pouring rain and learns that he has nowhere to sleep; she then offers the Tuohy’s couch. He eventually becomes a part of the family, with Leigh Anne pushing Michael to achieve his goal through playing football and focusing on his school work, along with the help of a tutor. Michael struggles with the internal conflict of not having any confidence in his abilities to have a part in this family. Leigh Anne reminds him that his drive throughout the journey has brought him to where he stands and that success comes from hard work. “The Blind Side” presents themes of courage and hard work to overcome difficult boundaries. I prefer to watch “Pay It Forward” because many audiences can relate to the different characters and moods established throughout the movie. It gives audiences a glimpse into what a world full of kindness and happiness brings to a person’s life and the attitudes they display. Themes of kindness and personal choices further develop the idea that a simple gesture can change someone’s life and let them finally control outside factors in their life to achieve success.
Do What You Love, Love What You Do Jo Futerman owns JMF Coaching, in Long Island, New York, where she works with people living with Attention- deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder (ADHD). A chronic condition that includes lack of focus and impulsiveness, people with ADHD can use medication to help them focus or utilize talk therapy, which includes Jo’s job as a life coach(Mayo Clinic). Her profession involves consultations where people talk to her and she listens to the problems they face everyday in order to help them accomplish goals. I had the opportunity to talk on the phone with Jo where she explained that people with ADHD struggle with “low self-esteem, complicated relationships, and often times trouble at school or work.” Jo explained that her son has struggled with ADHD since youth and she always encouraged him to remain calm in certain situations and think about his actions. She realized that she loves to help people who feel trapped in their current lifestyles. In her journey to success, she also revealed that she has great listening skills and loves to see growth and reaching potentials in
others’ lives. “Everyday, I work on growing, myself,” Jo states. “In what ways do you motivate yourself to lead a more happy lifestyle and achieve goals?” I asked. To that she explained that she does not need to motivate herself because she has a “constant goal to achieve happiness”. “I take good care of myself through my mind, body, and soul. For my mind, I read constantly and am always learning. For my body, I am always conscious of what I am feeding it and exercise is very important. For my soul, I strive to good deeds for others. It is important to remember that others may be struggling with something, and one act of kindness can make someone’s day.” “If a client is struggling with accomplishing a goal, what approach do you take to help them?” “The first thing I do is find the source of their stress or obstacle. The only way to solve a problem is to find out what is getting in the way of them accomplishing a goal. It could be that they do not have the energy, resources, or a good support system. That is what I am here for: support. I am the person they can go to when they need someone to listen, because then we dive deeper into issues that are holding them back. It really depends on the problem they face, which determines the approach that I take. Ultimately, it all comes down to support.” “How do you define success?” I asked. “I believe success is all about doing what makes you happy. There are different kinds of success that relate to different people. Business, family life, relationships, the home. In order to achieve your full potential, do what you love to do.”
Ask Emma Dear Emma, Shortly I will start applying to colleges. Although this should feel exciting, I feel very nervous. I do not feel totally secure about the schools I want to apply to and feel afraid that I cannot get into the schools I want to because of my grades. I scored mainly As and Bs in my junior year, which I know should not feel like a concern, but I feel anxious. Along with that, I have many extracurriculars and do not feel like I utilize my time wisely for these applications. What should I do?
~ Brad Marshall
Dear Brad, Well it seems that you have a lot on your plate at the moment. At this point, you cannot change the grades that you had your junior year, but grades alone do not determine whether a college should accept a student or not. Colleges want to see that you stand out from the normal crowd. As you participate in many extracurricular activities, these things will help further build your character
as a future student for certain colleges you may apply to. As for the time managment, I suggest that you take a step back and analyze what you need to accomplish every day. Divide your work up evenly, so you do not feel overwhelmed with tasks. For many seniors in high school, this time serves as very stressful and can at times
feel too much to endure. I further imply that you seek to take a few moments every day to take deep breaths and keep pushing to achieve your goal of getting into college.
~ Emma
Dear Emma, I currently need to decide which classes I should take for my sophomore year, but I do not know if taking three Advanced Placement classes would feel like too much coursework. I also play on the soccer team and involve myself in Speech and Debate and the track team in the spring. Do you believe this would feel too overwhelming for my sophomore year? Thanks,
~ Sarah Brown Dear Sarah, In my sophomore year, I took AP United States History(APUSH) and four other honors classes. I participated in sports and extracurricular activities. For me, it felt challenging, but doable. If you want to achieve success with taking three AP classes, I suggest that you analyze your character first. If you feel that you portray qualities of hard work and a strong motivation to complete tasks, take three AP classes. On the other hand, I advise that you not take AP courses just to have on your transcript that you took them. Take a course because you genuinely feel interested in learning about that subject. For example, I took APUSH because I enjoy history. You do not want to put unnecessary stress on yourself because of a college course; high school proves stressful enough.
~ Emma
About the Author A person achieves success by accomplishing their goals and ultimately achieving happiness. If someone participates in something they feel passionate about, they have the opportunity to achieve success. Emma Vaccaro, a junior, attends Chagrin Falls High School. She portrays her drive to achieve goals through her strive to feel happy, along with her continuing her passions. She plays on the volleyball team and participates in track during the spring. Additionally, she loves spending her time with family and friends. When Vaccaro turned nine years old, she moved from Long Island, New York to Danville, California because of her father’s job. Four years later, she moved again to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where she resides now with her family. Over the years, moving twice, Vaccaro developed social skills that have helped her make friends easily. When she first moved to Chagrin Falls in her eighth grade year, she used sports as a way of meeting people. Her first best friend in Chagrin played on her volleyball team and she achieved success by developing new friendships. Although it proved hard to move, it actually strengthened her relationships with those who live far. She always makes the effort call her friends and family to have conversations. In essence, she has
achieved success in relationships because of her loyalty and strong bond to her friends and relatives. Additionally, Vaccaro has played volleyball for six years. She feels her happiest when playing the game with her friends who she has developed strong relationships with over the years. Vaccaro feels very passionate about playing volleyball and it adds positivity to her life. Vaccaro always strives to keep a positive attitude throughout her everyday life, even through not so positive days. In the sport of volleyball, players need to display positivity on and off the court, in order to improve and ultimately win. She finds that staying positive allows her to complete tasks and keep optimistic thoughts and relationships with her teammates and friends. In order to succeed through playing volleyball, remaining positive and achieving happiness proves the main goal. Vaccaro wants to inspire others to remain positive, in order to achieve happiness which will allow them to accomplish their goals. All around the world, people seem generally more successful when they achieve happiness. Vaccaro displays keys to success throughout her life in different ways. In the remainder of her high school career, Vaccaro wants to continue to stay positive in order to focus on her tasks for the future. She will soon start applying for college, and skills to achieve happiness and success prove very important in those critical times. Lastly, She wants to utilize these skills to eventually become successful in the future.
Works Cited Achor, Shawn. “Meet Shawn.” Shawn Achor, Shawn Achor, 2018, www.shawnachor.com/meet-shawn/. Capatides, Christina. “Greatest Female Athletes of All Time.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 6 Sept. 2016, www.cbsnews.com/pictures/greatest-female-athletes-of-all-time/15/. Caprino, Kathy. “How Happiness Directly Impacts Your Success.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 14 Feb. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2013/06/06/how-happiness-directly-impacts-your-success/# 633661c2618b. Daniels, David. “Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh's Dominance Is a Product of Unparalleled Poise.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 7 Apr. 2017, bleacherreport.com/articles/1290771-misty-may-treanor-and-kerri-walshs-dominance-is-a-produ ct-of-unparalleled-poise. Green, Sarah. “Why a Happy Brain Performs Better.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, 30 Mar. 2015, hbr.org/2010/11/why-a-happy-brain-performs-bet. Harter, Kristina. “May Walsh Reflect on Olymic Journey.” Team USA, United States Olympic Committee, 16 Aug. 2013, www.teamusa.org/USA-Volleyball/Features/2013/August/16/May-Walsh-Reflect-on-Olymic-Jour ney.