Before Happiness Book Summary - Before Happiness Book explained in key points
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Before Happiness summary

The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change

4.6 (206 ratings)
24 mins

Brief summary

Before Happiness by Shawn Achor is a self-help book that offers insights into creating a positive mindset to achieve success. It challenges conventional thinking and provides actionable steps to build a happy and fulfilling life.

Table of Contents

    Before Happiness
    Summary of 8 key ideas

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    Our ability to achieve happiness and success hinges on whether we perceive them as possible.

    If you had to name the most important factor in happiness and success, what would you say? Some people would point to money, social connections, or some other sort of external resource. Others might say, all that matters is actually on the inside; to them, it’s all about qualities like intelligence or talent. 

    Who is right? Is it even possible to come up with just one correct answer? Lots of people have no money or powerful friends, and they still achieve happiness and success. Others are miserable and unproductive, despite their exceptional intelligence and talent. And then there are those who find ways of being happy and successful even though they might consider themselves quite average. 

    What explains these differences? Well, the answer has to do with the way people perceive reality.

    The key message here is: Our ability to achieve happiness and success hinges on whether we perceive them as possible. 

    Of course, happiness and success aren’t just about perception. Whether you want to write a novel or get a promotion, your ability to achieve anything in life depends on having certain internal resources at your disposal. You need energy, drive, focus, and relevant skills, along with intellectual, emotional, and social intelligence. 

    If you leverage your resources as best you can, you’ll maximize your chances of success at whatever you’re trying to do. But the crucial word here is “if.” No matter how many resources you’ve been blessed with, they won’t do you any good if you don’t make use of them. And that’s where perception comes into the equation. 

    Let’s say you’ve got plenty of talent, intelligence, and so on – but you don’t see any path to a promotion. Maybe you’ve got an unsupportive boss who seems to be standing in your way, or a workload that seems too heavy for you to succeed. 

    Well, if you perceive your obstacles as being insurmountable, you’ll probably give up on surmounting them. After all, what’s the point? If your goal is impossible, it’s a waste of time and effort to even try. 

    Conversely, the more you perceive your targets as things that are achievable, the more you’ll be motivated to try and achieve them. And you’ll probably throw all your resources at them. That doesn’t guarantee success, but it does give you a fighting chance – whereas giving up before you’ve even tried is a surefire way of failing. 

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    What is Before Happiness about?

    Before Happiness (2013) is a self-help guide with a twist. It doesn’t lay down a golden road to happiness and success. Instead, it looks at what we need to have in place before we can achieve these things. The answer is nothing less than a revolution in the way we see reality and approach the challenges in our lives. 

    Before Happiness Review

    Before Happiness (2013) by Shawn Achor offers valuable insights on how we can create a positive mindset to improve our happiness and success. Here's what makes this book worth reading:

    • With its practical strategies, it empowers readers to cultivate a positive mindset that can lead to greater happiness and success in all aspects of life.
    • Providing a deep dive into the science of happiness, the book combines research findings with relatable stories, making it informative and engaging.
    • Achor's approach to happiness is refreshing, as he focuses on proactive steps we can take to shape our reality and enhance our well-being, ensuring the book is never boring.

    Who should read Before Happiness?

    • Fans of scientifically informed self-help advice 
    • Students of positive psychology 
    • Anyone who wants to see the world in a more constructive way

    About the Author

    Shawn Achor is one of the world’s leading advocates of positive psychology. After teaching and researching at Harvard for twelve years, he became the CEO of Good Think Inc., a Cambridge-based consulting firm, where he continues his research. He is the author of two New York Times best-selling books, The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential

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    Before Happiness FAQs 

    What is the main message of Before Happiness?

    The main message of Before Happiness is that happiness can be created by changing our mindset and focusing on positive actions.

    How long does it take to read Before Happiness?

    The reading time for Before Happiness varies, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Before Happiness a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Before Happiness is a worthwhile read for those looking to enhance their happiness. It provides actionable strategies and insights for cultivating a positive mindset.

    Who is the author of Before Happiness?

    Before Happiness is written by Shawn Achor.

    What to read after Before Happiness?

    If you're wondering what to read next after Before Happiness, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
    • The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco
    • Profit from the Positive by Margaret Greenberg and Senia Maymin
    • Mindset by Carol Dweck
    • Building Your Money Machine with ChatGPT by Larry Wheeler
    • Bring Your Human to Work by Erica Keswin
    • Help Me, I Have No Discipline and Zero Self-Control by Vaughn Carter
    • Deep Work by Cal Newport
    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
    • How Not to Age by Michael Greger