BOOK REPORT (think like in high school) on The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life by Shawn Achor, New Your Times Bestselling Author of THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE.  Before we get started …

SPOILER ALERT:  This book is all about the lens through which you view your world (p. 110)

I was given this book by Chy Davidson who is a PASSIONATE Shawn Achor fan. (think NY Jets fans)  Given our shared interests, my lover/co-pilot Kelli Darlin agreed to read the book at the same time as I did.

Best case we would agree to share our respective “thoughts, reactions, responses” over a glass of wine during a beautiful Key West sunset.  Worst case:  wine & sunset.

We had no expectations  or assignments… and certainly no intention of co-writing and publishing this book report blog.  BUT turns out we independently highlighted the exact same passages (sentences) in this book fifteen(15) times.  #samebrain

Please note:  we make no attempt to attribute who said what about what.  We conflate our thoughts with Mr. Achor’s when trying to make a point.  If you want to know what he really says/mean … you read the damn book yourself (possibly with a someone special on the dock while drinking a $17 bottle of Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigo?)

Do you want more success? peace? money? love? time? energy? passion? beauty? luck?

Do you want better physical and mental health? grades? faith? relationships?

Do you want to live longer?

then … BELIEVE YOUR BEHAVIOR MATTERS

Okay, so here’s what’s coming.  Kelli and I both read this book independently … quick read … not a technical tome, but there are several references to hoity-toity research which we did NOT fact-check.

This blog includes the “compelling points/ideas” that we BOTH independently underlined/highlighted.  Given our generational gap, I read a hard cover book with an ink pen while Kelli read it on her Kindle with “highlight” function. #suchislife

We took iphone pictures of our mutually-agreed upon points worth pondering and/or celebrating.  See below … under each photo is our 2 cents on the matter/subject/point being made.

Got it?  Still here?  Let’s go to work.

Beliefs are not facts.  Beliefs are not undisputable.  (Double negatives are still negative even though two negatives make a positive?  #smh)  Beliefs are anchored in human imaginations that are as unique as the individuals who believe in them.

However, beliefs are real, even when they are not true.  Even when they are not fact based, beliefs are real.  Even when beliefs are contrary to prevailing scientific evidence … beliefs are still very real.

As such, what matters is that YOUR beliefs factor into your understanding of what’s going on around you … AND sets the stage for your alternatives analysis when decision making.

Your beliefs can bend your reality like a football (think soccer) corner kick.  Beliefs have a quantifiable impact on your expectations and results.  Our beliefs can hold us back or release us to become our best selves.

When focusing on our beliefs that will result in positive outcomes for success, we are not lying to ourselves or simply putting on rose-tinted glass.  We are leaning into the momentum of a positive mental attitude which can focus our brains towards the more successful pathways.

Achor’s 7 core power beliefs are a Snapit Toolkit (think red box at service station … do they still exists?).  To our way of thinking, these tools help one gather facts, solve problems, and tell a compelling/complete story.

While we can debate the sequence and relationship between the CPB’s, seems like the essential hammer, wrench, screwdriver (flathead and phillips), pliers, saw, drill, and safety glasses (with 2.5 magnification) are present for a lifetime of work and success.

Here’s a possible reordering:

I wrote a blog about an old timey email FWD about Albert Einstein’s  answer to the question “Do you believe in god?”  It generated a bunch of online conversation across the globe.

It is our belief that Einstein’s belief in Spinoza’s God is basically the same framework as Shawn Achor’s seven (7) core power beliefs … to optimize your happiness while spending your short time in this world.  #our2cents  #bekind #onelife #thankyou

Let’s keep grinding …

Like a good produce farmer, we need to tend to the field of our beliefs to weed out negative beliefs/bias to make way for the growth/harvest of positive beliefs.  This will help the healthy seeds to grow and the unproductive beliefs to wilt away.  Kissing cousins to ideas written about by James Allen around 1902.

If we maintain a positive mental attitude every day during good or challenging times, the brain will get on board with building neurol pathways to support the body’s natural desire to survive/thrive.  What we listen to, read, and watch can help foster a positive attitude to life.  #choosewisely

Now this one hits the nail on the head.  This applies to a job, marriage, friendship, political party, sports team, school, church, or any other endeavor that requires effort/energy to grow and build value.

Think about it … when you get really fed up or feel really rejected by something you once believed in, it’s not over if you are mad as hell … it’s over when you don’t care any more.  #mybehaviordon’tmatter  #idon’tmatter

We’ve heard folks say, “I turn my problems over to God, and he takes care of them.”  For us, It’s all in the “how” and where the “locus of control” lies.

The Universe is spinning, and if you are reading this blog … you are in it.  You matter.  Something/someone/some energy has created this moment of sharing.

For us, it’s our hope that we can align with external forces to leverage our internal locus of control as to optimize the outcomes in our shared life.  #happyguide

Problems are NOT barriers.  They are steps to solutions that lead to success.  The beliefs that are holding you back are being created and applied by you.  We need to focus on the possibilities of solutions to a problem … not the belief that they do not exist.  If you truly believe your behavior doesn’t matter, you allow yourself to stop solutioning.  #focusonresults

Self belief can be found in the DNA of happiness.  Believing in yourself sets the stage for hard work and the harder you work the luckier you get (somebody famous said that).  Hard work is not just long hours and sweat.  It also includes determination, persistence, and courage.  The intangibles out of reach of AI or machine learning.

Joy.  Happiness.  Peace.  Those things do NOT come from an action or accomplishments.  Those are checks in the box or lines through a TODO list.  The true satisfaction comes from how you FEEL about what we have done/seen.

Climb to the top of Mt. Rainier, you can a) focus the lens on the positive and celebrate, or b) focus the lens on the negative and cuss a mouth full.  The optics in which YOU pick to view the summit is what matters most.  Ask me how I know … tmb

I guess now is the time to start squirming in our seats.  Just think about it.  How many times have you pulled out your phone when engaged in a seriously interesting/compelling conversation or meeting?  Here’s a hint:  NEVER.

If you are a consultant, leaders, teacher, student, coach, lover, friend, parent, sports fan … it doesn’t matter … your behaviors are a by-product of what you value and prioritize.

When you say, “Excuse me, I need to get this.”  … that is the same as “this text from XYZ” trumps whatever is about come out of you mouth.  Let’s not put lipstick on that pig.

Kelli has lead hundreds of CrossFit WODS and coached hundreds of athletes.  Many folks achieved technical, physical, and mental success well beyond their wildest dreams.

Why?  Because she has the gift of being genuinely interested is helping others by sincerely believing in their human potential.  Not rocket science … just focused attention and caring.

Engagement is key to happiness at work and play with friends and family.  If you are NOT engaged, you are NOT optimizing your time on earth.  Just kicking the can down the road.

Several recent studies and surveys show a decline in belonging from remote workers.  If workers don’t feel like they don’t belong … they don’t stay.  DEI efforts cut both ways on this issues … if you are a member of traditionally marginalized groups, then status quo is a problem.  If you happen to be in the “majority” of race, talent, function, gender, etc. … then DEI efforts threaten your sense of belonging.  Whew … how do we skin that cat?

Now, just to make “belonging” issue more complex … surrender to hybrid/remote work where folks are not interacting face-to-face, the “I belong” feelings are even MORE strained.

A1 says that Mark Manson (self-help dude) said, “The lies you repeat become the life you live.”  That blade cuts multiple ways, “The beliefs you repeat become the life you life.”

Since you choose your beliefs which can be either positive or negative, you get to decide which version of yourself you want to reinforce through repetition.

So be careful, where your words go, so does your brain and the intended/unintended behaviors.  #beviligant #bepositive

Humans are creatures of habit.  Somebody said, “it takes only 30 days to create a new habit.”  We don’t know if that’s true, but it gets to this point:  Be kind to yourself … everyday, all day.

That doesn’t mean go easy on yourself.  That doesn’t mean lower your expectations.  That doesn’t mean give up when your frustrated.  Be kind to yourself is all about understanding believes about what is valued shapes what is repeated.

If you have high sense of self-worth, then you will repeat the minute-by-minute internal conversation that will drive solid “belief anchors” deep into our thoughts/behaviors.  Perfect practice makes perfect play … somebody famous said that.

For folks who hate reading the fluff and meandering story telling, here’s the meat and potatoes of this book.  If you are looking for the bottom line … that picture above lays it out.

You ain’t happy?  Simple.  Change how your brain processes information, Change the memories you cling to, Change your habits, Change what comes out of your mouth, Change what you are reading/watching.  Change who your hang out with.

It’s a straight forward reset away from the stuff that’s making you unhappy, burned out, anxious, lonely, and depressed.  #GoMakeACircle #HappyGuide

CONCLUSION

If I was in charge of LOVB, NASA, NCAA, PCG, NCSU, NASCAR, or any other organization that was building on a solid track record of success, BUT was in the middle of a gear-change to the next level up …. I’d have Shawn Achor come and speak to the organization’s leaders (inside and outside the firm).

These are the folks where the rubber meets the road, the buck stops here, the weight of the world is on their shoulders, transmission for growth, and are on the front line.  You get the point.

It’s the A Team, the folks that take care of the customers, innovate, and build the team.  Hopefully, Shawn would give the what they want … he would tell them this right here:

• You have something to be grateful for today.
• You are not alone.
• You matter.
• Your behavior matters.
• You have something to give.
• Your work matters.
• There is something greater than you … it is good and powers life in this Universe.

Now go back to the top of this list and get to work repeating it.

Here’s today’s vid-clip:

Play Video

Tony McLean Brown

A Western NC hillbilly through and through, Tony McLean Brown was born in the small town of Enka-Candler outside of Asheville.  His parents re-named him when he was 3 years old to Tony (a nickname provided by his grandfather) McLean (middle name of his Uncle Michael) while retaining his legal surname Brown.

Throughout his career, Tony McLean Brown worked as a farmer, computer programmer, and management consultant – in his adventurous years – author, song-writer, bass player, poet, pilot, mountaineer, certified scuba diver, and competitor in professional bull riding, NASCAR late model racing, Toughman boxing, Crossfit Open, Ironman, pole vaulting, marathon and ultra-marathon running, as well as parenting.

www.HappyGuidetoaShortLife.com has been leveraged to help charities and non-profits across the globe, USA, NC, and Lake Norman area. If you, your family, school, church, or charity has been supported, please take the time to share, like, subscribe, comment, and provide a 5 star review!