It's What You Do With It That Counts

In The Pursuit Of Happiness

It is an age-old question that has been discussed amongst family and friends in homes, offices, coffee shops and bars all around the world…'can money make you truly happy?'

Most people are in the pursuit of happiness. Some economists even think happiness is the best indicator of a healthy society. We know that money can make you happier, though at a certain point it doesn’t make you much happier.

One of the keys to this ‘financial happiness’ appears to be how we choose to allocate our money, especially considering it is a limited resource for the vast majority of us.

A logical assumption that most people make when spending their money is that by purchasing a physical object, it will a) last longer and b) make us happier for a longer time than if we spent it on a one-off experience like a concert or vacation.

It turns out that assumption is in fact completely wrong!

“One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation” says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, who has been studying the question of money and happiness for over twenty years.

“We buy things to make us happy and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting at first but then we adapt to them and the novelty wears off.”

These findings show that money can buy happiness but only up to a point.

During a survey on how ‘adaptation affects happiness’, people were asked to self-report their happiness with major material and experiential purchases. Initially, the happiness shown with both types of purchase was ranked about the same. Over time, however, people’s satisfaction with the things they bought went down whereas their satisfaction with experiences went up.

Surprisingly, it’s therefore counterintuitive that something like a physical object that can be kept for a long time, doesn’t actually keep you as happy as long as a ‘once-lived’ experience does.

The reason is that experiences effectively become ingrained in your identity. They are a bigger part of yourselves than your material goods. You can end up really liking your material stuff but nonetheless it will remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really become a part of you. You are the sum total of your experiences.

Another reason, is that shared experiences connect us more to other people than shared consumption. You are much more likely to feel connected to someone you took a vacation with to say South America than to someone who also happens to own the latest hi-tech flat screen TV.

You are also much less prone to negatively compare your own experiences to someone else’s than you would with material purchases.

Another conducted study by researchers Ryan Howell and Graham Hill found that it’s easier to feature-compare material goods (how many carats is your ring? how fast is your car?) than it is experiences. And since it’s easier to compare, most people do so.

A Game Changer Says…

The concept of material versus experiential in the pursuit of happiness can also be understood in the way that neurology plays a key part.

Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, researched the subject of happiness for many years. His findings provided us with a new word, 'flow'.

The differential between pleasure and flow in the pursuit of happiness couldn’t be greater, with pleasure being a primarily passive state (i.e. reading a book, having a massage or receiving a gift) versus flow being the result of a more active state (i.e. travelling, playing a sport, or learning a new skill).

In Mihaly’s mind there is absolutely no doubt that flow contributes to a far greater impact on our happiness, as it can last much longer than pleasure which can reach its peak or intensity in a relatively short space of time.

So, now that you are aware of all this, rather than buying the new Apple Watch or latest BMW series car, ensure you book up your next holiday or concert; attend your next art EXPO or theatre production; or simply take up a new hobby, or learn a new skill. The fulfilment will be everlasting.

The stronger the experience, the stronger the emotion. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the memory. So if you want to recall many fantastic and happy memories in your later life, ensure it’s experiential activities that you invest in from now on!

The purpose of this blog is to identify and show the implications for individuals who want to maximise their happiness return on their financial outlay, for employers who want to have a happier workforce and for policy makers who wish to have a happy citizenry.

Finally, just ask yourself this one question:-

"Of all the things that have brought most happiness and enjoyment to my life, have they been physical objects or lived experiences?”

This answer should reveal the answer.

This Month, Be In The Running

“Running is mind over matter. If your head doesn’t mind, your body doesn’t matter.”

The month of April sees both the Boston (Monday 20th) and London (Sunday 26th) Marathon’s take place.

Over the past 15 years, marathon running has taken on a whole new dimension. The number of elite athletes participating has grown significantly and the overall volume of runners simply trying to register has gone through the roof.

Whilst the essence of the runs importantly still deliver much needed charitable funds, the athletes themselves seem ever more determined to set new record times and achieve personal bests, pushing their bodies and minds to the limit.

Marathon running of today has set a whole new bar in terms of professionalism.

With this in mind we thought it more than apt to offer up some encouragement to our athletes via way of a few thoughts and ideas on how best to enjoy, remain calm and stay focused throughout their 26 mile adventure.

Get Creative And Have Fun
Make your run exciting and challenging. When we use our imagination, it is possible to fire up our neurons to such an extent that we can positively impact our muscle groups. So in the next few weeks, really imagine yourself running the event - think of all the magnificent landmarks you’ll get to see, feel the strength in your legs & the relaxation in your body, pick up the various scents of the flowers & trees along the route and hear the surrounding applause as you pass by thousands of people cheering you on. Use every sense that you have to imagine your run.

Finally enjoy it. Even with a set goal, don’t take yourself too seriously - you will perform way better by staying relaxed. When we laugh, smile and have fun we release a chemical called serotonin within our body. This has the effect of keeping our brain cool and our mind focused. So remember, when you are at your most frustrated, turn that frown upside down!

Present is Perfect
Whilst running, have you ever felt yourself performing without thinking…performing with ease…performing with no distraction or perception of time?

Our guess is that you have. And that when you were doing this, you were totally absorbed within your run. You were in the “zone”.

Being in the zone is effectively performing with total and utter concentration. When doing this known, or more than likely unknown, you will be following a certain set of factors.

Thinking about your time, about the finish, about your final pace etc. is to be ignored - just focus on what’s with you at that moment - the wonderful sound of the crowds, the atmosphere around you and your breathing. By doing this, you will have a better chance of finding the zone. The rest will take care of itself. So remember, focus on the current and ignore the future!

Relaxation Is Key
It is a well known fact that our body and mind is inextricably connected - one will always affect the other - and there are several great ways to remain calm and relaxed both prior to and during your run.

Breathing has a big impact on performance. How you breathe is vital to how you feel. Short, sharp and shallow breaths often make us tense and panicky. The best style of breathing to remain calm is slow, deep and steady - count to 5 seconds when inhaling through the nose, another 5 seconds when holding and up to 10 seconds when exhaling through the mouth. Practice this and you will feel its positive affects.

Using your Peripheral Vision can also help you stay relaxed. It employs your parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calmness and relaxation. When you defocus, you manage to block out any anxiety, nervousness or stress. It also relaxes you physically. Again, you can practice this at home. Simply pick a spot on the wall at eye level (it could be a blemish or a picture) and slowly start to employ your peripheral vision - that is to defocus on the spot you are looking at and allow your eyes to spread both left and right. Notice how calm and relaxed you feel after even a minute or so.

A third offering is to utilise an idea called Centring. This concept is based on the body’s centre of gravity and is often used in boxing and martial arts. It can however be very effective in many areas of life. By focusing your attention on the centre of your body - that is to say about an inch below your navel - you can create not only incredibly strong balance, stability and power but also keep your focus away from any unwanted distractions as it concentrates the mind on the area where you have your larger muscle groups. The saying is, “where your mind goes, your energy flows”.

And finally, your Jaw, yes your jaw. Known to us as the ‘Michael Caine’ because “not a lot of people know that”, relaxing the muscles in your jaw can remove tension from your whole body. Due to the vast amount of micro muscle movements when we talk to ourselves, our jaw holds the majority of tension found in our bodies. Practice dropping your jaw and slowly wiggling it from side to side.

All of the above relaxation techniques are well worth experimenting with and then having available to you whilst out running.

Use Your Eyes Wisely And Pose Like Madonna
When running, it is most important to keep your eyes on the horizon or preferably just above. When you look upwards you tend to employ an area of strong visual recall that allows little room to access any negative thought processes - be that language or feeling. So, if at any stage during the run you do experience negative self talk, ensure that you look up to help yourself.

Posture is another secret weapon when adopted correctly. It is another one that you can practice at home to notice its merits. See how you feel when you stand upright with your shoulders back, head held high and arms aloft. Pretty good right? Now compare this by slouching your shoulders forward, head bowed to the ground with your arms by your side. Notice the difference? 

The art of posing is to use it when you need it most. Social Psychologist, Amy Cuddy, says “fake it ’til you make it”. What she means by this is that by adopting strong power poses, you will actually create a feeling of positivity, happiness, belief and success for yourself. So, a few minutes before you run, simply ensure your strong posture and big smile are on show for the whole world to see!

Size Your Run - From Little Acorns Big Oaks Grow
‘Chunking’ your run can play a big part in how well you manage it and ensure it's achievable.

When embarking upon a run such as the Marathon, it is easy to get caught up in the enormity of the challenge ahead. 26 miles, when focused upon, can seem a fairly daunting task.

As we learn, our brain can consciously only process several pieces of information at once. However, as each small piece of information becomes habitual, it can form a single bigger chunk. Effectively therefore we start with small offerings and slowly increase our knowledge base to successfully achieve our goal.

The concept remains true for your run. By chunking the run into smaller distances (say 4 x 6 miles and a 2 miles) it will allow your brain to both see and feel the possibility of achievement without being overwhelmed.

This is a good strategy to adopt as you will mentally ‘tick off’ successes (each distance) as they occur, allowing the mind to sense both achievement and belief.

The Power Of Music
One of the most effective ways for creating emotions within a sports performer is via music.

If you watch various sports on TV, you will often notice athletes wearing headphones an hour or so prior to and in some cases even right up to their performance. Music can be used to create a positive mood, to control emotion, to dissociate from fatigue or pain, for learning new skills and even for synchronising movement.

Before you run, ensure that you put together three different playlists. Each playlist should fall into the following categories:

1  Loud and upbeat with inspirational lyrics.

2  Soft and slow.

3  Slow tempo with motivational association.

Loud and Upbeat is most effective for increasing vigour and stamina. If you want to put some drive & aggression into the run, then think of music linked to a heroic character - Rocky for example.

Soft and Slow can be used perhaps at the beginning of your run when you are looking to ease into it and build a nice steady pace or perhaps during the race if you are pushing too hard and want to ease down a tad - here a ballad or slow classical can work well.

Slow Tempo will help to relax your body whilst at the same time creating a feeling of optimism and control. It will also help focus the mind on the task in hand. Chariots of Fire is a good example.

Each one of you will know what your favourite tunes are but may not know which tunes provide which emotions and results. Now you have a steer, get compiling and may the force be with you!

The Wonderful World Of MetaProgrammes

Success In The Workplace

Having a basic understanding of MetaProgrammes, or utilising the knowledge of someone who does, can be incredibly useful and advantageous to businesses.

From a business owner or senior management perspective, being able to comprehend their own as well as their staff’s key traits via the use of language is vital. It can make the difference between hiring or firing somebody and whether a particular person is either suited to your business or is simply in the wrong job role.

Remember, without factual evidence, what we believe we see from the outside is not always the case and more often than not can have been misinterpreted via a mind read.

Different people respond to different types of information and challenge. The underlying cause of this difference is that people have differing MetaProgrammes - patterns of seeing and reacting to the world that are either innate or built into us at an early age.

Via various human behavioural studies, many of these MetaProgrammes have been identified. Here are a few of the most common and powerful ones - see if you can identify yourself in any of them!

Toward / Away From
Some people are motivated to move towards goals, others by the desire to avoid problems. ‘Toward’ people are the former. They are good at establishing and meeting goals but can also be seen to be naive, as they often overlook problems in the way. ‘Away From’ people are the latter. They are good at spotting potential problems and fixing them, though they are sometimes seen as cynical by goal-driven ‘Toward’ people.

External / Internal
An ‘External’ person will be influenced by strong, fact-based authoritative language. An ‘Internal’ person will also take in data but they will ultimately decide for themselves. An ‘Internal’ boss may rarely or never praise their staff because such praise doesn’t matter to them. Staff with an ‘External’ pattern will probably resent this. On the other hand, staff with an ‘Internal’ pattern may find the praise patronising.

Options / Procedures
‘Options’ people are interested in new ways of doing things. They love to create new procedures but find it hard to follow them - they’d rather tinker with them. They are the ‘starters’. 'Procedures’ people like to follow set patterns and focus on results. They are the ‘completer/finishers’.

Sameness / Difference
When asked to compare things, ‘Sameness’ people look for the similarities between things and ‘Difference’ people look for the differences. This also extends to how they like things to be: ‘Same’ people, perhaps rather unsurprisingly, don’t like change; while ‘Different’ people not only like it but often crave it.

Big Chunk / Small Chunk
‘Small Chunk’ people like detail; at worst, they form no overview. ‘Big Chunk’ people like the big picture and become impatient with detail very quickly. A famous Japanese proverb says “vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare”.

Self / Other
When under stress, ‘Self’ people will tend to focus first on themselves and how a goal will impact on them, while ‘Others’ focus initially on how it will affect those around them. If you have a strong ‘sort by self’ pattern you may find it difficult to really care about those around you. If you have a strong ‘sort by other’ pattern, you may feel that self-sorting people are selfish and therefore unworthy of your time.

A Game Changer says…

The majority of us will have at least one or most probably a few dominant MetaProgrammes and may be more towards the middle in others.

Ex British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was someone with a hugely dominant ‘Internal’ MetaProgramme. When outvoted 49:1 on an issue, she said she felt sorry for the other 49! Clearly there was no use telling her that other people didn’t agree with her point of view.

As referenced in the first few paragraphs, understanding whether people have one or several strong MetaProgrammes can make a massive difference to the harmony, efficiency and growth of a successful business.

For a start, you may simply have the right person in the wrong role or perhaps the wrong person in the right role - having a knowledge of MetaProgrammes, of how they trend and run, allows us to work from the ‘same page’ and creates understanding, unity and stability.

There is no doubt that certain people are better suited to certain professions.

Solicitors, Accountants and Doctor’s are ‘Away From’ people, while Sales & Marketing, Politicians, Artists and Athletes tend to focus on what they want to get - ‘Toward’ people. ‘Small Chunk’ people make for good lawyers but poor legal theorists.

All MetaProgrammes are there to be calculated, understood and ultimately worked upon as and when necessary. Each of the above examples allows us to improve ourselves.

The External / Internal example above shows exactly how a particular behaviour without the right knowledge and understanding can present potential conflict!

This knowledge and comprehension of people should never be underestimated and in our humble opinion spending time, energy and investment in fully understanding and working closely with your staff can pay big dividends in both the structure and success of your business.