Authentic Happiness

Using Positive Psychology

Authentic Happiness is the name of Professor Seligman’s book in which he explains and champions the positive psychology movement.

His attitude is best summed up in these stirring and thought-provoking words:

“I realised that my profession was half-baked. It wasn’t enough for us to nullify disabling conditions and get to zero. We needed to ask, what are the enabling conditions which make humans flourish? How do we get from zero to plus five?”

Dr Seligman (below), director of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center, is a thought leader in the field of happiness research.

A pioneer in the development of this relatively new branch of psychology, Seligman’s work proves that positive thoughts and actions can help us lead happier lives. Positive psychology, according to his website, “focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions.” Seligman defines authentic happiness as combining:

The pleasant life (pleasures and enjoyment)
The good life (engagement and productivity)
The meaningful life (significance)

His book: Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realise Your Potential for Lasting Fulfilment, is an essential read for any student of happiness.

As a key aim of the Happy Manager is to help managers make the workplace a happier place, we think this is a great place to begin.

“Seligman provides the tools you need in order to ascertain your most positive traits or strengths.

Then he explains how, by frequently calling upon these “signature strengths” in all the crucial realms of life — health, relationships, career — you will not only develop natural buffers against misfortune and negative emotion, but also achieve new and sustainable levels of authentic contentment, gratification, and meaning.”(Amazon book review)

Some Suggestions to Get the Most From This Book

We have no hesitation in recommending Authentic Happiness, just as we’ve been happy to refer to it in several places on our site. Take a look at some Happy Manager articles which have used the wisdom of Seligman’s excellent book:

Benefits of Time Management: Begin with the End in Mind

Elements of Happiness: 6 Happiness Tips

Happiness Quotes

Rate Your Happiness: Are You Happy?

Workplace well-being resources

For more resources on this topic, take a look at our great-value guides. These include some excellent tools to help your personal development plan. The best-value approach is to buy our Workplace Well-being bundle, available from the store.

We’ve bundled together these five e-guides at half the normal price! Read the guides in this order, and use the tools in each, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your personal development plan. (6 pdf guides, 138 pages, 24 tools, for half price!)

Have a Good Workday (16 pages, 4 tools)
How to be a Happy Manager (15 tips with action checklists)
Workstyle, Lifestyle (31 pages, 5 tools)
Managers Make the Difference (27 pages, 5 tools)
Managing from Strength to Strength (22 pages, 5 tools)
Making Change Personal (22 pages, 5 tools)