That “Apple a day” advice we all got may actually have had a real scientific effect on your Doctor’s ability!

I have recently become mildly addicted to a certain subsection of TED talks, focused mainly on performance and human development. Whilst feeding my addiction recently I came across a genuinely hilarious talk by Shawn Achor entitled "The Happy Secret To Better Work", which, if you enjoy this blog, I would seriously, suggest you, take the 12 minutes and 9 seconds to watch. And if you're going to watch it, you probably want to do that now before you read the rest of this blog and I spoil it for you!

For those of you who haven't left (or for those of you who have been and come back, thanks by the way!) the talk starts with a story about Shawn's childhood that involves his sister falling off a top bunk bed and landing on all-fours, whilst she had a broken arm that he was intrinsically involved in her getting the week before. He manages to stop her exploding into painful crying by convincing her that her landing on all fours is not normal human behaviour, and therefore she must be a unicorn. This reminded me of a process that Karla and I used very effectively with our children, and subsequently with our grandchildren, whenever they fall, particularly on a hard surface. This simply involves us assuring them very positively that they have caused no damage to the surface that they have just impacted significantly, and therefore, everything is all right and there is no need to cry. At the time that we started it, it was a desperate attempt to head off the normal wailing and gnashing of teeth that accompanies these early learning experiences, and we had no idea that there is actually science that explains why it works! And that, Jedi warriors, is what this blog is all about.

Science is now calling this phenomenon "positive psychology" and it is revolutionising the way that scientists look at the human brain. What has now been scientifically proven is that it is not actual reality that shapes us, but rather the way in which you view that reality, ultimately determines how you see the world. And how you see the world, directly determines how you interact with it, which is what we call "behaviour". And behaviour, directly affects your performance. And by now I think you can see where this is going! If we can change the way in which you view the reality that is happening around you, we can change your attitude, and that change in attitude will directly affect your behaviour, and thereby, your performance. Changing your performance, results in a change in every single social and business outcome that you are involved in, which helps you to Be Outstanding and live a full spectrum life!

So because I want you to watch the TED talk, I'm simply going to summarise the scientific principle of the talk and let you enjoy the rest of it: –

1. 90% of your long-term happiness is determined by the way your brain processes the world around you.
2. If we can change your worldview, you will develop a new formula for happiness and success.
3. Your new formula will have a direct effect on your reality.

The way this plays out in the real world for example, is that your IQ determines only 25% of job successes. Your optimism levels, your social support structure, and your ability to view stress as an opportunity and challenge, instead of as a threat predict the remaining 75%. And the discussion on stress is probably an entire blog all on its own.

The scientific data shows that your brain performs significantly better when it is in a positive state, compared to when it is negative, neutral or stressed. This phenomenon is called the "Happiness Advantage" and it causes your intelligence, creativity, and energy levels to rise, which in turn, improves every single business outcome. Your positive brain is 31% more productive than your negative, neutral or stressed brain; you will be on average 37% better at sales, and doctors are 19% faster and more accurate at coming up with a correct diagnosis when they are positive instead of negative, neutral or stressed. So, make sure you keep your doctor happy!

Having used this blog to give you the "what", we are going to bring this starship in for a landing now, and next week, I'll cover a bit more of the "how".

If you can't wait that long, or you need some specific help in terms of a current issue that you are dealing with, feel free to drop us a line through our Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn feeds, or hop on over to www.version8.com.au, and use our Contact page. And as usual, leave us a comment on your experience of this situation below, or on our Facebook page.