<br /> <br /> How can you achieve happiness and success in life?<br /> <br /> Some people say happiness is all about how much money you have. Other people say happiness is about your social status or education level.<br /> <br /> The best science tells us something very different.<br /> <br /> In an earlier blog, we talked about the meaning of life and your purpose in life, which is happiness, fulfillment. In this blog, we’re going to talk about how you can achieve happiness and success in life, and change the world while doing it.<br /> <br /> We will keep it simple. Here is an overview:<br /> <br /> Overview<br /> <br /> Happiness in life comes from good relationships. There are three things you can start doing today to build the good, strong relationships that bring happiness. Seek wisdom, practice love, and get results.<br /> <br /> Good, high trust, high performance relationships also give you the best chance for success in life—whether that is leadership success at work, leading your family at home, or success as a good citizen in the community.<br /> <br /> Finally, when you are a good person with strong relationships, you have the best chance to help make our world a better place.<br /> <br /> We call this overall approach to life <a href="https://www.petebowen.net/covenant-leadership/covenant-leadership-overview/">Covenant Leadership</a>.<br /> <br /> Happiness Comes from Good Relationships<br /> <br /> So, where can we find happiness in life?<br /> <br /> The science is very clear. For more than 80 years, Harvard has been conducting the Study on Adult Development, and it tells us that happiness doesn't come from money or social status or your education level.<br /> <br /> Happiness comes from good relationships. That's it.<br /> <br /> Good relationships don’t just bring happiness in life, they also help you live years longer and feel healthier too.<br /> <br /> The director who led the Harvard study for 30 years said, “Happiness in life comes from good relationships. Full stop.”<br /> <br /> We should not be surprised by the results of the Harvard study. We are made for relationship. Relationship is hard-wired into our DNA. Relationship is fundamental to our biology.<br /> <br /> If you give an infant all the food and water she needs, but you don't give the infant love and physical affection, 4 out of 10 will die. Half of the survivors will have severe psychological challenges.<br /> <br /> What is the worst way to bully someone? It's not to yell at them or physically abuse them. The worst way to bully somebody is to shun them. To deny them relationship.<br /> <br /> What is the worst place in prison? Solitary confinement. It deprives the prisoner of relationship. Over time, the lack of relationship can drive prisoners in solitary crazy.<br /> <br /> Think about your loved ones. How good does it make you feel when you spend time with them? How bad do you feel when you break up?<br /> <br /> When we face the end of life, no one says that they wish they had spent more time at work. Everyone wishes they had made more time for loved ones.<br /> <br /> Happiness in life comes from good relationships. We are neurologically hard-wired for relationship. It is fundamental. It is built into our DNA.<br /> <br /> Three Things Build Good Relationships<br /> <br /> There are three things that build strong relationships. We call them the Covenant Virtues.<br /> <br /> The more people trust your wisdom, the more they know that you love them, and the more they know that you get results, the stronger your relationships.<br /> <br /> So, there are three things you can do, starting today, to build the strong relationships that will bring you happiness and success. Seek wisdom, practice love, and get results.<br /> <br /> Three Areas of Relationships<br /> <br /> If you are going to get good at those Covenant Virtues, you need places to practice them. There are three areas of relationship that you can do that.<br /> <br />

Wisdom, Leadership & Success

Pete Bowen

How to Achieve Happiness and Success, and Change the World

JUN 3, 20217 MIN
Wisdom, Leadership & Success

How to Achieve Happiness and Success, and Change the World

JUN 3, 20217 MIN

Description

How can you achieve happiness and success in life? Some people say happiness is all about how much money you have. Other people say happiness is about your social status or education level. The best science tells us something very different. In an earlier blog, we talked about the meaning of life and your purpose in life, which is happiness, fulfillment. In this blog, we’re going to talk about how you can achieve happiness and success in life, and change the world while doing it. We will keep it simple. Here is an overview: Overview Happiness in life comes from good relationships. There are three things you can start doing today to build the good, strong relationships that bring happiness. Seek wisdom, practice love, and get results. Good, high trust, high performance relationships also give you the best chance for success in life—whether that is leadership success at work, leading your family at home, or success as a good citizen in the community. Finally, when you are a good person with strong relationships, you have the best chance to help make our world a better place. We call this overall approach to life Covenant Leadership. Happiness Comes from Good Relationships So, where can we find happiness in life? The science is very clear. For more than 80 years, Harvard has been conducting the Study on Adult Development, and it tells us that happiness doesn't come from money or social status or your education level. Happiness comes from good relationships. That's it. Good relationships don’t just bring happiness in life, they also help you live years longer and feel healthier too. The director who led the Harvard study for 30 years said, “Happiness in life comes from good relationships. Full stop.” We should not be surprised by the results of the Harvard study. We are made for relationship. Relationship is hard-wired into our DNA. Relationship is fundamental to our biology. If you give an infant all the food and water she needs, but you don't give the infant love and physical affection, 4 out of 10 will die. Half of the survivors will have severe psychological challenges. What is the worst way to bully someone? It's not to yell at them or physically abuse them. The worst way to bully somebody is to shun them. To deny them relationship. What is the worst place in prison? Solitary confinement. It deprives the prisoner of relationship. Over time, the lack of relationship can drive prisoners in solitary crazy. Think about your loved ones. How good does it make you feel when you spend time with them? How bad do you feel when you break up? When we face the end of life, no one says that they wish they had spent more time at work. Everyone wishes they had made more time for loved ones. Happiness in life comes from good relationships. We are neurologically hard-wired for relationship. It is fundamental. It is built into our DNA. Three Things Build Good Relationships There are three things that build strong relationships. We call them the Covenant Virtues. The more people trust your wisdom, the more they know that you love them, and the more they know that you get results, the stronger your relationships. So, there are three things you can do, starting today, to build the strong relationships that will bring you happiness and success. Seek wisdom, practice love, and get results. Three Areas of Relationships If you are going to get good at those Covenant Virtues, you need places to practice them. There are three areas of relationship that you can do that. The first place to practice those virtues is in your relationship with yourself. The second is in your personal relationships with your family and friends. The last place you can practice these is in your relationships at work and in the community. It is straightforward. Seek wisdom, practice love, and get results in your relationships with yourself, with family and friends, at work and in the community. You will develop the strong relationships that bring...