This is a condensed slide deck from my Winter 2020 section of The Art of Self-Coaching at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Course materials are archived at https://www.edbatista.com/the-art-of-self-coaching-course.html

1. The art of
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self-coaching
Ed Batista
CLASS 5: HAPPINESS
Winter 2020

2. Positive
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psychology

3. Positive
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psychology
Eudaimonia
The highest human aim
Flourishing or fulfillment
Distinct from mere pleasure

4. Positive
Photo by Donna Tomlinson [link]
psychology
Eudaimonia
Happiness does not lie in amusement…
…but in virtuous activities.
~Nicomachean Ethics, Book X Ch 6

5. Eudaimonia?
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6. Flourishing?
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7. Happiness
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8. Happiness
This research is easily misunderstood
The data is robust but continues to evolve
Our goal: Understand it enough to experiment

9. Happiness
It matters
But correlation ≠ causation
And more isn’t always better

10. Happiness
Photo by Morgan [link]

11. Happiness
Can it be pursued?
Or must it ensue?

12. Happiness
Viktor Frankl
Happiness must happen
Martin Seligman et al
Happiness = Genetic Set Point
+ Life Circumstances
+ Intentional Activities

13. Genetic
Set Point
(50%)
Intentional
Activities
(40%)
(10%)
Life Circumstances
Happiness

14. Beware!
(50%)
(40%)
(10%)

15. Facts & myths

16. Facts & myths
Fact: Variance among individuals in the sample
Myth: Sources of each individual’s happiness

17. Facts & myths
Fact: Our genes influence our happiness
Myth: Your genes = 50% of your happiness

18. Facts & myths
Fact: Circumstances matter less than we think
Myth: Circumstances = 10% of your happiness

19. Facts & myths
Fact: Hedonic adaptation diminishes impact
Myth: Circumstances don’t matter

20. Facts & myths
Fact: Money ≠ Happiness
Myth: It’s irrelevant

21. Facts & myths
Myth: Intentional activities = 40% of happiness
Fact: They can have a significant impact
Why does this matter?

22. Change
Photo by Naotake Murayama [link]

23. Change
Goals  Activities
Start small
Cultivate routines
Celebrate little wins

24. Happiness
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strategies

25. Happiness
strategies
Sonja Lyubomirsky, UC Riverside
What activities have a demonstrable impact?

26. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

27. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

28. Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Claremont
(Cheek-sent-me-high)

29. Skill
BOREDOM
ANXIETY
Challenge

30. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

31. Taking care
Meditation
Exercise & rest
Smiling & laughing
Grouped for convenience?
Treat them as distinct strategies?
of your body

32. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

33. Happiness
No optimal mix
Highly personalized
strategies

34. Happiness
Contingent on…
Naturalness
Enjoyment
Values
Absence of guilt or pressure
strategies

35. Meaning
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& purpose

36. Meaning
The pleasant life is the successful pursuit of the
positive feelings, supplemented by the skills of
amplifying these emotions.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

37. Meaning
The good life is a life wrapped up in successfully
using your signature strengths to obtain abundant
and authentic gratification.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

38. Meaning
The meaningful life has one additional feature:
Using your signature strengths in the service of
something larger than yourself.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

39. Character
Photo by Jamie Jamieson [link]
strengths

40. Character
Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson, et al
How do we achieve eudaimonia?
How do we live the good life?
strengths

41. Character
Values in Action (VIA) Institute
Studied cultures, philosophies, religions
Identify universal* values  Eudaimonia
strengths

42. Character
“Manual of the Sanities”
DSM for positive psychology
Classification scheme: 6 virtues  24 strengths
strengths

43. 6 universal*
virtues
Wisdom
Courage
Humanity
Justice
Temperance
Transcendance

44. Wisdom
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Cognitive
Acquisition & use of knowledge

45. Wisdom
Photo by Eric Mueller [link]
Creativity
Curiosity
Judgment
Love of learning
Perspective

46. Courage
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Emotional
Accomplish goals in the face of resistance

47. Courage
Photo by Andrew Magill [link]
Bravery
Honesty
Persistence
Zest

48. Humanity
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Interpersonal
Tending & befriending others

49. Humanity
Photo by Joe Shlabotnik [link]
Kindness
Love
Social intelligence

50. Justice
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Civic
Healthy community life

51. Justice
Photo by Jack [link]
Fairness
Leadership
Teamwork

52. Temperance
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Intra-personal
Auspicious self-restraint

53. Temperance
Photo courtesy of Willpowered [link]
Forgiveness
Humility
Prudence
Self-regulation

54. Transcendence
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Connection to something beyond ourselves

55. Transcendence
Photo by Moyan Brenn [link]
Appreciation of beauty & excellence
Gratitude
Hope
Humor
Spirituality

56. 6 universal*
*Valued in almost all cultures & traditions
Too abstract to test reliably
(Because, social scientists)
virtues

57. 24 strengths
Items in your VIA report
Distinct path to a virtue or
Process that defines a virtue or
Means by which a virtue is enacted

58. 24 strengths
Not talents (innate abilities)
Or skills (abilities we develop)
Or aptitude, proficiency or potential

59. 24 strengths
Ownership, celebration & frequency of use
Likely sources of meaning & purpose

60. Remember…
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61. Remember…
A map is not the territory it represents.
~Alford Korzybski

62. Signature
strengths

63. Signature
Characterized by…
Sense of ownership & authenticity
Interest in continuous learning
Feeling of excitement
Desire to use it
Invigoration
strengths

64. Consider your
Which items evoke for you…
Sense of ownership & authenticity?
Interest in continuous learning?
Feeling of excitement?
Desire to use it?
Invigoration?
results

65. To sum up
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Happiness matters
So do intentional activities
Intrinsic motivation is essential
Signature strengths  Eudaimonia & meaning

66. For next time…
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67. Resilience &
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Vulnerability
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68. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Three exercises…

69. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Resilience
Quotient

70. Resilience
56 questions
Same as in Reivich & Shatté
Go with your gut & don’t deliberate
Quotient

71. Resilience
Do it before the Reivich & Shatté reading
Complete the assessment (10 mins)
Then score it (10 mins)
Quotient

72. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Resilience
Worksheet

73. Resilience
Complete after the Reivich & Shatté reading
Prep for a small-group discussion
Brief notes & focused reflection
Worksheet

74. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
And a story…

75. And a story…
Experiences that involve feelings of vulnerability
Embarrassment, remorse, guilt, shame
Use the sheet to identify 5 stories
You’ll choose which one to tell
4 minutes to tell it

76. Other items…
Sharpies & stretchies, please
Slides will be posted on my site
Weekly assignment due Tuesday 9pm
Today’s 1:1s in B206 (the usual location)