At some point you might have said something like, “Oh man, I’d be happy if I could just pull in an extra $1,000 this month.”
Would that really make you happy? Yes and no. Yes, you would be happy to have achieved your goal. But that state of happiness would pass quickly. By the next day, or week, you’d be worrying about your income for the month ahead.
In other words, the successes you felt when you made the extra $1,000 might have brought you transitory happiness, but didn’t transform you into a happier person.
This is just as true with bigger successes. You might be deliriously happy about bringing in a huge new client. But a week later that state of happiness will likely be replaced with worries about getting all that work done, and how you are going to fit it into your schedule.
Success is not the cause of happiness. Making $1,000,000 a year is not a reliable indicator that you’ll be any happier than someone who makes $35,000 a year. There are plenty of unhappy millionaires out there.
But what IS true is that happy people tend to be more successful.
Happy, positive, upbeat and optimistic people are more productive at work, more creative, and more likely to achieve their goals.
For some of the science behind this, watch the video.
Shawn Achor has some great insights into the correlation between happiness and success. Better still, for a Monday morning, he is incredibly funny.
And what are the implications for you, as a freelancer? Well, in addition to the tips Shawn Achor shares, you should also spend less time trying to focus on “where the money is at”, and more time identifying the kind of work you are best at and enjoy the most.
Enjoy your work more, and you’ll feel happier. And the happier you feel, you more successful you will become.
About the author: Nick Usborne is an online writer, copywriter, author and coach. Read more…