Happiness. Is it really a mystery? Or is it more achievable than people believe? Ask bestselling author Shawn Achor, and he’d say that research shows that change is radically possible. But for change to occur, we need to find a fit between the tools and the person.
But everyone is different—and the tools we need most are different too. For some, healthy habits are the key to contentment, but for others, community could be the answer. So, what would help you finally feel fulfilled? To find the answer and begin on your journey toward sustainable happiness, click “Start Quiz” now.
Questions Overview
- A bad event that sent me spiraling (ex: I snapped at my brother—I constantly lose my cool).
- A bad event, but one that I don’t have a strong emotional reaction to (ex: I was assigned a project that I’m not excited about).
- A neutral or positive event (ex: I tried a new cafe with delicious coffee).
- A positive event that brightened my whole day (I called my mom. Connecting with my family feels so good!).
- Yes.
- I'm not sure. I might be in the middle.
- I’m probably slightly less positive than the average person.
- No, definitely not. Look around—how could I be?
- Without a doubt. I have tons of close relationships where I feel completely accepted and supported.
- I have a few great relationships like this—maybe 2-5.
- I can think of one relationship that fits this description.
- I don’t think I have any relationships where I’d feel comfortable talking through my biggest problems.
- Definitely. When I’ve failed in the past, I’ve found it basically impossible to stop dwelling and start mobilizing.
- Possibly.
- Neutral; I'm not sure.
- No. At this point, I’m not afraid of failure. I know that challenges are an opportunity to grow, learn, and come out stronger.
- Definitely not. I usually get too stressed to think clearly. I sometimes make decisions I regret as a result.
- I'm not horrible, but I'm probably a little below average.
- I'm not sure. I'm probably about average.
- Yes! I find that my mind gets sharper in high-pressure situations, and I’m able to make strong, thoughtful decisions as a result.
- No. I want to try new things—start exercising, daily meditation—but I’m never able to stick to plans consistently.
- I struggle with my willpower, but so does everyone. I’m able to keep some healthy habits consistently, but others I’m less successful with.
- I have healthy habits, but it doesn’t feel like a matter of willpower. Once a behavior is in my routine, it’s easy for me to keep doing it.
- I’m not sure.
- Yes. I don’t feel like I should bring my issues to friends and family because they might think less of me.
- I try not to isolate myself because I know my loved ones want to help. But admittedly, it’s hard for me to truly open up sometimes.
- No. I trust the people close to me and usually find it easy to open up to them. That’s what friends are for, after all!
- I’m not sure.
- A sign that there’s something seriously wrong with myself or my life.
- Scary, because it can cause chaos and disrupt my routines.
- Normal. Everyone fails sometimes—it’s how you respond to failure that matters.
- I’m not sure; none of these answers fit me.
- Yes, absolutely. I sometimes feel like my problems are so big, and I’m totally powerless to handle them.
- I struggle with those feelings at times, but I’m usually able to move past them.
- For the most part, I’m able to remember that my life isn’t happening to me, and at the end of the day, I control my destiny.
- I’m not sure.
- Yes. I know I feel happier when I eat well, drink water, exercise, and get good sleep (so that’s what I do!).
- I could probably stick to habits that support my happiness better than I do. But it’s not a huge issue for me.
- No. If I could manage to improve my physical health or avoid activities that leave me feeling bad (like doom scrolling), I’d be much happier.
- I’m not sure.
More Quizzes
You might find that when you have an issue at work, it dominates your emotions throughout the day, causing a loop of stress and worry. Or maybe, as you lay in bed at night, you fall asleep to thoughts of your evergrowing to-do list. It\u2019s easy to believe that this is the only way to live. You might subconsciously think of yourself as a passenger in your own mind, experiencing your inner monologue with no real control. But in reality, you call more of the shots than you think.
By actively focusing on gratitude, optimism, and joy, you can create a world that feels like it\u2019s overflowing with positive experiences and emotions. And according to your quiz results, it seems like this might be the most effective first step for you to take on your happiness journey. This principle is inspired by psychologist Shawn Achor\u2019s book, The Happiness Advantage<\/i>.
To discover more about how you can fine-tune your own happiness, check out Shawn\u2019s book, Big Potential<\/i><\/a><\/b>. And to start creating a positive Tetris effect today, try out these strategies below:
Use the power of AI to personalize and apply Shawn's concepts to your own life in our Happiness Hub<\/a><\/b>.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Optimistic"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Reduce-Stress"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be More Optimistic","id":15230,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Optimistic","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Be-Optimistic-Step-27.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Optimistic-Step-27.jpg","alt":"How to Be More Optimistic"},{"title":"How to Reduce Stress","id":327385,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Reduce-Stress","image":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/68\/Reduce-Stress-Step-24.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Reduce-Stress-Step-24.jpg","alt":"How to Reduce Stress"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You should focus on falling upward.","meaning":"Failure happens to everyone; it\u2019s an unavoidable human experience. Still, people spend so much time, energy, and concentration attempting to completely avoid failure forever. Even when studies show that failure can be a huge opportunity for growth, learning, and expansion. Some of your biggest steps forward will follow your greatest failures in life\u2014but only if you\u2019re able to view failure as a chance to get stronger, not a reason to give up.
According to your quiz results, it seems like learning to fall upward would be the best first step for you to take on your journey to happiness. Maybe you don\u2019t feel that you have a lot of experience with failure, which results in fear or anxiety at the thought of it. Or maybe, you grew up in a household where failure wasn\u2019t framed as an opportunity to grow\u2014it might\u2019ve even felt totally unacceptable. Whatever your situation may be, learning to \u201cfall up\u201d could be a game changer when it comes to achieving sustainable happiness. This principle is inspired by psychologist Shawn Achor\u2019s book, The Happiness Advantage<\/i>.
To discover more about how you can fine-tune your own happiness, check out Shawn\u2019s book, Big Potential<\/i><\/a><\/b>. And to start falling upward today, try out these strategies below:
Use the power of AI to personalize and apply Shawn's concepts to your own life in our Happiness Hub<\/a><\/b>.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Why-Do-I-Feel-Like-a-Failure"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them"}],"link_data":[{"title":"9 Reasons You May Feel Like a Failure (& What You Can Do About It)","id":14014942,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Why-Do-I-Feel-Like-a-Failure","image":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/33\/Why-Do-I-Feel-Like-a-Failure-Step-22.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Why-Do-I-Feel-Like-a-Failure-Step-22.jpg","alt":"9 Reasons You May Feel Like a Failure (& What You Can Do About It)"},{"title":"How to Learn from Your Mistakes and Grow from the Experience","id":174687,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them","image":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9f\/Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-12-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-12-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Learn from Your Mistakes and Grow from the Experience"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You should focus on creating a Zorro Circle.","meaning":"The world can feel so random and chaotic at times. It\u2019s hard not to internalize a sense of powerlessness and misdirection. But study after study suggests that the people who manage to maintain a sense of agency and hope are the happiest of us all. When the going gets tough, we benefit from finding behaviors and outputs that we can control, even if they\u2019re small, and building momentum from there. So while you may know that you can\u2019t control everything, you can control some things; and if you\u2019re able to focus on that belief, you\u2019ll be happier in the long run.
Psychologist Shawn Achor calls the safe space that we should learn to create within our chaotic lives a Zorro Circle. And according to your quiz results, this might be the best place for you to focus your energy as you embark on your journey to happiness. If you can learn to pause, think carefully, and move with confidence\u2014even in times of stress\u2014you\u2019ll feel more in control of your own fate. And as a result, you\u2019ll be more successful (and content) over time. This principle is inspired by Achor\u2019s book, The Happiness Advantage<\/i>.
To discover more about how you can fine-tune your own happiness, check out Shawn\u2019s book, Big Potential<\/i><\/a><\/b>. And to start creating Zorro Circles today, try out these strategies below:
Use the power of AI to personalize and apply Shawn's concepts to your own life in our Happiness Hub<\/a><\/b>.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-Yourself-Calm-During-Tough-Times"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Decisions"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Keep Yourself Calm During Tough Times","id":46013,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-Yourself-Calm-During-Tough-Times","image":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/91\/Keep-Yourself-Calm-During-Tough-Times-Step-25.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Keep-Yourself-Calm-During-Tough-Times-Step-25.jpg","alt":"How to Keep Yourself Calm During Tough Times"},{"title":"Decision Making 101: A Simple Guide","id":59701,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Decisions","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Make-Decisions-Step-8-Version-4.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-Decisions-Step-8-Version-4.jpg.png","alt":"Decision Making 101: A Simple Guide"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You should focus on the 20-second rule.","meaning":"You\u2019ve seen the headlines and read all the studies. It\u2019s not lost on you that habits like meditating, eating well, and journaling can boost your happiness over time. But even with that knowledge, it feels like you\u2019re never able to maintain the habits that you want to incorporate into your life. This is a really challenging (and totally understandable) problem that tons of people struggle with. But what if we told you that it wasn\u2019t an issue of willpower\u2014but rather, strategy?
The 20-second rule is based upon activation energy. If you make a task 20 seconds harder or 20 seconds easier you can easily break a habit or make a new habit easier. The brain follows the path of least resistance, so by changing the energy investment by 20 seconds, change is radically possible.
By simply choosing not to opt for the path of least resistance, you\u2019ve taken back control. And if you adopt this strategy in the long term, you\u2019ll see yourself sticking to plans more closely and resisting choices you\u2019ll regret more easily. And what\u2019s more, you\u2019ll probably realize that it was never about self-control, but rather, finding a way to make little decisions a conscious choice\u2014instead of an instinct. This principle is inspired by psychologist Shawn Achor\u2019s book, The Happiness Advantage<\/i>.
To discover more about how you can fine-tune your own happiness, check out Shawn\u2019s book, Big Potential<\/i><\/a><\/b>. And to start applying the 20-second rule today, look for ways to lower the activation energy required for good habits and ways to raise it for bad habits:
Use the power of AI to personalize and apply Shawn's concepts to your own life in our Happiness Hub<\/a><\/b>.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Break-a-Habit"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Learn-Good-Habits"}],"link_data":[{"title":"Breaking a Bad Habit in 10 Proven Steps","id":18867,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Break-a-Habit","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Break-a-Habit-Step-12-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Break-a-Habit-Step-12-Version-3.jpg","alt":"Breaking a Bad Habit in 10 Proven Steps"},{"title":"How to Learn Good Habits","id":3529364,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Learn-Good-Habits","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/87\/Learn-Good-Habits-Step-14.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Learn-Good-Habits-Step-14.jpg","alt":"How to Learn Good Habits"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You should focus on creating social support.","meaning":"Is it really lonely at the top? According to studies, no. It\u2019s easy to believe that in order to find success, fulfillment, and the happiness that follows, you need to focus completely on your dreams, not on cultivating strong relationships. But according to science, all work and no play is actually associated with worse performance over time\u2014and worse moods, too. Instead, it\u2019s connection, friendship, and community that boost us up in the long run. And according to your quiz results, shifting focus towards relationships might be the best first step for you on your journey to happiness.
Even the smallest positive interactions can have an immediate influence on your energy, openness, and creativity. And what\u2019s more, close connections can add meaning, warmth, and happiness into your life on a daily basis. This practice is encouraged in psychologist Shawn Achor\u2019s book, The Happiness Advantage<\/i>.
To discover more about how you can fine-tune your own happiness, check out Shawn\u2019s book, Big Potential<\/i><\/a><\/b>. And to start creating more social support in your life, try out these strategies below:
Use the power of AI to personalize and apply Shawn's concepts to your own life in our Happiness Hub<\/a><\/b>.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Ask-for-Help"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Close-Friends"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Get the Help You Need: What to Say & When to Say It","id":587631,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Ask-for-Help","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fa\/Ask-for-Help-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Ask-for-Help-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Get the Help You Need: What to Say & When to Say It"},{"title":"How to Make Close Friends","id":626531,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Close-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Make-Close-Friends-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-Close-Friends-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Make Close Friends"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"Take this quiz again to get your result.","meaning":"It looks like you answered most of these questions with \"I don't know.\" To get a more personalized result, take the quiz again and choose new answers for a few questions!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Ask-for-Help"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Learn-Good-Habits"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Get the Help You Need: What to Say & When to Say It","id":587631,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Ask-for-Help","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fa\/Ask-for-Help-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Ask-for-Help-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Get the Help You Need: What to Say & When to Say It"},{"title":"How to Learn Good Habits","id":3529364,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Learn-Good-Habits","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/87\/Learn-Good-Habits-Step-14.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Learn-Good-Habits-Step-14.jpg","alt":"How to Learn Good Habits"}],"minimum":0}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>![\"Difficult](\"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c3\/Difficult_person_quiz.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Difficult_person_quiz.png\")
<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Difficult Person Quiz"},{"title":"Am I Manipulative Quiz","id":14111875,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Am-I-Manipulative-Quiz","image":"![\"Am](\"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Am_i_manipulative_quiz.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Am_i_manipulative_quiz.png.webp\"\/)
<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Manipulative Quiz"},{"title":"How Empathetic Am I Quiz","id":14397248,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Empathy-Test","image":"![\"Empathy](\"\/images\/thumb\/0\/09\/Empathy_test.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Empathy_test.png.webp\"\/)
<\/picture>","alt":"How Empathetic Am I Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"Tell me more about how I'm feeling.","result":"Awesome! Take a look at these quizzes to learn more:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Multidimensional Anger Test","id":14018106,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Multidimensional-Anger-Test","image":"![\"Multidimensional](\"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Multidimensional_anger_test.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Multidimensional_anger_test.png.webp\"\/)
<\/picture>","alt":"Multidimensional Anger Test"},{"title":"Social Anxiety Test","id":13350370,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Social-Anxiety-Test","image":"![\"Social](\"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Social-anxiety2.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Social-anxiety2.png.webp\"\/)
<\/picture>","alt":"Social Anxiety Test"},{"title":"Am I a Highly Sensitive Person Quiz","id":14047700,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Highly-Sensitive-Person-Test","image":"![\"Highly](\"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Highly_sensitive_person.png\/-crop-375-300-375px-Highly_sensitive_person.png.webp\"\/)
<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Highly Sensitive Person Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>
5 Life-Changing Happiness Habits From Shawn Achor
3 Gratitudes. Set aside time each day to write down and reflect on three things that you’re grateful for. Over time, this practice can retrain your brain to instinctively look for the good things around you. Gratitude will be second nature!
- Example:
"Today I had time to sit down and eat a delicious breakfast before work, the rain has finally stopped, and I'm feeling really healthy and free of sickness right now."
The Doubler. Take two minutes to describe (out loud or in writing) a happy experience you've had within the last day. By actively reflecting on and connecting with that experience, you'll double the meaning and satisfaction that the event brought to your life.
- Example:
"Yesterday, talking on the phone with Ben, I just felt like I was a kid again. I can't believe how good it felt to get to reminisce about those memories from childhood, even if it was just for a quick, 10-minute call..."
Fun Fifteen. Spend fifteen minutes a day doing cardiovascular exercise that isn't boring to you—choose something fun instead! Physical activity can be as beneficial to your mental health as taking an antidepressant would be. And by making the exercise fun, you're adding even more joy to your experience.
- Example:
Try gardening, dancing, biking, or walking your dog.
Meditation. Take just two minutes to meditate each and every day, and you'll find that you feel more peaceful, productive, and content over time.
- Example:
For free, guided meditations, try Insight Timer
.
Conscious Act of Kindness. Find a way to spread positivity, gratitude, and joy in just two quick minutes. Shawn suggests that you write an email or text to someone in your life to express your thankfulness. Choose a new person each day. When you give joy and kindness to others, it tends to come full circle eventually!
- Example: "Hi Andy! I wanted to write you a quick message to say how grateful I was for your help on Saturday. You made my day so much better, and I really appreciate it..."
Want to learn more?
For more information about the psychology of happiness and Shawn Achor's work, check out these sites below:
