My Favourite Poem from Rudyard Kipling - ‘Brother Square-Toes’—Rewards and Fairies (A choice of Kipling's Verse )

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sine

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Thanks to my friend Ian Coote for sending this to me!

Book Review and Learnings - The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

 Shawn Achor's research, particularly from his book "The Happiness Advantage," provides insights into achieving happier minds at work.

Here are ten key points from his work:

1.    Positive Psychology and Success:

o   Achor's research suggests that being positive or having a happier mindset is not just a result of success; it precedes and contributes to success.

2.    The Happiness Advantage:

o   Achor proposes that happiness gives individuals a competitive edge. When the brain is positive, it performs significantly better than when it is neutral or negative.

3.    The 21-Day Challenge:

o   A simple daily exercise called the "3 Gratitude’s" involves writing down three things one is grateful for each day. This practice can shift focus from what is wrong to what is right.

4.    Positive Ripple Effect:

o   Achor's research shows that positivity has a ripple effect, not only improving individual performance but also positively influencing those around us.

5.    Social Connection:

o   Achor emphasizes the importance of social connections at work. Positive relationships with colleagues contribute significantly to happiness and job satisfaction.

6.    The Tetris Effect:

o   The Tetris Effect, as Achor describes it, is when the brain gets stuck in a pattern of scanning the world for the positive, like how people become absorbed in the game Tetris.

7.    Acts of Kindness:

o   Engaging in acts of kindness, even small ones, can create a positive feedback loop of generosity and happiness.

8.    Mindset and Stress:

o   A positive mindset can buffer against stress and improve an individual's ability to cope with challenges.

9.    The Power of Perspective:

o   Achor argues that the lens through which your brain views the world shapes your reality. Changing that lens to focus on the positive can lead to a more optimistic and fulfilling life.

10.                       Happiness as a Work Advantage:

o   Achor suggests that organizations can benefit by promoting a positive work culture, as happy employees are more productive, creative, and resilient in the face of challenges.