Why Happy People Do it Better | The Science of Happiness

We've all heard it - the more successful you are, the happier you are. But what if it was the opposite? What if being happier, actually made you more successful?

View 'the study' here:

Watch more Science of Happiness episodes!

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Created by: Mike Bernstein and Matt Pittman
Directed by: Mike Bernstein
Producer: Matt Pittman
Hosted by: Julian Huguet

Cinematographer: Yuki Noguchi
Production Designer: Flower Cole

Editor: Zach Anderson
Assistant Editor: Hector Padilla
1st AD: Basel Owies
Production Coordinator: William Cubbon
PA: Alex Montgomery

Participants: Alexandra Lemus, Mark Glasser, Kaya Klotezek, Chris Capizzi, Kytia L'Amur, Cristina Lopez, Mandell Frazier, JJ Levy

1st AC | B Cam Op: Chris Pritzlaff
2nd AC | DIT: Loie Russell-Templeton
Gaffer: Ben Cumming
Art Director: Libby Wampler
Art Assistant: Marcy Silver
Makeup: Taylor Tompkins
On Set Sound Mixer: Landon Orsillo
Post Sound Designer & Mixer: Matt Schwartz
VFX & Title Sequence: Cameron Clark
Colorist: Trevor Durtschi

MUSIC:

"Porky Pie" by DnRTracks
"Happy Cool Ukulele" by Studio Le Bus

"Youngblood" by RIMSKY
"Last Casino" by La Cigale
"Sounds Like Fun" by Olive Music

BTS MUSIC:

"Easy Does it" by Olive Music

We love to hear from you, SoulPancaker's! Leave us a comment, send us a message, and let us know what big questions YOU want answered.

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[Renyth]

This makes perfect sense, Literally been stuck on a uni project, got just over a week left. Basically restarted it over the last weekend cus I wasn't happy with it, literally pumped out an entire semesters worth of work in a day, what did I do different? Basically put on the Ricky Gervais show and listen to the insane ramblings of Karl Pilkington and just enjoying doing the work for once.

[xiHasMilkx]

This is 100% true, I do a LOT better on exams when I am less stressed and having a positive attitude going into the test, everything will just suddenly "click" for me and i breeze through it. Sometimes I even remember things in class i never took notes for, that's why i kinda stopped studying and stressing myself last minute and usually play games hours before an exam, get a cup of coffee, and ace that dam thing :)

[Suzanblog]

"If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands."...okay, you don't really have to do that but when you are happy, you gather happy people to you, you make others happy and life is better. Science even backs this...Be Happy!! ♥

[tweepy]

He's not a real scientist? But, but he wears a white lab coat!

[daniellelofgren]

To me, the definition of success is achieving happiness. So to me, success and happiness are one and the same. Keep doing these, SoulPancake! You're the reason I pass my psychology class!

[minieboisvert]

I love everything about this video series. Mostly the not-scientist gentleman... Yep, mostly him. And his awesome Chucks.

[rotteliket]

“Success is not the key to happiness; happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

[camdevtube]

Everyone can be happy. I'm a 20 year old who isn't in school and is working 38 hours a week in a broke down dishroom with lazy co-workers who make the job a lot harder than it already is. And I wake up and decide to be happy. Happiness is a choice, you can either get out of bed and complain about who you are and what you have, or be positive and work hard towards better things. You can't do something to bring you happiness if you're in a negative mood, so you're wrong, happiness DOES come first.

[WallflowerThoughts]

When your happy you think of good things happening, you are determined to succeed. when you aren't happy you see everything negatively and you expect things to fail. & whatever vibes you put out in the world usually happens. If you think positive thoughts positive things happen, if you think negative thoughts negative things happen.

[dolphinsatsunset]

294 people are unhappy and thus unsuccessful people.

[Givememorecouture]

So you're saying the a definition of happy is food.

[Participant]

Aw, this means so much to us. Thank you!

[illuminator]

Happiness can make you do things freely and become innovative but with all due respect, deep down inside "Fear" is the biggest drive to success.

[melissamarinisvigelj]

you are very right, but when your happy that is success

[mariah_]

When you know that you're worthy of love and belong at the end of a long hard day then someone else's opinion about your level of success doesn't matter.
Whether or not you got only 10 things done or knocked out your to do list, you'll know that what you got done that day is a bad measure of how happy you are allowed to be.

[senhorcassenda]

The real question should have been "Performance" and not "Success". Would have had better answers to "Do you think you perform better when you feel happier?" . Great content btw.

[rosalinetambe]

my definition of success is anything that results in happiness. I also believe that happy people are more successful by any standards.

[Emmyhorstkamp-storeytarris]

All for people being happy with what they do and in turn using that happiness to be creative.

[jenniferahlberg]

I'm thinking that it's a good idea to have a delicious high carb snack before problem solving.  The brain runs on sugar so it couldn't hurt..  ;)

[vmachacek]

Accept who you are so naturally you become happy and because you like who you are you are successful anyway.. Yaaaay