The Happiness Episode

Habits 2 Goals: The Habit Factor® Podcast with Martin Grunburg

This Habits 2 Goals episode is FREE for ALL subscribers.

“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.” ~ Buddha

The Happiness Episode

Key takeaways:

Internal and External Factors:

* Happiness originates from BOTH internal (choice/control) AND external factors (events/circumstances). (see behavior model below)

* Things we can control with intention and practice, better thoughts, choices, and habits. Genetics, relationships, circumstances and events are external influences.

* Choosing happiness is a crucial part of the equation, even when faced with external challenges.

Beyond Happiness… Contentment

* Contentment is a deeper level of happiness. Happiness is fleeting, like the surface of the lake; it can be stormy or calm. However, deep down at the very bottom of the lake, the waters are still and calm; this is contentment.

* Contentment is not about complacency; it’s about being confident and comfortable with who you are AND striving for personal growth, developing new skills and enjoying new experiences.

Internal Factors Influencing Happiness: See “The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System”

* Positive thinking and choosing the “right” stories to tell ourselves play a significant role.

* Having direction, purpose and meaning (something that you choose and evolves over time) tends to foster happiness.

* Maintaining healthy habits like exercise, reading, and good sleep also contribute.

External Factors:

* Quality, long-term relationships: According to Harvard's research, strong, quality relationships are the number one factor.

* Accomplishments, acts of kindness, and positive experiences also improve happiness.

“He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing” ~ Epicurus

Actions to develop the happiness habit.

* Upon waking, practice reading something positive and see if you can decide to be happy for the day.

* Begin tracking your habits by following The Habit Factor’s P.A.R.R. methodology. This process ensures you have direction (goals) and intention which helps to develop self-efficacy, which drives happiness.

* Desire is an essential factor for habit formation; knowledge and capability are not enough.

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” ~ Aristotle

Summary:

* Happiness is complex and achievable. It's not about perfect days or constant highs; it's about embracing both internal and external contributors and choosing to be content with who you are while still striving for improvement.

* You can and should do both.

Additional Notes:

* References "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale and "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.

* Download the free habits-to-goals tracking template to cultivate the habits that support your goals here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates.

Finally, happiness is a journey, not a destination. Take control of what you can, appreciate what you have, and keep moving forward!

Enjoy the show!

~mg

P.S.: From the world of statistics: All models are flawed, but some are useful.

With this in mind, we asked Google’s AI experiment Bard to “break” the “Three Circles of Behavior System” model (perhaps a future post).

The short story (no pun intended) is he/she/IT could not.

The best Bard offered: “What about people who aren’t aware of their unconscious stories/thinking?

It’s a good question and a nice attempt. However, an unconscious story is still a story (represented within the model), and that is the point of the latest book, EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY where the latest version of the model was revealed.

BTW: YOU are also invited to try and “break” the “Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” model.

If you think you can, please email or leave comments here.

*Note: ChatGPT’s does not know the model yet, officially published in October of 2022. GPT’s latest update is from January 2022.

***Get the inspiring, free and world’s first HABITS to GOALS tracking template here: → https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

“The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” / The Grunburg Behavior Model is a holistic, fluid, and dynamic behavior-change model. It’s the first behavior-change model to demonstrate how our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and even our environment vibrate (echo and reverberate) to influence each other.

Hence, the “Echo-System.” Other behavior models represent human behavior in a linear-flow type diagram.Background here.

If you’d like to understand human behavior at an even deeper level, learn more about the “Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” which is featured in the book, “EVERYTHING!”

I teach and coach organizations and individuals worldwide how to best utilize and leverage “The Three Circles of Behavior Echo-System” (below) and the P.A.R.R. [Plan, Act, Record & Reassess] scientifically-backed methodology for individual and organizational behavior design.

Check out the latest cohort offering; the waitlist is now open: The 28-Day Breakthrough!

*Recently Awarded: “Finalist: Self-help, Motivation”International Book Awards: EVERYTHING is a F*cking STORY.

Visit https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

To learn more about P.A.R.R., just Google “P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor.”

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New listeners, grab your free habits 2 goals tracking template here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates

FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh

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