This is a slide deck from my Spring 2020 section of The Art of Self-Coaching at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Course materials are archived at https://www.edbatista.com/the-art-of-self-coaching-course.html

1. The art of
Photo by Marina del Castell [link]
self-coaching
Ed Batista
CLASS 5: HAPPINESS
Spring 2020

2. Class #
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3. Happiness
Photo by Marina del Castell [link]

4. Best practices

5. Best practices
Debriefs & questions:
Mute yourself to minimize background noise
Chat is back! Use it to “raise your hand”
Please tell me if I forget the slides 

6. Best practices
Zoom logistics:
Use “Side-by-Side Mode”
More suggestions? Email me

7. Work in progress
Photo by Per Gosche [link]

8. Feedback helps
Photo by Per Gosche [link]

9. Photo by Aaron Matthews [link]
Feedback
Overall experience and Zoom logistics
Time with partners & classmates*
Relevance of readings*

10. Photo by Mikel Ortega [link]
Feedback
*More consistent groups
*Too much reading
More tactics & tips
Limited 1:1s

11. Feedback
Lectures redundant?
Or useful recaps?
More time for Q&A?
Or in breakouts?
Photo by Matt Baume [link]

12. Photo by Theresa Thompson [link]
Happiness 15 mins
Group discussion 25 mins
Strengths & meaning 15 mins
A conversation 30 mins
For next time… 5 mins
Agenda

13. Warm-up

14. Warm-up

15. Warm-up
Now it’s your turn 
In breakouts with your group
30 seconds for each person’s joke

16. Positive
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psychology

17. Positive
Photo by Donna Tomlinson [link]
psychology
Eudaimonia
The highest human aim
Flourishing or fulfillment
Distinct from mere pleasure

18. Positive
Photo by Donna Tomlinson [link]
psychology
Eudaimonia
Happiness does not lie in amusement…
…but in virtuous activities.
~Nicomachean Ethics, Book X Ch 6

19. Eudaimonia?
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20. Flourishing?
Photo by Marina del Castell [link]

21. Happiness
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22. Happiness
This research is easily misunderstood
The data is robust but continues to evolve
Our goal: Understand it enough to experiment

23. Happiness
It matters
But correlation ≠ causation
And more isn’t always better

24. Happiness
Photo by Morgan [link]

25. Happiness
Can it be pursued?
Or must it ensue?

26. Happiness
Viktor Frankl
Happiness must happen
Martin Seligman et al
Happiness = Genetic Set Point
+ Life Circumstances
+ Intentional Activities

27. Genetic
Set Point
(50%)
Intentional
Activities
(40%)
(10%)
Life Circumstances
Happiness

28. Beware!
(50%)
(40%)
(10%)

29. Facts & myths

30. Facts & myths
Fact: Variance among individuals in the sample
Myth: Sources of each individual’s happiness

31. Facts & myths
Fact: Our genes influence our happiness
Myth: Your genes = 50% of your happiness

32. Facts & myths
Fact: Circumstances matter less than we think
Myth: Circumstances = 10% of your happiness

33. Facts & myths
Fact: Hedonic adaptation diminishes impact
Myth: Circumstances don’t matter

34. Facts & myths
Fact: Money ≠ Happiness
Myth: It’s irrelevant

35. Facts & myths
Myth: Intentional activities = 40% of happiness
Fact: They can have a significant impact
Why does this matter?

36. Change
Photo by Naotake Murayama [link]

37. Change
Goals  Activities
Start small
Cultivate routines
Celebrate little wins

38. Happiness
Photo by Marina del Castell [link]
strategies

39. Happiness
strategies
Sonja Lyubomirsky, UC Riverside
What activities have a demonstrable impact?

40. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

41. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

42. Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Claremont
(Cheek-sent-me-high)

43. Skill
BOREDOM
ANXIETY
Challenge

44. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

45. Taking care
Meditation
Exercise & rest
Smiling & laughing
Grouped for convenience?
Treat them as distinct strategies?
of your body

46. Happiness
strategies
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

47. Happiness
No optimal mix
Highly personalized
strategies

48. Happiness
Contingent on…
Naturalness
Enjoyment
Values
Absence of guilt or pressure
strategies

49. A discussion
Class Prep, Part 2
What would you like to try?
What experiments might you run?
How will you hold yourself accountable?

50. A discussion
Gratitude Savoring
Optimism Commitment
Overthinking Coping
Kindness Forgiveness
Relationships Spirituality
Engagement (Flow) Your Body

51. Thank your group
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52. Debrief
What are you learning?
What are you going to try?
How will you hold yourself accountable?

53. Meaning
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& purpose

54. Meaning
The pleasant life is the successful pursuit of the
positive feelings, supplemented by the skills of
amplifying these emotions.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

55. Meaning
The good life is a life wrapped up in successfully
using your signature strengths to obtain abundant
and authentic gratification.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

56. Meaning
The meaningful life has one additional feature:
Using your signature strengths in the service of
something larger than yourself.
~Martin Seligman
& purpose

57. Meaning
Why does this matter?
Meaning > pleasure
But bear in mind…
& purpose

58. Eudaimonia
Photo by Donna Tomlinson [link]
Happiness does not lie in amusement…
…but in virtuous activities.
~Nicomachean Ethics, Book X Ch 6

59. Character
Photo by Jamie Jamieson [link]
strengths

60. Character
Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson, et al
How do we achieve eudaimonia?
strengths

61. Character
Values in Action (VIA) Institute
Studied cultures, philosophies, religions
Identified universal* paths  Eudaimonia
strengths

62. Character
“Manual of the Sanities”
DSM for positive psychology
Classification scheme: 6 virtues  24 strengths
strengths

63. 6 universal*
virtues
Wisdom
Courage
Humanity
Justice
Temperance
Transcendence

64. Wisdom
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Cognitive
Acquisition & use of knowledge

65. Wisdom
Photo by Eric Mueller [link]
Creativity
Curiosity
Judgment
Love of learning
Perspective

66. Courage
Photo by Andrew Magill [link]
Emotional
Accomplish goals in the face of resistance

67. Courage
Photo by Andrew Magill [link]
Bravery
Honesty
Persistence
Zest

68. Humanity
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Interpersonal
Tending & befriending others

69. Humanity
Photo by Joe Shlabotnik [link]
Kindness
Love
Social intelligence

70. Justice
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Civic
Healthy community life

71. Justice
Photo by Jack [link]
Fairness
Leadership
Teamwork

72. Temperance
Photo courtesy of Willpowered [link]
Intra-personal
Auspicious self-restraint

73. Temperance
Photo courtesy of Willpowered [link]
Forgiveness
Humility
Prudence
Self-regulation

74. Transcendence
Photo by Moyan Brenn [link]
Connection to something beyond ourselves

75. Transcendence
Photo by Moyan Brenn [link]
Appreciation of beauty & excellence
Gratitude
Hope
Humor
Spirituality

76. 6 universal*
*Valued in almost all cultures & traditions
Too abstract to test reliably
(Because social scientists)
virtues

77. 24 strengths
Items in your VIA report
Distinct path to a virtue or
Process that defines a virtue or
Means by which a virtue is enacted

78. 24 strengths
Not talents (innate abilities)
Or skills (abilities we develop)
Or aptitude, proficiency or potential

79. 24 strengths
Ownership, celebration & frequency of use
Likely sources of meaning & purpose

80. Remember…
Photo by Sue Clark [link]

81. Remember…
A map is not the territory it represents.
~Alford Korzybski

82. Signature
strengths

83. Signature
Characterized by…
Sense of ownership & authenticity
Interest in continuous learning
Feeling of excitement
Desire to use it
Invigoration
strengths

84. A conversation
Class Prep, Part 3
Which items are your signature strengths?
How are they pathways to meaning & purpose?
Reflect

85. A conversation
As always, two options:
A coaches B, then B coaches A
or
A coaches B now, & B coaches A outside of class

86. Thank your
partner
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87. Debrief
What am I taking away from today?
What am I motivated to do?
What questions remain?

88. To sum up
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Happiness matters
So do intentional activities
Intrinsic motivation is essential
Meaning & purpose matter even more
Signature strengths may be paths to eudaimonia

89. For next time…
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90. Resilience &
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Vulnerability
Photo by Philip Leara [link]

91. Resilience
Photo by Adam Kubalica [link]

92. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Three exercises…

93. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Two exercises…

94. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Resilience
Quotient

95. Resilience
56 questions
Same as in Reivich & Shatté
Go with your gut & don’t deliberate
Quotient

96. Resilience
Do it before the Reivich & Shatté reading
Complete the assessment (10 mins)
Then score it (10 mins)
Quotient

97. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Resilience
Worksheet

98. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
Resilience
Stories

99. Resilience
Complete after the Reivich & Shatté reading
Prep for a small-group discussion
Brief notes & focused reflection
Worksheet

100. Resilience
Complete after the Reivich & Shatté reading
Prep for an exercise in small groups of 6
Use the sheet to identify several stories
You’ll choose which one to tell
4 minutes to tell it
Stories

101. Photo by dotmatchbox [link]
And a story…

102. And a story…
Experiences that involve feelings of vulnerability
Embarrassment, remorse, guilt, shame
Use the sheet to identify 5 stories
You’ll choose which one to tell
4 minutes to tell it

103. Other items…
Video & slides posted on my site
Weekly assignment due Tuesday 9pm