I’m reading yet another book in the growing field of positive psychology. This one is Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons.

Dr. Emmons is Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology. He is also author of The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns (Guilford Press) and The Psychology of Gratitude (Oxford University Press). Thanks! is his newest and most accessible book. 

One of the most revealing insights early in this new book is that happy people achieve goals faster than unhappy people.

In other words, most people use un-happiness in any of its forms (anger, frustration, desperation, impatience, dissatisfaction, etc) to motivate themselves to achieve a new result.

But new research, reported by Emmons, proves that happy people — people already grateful for who they are, where they are and what they have — tend to more easily and quickly achieve the goals they say they want.

Emmons writes “…happiness makes good things happen. It actually promotes positive outcomes.”

This is remarkable news. I’ve been saying it for years, though, and wrote about it in my book The Attractor Factor: happy people tend to attract positive results faster than unhappy people.

And the really great news is that you don’t need anything to be happy.

Happiness is available to you right now.

I write about this in my forthcoming book, The Key. One of the best ways to experience happiness is to find something to be grateful for right now.

As you do, you shift your perception, which shifts your feelings, which causes you to attract and act in new directions.

Most people bicker, complain and blame.

You can imagine what they feel like, or what they accomplish.

But if you stopped and wrote down five things you were grateful for right now, you would transform your perception and begin to act and attract more of what you really want — and even faster.

I’m enjoying reading Thanks!

In fact, I’m very grateful for it. 🙂

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS – This month marks the one year anniversary of my Miracles Coaching program. It has been a phenomenal success. The last group of participants are finishing up their program and we have an opening for you. Get all the details at http://miraclescoaching.com I’m very thankful for it, too. 🙂

11 Comments

  1. September 19, 2007 at 9:34 pm

    You took the words right out of my mouth Joe! I’ve said this for years…happiness is a decision we make moment by moment, day by day. Thanks for sharing! Personally, I’m grateful for so many things, including you; sure you’ve already figured that much out!

  2. September 20, 2007 at 3:36 am

    Happiness is a state of mind and is connected to our emotional vibrance.. Know that our emotions will send out loving thought when you are in a state of Happiness.. It’s amazing stuff to know… Did you all knew that our thought are measurable? And when Measured loving thought seem to have the same frequency as the Golden Phi Spiral, which is found EVERYWHERE throughout this beautiful Universe! In fact it means that Loving Happy thoughts Are Creative Thoughts… Isn’t that Amazing to know? You can download a FREE ebook on these matters, which you all absolutely will love to read, it’s only 279 pages ;-), if you love reading.. here you go; http://www.soulsofdistortion.com

    Every other book, the LOA or what knowledge you have will be even more understandable when you have read Souls of Distortion!

    With Love, Light & a Lot of Laughter
    from the Netherlands

    Hilde M.Makkinje
    MissM@c LifeStylezz BV

  3. September 20, 2007 at 6:01 am

    Well put, Joe. Happiness is definitely sometihng we can make ourselves be, just by being gratefulf or what we already have.

    One thing I love to do is look at how the light shines through the trees on my way to work (absolutely gorgeous) and be thankful for my vision and the fact that I get to see it everyday. It’s really only woods and nobody else notices it, but it’s amazing how beautiful things are when you TRY to see the beauty in it.

    Jeremy
    http://www.fitness-made-fun.com

  4. Alan-Reply
    September 23, 2007 at 6:45 am

    By coincidence, or was it, I was reading the Gratitude chapter of Wallace Wattles’ book “The Science of Growing Rich” and then upon checking my e-mail got the link to Joe’s blog and happened upon this article. Perhap’s Wattles sums it up most effectively when he states, “it is gratitude that keeps you connected with power.” (I.e.: the Universe, God, “the formless substance”, etc.)

    Keep it coming Joe. I’m looking forward to your next book.

    Alan

  5. September 23, 2007 at 7:20 pm

    Joe,

    You are AMAZING! A true inspiration. Let me translate your books to spanish! Blessings and continued success!

    Love,

    Aymee Rodriguez

  6. September 25, 2007 at 8:36 am

    One word – passion!

    When you are happy, you have passion. Passion gives you the drive, energy and commitment to succeed.

    Andrew

  7. Susan-Reply
    September 26, 2007 at 11:08 am

    Hi Joe!!! wondered if you have read Eldon Taylors new book, Choice and Illusions, thought of you while reading this book!!! From one avid reader to another, this book is fascinating. Looking forward to your response!

  8. September 26, 2007 at 4:30 pm

    Hi Susan. I promoted the book when it first came out. Good stuff.
    Blessings,
    joe

  9. September 27, 2007 at 8:45 am

    Dear Joe,

    The way you said was so simple and yet very insightful. But one thing I might add a bit is that you have to be grateful for the present but at the same time forget any difficulty you have encountered in the past. Some people, including me (years ago) often said “I should have …” done this and that so things would be better… But over the years, I have learned to let go of the past and just be happy in the present and look forward to the furture. Once your mind is set like that, things just appear to happen smoothers and more opportunities just present itself…

    Just a little thought…

    http://www.nature-healthy-tea.com

  10. Susan-Reply
    September 28, 2007 at 5:33 pm

    Joe, I found a very interesting website associated with Eldon Taylors book that you promoted. It is an INTENTION experiment. Website is http://www.intentionexperiment.com. Scientifically based experiments on the power of intention, that people can particiate in. They run several different types of experiments. You have been the person that has taught me the most about the power of intention, just thought I would share. 😀 Blessings to you always, for the wonderful spiritual leader you are. I am forever thankful… Susan

  11. Miguel-Reply
    August 1, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    Dr Joe Vitale,

    I have found about a technique named Cybernetic Transposition you wrote with Stuart Lichman. Why that method recommend to state goals in future tense not in present? I´m a little confused. Regards,

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