Shawn Achor
Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained researcher, bestselling author of 'The Happiness Advantage,' and expert on the connection between happiness and success.
Background & Expertise
Shawn Achor has revolutionized our understanding of happiness and human potential through his pioneering research demonstrating that happiness precedes success rather than resulting from it. As a Harvard-trained researcher who taught one of the university’s most popular courses, Achor has spent more than a decade studying the relationship between happiness and performance across settings ranging from education to corporate environments to combat zones.
Achor’s expertise in positive psychology and mental performance is grounded in rigorous academic research subsequently applied in real-world environments with measurable results. His work with organizations including NASA, the NFL, the Pentagon, and over a third of the Fortune 100 has demonstrated that specific happiness practices can create measurable improvements in productivity, sales, resilience, and healthcare outcomes. This combination of scientific credibility and practical application gives him unique authority when addressing the neurological and psychological dimensions of optimal performance.
Signature Concepts & Methodologies
The Happiness Advantage
Achor’s research-based framework showing how positive mindset creates measurable performance improvement through specific neurological and behavioral mechanisms.
The 21-Day Positive Brain Training
His systematic approach to rewiring neural pathways through daily practices that elevate optimism and performance potential.
Social Investment Strategy
Achor’s methodology for building social support networks that buffer against stress and accelerate achievement during challenging periods.
The Tetris Effect Reversal
His cognitive retraining process for overcoming negativity bias and developing pattern recognition for positive opportunities.
The Zorro Circle Technique
Achor’s approach to building self-efficacy and managing overwhelming challenges through strategic focus on small, controllable areas.
Books & Thought Leadership
- The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work - His groundbreaking book translating positive psychology research into practical business applications.
- Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises Our Achievement, Happiness, and Well-Being
- Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change
- TED Talk “The Happy Secret to Better Work” has been viewed over 25 million times.
- Co-founder and CEO of GoodThink Inc., conducting happiness research and developing positive psychology interventions.
- Creator of “Broadcasting Happiness,” positive communication strategies for leadership effectiveness.
Speaking Style & Audience Experience
Achor delivers presentations with infectious enthusiasm, scientific credibility, and disarming humor that immediately engages audiences regardless of their initial mindset. His speaking style combines rigorous research findings with accessible examples and entertaining anecdotes, creating sessions that feel simultaneously substantial and uplifting. He excels at making complex neurological and psychological concepts understandable through memorable metaphors and interactive demonstrations.
What distinguishes Achor’s keynotes is his ability to blend entertainment with evidence—using humor and storytelling to deliver serious scientific content in ways that resonate beyond traditional academic presentations. He creates powerful moments through unexpected research findings that challenge conventional wisdom about performance and success. Attendees consistently report implementing his happiness practices following his presentations, with organizations frequently developing ongoing positive psychology initiatives based on his frameworks.
Ideal Audiences & Event Types
- Corporate leadership teams seeking performance optimization
- Sales organizations and customer-facing teams
- Healthcare providers and wellness organizations
- Educational institutions and teaching professionals
- Human resources and organizational development conferences
- Companies navigating change or challenging circumstances
Recent Focus Areas
- Building mental wellness and resilience for hybrid and remote workforces
- Developing positive leadership approaches during uncertainty
- Creating high-performance teams through social connection
- Implementing happiness practices for healthcare worker wellbeing
- Advancing research on collective optimism and organizational success
