Positive Psychology

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Getting the right things done.

Steven Covey wrote in "First Things First"that

what is more important than how fast you're going is where you're headed
a meaningful life is a matter of what you do and why, not how fast you got there
there are no short-cuts in life

He describes the difference between the clock and the compass:

Clock: represents our committments, appointments,schedules, goals and activities. What we do with our time and how we manage our time
Compass: represents our vision, values principles, mission, conscience, direction. What we feel is important to how we lead our lives.

Positive Psychology given credence by Academia:

Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Commentators on the subject Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, note that:

"The field of positive psychology at the subjective level is about valued subjective experiences: well-being, contentment, and satisfaction (in the past); hope and optimism (for the future); and flow and happiness (in the present).

At the individual level, it is about positive individual traits: the capacity for love and vocation, courage, interpersonal skill, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, future mindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom.

At the group level, it is about the civic virtues and the institutions that move individuals toward better citizenship: responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation,tolerance, and work ethic."