What is Positive Psychology? 

What is Positive Psychology?

The science of Positive Psychology, as defined by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Checkmilahy, is the study of positive emotions, positive character, and positive institutions. Often you will hear people call it a Science of Positive Psychology or Science of Happiness. It is simply a science that measures and is concerned about the life worth living that focuses on past (experiences), future (hope and optimism), and present (flow).

With traditional psychology, we focused on repairing damage, and with Positive Psychology, we focused on building on the positive qualities of people and organizations. While conventional psychology is concerned about helping people get from not so great into ok life, Positive Psychology takes them from a good life to an even better, happier life.

Imagine a scale from -10 to + 10. On that scale, traditional psychology would move people from - 10 toward zero, from not functioning so well to operating sufficiently in most aspects of their life. On the same scale, Positive Psychology drives people from zero to +10, from functioning to flourishing.

Positive Psychology was officially introduced in 1998 by Martin Seligman when he was the president of the American Psychological Association. Since we already know a lot about what makes people sad or depressed, the idea was to study what makes people happy. The vision was not to replace traditional psychology and what we learn about human suffering and disorders but rather to supplement it. It is essential to understand this fact.

But didn't people know already what makes them happy? Didn't our parents tell us to learn from the past, focus on the future and live in the present (premisses of Positive Psychology). Didn't our grandparents tell us to be grateful (one of the widely researched Positive Psychology interventions - actions performed to bring about change in people)? Didn't our teachers tell us that positive friendships and relationships (the number one predictor of happiness based on the research) we create will help us have a good, happy and meaningful life?

Some folks may say that many positive psychology interventions offer the same "tools" people applied for hundreds of years. Now, these same tools are being proven and validated. This is true because we want scientific proof for everything, even happiness.

Both my students and I get the benefits of the research in the field of Positive Psychology. For example, as a former globally certified trainer and business coach for Dale Carnegie Organization, I used to teach people to smile, as that is one of Dale Carnegie's principles. Honestly, I did not get too many people to practice that tool and continuously use it to their advantage. Today, since there is so much research behind a smile and the benefits it provides, most of my students now practice it. Now they are not just told it is good for you because so and so said so, but because the research shows smile will give you dopamine, the happiness chemicals, and make you feel good.

Although the generations before us deserve the credits for teaching us how to be happy, they are also responsible for some folks who don't know how to be happy, especially in the present. When we were growing up, many of us were told…You will be happy when… When you finish high school, when you get into that University you so badly want to go to, when you get that job of your dream, when you get promoted, when you buy your own house, you will be happy when…etc. But shouldn't we be happy now?

My dear friend, mentor, and excellent human being, Tal Ben Shahar, ran a first-class on positive psychology at Harvard University. He had 1,200 or so students attending his class. How much happier are these folks from Harvard University want to be? Should not they be the most satisfied and happy people in the world?

The Harvard students were asked a question "How many of you thought if you get that letter from Harvard letting you know you are accepted that you would be happy for a very long time." Most of the students raised their hands. Then they were asked, "How many of you are happy now? A few hands went up. I did a similar experiment at Princeton University, and you can watch it HERE.

Here is simple math. Imagine their entire life, every school they went to, they were in the top one percentile, and now, as soon as they walked into Harvard University, 99 percent of them are not in the top one percent. That must create such unhappiness: ).

Kidding aside, this tells a great story that regardless of where we are on the "success scale," most of us are still searching for a happier and more satisfying life. Positive Psychology and Positive Psychology Coaching can help us get there.

Braco Pobric is an Internationally Recognized Positive Psychology Expert, Executive Coach, and Corporate Trainer. He is the bestselling author of Habits and Happiness: How to Become Happier and Improve Your Wellbeing by Changing Your Habits. Braco is a founding member and Chief Happiness Officer of the Life Success Academy, Certified Positive Psychology Master Coach and Trainer, and former globally Certified Trainer and Business Coach for Dale Carnegie Training. His unique approach to integrated learning in Positive Psychology Coaching (PPMC) program let him train over 60,000 Students in 172 countries.