Image: Happy Happy Norouz 87 courtesy of Hamed Masoumi
Have you ever considered the possibility that a book written to help organisations improve morale and deliver better results might just have the secret to a happy life? Probably not. Yet that is exactly what you will find in Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
Rob Walker’s article “The Radical Happy: Fish! Explained” explores how this book came to life. According to Walker, “In 1997, John Christensen, CEO of ChartHouse Learning, which makes educational videos, took a business trip to Seattle and found himself wandering around the Pike Place market. Fishmongering is tough work, done in 12-hour shifts and marked by stench, scales, blood, and exposure to the elements. To Christensen’s surprise, however, the workers at Pike Place Fish did not appear beaten down by their environment. In fact, they were positively giddy. In their fish-tossing antics, their theatrical clowning, their energy, and their fun, Christensen saw something magic. It was not a paradigm, but a paragon: the way work ought to be.”
So what was the secret of the success story at the Pike Place Fish markets? It all came to 4 very simple principle:
- Choose your attitude
- Make someone’s day
- Have fun
- Be Present
Over the coming weeks, we will be writing in detail about what these principles are about; the impact they can have in your own level of happiness; and how you can incorporate them into your life as part of your daily habits.
If you decide you’re too impatient to wait, you might consider shelling out the US$14 that the book costs, and reading it in one sitting. The book is short and very easy to read, and is guaranteed to give you plenty of ideas on how increase your level of happiness and wisdom. Whether you decide to buy it now or wait to the end of this series, we hope to see you here next week for the next installment in the series.
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