I recently read something from Will Ahmed, CEO of Whoop, that I really liked:

“Success is being excited to go to work and being excited to come home.”

Normally, when we are successful, we are happy. I’m not talking about entertained (like we get from a video game or fun video online) or full (from a good meal or dessert).

I’m talking about the feeling you get when you know something  that went well is both right and good. That’s when I find I get really happy.

So, what does really mean? Aristotle may have said it best. From Darrin McMahon:

“Happiness… is an ‘activity of the soul that expresses virtue.’ For Aristotle, all things in the universe have a purpose, a function, an end. And that end, he says, is what gives expression to the highest nature and calling of the thing. In the famous example, the noble end of the acorn is to become a thriving oak, and in the same way the function of the harpist is to play the harp (and of the excellent harpist to play it well).”

When you feel happy, it’s fun, calming and wonderful… like getting under a warm, weighted blanket on a cold morning. It just feels right.

And, if you use one little action we talk a lot about at camp – being grateful for person/moment/thing which led to your happiness – you’ll deepen that connection, strengthen that memory, pump up that feeling of happiness.

The Happies Habit

How do you do that? Well… the 3 Happies at the end of the day is a great habit to develop. Here’s how it works:

Right before you go to bed, talk with someone you care about and ask them for the three things that made them happy that day. It could be anything – it was a beautiful day, the bus was on time, a friend made me laugh, I got all my work done without being rushed, etc.

Then, share your list with them. (You can trade off who asks first if you’d like.)

Finally, if you want a little ‘extra credit’, you can share one thing you are grateful for that the person in front of you did for you that day. You may not think it a big thing – it’s just one little thing, for goodness sakes. 

However, it’s a GREAT ‘little thing’ to think about and share. It makes the other person feel appreciated. And who doesn’t like to feel appreciated?! It could be that they emptied the dishwasher, cooked a nice meal, gave you a hug before you left for school. Lots of things would count!

Success

Going back to the quote that started this whole train of thought: I feel incredibly lucky that I’m excited to get to ‘work’ and excited to get home.

During the off-season, I get to travel to see new families interested in joining our community. I really enjoy meeting them and experiencing the excitement of a new adventure with them. I’m also excited to get home.

While at camp, I’m excited to see what each day will bring as I walk up to the Office to meet with the team early each morning. And, after a (very) full day of fun and community, I’m excited to get home and share my happies and appreciation with Kate… before I pass out for a short night of sleep.

This habit has helped us stay connected through all the craziness of raising three boys, building a community at Weequahic and everything in between. And, I’m convinced it’s helped us both enjoy the success of leading camp (and our lives) together. I hope it’ll help you, too. Have a great week!