Have you ever seen a little child at play? Did they ever seem unhappy? No. When we play, we exercise our Genius Gene. Every person is born with a Genius Gene. The Genius Gene gives us the ability to create. It is a very powerful gene. Everyone is supposed to use their Genius Gene, every day and all the time. When we use it we are happy. When we let it atrophy, we are unhappy.
In fact, research suggests creative people are actually happier than everyone else. One of the common side effects of depression is a feeling of listlessness or a lack of desire to do anything at all. When we engage in any creative pursuit, depression evaporates. Depression, or a general feeling of unhappiness, is nature’s signal that we are letting our Genius Gene atrophy. There’s a substantial amount of research on the link between creativity and mental health issues such as depression. Studies suggest people tend to be more vulnerable to psychiatric issues, particularly bipolar disorder, when creativity is absent in their lives.
Research shows that creativity is associated with positive emotions and a lack of creativity is associated with negative emotions. Being positive or negative is a mindset, irrespective of your circumstances. Negative emotions such as fear, anger, sadness and want suppress the Genius Gene and lead to unhappiness. Positive emotions such as gratitude and love unleash it and lead to happiness. Positive emotions, creativity and happiness are joined at the hip. They make us feel alive and interested in the world around us. The ability to be fascinated and allow ourselves to explore and discover, makes us feel open and alive. It’s also what draws us to learn new skills, perspectives, and ideas—resources that we can draw on to solve life’s problems. This boosts our resilience and our satisfaction with life—both part of the equation for overall happiness. Happier people tend to be more productive because they tap into the Genius Gene. As a result they are the beneficiaries of those flashes of insights or brilliance that are associated with creative types.
From my five year study on daily habits, I found that there is a formula for accumulating wealth and being happy. Here it is:
Positive Thinking + Daily Self Improvement + Pursuit of a Dream, Main Purpose or Major Goal = Wealth and Happiness. The portion of the formula that activates the Genius Gene is the pursuit of a dream, main purpose or major goal.
About Thomas C. Corley
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