Correlation or Causation? Happiness and Career Success

A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a good friend from college, and we got on the topic of happiness and Career Success. Between bites of sushi, we talked about our first jobs after graduation. I recounted how in those early months, I spent so much time at work that I sacrificed my personal life.

Other people were going out on Fridays and partying after work with their friends. But I was sitting at my desk eating a microwaved dinner. All the while, I wondered what it would take to be an expert in my profession.

It didn't take me long to feel miserable, and not just at work. The fact was, burning the candle at both ends was contributing to dissatisfaction in all areas of my life. I began to understand that happiness and Career Success go hand in hand and can’t exist without one another. By sacrificing my personal life, I was making myself unhappy all around.

When people think about their careers and happiness outside of work aligning, they usually envision something like this: "I want my job to be fulfilling so that I can then go home and enjoy life with my friends/family/partner." But what if those two things aren't related at all? What if being successful in one area doesn’t mean flourishing in another area?

In this article, we take a closer look at happiness and Career Success and why these two things correlate.

What Is Career Success?

At Uvaro, we define Career Success as experiencing financial health and work you enjoy, while feeling fulfilled in your peer community and life choices. It's about setting goals and achieving them, being happy with what you have accomplished, and making a difference.

None of this happens overnight. But that’s why it’s important to take the proper steps toward Career Success. It means laying the groundwork for a well-rounded life where you feel fulfilled in all areas.

When you do that, you can feel at peace in both your professional and personal lives —instead of looking to work to fill gaps in your personal life or vice versa.

We dive into this topic more in-depth in our Career Success Guide.

Happiness and Career Success: Which Comes First?

It's a common misconception that success in your career will lead to happiness. Many people believe their lives will be better once they've attained a certain level of accomplishment. But is this true?

As it turns out, the answer is no. Research shows there is no correlation between success and happiness. In fact, it's actually the other way around: Happiness leads to Career Success. In one 2021 study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers found that military personnel who maintained a positive state of mind received more professional promotions, awards, and recognition.

When you're happy, you're more productive and more motivated. You're also better able to focus on the task at hand and make good decisions, which can lead to promotions and raises. And when you're happier with what you do for a living, it's easier to find meaning in your work. This can help boost your performance even further.

If you want to be happier and enjoy the personal and professional perks that go along with a happy-go-lucky attitude, focus on the following areas.

Work you enjoy

Research shows that people who are happy and satisfied with their jobs tend to be more successful than those who aren't. When you love most parts of your job, you’ll be more productive, optimistic, and motivated to do a great job. Not to mention, you’ll make fewer mistakes and tend to make better business decisions. Loving your work can help you:

• Get along with your colleagues. When challenges arise, you’ll be more likely to problem-solve instead of complain or argue.
• Build strong relationships with clients and customers. People who are happy at work tend to be more open-minded and collaborative than those who dislike their jobs. This makes them better able to build strong relationships with clients and customers. These factors can lead to increased sales and greater visibility within the company.
• Be a better leader. Leadership is about people management. It includes getting people on board with an idea or vision and making it a reality. Happy employees have an easier time getting their colleagues on board because they tend to be more open-minded and collaborative.

So if you want to perform better at work, then it's important that you love most aspects of your career and life in general. When you’re passionate about something, you’ll put more energy into it and have a higher level of commitment toward its success.

Work-life balance

Having a good work-life balance means striking a balance between your personal and professional life. However, it's not necessarily tied to what you do for a living. I've had this misconception myself: I've been so caught up in finding my passion that I forgot to enjoy what I already had.

The fact is, if you want work-life balance, you need to enjoy yourself outside of work, too. It isn’t all about sleeping in late on the weekend; getting rest is a necessity, not a reward for hard work.

You also need to take care of yourself physically and mentally by making time for exercise, sleep, recreation, and social interaction. So how do you reward yourself in your free time?

As you think about your answer, consider the following questions:

• What activities do you enjoy for the sake of having fun?
• What is your favorite hobby?
• Do these activities and hobbies make you happy, or are they things that fill up the time in between work and sleep?
• Who are the people you most enjoy spending time with? How can you carve out focused quality time with them?

Filling your cup with activities that bring a smile to your face allows you to achieve a state of happiness that carries into your work performance. Instead of feeling burned out, you’ll feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle your day.

Fulfillment in your community

As you move forward in your career, it's important to remember that there are many different aspects of life that can impact your happiness and Career Success. This includes finding fulfillment in the community where you work, live, and play.

Community fulfillment can mean giving back to the community around you, whether it's through volunteering or charitable donations. It also includes engaging with other people in meaningful ways through social activities and relationships.

The connection between community fulfillment and happiness isn't anecdotal; there's evidence that doing good for others gives us more happiness than focusing on ourselves. Scientifically speaking, being kind to others benefits you in multiple ways. Kindness can:

• Boost empathy, self-esteem, and compassion. It may reduce blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol, all while releasing a cocktail of feel-good brain chemicals in the body. 
• Be contagious. If you’ve ever smiled at a stranger and they smiled back, you know what we’re talking about.
• Improve connections with others. Being kind enhances your relationships with others and lessens feelings of loneliness.

How can we help?

If you're looking for a job or a Career Change, it's important to be aware of the factors that contribute to your happiness and Career Success. If you find yourself unhappy at work, it might be time for a change — or it might be time to focus on building happiness outside the walls of your job.

On the other hand, if you love what you do but want more out of life than work, such as community involvement or personal growth opportunities, then there are ways to achieve that balance.

And remember, Career Success is about more than money. It also includes having a sense of purpose, achieving personal growth, and feeling fulfilled both in and out of work. You can improve your quality of life by being mindful of what you want out of it, and then taking action toward achieving those goals.

As you navigate the journey to happiness and Career Success, turn to Uvaro as a solution to any challenges that come along. Our Career Success Catalog is a great starting point for discovering Courses, Workshops, and other resources to assist you.