Happiness or Business Success v.s Happiness and Business Success

Posted on January 14, 2021 by YJ Cheng, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

The correlation between Happiness and Business Success is a prevailing ideology. Many of us strive for Success in the hopes of achieving Happiness like the idea’s a natural connection.

A great ride on Business Success does give Happiness. Then again, Happiness could motivate and drive Success. As with all things in life, there are two sides to a coin.

While each person might have an individualised definition of Happiness and Success specifically, no two people can tell what they mean to them precisely.

We explored this relationship to form a Happiness and Success quadrant framework — for a better assessment of where one is at their business life. Take a chance to conclude and tie it back to the other parts of your life.

In a self-measured Happiness & Business Success quadrant graph, the intersecting x- and y-axis divide the coordinate panel into four sections, ‘CHANGE’, ‘CONTENTED’, ‘CONFLICTED’ and ‘CHAMPION’.

Using a scale of 1 to 10 on an (x) axis, start by assessing the Happiness relating to the Business at this current moment, with 10 being the happiest and 1, being the least happy.

On the y-axis, determine the Business Success rate on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most successful and 1 being the least.

CHANGE Quadrant (Unhappy Person, Weak Business Performance)

Time for a change! Seated on this quadrant are individuals who have rated 1 to 5 in Happiness and 1 to 5 in the Business Success. People in this quadrant face weak business performance and do not derive much satisfaction running the Business. However, it is not the time yet to sulk. Entering this fragment calls for a forward-planning, and another boost of energy for perseverance. There are times in life where we could all use some inspirations:

- Focus on improving Happiness if resources constraints inevitably invite, allowing oneself to move horizontally towards the right, from CHANGE quadrant (e.g. 4–4) to CONTENTED (e.g. 6–4).
- Take a step back to reflect on the Business and its underlying unhappiness.
- Was it the way it was managed, operated or structured? Was it due to some high expectations?
- Without further lowering the business performance, turn unhappiness into strength. Seek diversion and focus on your goals. Get enough rest, clear your mind and start attending to those gruelling matters all over again.
- Be a communicator. How about a chat with a partner, or an engagement survey with employees? Communications start well by involving people for ideas, comments, and brainstorming, to find ways for improvement.
- Address negative issues positively. Start by sharing the collected feedback to a positive mind. That will keep one going with good vibes.
- Induce Change. Change the way the Business was managed if it requires; Change methodologies and strategies to better improve the desired KPI. With better business performance comes progress, allowing one to move up to the CONFLICTED quadrant (e.g. 4–4 to 4–6).
- Seek change in another market and move out of the present quadrant if none works for the Business.

CONTENTED Quadrant (Happy Person, Weak Business Performance)

People in this quadrant consider attaining personal satisfaction through the business activities, although they have yet to achieve the business objectives they have planned.

This group of people demonstrated how Happiness need not be dependent on material success. Passion is one element that keeps this group going, leading them to a sense of self-actualisation. We urged one to continue the understanding process of the joy triggers to push the diligence further for continued thriving.

An enduring positive thinker is likely a go-getter. Keep up on this mindset to develop a more strategic implementation for your Business — to move up the diagram to CHAMPION quadrant (e.g. 8–4 to 8–6). Be fully present throughout the process and be conscious of any factors that could become an expense of Happiness. A shift diagonally up to CONFLICTED quadrant (e.g. 8–4 to 4–8) may not be the best desired outcome. Thus, it is vital to keep your business passion in spark to avoid descending into CHANGE quadrant.

CONFLICTED Quadrant (Unhappy Person, Successful Business)

This group is facing cognitive dissonance as they are feeling positive about their Business Success and feeling negative at the same time. They do not derive satisfaction while operating the Business.

People who stood their foot on this quadrant rated their Happiness from 1 to 5 and 5 to 10 in Business Success.

Positive and negative emotions are experienced simultaneously and conflict with one another. How about staying in status-quo for the money, or make changes to satisfy a personal desire and Happiness?
People in this quadrant should aspire in a shift to the CHAMPION quadrant:
- Tackle the dilemma from a mindset of growth. Start by changing interpretations. Know that our mind predetermines our responses and interpretations of situations. Change the meaning changes your mental disposition.
- Seek stress-relieving methods such as meditation, connecting with others, or try yoga. Get active and practise relaxation techniques.
Seek business insights from business advisers or counsellors.
- You may want to consider trading profitability for Happiness. Business owners often find themselves challenged to get their attention off their Business. Although no hire can match up your business acumen and be on the ball to act quickly, it does reduce your stress and improve Happiness. (e.g. moving right from 9–4 to 8–6)
- If the above does not work, establish a business continuity plan that highlights a guided corporate actionable for ‘predictable’ events. This plan helps to move sales and support the employee in their initiative effort. In the meantime, you will be able to spend some time envisioning the future to reality by giving careful consideration of what you would achieve from time to time. Transform vision to a clear timeline. (e.g., upon repayment of the mortgage, I will make the ideal change.)

CHAMPION Quadrant (Happy Person, Successful Business)

This group achieved 5 to 10 in Happiness and 5 to 10 in the Business Success. The Business is giving one good monetary reward (i.e., from a goal expectation) and good feelings. Congratulations!

To remain consistent, it requires commitments to sustained efforts — identify gaps for improvements and increase the mental capacity to new learnings or set new goals. Business owners can drive a shift in the coordinates instead of moving along quadrants. (e.g. 7–7 to 9–9) That is to progress from happy to successful, to very happy and very successful.

How to use this Matrix:

The theory outlines that Happiness is a spectrum and not a binary pursuit. It stretches into different intensity. Likewise, the feeling of Business Success works the same.

It lodges the two intangible feelings onto a list of worthwhile pursuit in Business, and they fluctuate across time with life changes. It holds Happiness to an objective record, giving one a sharper insight from the partakes of regular evaluations.
Undetectable moments of your life have the most significant impact. Start weekly, or monthly (e.g. say first Monday of the month). Do up a record sheet, pen down your progress and watch how you score from time to time. It is perfectly ok to move from quadrant to quadrant. Life changes may be inevitable, but you can continue to learn if you pay attention to it.

To further explore the framework, we draw out some scenarios in the hope to improve your understanding of changes in the quadrant.
- If you are moving between CHAMPION and CONTENTED, it suggests that you are enjoying running the Business. The amount of money you gain does not impact the bottom line of your Happiness. You will always be happy making more money, or less. Keep it up.
- If you move between CHAMPION and CONFLICTED, your business is doing well. Continue in the contribution of your Business Success and focus on seeking satisfaction from the Business.
- If you are moving between CHANGE and CONTENTED, the common denominator is that your Business is not doing well, and you will need to focus on improving the Business.
- If you move between CHANGE and CONFLICTED, you are continuously not feeling happy. What is consistently pushing you over the Happiness line? Seek Satisfaction from your Business Operation.

If you are in the CHAMPION quadrant most of the time, you can say you are a Champion! Some individuals remain in the same quadrant, and that does not mean that they are not improving. They can aim to move along coordinates from 3, 3 to 5, and 3. Although if you are still in the CHANGE quadrant, you will have to improve your Happiness level from 3 to 5. Continue with your efforts, and you will be out of the CHANGE quadrant in no time!

If you have multiple ventures, and you wish to focus on one; Or decide to drop one of them — this Matrix can be the basis of your consideration. You want to be keeping the Business that keeps you in the CHAMPION quadrant. Whether you wish to keep or sell off the Business that falls into the CONTENTED quadrant, or the CONFLICTED quadrant would depend on your priority. (E.g. Do you need more money or more work satisfaction?)