Happiness, Oh Happiness

From Zac Goldsmith to Joseph Stiglitz, the need for alternative measures of prosperity seeks traction. I wholeheartedly agree that GDP is both outdated and misleading. But in keeping with most unwanted regimes, it’s one thing knowing it must go, but quite another knowing with what to replace it.

UK PM Dave wants to incorporate happiness. As such, 200 000 Britons are to be asked how happy they are. The four questions are:

1. How satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
2. How happy did you feel yesterday?
3. How anxious did you feel yesterday?
4. To what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?

You imagine there’s been tons of thought and research gone into generating this quartet. If then, they can be assumed to be a definitive guide to levels of pleasure, then how helpful would it be to adapt them to a key client or prospect relationship?

It’s relatively simple to mould them to any solution selling situation. Simply slot in reference to your wares or project, rather than life or generalities.

What you do with the results though, is a touch trickier.

Do you minimise the anxieties, or maximise the pleasantries? Can you do both?

Either way, the results (if you can get to genuine emotions) should provide plenty of guidance to progress.