Martin E.P. Seligman is one of the most decorated and popular psychologists of his generation.
He is credited as the “Father of Positive Psychology”, a field of study that examines healthy states, such as happiness, strength of character and optimism. It’s a fascinating area that had few empirical, scientific measures with traditional clinical psychology focusing more on the repair of unhappy states than the propagation and nurturing of happy ones.
His work has had a profound influence on both my professional and personal life. I have found his teachings as relevant in my practice supporting a C-Suite leader, as in my home building resilience in my nine-year-old child.
“While you can’t control your experiences, you can control your explanations.”
Learned Optimisation: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life
He is the author of around 20 self-help books and more than 250 articles. Our favourites include:
- Learned Optimism – 1991
- Learned Helplessness – 1993
- The Optimistic Child – 1995
- Authentic Happiness – 2002
- Flourish – 2011
- The Hope Circuit – 2018
“Authentic happiness derives from raising the bar for yourself, not rating yourself against others.”