What If Happiness Comes First?
A different way to think about success, pressure, and performance
Most of us grew up with the same assumption:
First you succeed.
Then you’re allowed to be happy.
So we push.
We chase outcomes.
We delay joy until the milestone is reached, the promotion secured, the project delivered, the numbers achieved.
Happiness becomes a reward, something conditional, something postponed.
But when you look closely at real life, something else becomes obvious.
Happiness doesn’t follow success
It precedes it.
Look at people who are truly thriving, not just performing, but living well.
They’re not only getting results.
They’re enjoying the work while doing it.
And something subtle happens around them.
They lift the energy in the room.
They calm nervous systems.
They make collaboration easier.
They create space where thinking flows.
Not because they’re trying to be positive, but because of the state of mind they’re operating from.
This isn’t about forced optimism.
It’s not about pretending everything is fine.
And it’s definitely not about motivation hacks.
It’s about understanding something much more fundamental.
State of mind changes how thinking works
When people feel good — not euphoric, just settled — something shifts naturally:
Thinking becomes clearer
Decisions become wiser
Resilience increases
Creativity shows up without effort
From that state, goals stop feeling heavy.
Progress becomes sustainable.
Momentum builds without forcing.
This is why pushing harder so often backfires.
Stress doesn’t sharpen thinking, it narrows it.
Pressure doesn’t create clarity, it clouds it.
We don’t access our best ideas, judgment, or common sense by tightening the grip.
We access them when the mind settles.
Success doesn’t create clarity
Clarity creates success
This is one of the biggest misunderstandings in work and leadership today.
We assume:
“Once we figure it out, then we’ll feel calm.”
But lived experience shows the opposite:
When the mind calms down, figuring it out becomes possible.
Clarity isn’t something we manufacture.
It’s something that appears when mental noise drops.
And that clarity — not effort — is what drives meaningful, lasting success.
Why this matters now
We live in a time of constant change, uncertainty, and complexity.
More tools. More frameworks. More pressure.
Yet very little attention is given to the inner operating system we bring into our work, leadership, and relationships.
We talk endlessly about what to do.
Rarely about the state of mind we do it from.
And that’s exactly the conversation I want to open.
A shared exploration, not a method
This is what my small new community in 2026 “State of Mind Oslo” is all about.
It’s for leaders, professionals, and curious minds who want to explore together how the human mind actually works, what becomes possible when we operate from more calm, perspective, and presence and how clarity, creativity, and better decisions emerge naturally, without force
No techniques.
No fixing.
No self-improvement agenda.
Just space to slow down, reflect together and think more clearly, especially in a world that keeps asking us to speed up.
If this resonates, you’re warmly invited to follow along or reach out.
More details about the first gathering will be shared soon.
Because sometimes, the most powerful move is not doing more… but seeing more clearly.
Looking for a coach?
In service of those who serve others.
Leadership is hard. Whether you’re stepping into management, leading an entire organization or wondering about your career, the challenges are real: confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes isolating.
I offer a tailored 1:1 or team coaching quarterly program to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. I’ve walked in your shoes, and I’ll work with you to build the resilience and relational skills needed to lead well, beyond just the work.
If this sounds like what you need, let’s talk. Email me at jose@facilistation.com to book a no-strings attached, no-obligation call to talk about your needs and see what I can offer that will fit you the best. Because coaching isn’t expensive. Staying stuck is.
You should see the cost of a life and work that you don’t love... sometimes one good conversation can change your life and your career forever.
