“The good life is built with good relationships.”
— Robert Waldinger (Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development)
Connection Drives Performance
For 85 years, Harvard researchers have quietly followed people across generations to answer one of life’s biggest questions: What truly makes us happy?
Their findings aren’t complicated in any way. The happiest—and healthiest—people are those who nurture strong relationships. The data is so consistent that it’s been repeated over and over again across generations. Those who feel connected to others smile more, live longer, stay healthier, and handle life’s inevitable challenges with greater resilience.
This matters for how we live our lives and lead others.
Fresh research backs this up. A 2025 study (published in PLOS Global Public Health) looked at over a million people in the UK’s parkrun community and found happiness and mental well-being improved life satisfaction even more than exercise itself. The runners who felt joy, connection, and a sense of achievement reported the biggest boosts in satisfaction—even more than those with the fastest times or who ran longer distances.
The world seems to focus on performance metrics—wins, times, outputs. And they do matter. But what if the real measure is the quality of our relationships and the positive impact on others while pursuing those goals?
Genetics and circumstances certainly influence part of our happiness. However, research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky shows that roughly 40% of our happiness comes from our thoughts, focus, and daily habits. This is a choice we get to make.
When we believe the world is against us, our energy follows that belief—and so do the groups we lead. When we believe there’s still good to be found, connection to be made, and purpose to pursue, that belief fuels the kind of energy that transforms everything around us.
The athletes, employees, and family and team members who thrive under your example won’t remember every practice plan or strategy session. They’ll remember how you made them feel. Whether you built connection alongside competence. Whether you created joy while chasing excellence.
Happiness is something we practice. It’s a rhythm, a daily choice to connect, to find meaning, and to direct our focus toward what matters most. The best leaders don’t just chase wins—they create environments where their people cultivate joy together.
The same truth that fuels happiness fuels great teams: connection drives performance. As leaders and coaches, our job isn’t just to manage outcomes; it’s to shape energy. When people feel seen, supported, and valued, their performance rises naturally. They move from compliance to commitment, from effort to enthusiasm.
Your culture’s juice is the collective happiness of its people. When trust runs deep and relationships are strong, energy flows freely—and that’s when teams do their best work.
The great leaders don’t just ask for results; they invest in relationships that make results possible.
What are you bringing to your team today? Bring your best juice!
“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
— Dalai Lama XIV
Connecting this quote to the story. Happiness isn’t handed to us—we must actively create it each day through our choices, habits, and the energy we bring to our relationships.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Model the mindset you want multiplied. Belief, optimism, and purpose spread faster than any office memo will.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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