Shawn Achor Biography

Shawn Achor is the NYTimes bestselling author of "The Happiness Advantage" and "Big Potential." He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and earned a master's from Harvard Divinity School in Christian and Buddhist ethics.

After spending 12 years at Harvard, Achor traveled to 50 countries studying how to create an interconnected approach to potential and happiness. He has now worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, and at places like NASA, the NFL, and the Pentagon. Achor has battle-tested his research in high-challenge environments from working with all the public schools in Flint, Michigan, to six battalions of Marines at Camp Pendleton, to government leaders at Camp David, to students in a shantytown in Soweto, South Africa, to hospitals in the wake of a mass shooting in Orlando and the Boston bombing.

In every place, Achor has found that optimism can be increased through mindset and behavioral change, and that by creating an interconnected approach to happiness and success, we shine brighter together. Achor’s research made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED talk is one of the most popular of all time with over 20 million views, and his lecture airing on PBS has been seen by millions.

BOOK Shawn Achor

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/08/2025.

Shawn Achor Speaking Topics

  • THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE: Linking Positive Brains to Performance

    Most business is done under the guideline that: if you work harder, you will be more successful, and then you will be happy. This formula is scientifically backward. What over a decade of research shows is that training your brain to be positive first actually leads to greater success at work. In fact, only 25% of job success is predicted by intelligence, the rest is determined by your optimism, social support network and the ability to manage energy and stress in a positive way. Based on Shawn’s book, The Happiness Advantage (2010) and research studying top performers at Harvard, the world’s largest banks and Fortune 500 companies, Shawn explains what positive psychology is, how much we can change, and practical applications and strategies for reaping the Happiness Advantage in the midst of change and challenge.

  • THE RIPPLE EFFECT: How to Make Positive Change Easier

    Common sense is not common action. This is because awareness does not necessarily equal transformation because we require a certain level of “activation energy” to start a change. Shawn’s research in the field of positive psychology reveals how small shifts in our mindset and behavior can ripple out to a team and even an entire organization. Audiences will learn about the latest scientific research on mirror neurons and mental priming to explain how positivity and negativity spread, case studies on how to become a lightning rod for change, and findings on how a positive ripple effect profoundly affects an organization’s ability to transition and change.

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Shawn Achor Videos

Shawn Achor Speaks at the 2017 PA Conference for Women

Shawn Achor Speaks at the 2017 PA Conference for Women

Best-selling author and happiness researcher Shawn Achor addresses 12,000 attendees on October 3, 2017 at the annual Pennsylvania Conference for...

How To Be Happy Now with Harvard Researcher Shawn Achor

How To Be Happy Now with Harvard Researcher Shawn Achor

What if the key to unlocking happiness lies within our grasp? Imagine the possibility of learning to feel happier, tapping into the rich vein of joy...

Happiness & Success - with Shawn Achor

Happiness & Success - with Shawn Achor

Happiness expert Shawn Achor explores the relationship between human potential, success and wellbeing. This conversation with Dr Mark Williamson was...

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  • What topics does Shawn Achor speak about?

  • Where does Shawn Achor travel from?

    Shawn Achor generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Shawn Achor is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE: Linking Positive Brains to Performance, THE RIPPLE EFFECT: How to Make Positive Change Easier, RESILIENT OPTIMISM: Restoring A Culture of Confidence, RETHINKING THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: The Power of Positive Education and POSITIVE GENIUS: The Key to Raising Success, Spreading Happiness & Sustaining Positive Change. The estimated speaking fee range to book Shawn Achor for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Shawn Achor generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Erica Dhawan, Cassandra Worthy, Daymond John, Eric Boles and John "GUCCI" Foley. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Shawn Achor for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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