I just picked up it’s International Happiness Day today. Yes really. Yes yes it is a thing. It was established by the UN in 2012 so that people around the world realise the importance of happiness within their lives. I know. Who knew?

The real question is: does it really matter?

Well firstly, let’s agree what happiness means. I liked the biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard’s definition: “Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being.” Who doesn’t want this optimal state of being?

But does this optimal state of being really matter? Bottom line: Yes. Research tells us happiness leads to a wide range of benefits for our performance (better decision making, higher productivity, higher earning potential, greater accuracy, greater creativity), our health (reduced stress, greater resilience, better lifestyle choices) and our relationships (more kind, supportive and empathetic).

I’m sold.

And, and, and. Guess what? It’s infectious. Imagine. The happier you are the greater the impact you have on others. The happier you are, the happier your team will be and according to Wharton Business school, companies with happier employees outperform the stock market. Year on year. That’s right. Happiness compounds tangibly and positively impacting the bottom line.

So if happiness is the key to success, the real question is: what is the key to your happiness?