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Happiness & Positive Psychology keynote speakers
Shawn Achor
"The Happiness Advantage" Author & Positive Psychology Expert
- Keynote · Virtual
- English
Headliner can arrange a booking with Shawn Achor or their representative. This profile is compiled from public sources; availability and fees are confirmed on request. A listing here does not imply endorsement, affiliation, partnership, or exclusivity.
Signature keynotes
What your audience walks away with
- Outcome
The Happiness Advantage
His signature keynote, based on the New York Times bestseller. The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work — and the science proving happiness drives success, not the other way around. Anchored by his landmark finding that a positive brain is 31% more productive. Practical, funny, and immediately applicable.
The Power of Beliefs
Drawn from his latest book. The beliefs you hold about the world predict not just your experience of the present but what happens next. Achor names the "Great Drift" — the modern rise of burnout, anxiety, loneliness, and depression — and teaches the seven core beliefs that most powerfully shape health, success, and well-being, plus research-based methods to strengthen them. Available in tailored versions for sales leaders, leadership audiences, and the AI age.
Big Potential — Success Is a Team Sport
Based on his book Big Potential. Why pursuing success collectively beats chasing it alone — and how social connection becomes a performance multiplier. How to raise the potential of everyone in your ecosystem so the whole team rises, not just the individual.
Before Happiness — The Power of Positive Genius
Based on Before Happiness. The skill that comes before the happiness advantage: shaping how you perceive reality so positive change becomes possible. How to see more paths forward, route around obstacles, and "transport" a team toward a more positive, productive reality.
Positive Leadership & The Ripple Effect
For leadership and management audiences. How leaders set the emotional tone of an organization, and how one person's positivity measurably ripples across teams — turning culture from a slogan into a system that drives engagement and results.
Happiness & Performance in the AI Age
A tailored program on protecting human potential, focus, and well-being as work is reshaped by AI — keeping teams resilient, connected, and high-performing through rapid change.
The story
Who Shawn actually is
Shawn Achor was born in Waco, Texas, in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and a Master of Arts in Christian and Buddhist ethics from Harvard Divinity School — then spent more than a decade living, researching, and lecturing at Harvard, where he served as a freshman proctor and was one of the teaching assistants for the university's famous positive-psychology "Happiness" course, one of the most popular classes on campus.
Out of that work, Achor became one of the world's leading experts on the link between happiness and success. In 2007 he co-founded GoodThink Inc. with his sister Amy Blankson, an applied-research consulting firm that now delivers positive-psychology trainings in more than 50 countries. He later co-founded the Institute for Applied Positive Research with his wife, Michelle Gielan, a positive-psychology researcher and former CBS News anchor.
His 2011 TED talk, "The Happy Secret to Better Work," has been watched more than 27 million times — one of the 25 most-popular TED talks of all time. His research has made the cover of Harvard Business Review (he's authored 35+ HBR articles), and his work has been featured on a PBS lecture seen by millions and across two of Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul Sunday sessions, a 2015 Oprah Winfrey Network online course, and Oprah's 2016 SuperSoul100 list.
Achor is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage (2010), Before Happiness (2013), and Big Potential (2018), and his 2026 book The Power of Beliefs turns two decades of research — including work with NASA, the NFL, and much of the Fortune 100 — into a playbook for the "Great Drift" of modern burnout and anxiety. The throughline of all of it: happiness is a discipline, it can be trained, and it makes individuals and organizations measurably better.
The receipts
Books & publications
The Happiness Advantage
2010the seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work. The foundational text.
Before Happiness
2013the five hidden keys to shaping your perception of reality so positive change becomes possible ("positive genius").
Big Potential
2018how pursuing success collectively, not individually, raises achievement, happiness, and well-being.
The Power of Beliefs
2026the seven core beliefs that most predict success and a better life, and how to strengthen them against the modern "Great Drift" of burnout and anxiety.
Ripple's Effect / How to Make a Shark Smile
positivity for younger readers.
Gravity
Career highlights & recognition
- Milestone
TED
"The Happy Secret to Better Work" — 27M+ views, one of TED's 25 most-watched talks of all time
- Milestone
Harvard
BA (Harvard) + MA (Harvard Divinity School); 12+ years researching/lecturing there; TA for Harvard's famous "Happiness" course
- Recognition2026
3× New York Times bestselling author
The Happiness Advantage, Before Happiness, Big Potential (plus 2026's The Power of Beliefs)
- Credential
Founder of GoodThink Inc.
positive-psychology trainings delivered in 50+ countries
- Milestone
Harvard Business Review
research featured on the cover; 35+ HBR articles
- Milestone
Peer-reviewed research
stress-mindset study with Yale's Alia Crum & Peter Salovey at UBS, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Milestone2014
Oprah
two Super Soul Sunday sessions (2014), an Oprah Winfrey Network online course (2015), and SuperSoul100 (2016)
- Milestone
Worked with
NASA, the NFL, the Pentagon, the U.S. Marines, Google, Microsoft, Intel, the NBA, UBS, KPMG, and much of the Fortune 100
- Milestone
PBS-aired lecture
seen by millions
Booking with confidence
What to expect when you book Shawn
- 01
Compiled from public sources
This profile is built from public, verifiable material and stamped with the date it was last reviewed. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace to a source.
- 02
Availability and fees, confirmed
Tell us your date and brief, and we confirm Shawn's availability and current fee on request. We never publish a fabricated figure or imply an exclusivity we do not hold.
- 03
Managed end to end
From first inquiry to the day itself, Headliner handles briefing, contracting, and logistics, so your team can focus on the event.
Answers
Booking questions, answered
What is Shawn Achor's speaking fee?
Typically $50k–$100k (indicative; confirmed on request). Shawn's fee varies by event, date, format, and location, so we confirm the exact figure for your booking. Share your brief for current pricing and live availability.
Is Shawn Achor available for my event date?
Availability changes with Shawn's schedule and the season. Tell us your date and we'll confirm whether Shawn is open, and hold the slot while you decide.
How do I book Shawn Achor for my event?
Shawn Achor is booked through Headliner. Tell us your event date, audience, and goals, and we'll confirm availability and the next steps — typically within four business hours.
How much does Shawn Achor charge to speak?
Typically $50k–$100k (indicative; confirmed on request). It depends on event, date, format, location, and whether the session is in person or virtual. Share your brief and we'll confirm the exact figure and availability.
Can I hire Shawn Achor for a corporate event?
Yes. Shawn is represented for speaking engagements through Headliner on a non-exclusive basis and regularly takes corporate keynotes, conferences, and leadership events. Share your brief to check availability.
Can I book Shawn Achor for a virtual keynote?
Yes. Shawn presents virtual keynotes as well as in-person sessions. Virtual fees are typically quoted below a live keynote, so tell us your format for a precise quote.
What formats does Shawn offer?
Shawn is available for Keynote and Virtual engagements. We'll match the format to your audience and run-of-show.
What does Shawn speak about?
Shawn's keynote themes include Positive Psychology and Performance. Each talk is tailored to your audience and outcomes.
What languages does Shawn present in?
Shawn presents in English.
Where does Shawn travel from?
Shawn is based in Dallas, TX and travels internationally for engagements; virtual sessions are also available.
Profile updated . Compiled from public sources — confirm current fees and availability with Headliner.
Book Shawn Achor through Headliner
Tell us about your event and we’ll confirm Shawn’s availability and fee — typically within four business hours.
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