Debunking the success-happiness myth, why the small things matter at work, and more top insights

What’s happening in the world of work: The Saturday edition of the Daily Rundown highlights the business trends, perspectives, and hot topics you need to know to work smarter. Read on and join the conversation.

Debunking the success-happiness myth: Many of us tell ourselves that we’ll be happy if and when we reach a specific professional milestone, like landing a coveted promotion. When we do that, though, we are likely to fall victim to what psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar calls the “arrival fallacy,” the often misguided notion that our happiness on hinges on specific achievements. That’s because we are prone to overestimating the staying power of the satisfaction we will derive from reaching these types of milestones. What’s a more reliable source of happiness? Quality relationships, Ben-Shahar says. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Work relationships are rarely set in stone: Our ties to colleagues are quite fluid, write management researchers Kerry Roberts Gibson and Boston College’s Beth Schinoff. Our bonds are continuously shifting based on a series of “micromoves,” little gestures we may not even be aware of. A simple kindness, like expressing sympathy for a loss, can have a powerful, positive effect on a tense relationship. A seemingly minor infraction, like checking email while a colleague is speaking, can do serious damage. We almost always have a chance to redefine how we relate to coworkers, for the better. ? Here’s what people are saying.

You Asked: "How can I show employers that I am creative? Although classes may develop creativity, they don't certify someone as a creative person." — Jeshanah Z.

• “On resumes and in interviews, it's best to link creativity to problem solving. Think back to your past work history. Where did you find a solution that others didn’t see? How did your unique perspective help the team? And, of course, what measurable effect did that have for the organisation? Tease these problem-solving highlights in your resume and be prepared to share stories in the interview that provide more detail. Make sure you’re ready to tell the story in a three-act structure: what task you faced, how you responded and the positive (and measurable) result. You can’t just say, ‘I’m creative’ in the interview; you can prove your creativity by showing how you’ve used it.” — David Burkus, author of “Friend of a Friend: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career” (Watch David Burkus’ full response.)
• “The best way to show potential employers that you are creative is by pointing to the creative work that you’ve already produced, even if it’s personal or ‘side work.’ Being creative is one thing — it’s clearly an asset — but what employers are looking for is someone who knows how to turn that natural creative talent into value. It doesn’t have to be work that you’ve done for other employers. For example, volunteer to lead an initiative for a non-profit, or create and launch a small product, or write a white paper about your industry, or do something that shows that you have the ability to turn your natural creative abilities into something valuable. In short, if you put enough work into the world, you’ll quickly build an attractive resume that you can point to in an interview.” — Todd Henry, founder of Accidental Creative and author of “Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need”

Looking for career advice from the pros? Submit your questions in the comments with #YouAsked and we’ll take care of the rest.

Keeping ‘choice overload’ at bay: Having an abundance of options may sound wonderful. But too many choices can leave us paralyzed and disappointed, according to research by Columbia’s Sheena Iyengar and Stanford’s Mark Lepper. How can we stave off such “choice overload”? Iyengar advises her MBA students to write down on an index card what they’d like to be doing in one year, five years, and 10 years. Our goals will likely change. But having specific, written aims to aid decisions can keep us moving, and more satisfied. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Mending a toxic work culture: Many executives tout the importance of demonstrating empathy at work, and for good reason. Empathic work environments are more collaborative, less stressed and have higher morale, writes Stanford’s Jamil Zaki. But work environments are influenced far more by prevailing norms and behaviors than pleasant values statements. To spur real change, Zaki suggests leaders consistently and publicly reward empathic behavior, and recruit those who exhibit empathy to encourage it among others. ? Here’s what people are saying.

One last idea: It’s all too easy to get hung up on the many ways in which we can measure our personal and professional lives, from the number of meetings we have in a week to the number of steps we take in a day. But restaurateur Will Guidara reminds us that there are often other, more meaningful ways to understand our progress.

“Success isn’t measured — or determined — by the number of interactions but by the quality of them.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Scott Olster