Sometimes, findings from the research on well-being seem a bit obvious: Gratitude will make you happier; mindfulness reduces your stress; and it feels good to be kind. But the findings of other studies are much more counterintuitive. This kind of research challenges how we think the world works. If we’re open to it, it can drastically change our day-to-day lives and our communities. At the International Positive Psychology Association’s 5th World Congress—a four-day conference held in 2017—I heard three insights that challenged my assumptions. They offered new ways to think about the things we want most in life—including health, success, and happiness. 1. You Don’t Have to Be Charismatic to Succeed What drives high performance at work? In the past, business researchers had focused on how much influence or information employees managed to amass within their organization. They visualized complex networks of interconnections, with the most influential and knowledgeable workers at …