TMS. When did the idea to start “Focus on the 40” flash through your mind?
Anthony Poponi. I was reading a book by Dr. Sonya Lyubomirsky called “The How of Happiness” and in the book Dr. Lyubomirsky mentioned a study which segmented human happiness into 3 primary segments. Segment one is genetics which has approximately a 50% influence on our happiness, at least initially. Segment two of our happiness is life circumstance and the study indicated only about 10% of happiness is influenced by our life’s circumstances like wealth, age, gender, education, etc. What was so inspiring is the segment that remained is 40% and that 40% is happiness we control through intentional actions we can take in how we shape our daily activities and our lives in general and that is the focus (pun intended) of my work – to keep people focused on what really matters when it comes to living a fulfilling life.
TMS. Can you please tell us more about yourself and your work in this industry?
Anthony Poponi. I live in Bend, Oregon in the United States and love my community. My community provides rich opportunities for happiness and reciprocally I get to give back to my community in meaningful ways. I love being outdoors and so finding a community like Bend that has a fun mix of outdoor assets, access to the greater region of the Pacific Northwest (California, Washington) and a vibrant social scene has had an enormous impact on my life and my happiness.
TMS. What has been the most challenging aspect of your work and how do you overcome it?
Anthony Poponi. Like any industry mine has had its ups and downs and was especially hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic as you might expect. The speaking industry has some predictable patterns in the U.S. which likely mimic our event industry partners with some very busy and some very slow seasons. Those seasons are becoming a bit clearer so I predict slower periods where I can recharge and also
schedule different services like my workplace consulting. There are also few guarantees in my line of work and so until a contract is signed it is hard to predict revenue very far out. A huge part of human happiness is being resilient and “bouncing back” from negative events in our lives and optimism plays a huge rule in our resilience. I am fortunately wired for optimism so it’s easier for me to bounce back from the many challenges that come from this work.
TMS. What would you say about positive psychology and how could we implement it in our lives?
Anthony Poponi. Your relationships at work are a multi-faceted opportunity specifically as they relate to your happiness and success. Giving support to others in your life has been shown to be an influential element of how successful you are in your career. Relationship also have an outsized influence on our happiness and so choosing a community and workplace where you can find “life enhancing relationship” isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. There are also what I call “hard parts” to happiness like service, growth, mastery, service, valuable stress and even relationships. We often think of happiness as only joy, elation, and laughter only. There is a second half to happiness that includes those aforementioned hard parts and we can’t ignore those if we want to craft a complex, rich and fulfilling life.
TMS. As the speaker at ICCA 2023, how do you advocate the theme “It Starts With Us” of ICCA?
Anthony Poponi. I love this theme! Members and staff of ICCA have a chance to contribute to the shaping of where ICCA goes in the future and the impacts on the industry overall. “It” started with others and “it” now continues with us. The legacy established by others decades ago has been handed over to this next generation. We do more together as “us” and through trust we can open the door to collaboration and to further the legacy of ICCA on this industry. I’m so excited to support this theme.
TMS. What are your thoughts on ICCA as a global meeting platform?
Anthony Poponi. I’ve been impressed from the start of my connection to ICCA and cannot wait to meet more of the people associated with this organization. The thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and professionalism I’ve experienced thus far has been world-class and what has been so enjoyable to see unfold is the commitment to legacy and to impacting the communities where ICCA and its members are active. Those commitments can serve as a standard other industries can look to as they think about their own efforts to have an impact on CSR and ESG while they of course look to also be profitable.
