2.9013 is the minimum ratio of positive and negative emotions that we need in our lives to be positive, happy and to thrive.
This number is also known as the Losada Ratio, Losada Line, 3-to-1 Ratio or the Critical Positivity Ratio. It was calculated by the psychologists Marcial Losada and Barbara Fredrickson in their much-quoted article from 2005 entitled “Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human blooming”.
How can the number 2.9013 change your life?
Every day we experience positive and negative emotions because our environment sends us positive or negative stimuli. This is normal and there is nothing we can do about it. However, we can control how we respond to these stimuli, giving us almost complete control over our emotional well-being and thus our happiness.
When the number of positive to negative emotions is proportional to a ratio greater than 2.9013, Losada and Fredrickson claim that we will be positive and thriving. Conversely, if we experience less than 2,9013 positive emotions, this is why we are unhappy and may be wasting away.
Of course 2.9013 is a minimum amount of positive emotions that we need to nullify any negative emotion and turn it into a happy and thriving feeling. Instead, we should strive to have an even greater multiplicity of positive emotions for every negative emotion, as this will almost certainly make us truly happy and in the prime of our lives.
Why is the Losada ratio so important?
The significance of the Losada ratio cannot be overstated. It is a mathematical model that explains in an easy and logical way why we feel happy and unhappy. For example, we know that the corporate world can be quite negative and stressful. At work, people are often overwhelmed, overworked and pressured by deadlines. This in turn means they receive more criticism and negative feedback than positive feedback, leaving the positive to negative Losada ratio below 2.9013.
This, in turn, explains why so many people often feel so negative and dissatisfied with their jobs. To fix this, employers need to significantly increase the amount of positive feedback, reduce work-related stress, especially the stress that can be avoided, and generally create a more positive work environment to push Losada Line over 2.9013.
Likewise, we should be more pleasant and positive towards other people in every other part of our lives. It's too easy to find things to be critical and negative and complain about (which often negativity bias is called).
However, despite this ease of finding negative aspects, we should try to be more positive than negative. We should be kinder, complement each other and try to find positive things even in the worst situations. After all, we try to create at least three to eleven positive emotions for every negative!
Why should we believe in the Losada ratio of 2.9013?
Despite scientific criticism of the formula, scientists and coaches around the world still believe in Losada Ratio, perhaps not so much on a purely scientific level, but because it makes sense.
This is just common sense. Having more positive emotions than the negative ones will make us happier and vice versa. We really should continue to put in the extra effort for positivity, simply because negative emotions still come our way very easily. As such, we must avoid unnecessary negativity and force ourselves to find more joy in the everyday moment, by sharing this positive energy with other people, to make our life and work more manageable and enjoyable.
Of course, it is true that we want to be as scientific as possible when it comes to our daily lives, simply because so much misinformation is being spread by politics and the media to promote self-interest, and science seems to be that one last place. where we don't have to take our word for it, because data doesn't lie.
Still, the Losada Line has so much to offer in terms of positive advice and generally points in the right direction. As such, the advice for people is most definitely still to try and have 2,9013 or more positive emotions for every negative one, because when you have that much positivity you will definitely be happy, positive and thriving which will make you grow more and fulfill your goals. reach life earlier.
Sources including HapierHuman (link), LinkedIn (link), OptimalHappiness (link), Toolshero (link)
