We do not have complete control of how well we perform. Our brain does. And often our brain acts to decrease our abilities to think, create and connect.

When the body experiences pleasure, the blood freely circulates through the brain feeding creativity and clearing the way to focus on the task at hand. The chemicals and hormones released with happiness activate the greatest level of mental activity.

All other emotions - fear, anger, frustration, stress, disappointment, resentment, even contentment - constrict or slow circulation, either diverting blood to the large muscle groups and away from the brain, or slowing the metabolism, shrinking the capacity to think.

THE RESULT: When we are not happy, we see fewer options, if any at all. We can only focus on one thing at a time. And even then, our focus may be distorted by our emotions and judgments.

The brain is not limitless. In particular, short-term memory is finite. The container in which we manage information and release thoughts can only hold, process and route a certain amount of input at any particular time. In addition to overloading our circuits with the onslought of information being thrown at us in today's world, the mental noise created from our inner world of worries, upsets, disappointments and anxiety serve to crowd out learning and cognition.

We then can't remember and we can't think straight. Neurons misfire, misalign and fail to activate. We literally do not see objects and events that happen and do not hear words that are said. In short, our brains run out of space and out of gas.

In other words, distressing emotions disable rational thinking and darken reactions. The net result is that people can't fully take in information, process information effectively, and maintain flexibility when they are upset. And since emotions are contagious, the company, family or even strangers in the vicinity often feel bad and have a hard time focusing as well.

What can we do? We can have more fun. We learn best when we are having a good time. We act and think more productively when seeking to repeat those circumstances that make us feel happy. Laughter and gratitude are the two quickest ways of clearing the muck out of our short term memory, freeing us to see more clearly and act smarter.

You can train your brain to seek happiness. Increase humor in your work environment. Make time to reflect on what you are grateful for. Set boundaries for yourself. Renegotiate your relationship with others, agreeing to focus on mutual respect and mental well-being.

If you are in a position of leadership, tune into the feelings, values, priorities, meaning and goals of your people. Then you can create a shared vision and plan that they will align themselves with and move into action. You can't inspire anyone without first understanding and addressing their perspective, their emotional triggers, their hopes and their dreams.

Dissonant leaders pressure people, demand the job get done no matter what, and use fear as a motivator. The problem is that the gains are short-lived. The good will get going as soon as the economy turns aroud.

On the other hand, happiness clears the mind of internal noise, freeing up space to think. More connections fire into the logical and rational centers. We gain attention and consciousness. We can better evaluate options and consequences. We have a better sense of who we are, where we are and what we are doing in the moment. We act in the Optimal Productive State.

It's time we put happiness into our strategic plans and personal dreams. Only then can we tell our brains what to do.

For more tips on how to Outsmart Your Brain™, click here.

Marcia Reynolds, author of Capture the Rapture: How to Step Out of Your Head and Leap Into Life and her latest, How to Outsmart Your Brain, is the president of Covisioning, a coaching and training company focused on helping people and organizations access emotional intelligence and courage to reach their visions. You can read more about Marcia and her work at this website, www.outsmartyourbrain.com. Find out more about Marcia.