In essence, creativity is down to how easily your mind is diverted from one thought path and onto another. While a systematic thinker might suggest ten different kinds of building, it takes a less structured approach to invent a new use altogether, such as turning it into a weapon. LetвЂ™s say youвЂ™re challenged to think about possible uses for a brick. Their contributions were also more original, repeated by less than 1% of the studyвЂ™s participants.Д¬rucially, angry volunteers were better at moments of haphazard innovation, or so-called вЂњunstructuredвЂќ thinking. As Baas expected, the angry team produced more ideas вЂ“ at least to begin with. They had 16 minutes to think of as many ways as possible to improve education at the psychology department. Next the two teams were pitched against each other in a game designed to test their creativity. The other half of the group were made to feel sad. вЂњThis made them a bit angrier, though they werenвЂ™t quite driven to full-blown fits of rage,вЂќ he says. Half the students were asked to recall something which had irritated them and write a short essay about it. He recruited a group of willing students and set to work making them angry in the name of science. Then in 2009 Matthijs Baas from the University of Amsterdam decided to investigate. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is famed for his angry outbursts and insults (such asВ вЂњIвЂ™m sorry, did I take my stupid pills today?вЂќ) yet they havenвЂ™t stopped him building a $300 billion company.ДЇor years, the link remained a mystery. There are plenty of examples to be found in Silicon Valley. From NewtonвЂ™s obsessive grudges to BeethovenвЂ™s tantrums вЂ“ which sometimes came to blows вЂ“ it seems as though visionary geniuses often come with extremely short tempers.

Positivity is also known to encourage binge drinking, overeating and unsafe sex.ДЄt the centre of it all is the notion our feelings are adaptive: anger, sadness and pessimism arenвЂ™t divine cruelty or sheer random bad luck вЂ“ they evolved to serve useful functions and help us thrive. Good moods on the other hand come with substantial risks вЂ“ sapping your drive, dimming attention to detail and making you simultaneously gullible and selfish. Cynics can expect more stable marriages, higher earnings and longer lives вЂ“ though, of course, theyвЂ™ll anticipate the opposite. Cranks may be superior negotiators, more discerning decision-makers and cut their risk of having a heart attack. The truth is, pondering the worst has some clear advantages. Meanwhile the вЂ happiness indexвЂ™ has become an indicator of national wellbeing to rival GDP. The US army currently trains its soldiers вЂ“ over a million people вЂ“ in positive psychology and optimism is taught in UK schools. Now you can hire a happiness expert, undertake training in вЂmindfulnessвЂ™, or seek inner satisfaction via an app. Cultural forces have whipped up a frenzied pursuit of happiness, spawning billion-dollar book sales, a cottage industry in self-help and plastering inspirational quotes all over the internet. The pressure to be positive has never been greater. But could a grumpy attitude be the secret to his success? Hugh Grant may be famed for being moody and a little challenging to work with. To his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley's friends he was apparently known as вЂ GrumpelstiltskinвЂ™. Off camera вЂ“ well letвЂ™s just say he needs a lot of personal space. On stage heвЂ™s a loveable, floppy-haired prince charming. This story is featured in BBC FutureвЂ™s вЂњBest of 2016вЂќ collection.

Pursuit of happiness genius