The Power of Fun

"Man, I wish we
could get rid of him. What a pain in the butt!" exclaimed the president of my
burgeoning natural foods company.

"Yeah,
I wish! But we can't. He brings in
too much money. The owner won't let us fire him," bemoaned the general manager.

Who's that?

The head honchos
were talking about me! I was the bane of their existence. In their eyes, I was
worse than an annoyance. I was a curse. Their cross to bear this lifetime.

What's Up with That?

Why did I upset them
so? Simple. I had too much fun!

I reveled in fun. I
propagated play. I promoted enjoyment on all levels of our organization.

As the company vice
president, I offered free homemade gourmet, organic lunches so all the workers
could bond by eating together every day. By
request, like a radio station, I piped in everyone's favorite music throughout
the warehouse and offices. I provided free Hollywood
film showings and live rock band concerts every Friday night to develop a sense
of community among the workers. I arranged Non-competitive Game Days with other
New Age businesses. I got the company to pay for employee hiking, canoeing,
sailing and skiing excursions.

In our retail food
stores, I sponsored parties almost every day. Customer Gratitude Days. Employee
Appreciation Days. New Employee Celebrations. Old Employee Goodbyes.
Welcome-to-Spring Bashes. Summer
Flings. Winter Festivals.

A Threat to a Smooth Running Ship

What upset my
bosses' world of professional propriety was general merriment. Revelry for no
reason. Play with no purpose. Amusement with no apology!

A Danger to the Bottom
Line

The only weak link
in their argument against fun in the workplace was that the Universe didn't
agree! A small flaw in their philosophy of business.

The World Talks Back

Yes, what really got
under their skin was that all my "frivolous folly" filled the coffers. Fun
attracted customers like kids to ice cream. Our retail outlets were always
packed. People ordered wholesale from us because our phone people joked with
them�and our delivery people came bearing smiles, laughter and free gifts.

My bosses called me
shallow and silly. They warned new executives and employees to not spend much
time with me or they would be "infected with idiocy."

The
Genesis of Joy

I
didn't promote fun because of any intellectual or highfalutin
philosophy. I
developed my approach in order to make "work" tolerable. In my first "job"�a
childhood lemonade stand�I discovered I could make business fun AND profitable.
I was sold on play. I was hooked on horsing around. Play equals profit in my
book!

I'm
Not the Only One

In
today's lingo, you could say that fun is the new Feng-shui of business. Ask
Google, Inc., who provide to their employees three free meals a day, play
space, office daytime volleyball games, and encourage the use of roller skates
at work! Fly the joking, jovial skies of Southwest Airlines�the only airline to
turn a profit every year since 9-11!

How
Do Angels Fly?

How do
angels fly? They take themselves lightly.

Certainly
there are times when life presents major challenges and one needs to act
clearly and directly, but behaving responsibly and efficiently does not
preclude humor and light-heartedness.

In fact,
a flexible, fluid, upbeat approach and attitude is crucial to releasing magic
and miracles in any endeavor�personal or professional. Inspiration and
breakthrough are often born from the spirit of playfulness and exuberance. A
spontaneous wink, a funny smile, a comic gesture can unlock deep blockage and
stress in any stagnate situation. Through conscious silliness, soul purpose and
connection can emerge.

Science
Supports Silliness

Recent
research supports this thrilling thesis. Scientific studies show that fun,
humor and laughter reduce stress, boost immunity, relieve pain, decrease
anxiety, prevent depression, rest the brain, enhance communication, inspire
creativity, bolster morale, sustain resilience, and help us keep our balance
and perspective in all activities.

Doctors,
nurses and attendants now use "clowning" in hospitals to stimulate the healing
process with patients. Medical professionals have discovered that when patients
are laughing and having fun, they experience less physical and psychological
pain�and recover faster.

The same
healing, transformative dynamic reigns in every realm�business, relationships,
sports and spirituality. Laugh more, heal quicker, feel better, live longer�and
attract more abundance in all arenas of life!

The
Purpose of Life

After
all, what is the true purpose of life? To learn to love more fully. What is the
ultimate result of all authentic fun, laughter and play? More free flowing
energy. Healing. Love.

Machines
Malfunction

One of my
teachers is fond of saying. "even machines malfunction in the presence of
seriousness." All human endeavors malfunction in the presence of seriousness!

Clues
Abound in Our Language

The
definition of seriousness in our culture is "weightiness." And people say, "You
must have appropriate gravity for the occasion." But
doesn't gravity weigh us down? "His manner was very professional and properly
sedate." Sedate or sedated?

Play Is a
Lubricant

Fun is
the antidote for seriousness. Play is a lubricant for aliveness and creativity.

Yes, But ...

Many
people in our culture say, "Yes, but ... you must have fun in a responsible way."
Yes, fun in a "responsive" way. Fun is the very essence of true
responsibility�that is, appropriate responsiveness. Fun is the mutual enjoyment
of the moment. The only way mutual enjoyment can be created is by being
appropriately responsive to the situation and people involved.

"Your Mission, Should You
Choose to Accept It"

The challenge is to
know how to create enough fun whenever and wherever you can. The biggest
obstacle facing most people is their attitude towards fun. Enjoyment is often
seen as a secondary�or superfluous�consideration in most undertakings. And,
sometimes, it's even viewed as a hindrance! Nothing could be further from the
truth of human creative dynamics.

Make enjoyment your
priority in every enterprise! Fun and lightheartedness are absolutely essential
for wellness, happiness and success. As unforeseen and uncontrollable events
threaten to knock you off stride or isolate you from supportive resources, play
keeps you open, flexible and resilient.

Fun
is the attitude of willingness to find whatever joy and aliveness exists in
each moment. Approaching life's challenges with a joyful heart is the surest
path to success in any venture. Fun is the best fuel for success because it's
the best food for your body, mind�and spirit!