During my visit to the Colorado National Guard, we talked about those qualities we had when we were kids, some of which we’ve lost. We pointed to the children, especially those around the ages of four or five. They laugh a lot, they’re not self-conscious, they are highly creative, they live in the moment, they’re honest, they don’t worry, they are okay with not knowing, they give 100%, they don’t have big egos, they aren’t pretentious, and they have tremendous enthusiasm.

So, the question remains: how do we reclaim some of those wonderful traits that we once had as children? Before we address that, imagine how it would be if you had more freedom, if you could have more fun at work and personally, if you were more creative, if you less worried, and if you lived more in the moment? What would be available for you within your organization? How about you and your family? Can you imagine what might be possible for you if you could recover some of these qualities again? As a humorous motivational speaker I have had the pleasure of working with many diverse audiences and here are some actionable items you can start working on today.

Here’s the scoop: there are three secrets to reclaiming the joy and adventurous spirit we once had:

First: It’s not about learning anything; in fact, it’s about unlearning. Does it make sense that we once had all these qualities? So, we’ve got to ask, what have we "learned” that is blocking these qualities? What do you think? I think we’ve learned to be afraid, and this fear controls us. But, what are we afraid of? Lots of things. Perhaps most of all, we are afraid of feeling completely out of our control. We are afraid of what others think of us, afraid to fail, afraid to take a positive risk, afraid that we’re not keeping up with the Joneses, afraid of our image will be tarnished, and on and on. We spend an excessive amount of time trying to be accepted, concerned that we’ve "got the right answer”, "look good in our new suit”, "are funny enough”, etc. All the while we avoid looking bad, wondering, "is there something in my teeth?”, "what does Joe think of me?”, "why didn’t Barbara smile at me?”, "did I say the wrong thing?” etc. With all that going on, we don’t have any room for a big purpose, let alone fun! So here’s what you do. PLAY! Just for fun. Paint, sing, skip, and try something new. Turn off the TV €” enough brainwashing for now. Notice when you are trying to impress someone instead of being yourself. Say to yourself, "What I am doing right now is the most important thing I could possibly be doing”. Start to watch how free, loving, and uninhibited kids are. (And remind yourself they aren’t drinking a six-pack either.)

Second: Get comfortable with embarrassment. Instead of trying hard to not be embarrassed, get comfortable with being embarrassed. Let’s face it, we all get embarrassed. We all do silly things, make mistakes, say something wrong, sing out of tune, etc. But, let me ask you, how much energy does it take for you to NOT be embarrassed? Think about it. It takes up energy that could be used for other things. So every day, do something that makes you feel a bit embarrassed and get use to it. Ask yourself, "100 years from now, will it really matter?” Someone once said, "Courage is not the absence of fear; it is seeing something greater than the fear”. To be embarrassed it to be human.

Third: Find a purpose bigger than you. Remember when the person who was afraid of public speaking? Remember all the things they were worried about? What if I forget what to say? What if I make a mistake? What will people think of me? Then, I asked them to recall someone they really loved and if that person was right here in front of the room and was in harm’s way, would they stop at nothing to help them? Of course. When I asked if they would be worried they’d forget what to say, worried what people thought, etc., the response was "of course not!” In the moment you are focused on helping; all those fears drop in a heartbeat. So, the trick is to focus on your passion, on what you love, on the mission, on the goal€¦whatever it is that is beyond you or bigger than you. When you do that, the self-conscious part of you is not involved anymore.

Three things you can do to live a more purposeful and joyful life €“ remember to focus on your mission, be okay with embarrassment, and constantly look for ways to unlearn those blocks to your authentic self. With this, you will regain those qualities you once had.

If your organization needs a humorous motivational speaker please give us a cal to discuss your meeting.

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