Is being a TSA agent your dream job?

Probably not, especially right now.

But imagine being that agent and doing everything in your power to make every moment fun and joyful. You’re energetic, playful, cracking jokes and generally making a normally agonizing experience more pleasant and fun.

Now imagine your boss comes over and rips you a new one for daring to have fun on the job. Suddenly your whole energy shifts. You’re crabby, on edge, defensive. Making everyone around you miserable.

Which version of that agent would you want to be?

This is the choice we face every day at work. How we show up for ourselves and others. Will we choose joy? Or something else.

Amy Dickens is a walking, talking, smiling, dancing joy expert who helps adults reconnect to the joy we all have inside of us. The joy that life is so good at scraping away until it becomes nostalgia.

Amy witnessed that TSA agent on a recent trip. It inspired her. And it made her sad to see that man’s boss stuck in the story that work must be miserable.

Our conversation was an absolute joyride, her infectious energy creating a delightful back and forth around ways we can make work (and life in general) more fun. Adult summer camp. Joy parades. Using the word “shaboozy.” And a book filled with 101 Ways to Spread Joy. One of my favorite bits was when she mentioned the idea of a “Joy Gym” in passing. Suddenly it was like, why don’t we have Joy Gyms? That sounds awesome. We should have one in every office.

We also talked about how a more enjoyable workplace is a more profitable and productive one. It’s one of the easiest cheat codes out there and yet most businesses are stuck in the old model of grinding people until they break down like my old Camaro did weekly back in the late 80s.

We don’t have to wait for those corporate execs to get it. We can bring joy into our work every day, just like that TSA guy. And if you’re a leader thinking about scolding someone for daring to have fun at work, consider joining them instead. You might like it.

I know your team will.

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Amy on Instagram and TikTok @theamydickens. And check out livejoyfullyyou.com to learn more about her book, her podcast and to simply feel better about the world.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to find some calm in the chaos of work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!

Bonus question from Amy:Imagine you’re 80 years old, looking back on your life. What are you thinking? What version do you wish you had optimized for more success? What does success mean to you at that age? When were you fully alive? What does that version of yourself wish you had done differently?

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The problem:The attention (addiction) economy is killing us.

The way to solve it:Moving to a trust-based economy

The world we could be creating:One where it doesn’t feel like we’re slaves to a system nobody actually wants

How we can create it:🐱 Step away from the algorithm once in a while🐱 Notice things, wonder, be curious🐱 Give attention instead of demanding it🐱 Shift from coercive funnels to actual human connection🐱 Bring inefficiency back into the system🐱 Embrace creativity

Why inefficiency is glorious:Because it’s load-bearing. Trust is built in the slow, the cumbersome, the figuring it out together moments. Trust takes time, it can’t be automated. In fact, the more we streamline our operations, the more we strip trust out of the system.

How AI fits in:AI is a symptom of the problems we’ve been creating for years now. And it can also help us dig out of them, if we use it smartly.

Why creativity matters more than ever:Creativity is the best tool for navigating complexity. Integrative thinkers who can connect disparate ideas and build trust are exactly what we need right now.

Question Nick wants you to ponder:What’s one thing that you think would be difficult to give up in the algorithmic system? What could you actually give up?

Remember pondering? Let’s do more of that.

Welcome to the DesuckifyWork® podcast. The show where we cut through the BS and find ways to make work more fun, more human and less ridiculous. All of which makes your business more profitable, by the way.

(If you enjoy this one, please like, share, rate, review or subscribe to the podcast.)

Let the desuckifying begin.

You can follow Nick on LinkedIn. And check out damnsgiven.com to learn ore about his work and upcoming book, The Damn Rules. You can also visit trustmadegrowth.com to join his online community.

If you enjoyed the conversation and would like to find some calm in the chaos of work, I invite you to schedule a free half-hour discovery session. Type “meow” in the calendar invite and I’ll also send you a free DesuckifyWork® t-shirt!

Bye, everyone!