Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Enthusiasm! @ Work
Where and How To Begin
by Antoinette S. Webster
“If you mix enthusiasm with your work, it will never be difficult or monotonous. It will be fun and exciting.”
W. Clement Stone
There are many times I talk to others about the concept of having enthusiasm at work—in the workplace and within themselves—when I hear comments like:
“Yeah that sounds great. But how do you start?”
“We sure need it where I work. Where do we begin? And how do we get everyone to go along?”
“Creating it I can do. Keeping it is the hard part.”
The first place to start is with yourself. Once you begin to make a conscious choice to connect with your enthusiasm, others will notice. Here are some additional things you can do:
- Give yourself permission, initially to experiment with ‘bringing’ enthusiasm to work. Then give yourself permission to explore and harness the power of your enthusiasm.
- Be with AWE!—Awareness, Willingness, Excitement. Awareness is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, because you observe events and your environment with objectivity, along with your reactions and responses. Willingness paves the way to be open to explore and experiment. After all you can always go back to the way you were before. Excitement arises in relation to the possibilities and new discoveries that await you.
- Honor your natural expression and experience of enthusiasm. Remember we are not a one-size fits all world. Everyone has his or her own unique way of being enthusiastic, whether it is expressive, gentle and more reserved or...
- Tune in to what causes you to be enthusiastic. My research, experience and observations indicate there are specific things that cause people to be enthusiastic. Thirty-two are identified in Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself & Keep It ; and this is not all of them. Connecting with the underlying cause or causes keeps your fountain flowing. The next step is to look for ways to bring what causes you to be enthusiastic into your day-to-day experiences.
- Pay attention to Enthusiasm Zapperssm. Many of them are obvious. Some are subtle. This is where awareness can help. Once you identify what zaps your enthusiasm and energy, then identify what you can do to zap them before they zap you. Create a list, adding to it as you go along. Check out Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! Discovering what to do when your get up and go got up and went for suggestions. Another interesting resource related to this is The Crazy Dog Guide To Happier Work by Brian Browne Walker.
- Experiment with various ways for Igniting Your Sparksm. You already have a head start with this one. Think about what you already do to refresh, rejuvenate, relax and recharge. It could be something as simple as having a picture of a favorite vacation spot. Golfers could carry a golf tee or marker in their pocket. Take the stairs for some exercise; better yet step outside for fresh air and a short stroll. Trust yourself and trust what you know. Then give yourself permission to discover other ways to ignite your spark. Once your spark is ignited, you may find yourself being the catalyst for others to ignite theirs.
Antoinette Webster M.E!, MBA, is the author of Enthusiasm! How To Draw It To Yourself & Keep It, Igniting the Spark of Enthusiasm! and the forthcoming Enthusiasm! @ Worksm series. She is a Master Enthusiast who has been facilitating programs, researching and writing about enthusiasm since 1990.As an Author, Speaker, Facilitator and Life/Balance/Spirit Coach+, Antoinette guides people and organizations to move through barriers so they can harness the power of enthusiasm. Also, she is the President of A System that Workssm, which focuses on professional and personal transformative growth and development. Visit www.ASystemthatWorks.com to find out more about our programs, products and services. Or contact Antoinette at 513.887.0600, Antoinette@ASystemthatWorks.com.
© 2006 Antoinette S. Webster, A System that Workssm. All Rights Reserved www.ASystemthatWorks.com
