A colleague that I’ll never forget working with was known amongst his peers for his exceptional work ethic, levity, and joy.
He always worked hard but never took himself too seriously.
He would fail spectacularly in one moment and then reflect, laugh, and learn the next moment.
During stressful times when many colleagues were feeling overwhelmed, he’d always find a way to break the tension and brighten up people’s day with a good joke.
After a long day of intense sessions during one of our company’s sales meetings, he was the first one on the dance floor during cocktail hour.
There’s a word for this kind of nimble, work-hard-but-have-make-sure-to-have-fun mindset: resilience.
If you’re going to have to get through the challenges, curveballs, and punches that life throws at you one way or another, you might as well give yourself permission to laugh and have a good time in the process.