Episode 279: The "Joy Factor" in Life and Career

SELDI Podcast with Tony Williams

Greetings, Summit Leaders.

Joy. This one emotion has an enormous impact on a person's ability to endure, gain new strength, and develop the power to overcome all life's challenges.

Can you recall a time when you experience joy?

This emotion makes life worth living in the moment because it resonates with our core identity. It is associated with feelings of ease, appreciation, gratitude, and meaning.

A group of Summit Leaders meets on "Victory Day by Day - Joyful Friday!"

The group shares one thing they are grateful for that day and shouts of appreciation to their teammates for an action, comment, or success. They look and listen as their teammates share their joyful moments.

"To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with." Mark Twain

Their sharing lifts their mood, boosts their energy, and brings smiles to their faces! Neuroscience calls this the Dopamine effect, known as the feel-good neurotransmitter, a chemical that ferries information between neurons. The brain releases it when we experience joy. Sharing joy helps regulate movement, learning, and emotional responses to life's challenges.

"I always feel good after our Joyful Fridays!" Summit Leader

The connective power of joy is visible in sports. When a team performs at its best, overcoming its challenges, every player — indeed, the entire arena — experiences an overflow of joy that lifts the team even higher.

Joy is a multiplier in our ability to endure and the strength to perform. I recall two quotes highlighting the effects of joy "... for the joy set before him he endured," and "joy... is your strength."

Gratitude can ignite our joy. Being grateful creates a mindset for resiliency, strength, and victory. Counting our blessings cultivates, stirs our emotions, and positions us to win the battles of life and career.

"The king rejoices in Your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!" King David

Everyone in every walk of life can be a force for good through their response of gratitude with joy!

How can we cultivate the emotion of joy for life and career and experience endurance, strength, and victories?

Start each day by writing down several things you are most grateful for in your life and career. Think about them for a few minutes. Let your mind replay them throughout the day and replenish your joy.

Keep asking for joy, seeking it, knocking on the door, and you will find it!

Research indicates that cultivating this habit of dispositional gratitude

increases our state of joy over time.

Please remember to share your joy with others. Joy is contagious.

"Got joy?" Be glad and enjoy your days and your work. "A joyful heart is good medicine."

Victory!