STOP TAKING YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY

In my seminars, I work with a lot of leaders. And I’ve found that many of them take themselves much too seriously. Of course, they’re not alone. I meet people in every walk of life who have too much doom and gloom in their attitudes. They need to lighten up. No matter how serious your work is, that’s no reason to take yourself seriously.

Most of us think that we are more important than we really are. On the day I die, one of my good pastor friends will give me a wonderful eulogy and tell funny stories about me, but twenty minutes later the most important thing he’ll have on his mind will be trying to find the potato salad at my reception.

You need to have a sense of humor about these things – especially if you work with people. Comedian Victor Borge summed it up: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”

Take yourself less seriously and recognize that laughter breeds resilience.

Reference:

Maxwell, J. C. (2007). Maximize your day: 365 days of insights to develop the leader within you and influence those around you. Manila, Philippines: OMF Literature Inc.