Smile Like You Mean It

It yields the greatest ROI in business (and in life)

“Some days you eat the bear. Some days the bear eats you.”

The Big Lebowski

“Some days you’re the pigeon. Some days you’re the statue.”

A pigeon or statue cleaner, probably.

So many metaphors, so little time. But the message is the same: Some days are great. Some days suck. And the trick is knowing what kind of day you’re in - so you can enjoy the good ones and survive the bad ones.

“This too shall pass.”

Len Zimmermann, my Grandad (probably someone else said this, too)

Why I Smile (even when the bear and pigeon are winning):

I’ve started doing things not because they feel easy, but because I want to be the kind of guy that does those things.

1. I coach my sons soccer team because I want to be the kind of guy that coaches his sons soccer team.

2. I get up early and exercise every morning because I want to be the kind of guy that gets up early and exercises every morning.

3. I love my work because I want to be the kind of guy who loves his work.

And now, I smile when things are tough because I want to be the kind of guy that smiles when things are tough.

Because let’s be real - bad days don’t spare anyone:

• The boss thinks I’m useless.

• No one sticks up for me.

• I’m zero steps closer to making 100 million dollars.

I recently wrote about how the harder I work the luckier I get.

Well, the more I smile the happier I feel.

Turns out there’s some science that backs this up:

1. Facial Feedback

   1. Smiling can reinforce and even trigger feelings of happiness

   2. Smiling activates the amygdala (brains emotional center) and releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphins

   3. Key study: Strack et all (1988)

2. Stress Reduction

   1. Smiling during a stressful task lowered heart rate and stress levels

   2. Key study: Tar Kraft and Sarah Pressman (2012)

3. Social Benefits

   1. People who smile are perceived as more approachable, trustworthy, and likable.

   2. Smiling is contagious - when someone smiles at you, you are more likely to smile back, creating a positive social loop

   3. Key study: Harker and Keltner (2001)

So, what are you going to do about it?

Your move.