I Need Motivation Theories

I don't want you to think I'm strange, but I find something humorous in just about every life situation. There is always something to laugh about whether it's at church, at home, or at work. I've even found humor at a funeral; not in the grief of the family, of course, but in the many things that present themselves because so many people are gathered.

Generally we've all become much too serious and, as a result, I see a great deal more discouragement, hopelessness, and negativity. I know when I take myself too seriously, I lose my ability to think clearly and to be creative in my work and personal life. In fact, studies have shown that when we are always concentrating on the problems of life and fail to laugh on a frequent basis it can lead to serious depression.

I don't know who said, "If you learn to laugh at yourself, you will always have something to laugh about," but they really hit the nail on the head for me. I'm my greatest resource for laughter! Being human is fraught with opportunities for amusement and humor.

Laughter is a choice.

It may sound odd, but laughter is really a choice you can make no matter what befalls you in life. While you may not have control over all the circumstances that present themselves, you can control how you react to them; and humor is a vital ingredient in whether you bog down in your negative circumstance or create an opportunity for humor and personal growth.

I've actually trained myself to look for the humor in every part of life. Once you decide to have that frame of reference, you'll be amazed at the insight and enjoyment you'll receive from even seemingly insignificant events.

Five wonderful reasons to laugh:

#1 Laughter is good for you! Laughter has been scientifically shown to reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, and add years to your life. You may have heard true stories of people who literally "healed themselves" from serious illness by laughing on a continual basis. They read humorous books, watched funny movies, and generally exposed themselves to anything and everything to tickle their funny bone. They made a business out of laughing. And they got well!

Stress, on the other hand, has been proven to do quite the opposite. Nothing breaks down your mind, body, and spirit faster than sustained stress. I've even learned to laugh when I lose money; I have decided in advance that, "You win some, you lose some, and some you get rained out." Nothing is worth losing my health over!

#2 - Laughter is powerful! Best-selling author and motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar always tells his audience, "It's hard to be upset at someone when you're laughing at him." Laughter is a powerful tool for persuading others. Everyone is more receptive when humor is involved.

Laughter can also give you the motivation and inspiration, not to mention the energy, to keep going when the going is tough. Staying open to humor allows your mind to work at its optimum, thus allowing creative problem solving, something you definitely need when circumstances are especially challenging.
#3 - Laughter is fun to be around! I guess you could say that laughter is the "life of the party!" It's always fun to be around people with a good sense of humor. I've found that some of the most effective leaders are the ones that leave people feeling uplifted by merely being in their presence, and part of that reason is their ability to see the humor in life.

#4 - Laughter is a good teacher! Great teachers almost without exception employ humor as part of their effective arsenal of teaching tools. If you work with children, this becomes even more essential. We often retain things more quickly and for longer periods when we connect the information to some form of humorous presentation.

#5 - Laughter is better than tears! Let's face it; no one leads a perfect life. We all have challenges, times when things don't go our way despite our best efforts. Rather than be discouraged or negative, why not choose to see the humor in the situation.

Change your destiny with humor.

When you refuse to let life get you down and instead choose to see the humor in what surrounds you at any given moment, you are literally deciding to alter your destiny. When you choose to laugh not only when things are going well but more especially when things are not, you place yourself in the best possible position for something wonderful to happen. As an old Japanese proverb states, "Fortune comes to those who smile."

Laughter opens the senses, expands the mind, infuses the body with healthy chemicals, and makes the impossible seem possible. Nothing changes your physical being like laughter. Now that's something to laugh about!


Best-selling New York Times author Paul J. Meyer has written two dozen full-length programs plus numerous books on attitude, motivation, goal setting, management, leadership, and time management. In his highly acclaimed book, 24 Keys That Bring Complete Success, available at www.pauljmeyer.com, Paul shares the 24 keys that have made him the success he is today.

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