Chapter 15 of 'Today Is Your Day To Win'

There's A Clown In All Of Us

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Today's Empowering Quote
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"Make one person happy each day, and in forty years
you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a
little time, at least."
-Charley Willey

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Today's Empowering Question
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"Who can I make smile right now?"

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Today's Fast Session
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A couple days ago, I called my wife at work. One of her
co-workers answered the phone. Now, I like to clown
around...a lot.

Do you remember those guys who did the Budweiser
commercials that asked each other, "Wazzuuup?" Well,
remember the other Bud commercial with the "uncool" guys
who ask, "What are you doing?" in the nerdiest way possible?

Well, the woman who picked up the phone, I've only met
once for about 5 minutes. After she said hello, I didn't
identify myself at all. I just said, "What are you
DOING?!" in the uncool way. She said, "Who is this?"
Again I asked, "What are YOU doing?!"

All I heard was hysterical laughing and another woman in
the background saying, "Is that Mike?"

Later, my wife told me that my "victim" was talking about
it throughout the day... about how funny it was.

Now, I know it was only silliness, even mindless. But
don't we all need a little of that in our days? Oh, a lot?
I'm for that.

I remember in my book store, if a customer asked for a
specific book, and if I was close enough to it, I would do
a little soft shoe (with fake top hat and cane) over to the
shelf it was on, grab it and dance back over to the
customer, presenting it to them with a bow.

That used to floor people!

I had the biggest business of its kind in the world at the
time. And I think that giving people a little humor and
entertainment was part of it.

Hey, like it or not, we are all 'state' inducers.

Whenever we have an interaction with someone, even if it's
just a hello, we leave them with a definite feeling.

What do you think people feel about us when we're walking
around with a sour puss on?

No one wants to be around that.

Do you?

Do you go out and search for the complainers? If you do,
notice the topic of your typical conversations. Are they
usually centered on what's wrong, who said what rotten
thing, what someone had the gall to ask you to do? In
short, whining sessions?

Look, you are what you think. You get back what you put
out. If you put out cheerfulness, then that's how people
will treat you back.

Did you ever hear the centuries-old story about the old
man who sat next to the road and greeted people who entered
and exited just outside his small village?

When travelers came in, often they would ask what kind of
people were in the town. The man responded by asking them
what the people were like in the town they just left. If
the traveler said the people were terrific, the man told
them that he'd find the people in this town were much the
same.

If the traveler said the other town had horrible people in
it, the man said that they'd find the people here much the
same.

It kind of goes right along with another Your Day To Win
that talked about running from your problems. The thing
is, you bring yourself with you wherever you go. And since
you are what you think, the only way for you to escape your
problems is to change your attitudes.

If you understand that you induce states of mind in the
people that you meet all day, it brings it right to the
front of your consciousness, doesn't it? People respond to
you whether you like it or not.

To my way of thinking, it's better to bring a smile than a
frown or pity or disdain. Better than nothing either.
What the heck! It doesn't cost anything at all.

Just one person a day that you make smile will do
something amazing for them and...

...inside of you.

Try this easy exercise. I think you'll find it shocking.

Smile for 60 seconds straight. Just sit there and smile.
Don't do anything else. Take the next minute. C'mon, you
have another minute! Just sit and smile for one minute.

I'll wait...

Isn't it amazing?!

Don't you immediately sense an actual physical feeling
inside you the very second you start to smile? You did,
huh? Another thing you'll notice is, you can't do this
exercise without getting all kinds of great pictures in
your head, remembering fun times, etc.

The physiology of this is quite extraordinary. It's wired
into us. When we smile, we are literally programmed to
feel good.

If you thought that you had to first feel great to smile,
you couldn't be more mistaken. Smile first and you'll feel
great.

It's impossible to feel down when we are smiling. If
you're still doubting it, try it. Just try to get into a
rotten mood with a big dumb silly grin on your face.

You literally can't do it.

Now imagine what you'll be doing for other people if you
make it your mission to make at least one person smile per
day. The feelings that you're feeling right now as you're
sitting there grinning is exactly what you'll be doing for
everyone that you make smile...

It's kind of nice to think that you can do that for people
any time you want, isn't it?

And another question... what will those people think of you?

If you're up to the assignment, go make 'em smile!

Do it everyday and your life will change.