Smile
Over the years, smiles and
smiling have been a topic in science, business, personal improvement and
athletics. Wait…Athletics? Is it OK to smile during sports? How often do you
see an athlete smiling during competition?
Four years ago, I set out to
run a challenging half marathon in Dubuque, Iowa. The reason for the challenge…it
tracks through the infamous Eagle Point Park. Cut out of the Bluffs, it’s a
course that is not for the feint of heart. Interestingly, I was in the sign up
line and the runner in front of me complained to the lady taking the sign up
forms/checks.
How did she respond? She lit
him up verbally. She said “you chose to run this race, I suggest you smile
for a change…enjoy it…..other people would go to great lengths to be able to
run”.
I must admit, I was on the same
track as the runner before me. Sheepishly, I paid my due and signed up. As I
walked to my car to get my gear, I thought about the exchange and how I should
take the advice.
For me the result was a smile
throughout the race and I broke a
personal record. The icing on the cake for me was the fact that my wife and
young son cheered me on for the last 1/10th of a mile. It was a
special moment I will never forget. I have the power of smiling to thank and the sign up lady.
Smiling during the run lifted
my mood and got me to really enjoy the course mentally. It reminded me of an
old hitting coach that preached for us to smile during an at bat. He claimed
that it was impossible to blink when smiling big. As a hitter, you could see
the ball better when smiling.
Smiling in business is
a great thing. Smiling communicates confidence and signals that you are a happy
and pleasant person. If you are in sales, this bodes well. People love buying
from confident and happy people. Try this sometime. Randomly smile at someone
at work. Instinctively, they will smile back.
Imagine the gift you just
gave them. Confidence and happiness was just transferred. It may not last long,
but if you make it a habit….you will spread it for a long time.
If you are wondering, I am smiling
while I hit send. J
Have a great day!
Jim
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