Joy is Contagious

Billions of people gather around their TV sets and computers every four years to watch the Olympics.
 
Why? Because it is so much darn fun.
 
It is almost impossible not to get caught up in the intense competition and the intensity of the action, particularly in the events where the athlete is only a blade’s edge from wiping out after years of preparation. It is living in the moment at its highest levels.
 
But there is another emotion that is generated in the Olympic experience . . . joy . . . pure joy! 
 
You see it on the athletes’ faces when they enter the arena in the opening ceremony.  You see it after a successful attempt when a figure skater has gone through all her jumps without falling, or a skier has flown down the mountain with a great run.
 
But you also see it in the fans, who are super pumped to be there, and in the announcers, who are excited and fired up in their presentations and interviews.
 
That is because joy . . . and passion . . . and excitement, are contagious.
 
That is not just an observation.  It is a scientific fact supported by countless studies which show that when two people interact, the person who is most energetic and engaged inevitably lifts the spirits of the person who is less so. And . . . people are inevitably drawn to such bright lights, whether in the arts, sports or business.
 
So have fun watching the Olympics.  Then, every once in a while when you catch a great rush of emotion running through you, stop for a second and think about it. 
 
Because that is the exact same emotion we should be trying to evoke from our prospects and customers as salespeople. 
 
Lift the mood, make the sale.