Enthusiasm: That Strange, Oftentimes Annoying, Elixir That Makes Almost Anything More Fun

Forget the clear, sensible path to a “fun and fulfilling job.” It almost certainly doesn’t exist. Does that mean you should stop reading right here? Maybe… but if you’re so inclined to continue lets see if we can make good use of your time.

You don’t need a CEO title, a manifesto, or a TED Talk. You can get started with fun at work with just one thing: reckless, unadulterated enthusiasm.

I get it. “Enthusiasm” sounds like something they preach in management seminars and kindergarten classrooms. But the enthusiasm I’m talking about? It’s raw energy. It’s about leaning into the mundane and discovering something special—a spark born from a curious and stubborn mix. It’s the ability to look at something you’ve done a thousand times and see something new lurking in it, something almost thrilling.

People remember enthusiasm. They don’t remember that genius presentation or your top-notch “synergy” skills. They remember the way you showed up—the energy you brought, the charge in the room when you spoke. Enthusiasm isn’t something you fake; it’s something you turn up like the volume on an old radio, hoping to catch something interesting on a crackling station.

This podcast is no different. I had to re-listen to it a few times to absorb some of the specific points that Chris was making in our conversation, but I COULD NOT forget how stoked he was to be chatting.

It stuck with me. If I’m working on a web project, any project, that is the kind of energy I want to be around. 

A Sleep-Deprived Epiphany

Recently, I’ve been once again reminded of perspective courtesy of my seven-month-old. For a brief, glorious moment, he slept through the night. But no longer. Now, he wakes up every couple of hours, and by the third wake-up, we’re staring into the abyss, each of us asking, “How can we make this stop?”

In the dispair of sleeplessness, I’ve discovered that all those other things I once dreaded? Suddenly not so bad. I’m eager to jump into my emails, can’t wait to sit in meetings, yup, I'm even looking forward to cleaning the break room sink. It’s like every “normal” task suddenly got a fresh coat of paint, just because it isn’t happening in the middle of the night with a crying infant.

You don’t need to have a child to learn this lesson. Just trust me, your work isn’t that bad. Look at it with fresh eyes, like some odd experiment.

The Enthusiasm Challenge

Next time you’re staring down a task you’d rather throw out the window, try this: bring a little unhinged, off-kilter enthusiasm to it. I’m not talking about pretending to be cheerful or pasting on a smile. I’m talking about sinking your teeth into it with curiosity—like, What’s here that I haven’t seen before?

Try it for five minutes. Pour in some of that chaotic energy, be fully present, and see what happens. That spark of momentum might just carry you through, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll catch yourself in the act, thinking, Huh. This isn’t so bad. Maybe it’s even… interesting.

Fun at work isn’t a perk you get handed on a silver platter. It’s an underground operation, something you have to manufacture yourself. And it starts with a little reckless enthusiasm. Try it out. It might just turn everything on its head.

Your weekly inspiration of people having fun at work …

@unilad

Work smarter, not harder 🤣👏 #builders #funny #xyzbca #concrete #unilas

@abramsindustries

tell us what to do next time 🤪 #morepassion #morepassionmoreenergy #officecomedy #enthusiasm #work

@oneagencymedia

Me 🤝 My Work Bestie 🥰 We come as a pair, okay x 🥰 #dreamteam #workbestie #officelife #officebanter #officehumor #officetiktok #workbff #office