Line in the sand

There aren’t that many things I’ve said that I think sound to smart if I read it a year or two later. Imagine saying something that is going to follow you for the rest of your life. What would you pick? Probably not Work Is Fun, right? 

I’ve drawn a line in the sand. I’m putting the finishing touches on my book, Work Is Fun, which will be released in April next year.

There’s no going back now. This isn’t like a bad review I can pay some shady company to scrub from the internet. It’s permanent. It will follow me for quite a while—probably for the rest of my life.

I remember the early days of King of Pops, gearing up for my self-imposed opening day deadline of April 1st. One of my favorite things was telling people about it. Watching their reactions when I said I was sinking all my savings, time, and energy into a popsicle business… 😳 Priceless. It always led to interesting conversations, especially when they realized I was dead serious.

This time, though, it feels different. People get excited when I tell them I’m writing a book. But once I mention the topic—the idea that work can be fun—I can almost see their eyebrows raise. It’s as if I’m trying to get extra credit or impress some invisible authority. I can practically feel the internal eye rolls.

If they’re part of my intended audience—those millions who actively despise their jobs—I sometimes find myself backtracking on the ideas I’ve spent hundreds of hours refining. There’s that moment of hesitation where I wonder if they’ll even believe that work can be enjoyable.

But here’s the truth: I’m writing this book because I believe in these ideas. I think it has the potential to help others see work in a new light, and I believe it could highlight some of the great things we’ve built at King of Pops. But most importantly, it’s a reminder to myself.

For work to be fun, it has to be meaningful. And meaningful work isn’t always easy. It’s often painful, difficult, and sometimes no fun at all. But here’s the thing—it doesn’t have to be like that most of the time. We’re usually the ones responsible for making our work feel like a grind.

In the fall of 2009, I was finalizing popsicle flavors, painting a mural, and learning everything I could about mobile vending in Georgia, all in anticipation of opening day. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but I was working harder than I ever had—and having consistently more fun than I’d ever experienced.

We shouldn’t have to rely on hindsight to realize we’re enjoying our work. It should be our default mindset.

Now, I’m set to launch a book on King of Pops’ 15th birthday.

This is my new line in the sand. Work Is Fun isn’t just an idea—it’s a challenge I’m putting out there for the world to judge. And it’s a reminder to myself to keep pushing toward a better version of work because I know a better version of work leads to a better version of life.