Empowering joy: 4 steps to drive success and growth

Your career does not need to be a joyless venture. In fact, a joy-centric approach leads to a competitive advantage. Breaking barriers to joy increases productivity, creativity and innovation, leading to both personal and professional growth.  

Your nervous system is wired to recognize joy as the highest positive state on the emotional spectrum. Joy is often triggered through a sense of meaning and purpose so profound that it brings you back to yourself.

Empowering joy

How many of us are waiting to be led to joy? Rather than wait for joy to show up, focus on reaching within to intentionally access more joy. Many of these are also woven throughout MDRT’s Whole Person concept.

Step 1: Cultivate inner joy while spreading joy outward

• Practice gratitude by reflecting on three things that bring value to life.
• Express gratitude to others by recognizing their efforts.
• Focus on the positive impact you have on others.
• Connect with others to optimize joy.
• Stay focused on solutions, not problems.
• Find pleasure in every seemingly insignificant task.

The rewards that carry joy are not loud declarations, but more like whispers that are just enough to nudge a smile.

Step 2: Practice mindfulness

• Slow down.
• Connect to the five senses.
• Resist distractions and noise.
• Extract joy through nature and learning.
• Stay in the present instead of looking back or projecting forward.

Also, learn all you can. Information itself is a source of joy. Information allows us to appreciate the complexity of this world and approach it with childlike awe.

Learn how to be comfortable with being alone, and how to carve out time for personal reflection. At the same time, humans are social beings, and it’s important to reach out to others to create and share more joy.

Step 3: Build relationships

• Connect with loved ones and coworkers, spending quality time.
• Practice active listening.
• Engage in more joyful interactions that emphasize quality communication.
• Seek spiritually uplifting connections.
• Build a joy-oriented brand awareness and office environment.

It’s important to expose yourself to people who consistently give you their best version. As important, the joy-minded individual must project their best version to others, particularly when confronting challenges.

Step 4: Practice self-care and attention to well-being

Prioritize physical, mental and emotional health, because an empty cup cannot pour anything out. 

• Strive for balance and harmony, which enhances receptiveness to joy. Remember, joy is available around every corner, depending on how the turn is approached.
• Develop resilience and flexibility in daily life, and the practice of finding joy in the most ordinary moments will become a natural flow of habit.

It’s crucial to consider all the domains of well-being that impact joy, including physical, emotional, social and psychological domains. Cultivating joy in business is not just a feel-good strategy, but a prudent approach to driving success and growth. By prioritizing joy, you can build strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

Rev. Robert Turner is a speaker and executive coach who helps senior leaders facing transition stress, isolation or questioning whether their leadership still feels meaningful. Learn more at executivecoachturner.com.

For more about balanced living

• Listen to “How to embrace the Whole Person concept”
• Watch “How mindfulness and self-care lead to consistent MDRT success”