Boring + Fun = Not Boring

When we take the time to add fun to a situation it gets transformed. A lot of people use stress/deadlines/self-flagellation as motivation to do something. Yet we all have things that we do because there's an inner motivation - have you ever had to give yourself a deadline to get dessert?


VolkWagon has a campaign that shows innovative ways they've gotten people to do "boring" things - they call it The Fun Theory. Their most popular video shows how to get people to use the stairs instead of taking the escalator. (Thanks to Shreedevi for reminding me of the campaign.)





For those who want to take the stairs more, but are on a budget, feel free to substitute "piano" for "humming a song" as you walk up.


UPDATE:
Yesterday I played croquet with some friends - it's a fun game, but can become boring quickly. To add some fun I came up with the idea of giving each player the opportunity to place an obstacle (usually a bag) on the field once per game, at least 18 inches from a wicket. This addition created a sense of excitement and unpredictability that changed the tide each game.


Have you added an element of fun to a "boring" activity? Share it in the comments!

What Bernie Madoff Couldn’t Steal From My Friend

Everyone's been affected by the recession. My friend, Matt, just happened to be affected by the now most famous of frauds, Bernie Madoff. There's a few interesting things about Matt though - he's got a great attitude, is resourceful, and is a very talented speaker who can share his story like no other.

Below is a video of a speech he gave recently. It touches on the themes of things I strongly believe in - stress is a reaction, you can choose your own reactions, leverage your community to bring yourself greater happiness, Antarctica is a cool place (pardon the pun).

A quick intro by Matt:

"I want to preface this by saying that if this is the first you are hearing that Geneen and I were long-time investors with Bernie Madoff and got financially whacked when he turned out to be a fraud--- I want you to know that we’re doing okay. More than okay, actually--- we’ve both been in a fabulously creative period this past few months since the Madoff debacle. Enjoy the video (no, really, it has some good laughs in it!) and please pass the link on to anyone you know who might find it valuable.
Much love,
Matt"

(in case you can't see the video - see it directly on YouTube)