Play for a Positive Mindset
Table of Contents
Riddle me this: who is this man and why is he the first face you’re seeing in this email!?
I recently returned from a 1-week vacation—or Mental Fitness break—in Israel, where I visited family and got some special, real-deal, up-close-and-quality time with my 3.5 year old nephew.
Let me tell you—this kid is a MASTER of both mayhem and play—or turning mundane activities into wildly epic adventures.
Bath time? It's a sea voyage with the Paw Patrol. Getting dressed? A Spiderman superhero transformation sequence. Leaving the house? An elaborate escape room puzzle that would make the Batman sweat.
Spending time with him, I found myself yelling, jumping and laughing a lot more than I do day-to-day.
It got me thinking: when the heck do I play?
According to the National Institute for Play (UMMM - ARE THEY HIRING!?), their research maintains that play is not only a key driver of motivation, but without it we’re more likely to get depressed. In fact, play is one of our 7 primal emotions—or ones that we’re born with that are so instinctual to who we are and how we operate—it’s in our bones. Dr. Stuart Brown says that “the drive to play is as fundamental as our drives for food and sleep.” Further, it has been argued that the mark of consciousness is the playful behaviors found in some animals looking to explore the “sensation of existing,” not just survival: like this bad boy crow.
Bad Boy Crow Have Fun On Your Roof
So what does this mean for all of us?
Somewhere between finger painting and filing taxes, most of us forget, neglect, or simply do not PLAY.
Think about it—when was the last time you approached something boring with the creative goofiness of a preschooler without inhibitions, timelines, self-judgement, or to-do lists? Our adult brains are STARVING for novelty, joy, and laughter, but instead, we keep feeding them spreadsheets, deadlines, and calendar reminders.
Speaking of play, on my flight home I was watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (as one does at 30,000 feet), and I had this hilarious thought: what if Guy Fieri, instead of being an incredible food guru, was my first boss at my corporate job at a bank? So… naturally, I used AI to create the masterpiece above. For those who don’t know what he typically looks like, this is guy:
I mean, come on! Even in corporate land, he's still taking us to FLAVOR TOWN!
That hair! That incredible frosting (jewelry)! That subtle hint of "these quarterly reports are OFF THE HOOK…it’s SNACKTIME brother…let’s hit the watercooler…YEAH!"
For those who want to continue down this train of G.F. play, please read this essential restaurant review in the New York Times HERE. Note that while people make fun of his playful approach to food, fun, and restaurant reviews—he’s a cultural icon, and frankly, can’t help but make all of us smile.
THIS man… has not forgotten the importance of play (and joy) in grownup land.
This urge to put Guy through the AI image generator also got me thinking about all this AI buzz. Everyone's talking about productivity and efficiency with tools like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT (oh my), but maybe the real magic happens when we use them to PLAY. To get weird. To let our brains wander into "what if" territory.
So today, I'm challenging you:
Find a moment to play.
Use that AI tool everyone's talking about to make something ridiculous. Write a haiku about your coffee order or someone’s cat you appreciate. Ask it to explain the term “liquidity” like a surfer dude. Have it share productivity ideas from 1970s (what’s old is new again?!)…
Impactful Conversations Crew podcast.
One question they asked me was what is the best leadership advice you’re living by. My answer? I had two:
“Enjoy the ride”
“Suspend disbelief”
Both of these suggest play. So I, too, am working to build this into my routine each day.
So get to it people. Struggling with burnout, to stay focused or just plain feel great!? Trust me, your brain will thank you, your inner 3-year-old will high-five and then Spiderman you (whatever that means), and who knows…that playful detour might just lead to your next brilliant idea.
