It’s International Enthusiasm Week so, let’s talk about the pros and cons of enthusiasm.
The word “enthusiasm’ was borrowed from the Greek enthousiasmos, meaning “inspiration or possession by a god.”
Ok, the “inspiration” part sounds like a good thing, right? It makes people think words like energetic, initiative, and motivated. That strengthens your personal brand.
But the “possession” part? That could be really annoying. Have you ever been around somebody that seems like they don’t have control over their enthusiasm? You know, one of those people that is always doing waaaay too much. “Hey! Can you please go sit down somewhere? Relax.” They are overly enthusiastic and that weakens their personal brand.
The fourth cluster in our Five Soft Skills Clusters framework is Self-Management & Professionalism: The ability to demonstrate behaviors and character traits on par with the highest standards of your role or position.
So, of course, you should bring the energy and excitement because enthusiasm and passion help to you shine as a professional. Enthusiasm can lead to bigger successes for you and your team. At S3 we inspire people to chase their goals with enthusiasm and spread that positive energy to others.
Just remember…
Duncan Nugget® #30:
When it comes to your personal brand, enthusiasm is like seasoning in your food, too little or too much ruins the flavor.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- In what area of your life can you show more enthusiasm? How will that change things for the better?
- Have you ever seen somebody being too enthusiastic? How did that impact them and the people around them?
- Think about a time when enthusiasm helped you to be more successful. How did it make a difference? In what ways did it help you and the people around you?