Come on, throw me the ball!
Just recently I changed my answer to that ubiquitous networking question, “What do you do?” My new answer, “Play”. I haven’t had many chances to use it yet. So far the reaction has been a slightly startled pause, a smile and an invitation to tell the questioner more about it. Perfect!
Perfect in a couple of ways. First, because play really does describe what I currently do to make a living. It’s also at the heart of what I’m developing for the future. Second, because it is such an unlikely answer in a business setting that it breaks the conversation out of its usual rut. That has to be a good thing, right?
Why play? How else could you describe a business based on sneaking into people’s yards in the middle of the night and planting flocks of plastic flamingos, herds of tiny Holsteins, or hoards of mini-dinosaurs? It’s the “grown up” version of TPing houses, with the same thrill for the perpetrator (me) and none of the ire from the home owner.
My other business is play as well. I make signs. Big signs. The kind of signs that hang in front of shops. I get to use power tools, and spray guns. I get to paint and gild and etch glass, and glue together miscellaneous pieces of material, and create big pieces of simple art that delight my customers. I think it’s great fun.
There will be more about the role of play in future posts. In the mean time I want to know, how do you incorporate play in to your business? Leave me a comment. I really want to know.
Great post, Kim!
I love this concept of play at work. Whenever I do webinars I make sure to make it fun for the participants. I find that when fun is had, they remember what they learned and find it easier to put into play in their own lives.
Caren
http://www.carenglasser.com
You’re absolutely right Caren. Adding play and fun to an important task helps people retain the information and makes it more likely they will actually put it to use. Too bad so many of our systems work so hard to take the fun out of learning.
I love this reminder, I often get a little too serious when I am working at home in my office. My workshops are more about play, and I want to add more play into my life with my husband…sometimes we forget to play. Thank you for adding play to our lives!
My pleasure. You need a toy for your office. The kind you’d get in trouble for having in your desk at school (or was that just me?)
Yes! To me playing and dreaming are similar, it is ok to do as a child and then as adults we are expected to stop, or do it only at certain times (uck, hate those rules) when in reality our inner child is ever present and want to dream and play, good for you, keep playing i say
The older I get the more I recognize how important it is. My new mission!
Fabulous reminder! I think I’ll PLAY tonight by sneaking some home-made blueberry muffins onto the front doors of my elderly neighbors.
The best kind of fun. Pulling a prank, but a nice prank.
I love to PLAY and have FUN. Thanks for a fun post.
What’s your favorite way to play?
I find the creativity in my business serious fun! I also have fun at workshops with my clients and connecting with other talented entrepreneurs!
Brandy 🙂
And you have a handy young playmate who keeps you climbing trees and exploring the world.
I want your job…getting paid to TP!
I love your post, it resonates with where I am right now in my life. I’ve taken a 180 turn and am really focused on my passion for food. I’m playing in the kitchen, in my garden and having fun making a difference in the food world (hopefully).
Darcie Newton
Devoted to finding all things delicious.
http://www.discoveringdelicious.com