I was always laser-focused on being the best—my mom made sure of that. Excellence wasn’t an option; it was expected. But somewhere between chasing goals and building teams, I forgot how to laugh. Then one day, a young team member burst into my office, cracked a joke, and said, “You’re allowed to have fun along the way.” That moment changed everything.
High performers often think joy is optional. I was no different. I believed success had to come with intensity, pressure, and seriousness. Fun was for after work—maybe. But without realizing it, I had built a culture that mirrored my mindset: productive but joyless. And eventually, that weight wears everyone down. Even leaders.
Start by noticing how often your team laughs. Give them—and yourself—permission to enjoy the process. Humor doesn’t reduce standards; it humanizes them. That team member didn’t lower my ambition—he elevated my leadership. I still wanted to be #1, but now, I understood that fun wasn’t a threat to performance. It was the secret to sustaining it.