This past week, I turned 60.
For many, this marks a time to retire. For me, it represents the time to launch a new business.
For several months, I’ve been deeply reflecting on my life’s purpose. Why am I here? What impact do I want to make on the world? What will I do with the next 60 years of my life?
I’ve discovered that while I’ve been blessed with an amazing career for the past two decades, some aspects of my work have felt like just that—work.
I’m always up for a good challenge, but lately, a little voice in my head has been telling me that something is slightly off.
My innovation work has become more serious. Producing results has become the only measure of success. Of course, this is important because it is why companies and events hire me.
But over the years, I’ve found an interesting paradox. Solely focusing on results can diminish the ability to produce results.
Why?
People aren’t robots programmed to rotely perform tasks. Our experience of the world impacts our work.
I’ve found that my clients are more successful and produce better results when they have a great time doing their work.
It’s not about choosing results or fun. It’s about having both!
There is a lot of science that backs this up.
One particularly relevant study looks at the relationship between wealth and happiness.
Although they found that individuals with greater wealth were happier, interestingly, they discovered that money was not the cause of their happiness. Instead, they observed that happiness created wealth. The happier someone was, the more eager they were to work and the more people wanted to work with them.
This same concept applies to the business environment.
At work, my greatest joy comes from conducting Personality Poker® sessions for clients. I developed this fun card game twenty years ago and have delivered hundreds of sessions worldwide.
Any time we play, the energy in the room is always off the charts. People have a blast, and equally important, they learn a ton about themselves, their teammates, and their organization while playing. We produce results while having fun.
When leading these sessions, I feel fully self-expressed. I’m goofy and uninhibited. I am at my best during these workshops, and the audience can feel my energy. It permeates the room, and as a result, the audience laughs and has a great time.
What keynote have you attended where you trade cards, give gift cards to others, get on your hands and knees, and listen to music while learning about yourself and your teammates?
I’ve played Personality Poker with audiences of 1,000 people in Las Vegas ballrooms, and I’ve played it with small, intimate groups where we can have deeper conversations.
Unlike traditional games, Personality Poker is not just about entertainment; it is about impact.
And given my love of impactful games, I’ve decided to launch a business focused on that: creating games that make a difference.
The name will be Impactful Games™️.
Beyond Personality Poker, I will develop other fun (not serious) games that help people learn about themselves, their lives, and their businesses. I will also license games from others that fit this purpose.
Some of the games may require me or a certified trainer to lead. But for most, we will offer a do-it-yourself option. For example, with Personality Poker, we’ve sold tens of thousands of decks to people in 30 countries. Our inexpensive starter kit makes it easy to learn and play.
My goal is to bring more joy, fun, and games to the workplace in a way that makes an impact and a positive difference.
In an earlier post, I talked about how Leonid Vorobyev created his world-famous band, Leonid & Friends as a 60th birthday present to himself. Impactful Games is my 60th birthday gift to myself and the world.
It’s never too late to start creating!
P.S. If you want to dig deeper into the paradox related to goals and results, read my Inc article on the “goal paradox.”