Together, through the success of The Fun Habit, we’ve made meaningful strides towards embracing joy in its myriad forms, as well as understanding its transformative power on a personal level. With every shared laugh, playful endeavor, and new wonder, we’ve seen how fun enriches our daily experiences.
We’ve effectively answered, “How can I have more fun?”
As this project enters its final decade, I want to ask a bigger question:
“How can we make the world more fun?”
I recently had the honor of engaging in a thought-provoking discussion with the creators of Fun Theory.
Fun Theory: the simple principle that by making an activity more fun, it will influence people’s behavior.
Our conversation (which you can access below) further sowed the seeds of my aspiration—a world where fun serves as a cornerstone for positive change, a way to heal, a catalyst for community bonding, and a pathway toward a brighter, more joyful world.
This updated focus isn’t a departure from the original plan, but an expansion—into how our individual and collective efforts can foster environments that cultivate delight, well-being, creativity, and inclusivity. As I delve deeper into this realm, I am thrilled to share and co-create this journey with you.
There are already pioneers among us who are weaving fun into the fabric of societal change (and it’s clear from the engagement on my recent LinkedIn post about the matter, that there are a lot of us here for it!). Saranne Rothberg, who was also interviewed this quarter, is a perfect example. I’m in the process of curating a showcase of these amazing changemakers. I would love to hear from you if you know of individuals or initiatives that embody this spirit. If you would like to share, please hit reply.
NORD DDB Stockholm – The first of two interviews this quarter took place with three of the thought leaders (Andreas Dahlqvist, Simon Higby, and Martin Hovnor) who were instrumental in creating “The Fun Theory” (Rolighetsteorin), an innovative campaign focused on inspiring socially conscious behaviors and helping people see the fun in acting responsibly. Explore our enlightening conversation about the mechanics and implications of Fun Theory here.
Saranne Rothberg – The second interview is with Saranne Rothberg, Founder of The ComedyCures Foundation. Saranne transformed her personal stage 4 cancer battle into a global mission, bringing therapeutic comedy to those grappling with illnesses, trauma, and depression. Her organization has delivered interactive comedy programs to over a million individuals worldwide. Our discussion about using laughter as a form of treatment can be found here.
In the spirit of ComedyCures’ mantra that laughter is medicine, my life experience this quarter was seeing a LOT of comedy. Over the past few months, Anna and I had the pleasure of seeing Fortune Feimster, Kevin Hart, Daniel Tosh, Jo Koy, and Joey Guila (pictured above). If you’ve read The Fun Habit, you know the importance of date nights and ensuring they’re scheduled. Investing in comedy shows is a way the two of us use the behavioral science strategy of precommitment to our advantage. (You buy the tickets, you’re going to go have fun!)
My contribution this quarter went to the ComedyCures Foundation, the Friendship Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the American Heart Association.
Before I sign off, I wanted to quickly share that I’m one of eight guest speakers at the upcoming “Blueprints to Prevent Burnout Conference” taking place from September 29 to October 10, 2023. The purpose of the virtual event is to look at ways to prevent (or bounce back) from burnout. There will be a treasury of insights for those who attend: warning signs of early burnout, practical tools to mitigate burnout, and pressure-proofing techniques, among many other topics.
For those interested in the dynamics of burnout and/or those curious about new ways to think about resilience, this event is worth a look.
Yours in fun,
Mike Rucker, Ph.D.
P.S. Although the excitement around The Fun Habit book is beginning to settle in the United States, I feel humbled that the book’s message continues to grow internationally. I was honored to just find out that The Fun Habit has won two “best of” categories (i.e., general non-fiction and how-to) at the Paris Book Festival. As always, thank you all for continuing to help The Fun Habit make an impact around the globe. 🙏