“People want to see other people be excited about something.”

In season 26 episode 5, Tamsen Webster joins the show.  She is a speaker, coach, and power communicator. 

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Excitement Matters

Being excited about your work is underrated. Most people go about their workday, checking the proverbial box. This is precisely why those professionals who are excited about the work they do or the content they present stand out from those who aren’t.

The word excitement is defined by Webster’s as; having, showing, or characterized by a heightened state of energy, enthusiasm, eagerness.

Having more energy than the average professional is a real competitive advantage. Tamsen Webster knows a thing or two about competitive advantages. As a speaker and coach, she is continually looking for even the smallest slivers of competitive advantages to help her own business and her clients. She gave a masterclass on the importance of excitement on the Follow My Lead Podcast.

Great Quotes about Excitement

“No one will ever be as excited about your content as you are”

Tamsen Webster

“People want to see other people be excited about something.”

Tamsen Webster

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You don’t get to choose people’s interpretation of you, all you get to choose is the experiences you offer to them.”

Tamsen Webster

How to Get Excited

Clearly being excited about your work matters. However, most people struggle to get excited about anything but their favorite sports team or a beloved hobby. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are a few strategies to help you get excited at work.

1. Find Something Small In Your Job to Get Excited About – Instead of trying to get excited about every single part of your job, look smaller. Start by looking at something you get the opportunity to do that you like and want to do more of. For some people, this might make up 10% of their job, and for others, it could make up 90%. Regardless of where you fall, the key is to find one thing and find ways to develop your skills in that area so you can do more of it.
2. Take a Part of Your Job and Make it Your Own – One of the secret strategies of being excited about something is taking something given to you and making it your own. As Tamsen Webster said, “Find what is interesting to you and make it your own.” A coaching client of mine is in sales. He didn’t like prospecting, but instead of complaining about it, he customized his call and email scripts and made a game out so he could get excited about it every day.
3. Use Your Own Excitement Meter – Some people wake up excited about everything. But if I have learned anything in my work with leaders, it’s to compare yourself to the best version of you and not anyone else. As C.S. Lewis said, “comparison is the thief of joy.” Your excitement might not reach the levels of someone else’s, but it doesn’t mean it’s not essential for you to be successful.

You can learn more about Tamsen Webster and subscribe to her Red Thread Newsletter Here.

About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft, a leadership development company making virtual training easy and effective. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Management & Workplace. John is also the author of  Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success and host of the “Follow My Lead” Podcast, a show that transfers stories and best practices from today’s leaders to the leaders of tomorrow. You follow him on Instagram @johngeades.