Enthusiasm Unknown To Mankind

By Jon Gordon:

When Jim Harbaugh, the head football coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was coaching the Stanford University football team his star player, Toby Gerhart, was asked how Stanford had become one of the top programs in the country. 

Toby said that Coach Harbaugh was the main reason because he brings a ton of enthusiasm and passion to the team, inspires people to want to play at Stanford and makes everyone better.

Jim's dad was the one who taught him the importance of enthusiasm.

Every day when his dad would take his brother John, who is also an NFL coach, his sister and Jim to school he would say to them,

"Attack this day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind."

The Harbaugh children repeatedly heard this powerful and positive message and clearly their enthusiasm has become a huge part of their lives and careers.

Jim shared the same enthusiasm he did at Stanford with the 49'ers last year as a rookie NFL coach and transformed the team.

Research shows what we've always known to be true. Emotions are contagious. Studies conducted by HeartMath.org demonstrate that when you have a feeling in your heart it goes to every cell in the body and outward. Up to five to ten feet away people can sense feelings transmitted by your heart via electromagnetic signals.

This means that each day you are projecting enthusiasm and passion or apathy and indifference...and people can feel it.

That's why when you walk into a restaurant, an office, a hotel, a football locker room, a hospital or a school you can feel the energy and get a sense of the culture, the people and their enthusiasm and passion.

Enthusiasm and passion attract people to you and make them want to get on your bus. And while they are on your bus your enthusiasm infectiously makes them better.

When you live and work with enthusiasm you not only create a more exciting life and career, you also inspire your team and customers to be excited about working with you.

So today I want to encourage you to heed the advice of Mr. Harbaugh and decide to:

Attack this day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind.