A Shift in Perspective
I caught myself drifting into a doom loop with this month's drafts. Pentagon accountability failures. A Fidelity faceplant. A story about how you can fake social proof and swing an election.
Overall, it was a clear-eyed critique of how systems are designed to allow corporations and governments to dodge responsibility, but it was so dark and not how I want to show up.
So I started over with a different question in mind. What's bringing me joy right now?
Causing Smiles
I love making people happy. I tell terrible dad jokes. I have 27 saved in my phone's text shortcuts. DM me if you want puns and groaners.
But family smiles hit different. I've been obsessed with perfecting pizza on our Ooni this summer. Watching my kids race for cheesy bread (cheesy bread!) brings ridiculous joy. Finding a gluten-free crust that's actually damn good pizza for my wife? Even better.
It's more work than ordering out. Worth it every time. Pizza night has become the thing that draws us together without anyone asking.
A Dose of Laughter
We saw Jeff Arcuri a few months back and his quick wit hits the right notes for me. He's funny without being mean or degrading. Lately there seems to be a lot of punching down or being edgy for the sake of it in comedy. Jeff skips all that and it's a delight. I'll take more of that, please.
A Damn Fine Cuppa
The Philips Baristina espresso machine is new. It's a stellar little gadget that is a massive upgrade over the drip coffee we used to settle for. Watching the machine do its thing amuses me more than it probably should. There's something satisfying about a well-designed tool that just works.
Ted Lasso and the Case for Optimism
I'm on what feels like my 20th rewatch of Ted Lasso. It still lands. Not because the futbol is accurate (it's not), but because the show keeps choosing generosity over cynicism. Belief, practice, and care change outcomes.
And that works for me. It's a north star for how I want people to feel when they work with me.
The Savannah Bananas and Designing for Delight
We took the family to see the Savannah Bananas. Pure fun. Not just the on-field bits (a guy on stilts pitched), but the entire experience. Clearly the team considered all the touchpoints and zeroed out friction wherever they could.
If you've watched any clips of Jesse Cole, the guy behind the Bananas who gives me "Man in the Yellow Hat" vibes, it's fascinating to hear how he pushes his team to consider every aspect of a fan's experience. When you obsess over the moment-to-moment experience, people notice. They tell their friends. The game was light. The joy was heavy.
Both Lasso and the Bananas focus on the person on the other side. I think that's why I like them both and find them joyful. In a world full of deflection, making experiences that are fun and human really stand out.
Why Joy Matters at Work
Joy isn't a detour from serious marketing. It's how trust gets built. If someone walks away feeling lighter and more capable, they'll come back.
That's the loop I want to design for.
The research backs this up. Oxford University found that happy workers are 13% more productive (source). Not because they work more hours, but because they're more effective with their time. BCG's research shows employees who enjoy their work are 49% less likely to consider leaving (source). That's retention you can't buy with perks alone.
The neuroscience gets interesting here. Paul Zak's research on oxytocin, the brain chemical that facilitates collaboration and teamwork, shows how trust creates happier, more loyal, and more productive workforces (source). When people feel trusted and valued, their brains literally release oxytocin, which strengthens social bonds and drives cooperative behavior. You can measure it. You can build systems around it. And it directly impacts performance.
Glassdoor's analysis revealed a strong statistical link between employee well-being and customer satisfaction (source). Happy employees create happy customers. It's not just intuitive, it's measurable. Studies show organizations with high employee satisfaction rates see a 23% increase in profitability, and engaged employees lead to a 20% increase in sales (source).
Trust compounds. Joy compounds. Both create the conditions for people to do their best work. And both trigger the same neurochemical responses that make collaboration actually work.
I asked several friends and coworkers what brings them joy. What an incredibly uplifting thread. Family was the number one answer, with travel and self-improvement close behind. I will ask anyone who I messaged to share if they'd like. And I challenge you to do the same in the comments. What brings you joy? Let me know.
One Quick Ask
I'm nominated for Media Creator of the Year in the SANS Difference Makers Awards. SANS recognizes cybersecurity practitioners who are leading innovation, making outstanding security achievements, and contributing back to the InfoSec community.
If you think the work I'm doing deserves recognition, I'd appreciate your vote. Voting closes Wednesday, October 8 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, so if you're reading this after that, thanks for the thought anyway.