Dwayne Johnson (aka “The Rock”) is a lousy actor.
I love him, though, for what he does to my brain.
I’ll explain…
…but first, I have to explain some neuroscience.
Emotional Contagion
The human brain has “mirror neurons.”
These special neurons respond to the emotions of other people:
- If you see someone happy, your mirror neurons fire, making you happier.
- If you see someone sad, your mirror neurons fire, making you sadder.
- If you see someone angry, your mirror neurons fire, making you angrier.
Psychologists call this “emotional contagion.”
Our emotions are LITERALLY contagious.
We can catch emotions from the people we’re around (and even celebrities!).
What does this have to do with “The Rock?”
Ok, back to Dwayne Johnson…
Dwayne Johnson is always so freaking happy.
And when I see his big “I love life!” smile, it triggers my mirror neurons and I become happier.
I “catch” The Rock’s happiness.
Don’t believe me?
Google “Dwayne Johnson smile.”
You will instantly feel 10% happier.
What does this have to do with YOU?
We can’t all be The Rock.
(Note: I already have the hairstyle. Now I just need the body.)
You can, though, benefit from emotional contagion and mirror neurons.
Whatever emotion you publicly exhibit will trigger the mirror neurons of the people around you:
- If you are happy, the people around you will be happier.
- If you are sad, the people around you will be sadder.
- If you are angry, the people around you will be angrier.
Don’t believe me?
Try this:
Next time you are interacting with a stranger, try being really happy and friendly.
You will probably a notice a shift in their mood as their mirror neurons fire.
Note: Don’t overthink this. You can even try it with the cashier at McDonald’s.
What does this have to do with you at your job?
You can influence the mood of the people you serve.
Do you want people to be happier?
- Then be happy around them (they’ll catch it!).
Do you want people to be less angry?
- Then stop being angry around them (so they don’t catch it!).
Be sure to watch the 3-minute video above from our core training that explains two key lessons you should start practicing TODAY.
Have a fantastic week!
Ryan
