Haters Gonna Hate Hate Hate

How sad is it that you can't use a thread of inspirational language online without triggering a cynical response?

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Around Halloween every year, there’s an image that seems to make the rounds on social media. The caption reads, 

“imagine waking up for an 8 a.m class and this is what you walk in and see… ”

It’s followed by a picture of a professor dressed as Papa Smurf, blue face paint covering his entire face except for his stark white beard.

The comment below the image shares what I was thinking the first time I saw it, “he got up extra early to make a holiday class a little fun, be nice and respect what he’s doing.”

But this one image sums up the two common reactions to attempting to add a little bit of humor in the workplace. There will be people who appreciate the effort (either because they find it funny or because they respect the attempt), and those who don’t.

You see the same on nearly every popular comedy video on social media. Some of the comments will say how funny the person is, others will ridicule people for finding it funny. It’s certainly the case on my TEDx talk:

(I dive deeper into reacting to the comments on my TEDx talk here.)

I’ll admit, the negative comments really used to get to me. Maybe it’s because I’m not the “naturally funny” person and I had to work hard to learn this skill of humor, but each negative comment would make me question my own ability and whether it was worth putting in the effort.

If you’ve ever experienced that, either seeing the negative comments firsthand or letting the fear of them change your behavior, I want to tell you that the effort is worth it, it’s still worth trying.

In the words of the great philosopher, Taylor Swift,

the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)

Because every ounce of energy you give to the haters, the people who facepalm-emoji your costume or call a presentation you worked on for months, “useless,” is energy you’re not giving to the people who do resonate with your playfulness, message, or puns.

Allowing the fear of potential negativity to deter you from adding humor to your work ensures that you miss out on more enjoyable moments. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. By not making the effort, you're essentially depriving yourself of happiness.

At Humor That Works, we often talk about the 30 benefits of using humor in the workplace. And they are impressive, humor can: improve productivity, reduce stress, and even burn calories. But let’s pretend it didn’t do any of those things and it ONLY helped you have a little bit more fun at work… wouldn’t it still be worth it?

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to use humor more for other people. But I encourage you to do it for yourself. To simply start finding ways to make your own day more fun, regardless of what other people think. When you do, two things typically happen:

1. You start to find “your people.” You find the people who vibe with your vibe and you build a community of awesome people.

2. You care less about the haters. Because you’re not doing it for them, you’re doing it for you and your people.

How sad is it that you can't use a thread of inspirational language online without triggering a cynical response?

The irony is that the cynic mistakes his cynicism for realism. He asks us to let go of the bits of hope that poke at his sore spots, and instead, to settle for the less inspiring things that fit within the smaller dreams he’s now holding onto.

Being a cynic is easy. What’s hard is to be faced with challenges and still maintain a positive and optimistic outlook - that’s why I love humor, it’s a shortcut, a tool, a life hack for your soul.

We decided to relaunch the Corporate Humor Awards again this year to celebrate people like the Smurf professor, who are taking the time and making the effort to bring a bit more joy and positivity to the world. We want them to feel seen and appreciated.

And that’s where you can help!

If you know someone (or are that someone) who is bringing a bit of humor to your work, we want to celebrate them/you. Head on over here to nominate them. 

Note: self-nominations are strongly encouraged. The only person who knows the extent of effort you’re putting in is you, we want to honor that.

Whether you decide to nominate or not, let’s also make an effort to thank the people who do attempt to bring a bit more levity to the world. “Be nice and respect what they’re doing.”

=Drew

PS. Don’t forget to nominate yourself, someone else, or an organization here.
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