excitement is contagious

Have you ever been to a spin or fitness class where the instructor was so enthusiastic and excited that you simply got charged, and had an amazing workout that exceeded all expectations and time flew by quickly? And then have your results dropped when you went to the same workout class but with a different instructor who was low on the excitement quotient and the class just seemed to drag? 

I remember having such experiences both at the gym as well as when I was in college and graduate school. Certain lectures were fun and engaging, while others were boring and sleep-inducing. Even if the material was the same, I could see how the teacher or instructor made a world of difference. 

Isn’t this fascinating to have the same workout in the same timeframe or the same lecture with the same material but have different results? 

It turns out that it’s not only about the experience you have, but also about the emotions that you feel during that experience. That’s what makes it either enjoyable and worthwhile or boring and a waste of time. 

Excitement is contagious. Why is it so and how does it work? This is because we humans unconsciously mimic the attitudes, mannerisms, facial expressions and other behaviors of others in a social environment. This is called the chameleon effect. Psychologists believe that one particularly interesting reason why we mimic others is because it has the potential to make people like us better. When we get along well with someone, we start mirroring their behavior, which the other person picks up on, and this, in turn, reinforces positive feelings. In other words, the chameleon effect helps us build rapport with others in a given social setting. 

People are always mirroring our attitudes and behaviors. Equipped with this knowledge, it’s now our responsibility to bring excitement and enthusiasm in our interactions whether at work or in our personal lives. If we bring excitement and enthusiasm to whatever social environment we’re in, then people around us will start copying us.

If we choose, we can have this kind of influential power on others. After all, this mechanism is embedded in our genetics, to mimic the mannerisms and behaviors of others. And you can apply this for all those people who you interact with, especially if they look up to you as a leader.

Remember this wherever you go today, whether it be at home, work or on the road. When you show up with excitement and enthusiasm, you unlock the magical superpower to influence everyone around you.