It takes a certain talent to make people laugh. Sure, it’s true that you can easily make people cry, but making them laugh shows the extent of your capabilities. A joke can go both ways, you can either have people guffaw in laughter or have it fall flat on your face.
German-born theoretical physicist even attributed his brilliant mind to having a childlike sense of humor. To this day, fans remember the comedic genius of Robin Williams and are still drawn to his charisma. Humor, after all, is an essential fundamental human behavior.
What is it about humor that makes people gravitate towards you? There is a certain beauty in laughter that makes the world seem less ugly. After all, it is the universal trait that unites us all. People of different nations may speak different languages, look different and hold different beliefs, but they all know how to laugh. It is perhaps one of life’s purest of emotions, unadulterated. This is why when laughter fills the room, it becomes infectious.
Let’s face it, having a good sense of humor is essential if you want to have a good set of social skills. A bad joke can totally kill the vibe. Being funny makes making friends much easier and will most likely let you be more successful in life. But what is it in funny people that makes them all the more liked?
1. Everyone wants to invite the funny guy
When you plan a party, you will most likely want to invite the people you find funny. Why? They can set the entire mood of the party with just their vibe. Funny people can set the tone for the party and can help put people at ease.
Even when you are applying for a job, humor can help you get places and build networks. These days you are most likely to find a job the more people you know. It would be an even bigger advantage to you when you know how to make people laugh and keep them entertained. The American Psychology Association says that humor is a character strength that makes others feel good and gains intimacy. This is why you will most likely introduce your colleagues who are funny rather than those who are perceived as boring.
2. Funny People can drive motivation
A mixture of heart and humor can go a long way. We need the motivation to drive us to accomplish our goals. It is what allows us to “spring into action” and is a moving force that directs our behavior. We are motivated by different things, but according to Locke and Latham, we exert more effort towards more challenging goals. However, it is difficult to drive change when you don’t know where you’re going.
This is why we tend to look towards motivational speakers, people who seem to have a commanding effect over the people in the room. They can change the way that people think and even bring with them a new kind of energy.
But what does it take to capture an audience? Some of the most successful motivational speakers do more than act like cheerleaders. There are motivational speakers who bring content-rich messages, delivering the right type of information, such as Susan Sweeney or Jim Carroll. Others add humor into the mix, which is always a great way to engage with the audience. Speakers like Amanda Gore or Debbie Scheer of Debbie Scheer Speaks are great examples of these.
3. Humor Facilitates Trust
You tend to trust people more when they know how to put you at ease and make you laugh. Humor brings about someone’s authenticity. A person’s sense of humor tells a lot about who they are. When you share the same sense of humor with someone, you tend to open up more to them. Trust is valuable and you do not share that with just anyone.
4. Funny People are Creative
Humor takes a lot of out-of-the-box thinking. It is not formulaic, so you don’t need to be limited to just the four corners. It requires looking at the world from a different angle, in a different light. When you do that, others will also see the world from a different perspective as well.
Life is already tough enough as it is. It’s always good to inject some humor into life because, in the end, we are not getting out of it alive. So take life as it is, the good and the bad. Live life to the fullest with a mixture of people, but keep the funny ones close to you. They may just help you enjoy it all the more.
