... and I love it!

A friend of minerecently told me that he was addicted to endorphins. I was a little surprisedat how excited he was about this. I asked him exactly how being addicted toanything could be a good thing. He responded with great energy and enthusiasm,saying that discovering something new gave him a massive endorphin ‘rush',which made his brain want to learn more and more.

At this point in the piece, I think I ought to address the question oneveryone's lips. What are endorphins? In simple terms, endorphins are hormones,which the human body releases during things like exercise, listening to music,playing sports or during any positive experience. This suddenly makes myfriend's addiction sound a whole lot better, doesn't it?

Rushing to learn!

Learning is a positive experience. When I learn, I always try to figureout the solution for myself. This has been the same whether I was studying formy university degree, learning Chinese, or simply trying to complete a simplepuzzle like a crossword. Spending the extra time to find things out for myself,gives me a far greater rush than taking the quick and easy route of turning tothe answer page or finding the solution online. I take this approach into myseminar training. I always try to avoid giving answers. Rather, I prefer to askquestions and to steer my trainees towards finding the solution for themselves.This ensures that their training experience is far richer and more enjoyable.

"If everyone is findingsolutions and releasing their endorphins then your work environment is likelyto feel as though it is full of energy, enthusiasm and excitement."

As a manager, I have also used this technique. Asking key questions leadsemployees into performing tasks in a far more efficient and creative way thanstrict instructions or rigid guidelines. I like to ask, "Where are you on thistask?" "What do you need to do next?" "How long will it take?" "Who do you needto contact?" These are all great examples of the way in which good managers canuse the questioning approach to leadership. Just think about the impact thiscan have on employees. If everyone is finding solutions and releasing theirendorphins, then your work environment is likely to feel as though it is fullof energy, enthusiasm and excitement.

Going quiz crazy!

Believe it or not, people enjoy answering questions - at least when theyget them correct. I see this in my ClarkMorga seminar training all the time, my trainees faces light up when they getsomething right. This is probably why TV quiz shows like "Happy Dictionary' and‘Lucky 52' are so popular and why our Network HR Games Nights are such asuccess. Every two months, ClarkMorgan's Shenzen office holds a quiz.Participants form teams and answer quiz questions, solve riddles, and participatein challenges. The split second in which our participants remember anall-important fact or understand something new gives them that ‘rush'.

A great way of challenging yourself, harnessing your ‘rush' and gettingyour endorphins flowing is to use memory cards as a learning technique. Write aquestion or - if you are learning new language - a new word on the front of thecard and the answer or definition on the back. As you flip through these cards,you can challenge yourself to look at the front and remember the answer. Eachtime you are able to recall the correct answer without looking at the back youwill feel your own endorphin rush!