Fun.

“Play me, I’m yours.” The piano, sitting in the middle of Manhattan, calls out to passersby. And people from all walks of life stop to play, to sing and to engage with the city that never sleeps.

It turns out these street pianos, scattered across New York City, comprised the Play Me, I’m Yours exhibit sponsored by non-profit Sing for Hope. For a few short weeks the pianos found their home in the street to “create, inspire, integrate and enliven communities”.

While I didn’t stop to play (due to seriously limited musical talent), there is something fabulous to be said about injecting fun into everyday routines. Simply the sight of pianos that just anyone could use made my heart jump with giddiness. I loved the way the city is full of opportunities to engage, to connect and to simply have fun.

Fun is a magical thing. It generates energy. It transforms moods and changes behavior. It renders laborious activities captivating. It stops us in our tracks and compels us to act and engage.

I’m certain there is more room for fun in our lives. What can we insert to motivate ourselves and the people around us? How can we use fun to bring together our community and our workplaces? Can fun replace monetary bonuses as incentives and lead to even better performance? Envision an environment where people are as ambitious about doing their work as they are seeing the sites of NYC. Imagine a workplace that screams, “Play me, I’m yours” -- yours to contribute to, yours to mold, yours to innovate.

I know that it can exist. I’ve heard about it. I’ve witnessed it. I’ve even experienced it just a bit. Now, I’m on a mission to create it.