About five years back, I realised I needed to be more active. I was feeling sluggish, mentally foggy, and I was dragging my body through life instead of actually living in it. Like many of us caught in the hustle loop, I reached for the usual suspects — running, walking, even those 25-minute high-intensity home workouts with names like “T25” that promise to transform you if you survive the sweat. Spoiler: I didn’t.
None of it stuck. Not because I lacked discipline, but because none of it felt fun.
Then, one day, I stumbled into a boxing gym. Gloves on. Music thumping. The coach yelling motivational threats that somehow felt oddly empowering. And for the first time, something clicked.
Since then, I’ve been boxing consistently, up to four times a week, for over five years. And here’s the kicker, it’s never felt like a chore. It feels like play.
That one shift, from doing something I felt I should do to something I actually wanted to do. changed everything. Not just for my fitness, but for how I think about work, creativity, and life itself.
Because when joy becomes your compass, momentum follows. Whether it’s marketing campaigns, career pivots, or Monday morning meetings, the things that energise you are the things that move you.
Welcome to the philosophy of “If it ain’t fun, don’t do it.”
1. Fun Is a Force Multiplier
Think of the last time you tried to learn a new board game or picked up something like snowboarding. Remember that steep, awkward learning curve? The one where you’re fumbling with rules or falling on your backside every 30 seconds? And yet, you stuck with it. Why? Because somewhere between the chaos and the challenge, it was fun.
Before you knew it, hours had flown by. You weren’t just playing the game, you were in the zone. That’s the state we should all be chasing — in life, work, and everything in between.
When you’re looking for motivation, don’t just chase discipline, chase delight. We’ve all been sold the hustle gospel: grind harder, push through, suffer now, succeed later. But here’s the truth, the most sustainable motivation doesn’t come from guilt, fear, or FOMO. It comes from fun.
When something is fun:
- You return to it not because you have to, but because you want to.
- You get better at it because effort feels effortless when you’re enjoying the ride.
- You invest more time, energy, attention, and do so willingly.
Even hard work becomes something you look forward to, because it’s anchored in joy. The task may be tough, but the experience is energising. And that’s the ultimate productivity hack no one talks about.
2. In Growth Marketing, Fun = Curiosity
Growth marketing is often described as scientific. Data-driven. Methodical. All true but also a bit… dry. Let’s be honest: if your workday feels like assembling IKEA furniture with one missing screw and instructions in Swedish, something’s gone wrong.
Instead, imagine it’s like playing Zelda. You explore. You test things. You get knocked down by a Bokoblin (or a busted campaign), then you respawn smarter. You collect insights. You find hidden mechanics. You play the game.
The best growth marketers treat challenges like puzzles, not problems. Every funnel drop-off is a clue. Every failed A/B test is just another iteration closer to gold. They gamify experimentation. They play with data like kids with LEGOs.
It’s not about chasing perfection, it’s about chasing the thrill of insight.
So if you’re bored, burnt out, or just slogging through the motions, maybe the problem isn’t what you’re doing, maybe it’s how you’re looking at it. What if the campaign was a level? The audience segments were boss fights? The budget? Your power-up bar.
Growth happens when curiosity leads the way. And curiosity, my friend, is fun in disguise.
3. If It’s Not Fun, It Won’t Be Great
Let’s bring in the big guns. Steve Jobs once said in his 2005 Stanford Commencement address:
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
This isn’t just philosophy, it’s performance strategy.
Because here’s the thing: fun isn’t frivolous. It’s a compass. It tells you when you’re in the right arena.
People who love what they do don’t just clock in and out. They show up fully.
They solve better problems because they’re emotionally invested.
They inspire others because enthusiasm is contagious.
Whether you’re launching a new brand, leading a team, or just trying to make sense of your career path, fun is the fastest way to find your edge. Because joy fuels effort. Effort fuels mastery. And mastery? That’s where greatness begins.
Final Thoughts: Fun Is Fuel, Go Find It
“If it ain’t fun, don’t do it.” — Jack Canfield
It’s a deceptively simple quote, but one that packs a punch (much like a clean jab in the boxing ring). And maybe, just maybe, it’s the clarity we need in a world that often glorifies burnout, busyness, and doing things just because we “should.”
Here’s the truth: life is short, and work is long. If we’re lucky, we’ll spend decades building, creating, striving. That’s a long time to be stuck in something that drains you. Real meaning is found somewhere between joy and challenge.
But don’t get me wrong: fun doesn’t mean easy. It means energising. It means doing the hard thing because it matters. Because it lights you up. Because it’s worth showing up for, even on the days you’re tired.
So ask yourself and ask it honestly:
“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
If the answer is “No” for too many days in a row, then maybe it’s time to change something. A shift in direction. A spark of curiosity. A return to joy.
Work can be hard. Life can be messy. But fun is fuel. Go find it. Then build a life (and a career) that runs on it.