JOYMAKERđWEEKLY
The only Joymaker newsletter on the internet.
Iâve made it to a stable residence in Da Nang Vietnam. Iâm currently sitting at a coffee shop with friends, co-working. I had my workout and sauna this morning. Last week, I did a lot! Watch the video!
In this edition, youâll findâŚ
3 actionable tools to get more personal, interpersonal, and group joy.
1 question you can ask for deeper, happier conversations.
Wisdom from attending a Vietnamese festival, pretending to be a go-go dancer, and performing the thriller dance for villagers.
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PERSONAL JOY đ§
⢠Focus on consistency.
If you want peak vitality, do things at the same time everyday. Exercise, eat, sleep. The body knows and prepares. Iâve longed for this ever since starting traveling.
Want to be the kind of leader everyone loves to be around?
My Joymaker Leadership Manual & Habit System teaches you 40 simple habits to unlock your natural charisma, spark joy in any room, and lead with contagious good energy. Warning: People will ask you to be friends!
RELATIONAL JOY đŤ
⢠Donât forget âweak tiesâ
Weak ties encompass all the casual, short social interactions with strangers throughout your day. They can boost mood for hours when they go well. Even a simple exchange of a smile can feel surprisingly good.
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My Joymaker Games Vault includes 130+ of my favorite connection games â tested on streets and stages in 15+ countries â to help you create laughter, warmth, and real human connection every time!
GROUP JOY âĄ
⢠Assume a positive response.
In your mind, anticipate how positively people will respond to your activity. Visualize their smiles and positive engagement. Donât spend your mental bandwidth thinking about the worst case scenario.
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ASK THIS QUESTIONâ
Try this question and let me know how itâs received!
Whatâs a behavioral pattern you wish you had, which would make you dramatically happier?
This isnât a question youâd open a conversation with, because it invites some personal reflection. Maybe warm them up with small talk first.
My answer: Instead of seeing the flaws in others, I wish my mind defaulted to seeing the virtues in others. Iâm getting there, but I still tend to notice how miserable, unhealthy, and self-sabotaging people are. I hope to be able to accept âhuman natureâ and see the beauty in all the messy humans.
LESSONS OF THE WEEK đĽź
Joining the village festival
On our final day in the mountains, we attended a local Vietnamese village festival. There were almost no foreigners there.
We had a choice: observe quietly or participate fully.
We chose participation.
We climbed an oily bamboo pole. We tried a Vietnamese version of wrestling. And for the finale, in front of more than 100 locals, we performed the Thriller dance. We began lying on the ground, twitching like zombies, slowly rising from the dead as the routine unfolded.
What surprised me most was the gap between my assumption and reality.
Before starting, part of me wondered: Will people think weâre ridiculous? Are we intruding? But the reaction was the opposite. The villagers cheered. They laughed. They loved it. Afterward, they invited us into their village to celebrate with them.
The lesson was clear: how we imagine people perceive us is often wildly inaccurate.
Key takeaway for group leaders:
Encourage participation over observation. When leaders model respectful cultural engagement and take social risks, they transform spectators into participants.
Karaoke and dancing with the village
That evening, we visited the village we had been invited to. The locals welcomed us into their home with food, drinks, and karaoke.
Karaoke was already fun â but I sensed an opportunity to increase participation.
So I introduced a video game: Just Dance.
Within minutes, the room shifted. Instead of individuals taking turns singing, everyone was dancing together in unison. We followed choreographies to popular songs, laughing and learning the moves.
Then I played the Kung Fu Fighting song and the room turned into a playful kung fu battle â villagers and travelers facing off with exaggerated martial arts moves.
Karaoke created entertainment. The game created collective participation.
Key takeaway for group leaders:
Introduce interactive activities that move people from spectators to co-creators. Shared movement and games rapidly increase group cohesion.
Leading the village dance
The next day, after bonding the night before, we were invited back to the village.
This time, something unexpected happened.
They asked us to open the village dance party.
Standing there with a microphone in front of a crowd of villagers was nerve-wracking. But we activated what I call the experimenter mindset: if we flop, itâs still a success because we stepped into the arena.
So we began.
First a conga line.
Then a tunnel of people dancing through.
Then the grand finale â the can-can.
Soon 100 people were holding hands, kicking their legs together in a giant synchronized line. The laughter and energy were electric.
Afterward, the hosts were so delighted that they jokingly invited me to stay and lead dance parties in the village forever.
I thanked them â but told them my life in Vancouver was too good to leave.
Key takeaway for group leaders:
Adopt the experimenter mindset. When leaders treat social initiatives as experiments rather than performances, they unlock courage and creativity.
Starting the cruise dance floor
After leaving the mountains, we traveled to Ha Long Bay and joined a cruise.
At first, we were disappointed. Most passengers were older couples, and the vibe felt quiet.
But we reminded ourselves: environments donât determine connection â behavior does.
We started conversations with a couple from Germany and another from India. We spoke about careers, culture, and travel.
Later that evening, a cover band began playing.
I stood up and started dancing.
Then we began inviting people to join us â one by one.
Soon the dance floor filled. The room transformed from polite dinner energy to celebration.
Key takeaway for group leaders:
Initiate the behavior you want to see. Social environments often shift the moment someone models the desired energy.
Dancing in the beach club cages
After the cruise, we joined locals for dinner and then visited the largest beach club Iâve ever been to.
We jumped on the dance floor immediately and started partner dancing. Within 30 minutes, the energy spread and the dance floor filled.
But the biggest thrill came when we noticed elevated cages above the crowd â platforms usually reserved for professional dancers.
We asked for permission.
Then we climbed up and danced in the cages for ten minutes.
It was exhilarating. Slightly scary. Completely electric.
Many people chase thrills through physical risk â skydiving or extreme sports. I prefer social thrills: moments where you risk mild embarrassment or visibility, but the physical danger is low.
Because the barrier is reputation, most people avoid them.
But when embraced, social thrills create unforgettable shared experiences.
Key takeaway for group leaders:
Design safe social risks into your gatherings. Low-stakes moments of bold participation create excitement, bonding, and memorable group stories.
Next week, Iâll share lessons from playing golf with locals, identifying the key takeaways from group travel, and meeting an entire Vietnamese family!
â Jacques
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