Entertain others

The ability to entertain others — to make people laugh, tell compelling stories, and create enjoyable shared experiences — is a powerful form of social currency. Research on humor by Martin et al. (2003) identifies affiliative humor as strongly correlated with relationship satisfaction, social competence, and emotional wellbeing. Cacioppo's work on social connection shows that people who facilitate positive emotional experiences for others are sought out more frequently for social interaction, creating a virtuous cycle of deeper relationships and greater social integration. Entertaining others is also a form of generosity — you are investing energy to improve someone else's experience. This prosocial behavior activates reward circuitry in the brain and strengthens the bonds between entertainer and audience, whether in a one-on-one conversation or a large gathering.

• 1
  You struggle to recall the last time you made a group of people laugh or engaged them with a story
• 2
  Friends rarely suggest you for social gatherings where energy and liveliness are needed
• 3
  You default to passive roles in conversations, listening but rarely contributing actively
• 4
  You feel you have nothing interesting to share when conversation turns to experiences or stories

Consider these questions to understand where you stand: