Just recently I did a laughter presentation to a group of around 80 people. I did my usual format that has always worked well in the past. After receiving GRRREAT feedback from several people at the end I was challenged by a lady who said that what I said was “wrong and dangerous”. She alerted me that she was medically qualified to comment (and I wasn’t) and my recommendations to the group were misguided and wrong.




Tell it as it is

I thanked her for her feedback and then asked if I could respond to her comments. The first point was that my comments were not medically based. They were experiential. Both mine and from others from around the world. The second point was that in my presentations I never recommend anything but give my opinion based upon me beliefs. The audience can then make up their own mind as to what they would like to done.





The percentages always add up

I have experienced throughout my business (and now professional speaking) career that there are three types of people in the world. That 10% who will ALWAYS disagree with what you say or do. Save your breath and energy on these people as you will never win. That 10% who will ALWAYS agree with what you say or do. Use their energy to lift you to greater heights. Then there’s the 80% in the middle who will go for or against you depending on how they perceive what you say or do. So what’s the secret to getting them to go your way?





Being authentic leads to passion

Be authentic about what you say and do. Be clear about what you believe and what you know, and formulate an opinion based on your personal experiences. I talk of the many ways laughter is used throughout the world. From Senior Citizen groups to prisons, businesses to schools, hospitals to hospices, and most importantly personally. Your enthusiasm and passion will win them over every time…regardless of what they may think or believe beforehand. Remember how many people you are trying to change.




Too often we are looking for OVERWHELMING acceptance and affirmation and when we don’t get it are disappointed. When I present laughter to groups I am trying to change just one person and not all of them. For that reason when that one person comes up to me after a presentation, or writes an email, or gives me a phone call to tell me how their life has been changed as a result of my efforts, I am NEVER disappointed.