A Sit Down with Dave Raymond a.k.a. The Phillie Phanatic

Outside Insights

Have fun listening to Dave Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic mascot and author of “The Power of Fun,” and Placers President Chris Burkhard as they remove the stigma from fun in the workplace.

Sharing positivity in life and in the workplace “turns off negative brain biases,” explained Dave during this hour-long podcast that takes a deep dive into powerful and positive mindsets that translate into “pathological empathy.” Fun, he said, is a misunderstood word that most people use when they describe activities in their “off time.” Powerful fun is different. It shifts fun to a skill set to use in the “worst of times” – whether those bad times are on or off the clock.

Fun is a value-added tool that enables us to manage personal and workplace life. “It’s simple by design but difficult to master,” said Dave, adding that science proves fun is related to longevity and improves quality of life. Powerful fun is an important part of life and creates an understanding of self.

“It brings a different mental state to manage life,” he said. "Think about fun like everything else that’s worthwhile and that we express gratitude for – waking up, breathing, walking, tasting, seeing, and hearing."

The power of fun starts with learning how to enjoy what we’re doing and the willingness to try. It starts with refreshing our perspectives and shouldn't be underestimated. This reimagined mindset moves us from setting ourselves up to get dumped on, to reframing conversations that shift people to sharing positivity. It embraces empathy and active listening to nurture communication and relationships – and can even save lives.

Take the time to listen to this touching and transparent podcast between two, longtime friends who remind each other that fun IS everything it’s cracked up to be – and more!

For mental health services for yourself or someone you know, call or text Suicide & Crisis LIFELINE at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Editor’s note: A special thank you goes out to Steve and Lainey Miller for their contributions to Outside Insights new audio branding. Also, technical difficulties were experienced during this episode. Dave and I decided to include those challenges in podcast. Enjoy the unedited version with all the real feels. Thank you.