Can a Smile Get You "In" for a Chance to Win?

Smiles are the most contagious emotional signal of all, having an almost irresistible power to make others smile in return. Daniel Goleman

We are surely hoping that this principle rings true as we enter our application for consideration as contestants on the reality show, The Amazing Race.

My good friend and I spent yesterday morning taking the first step to making one of my dreams come true.

And did we ever have a laugh doing so.

Step 1: Create a list of must be included events from our long friendship (the good, bad, and the ugly)
Step 2: Create on-air chemistry (we laughed, poked gentle fun, and demonstrated by relating past experiences that we could weather the worst and continue working as a team)
Step 3: Create single photos, a photo of us together (this goofy one was taken at our near breaking point), and a three minute video of us talking to the computer camera.
Step 4: Imagining what a blast it would be to:

a. travel overseas
b. travel together overseas
c. travel together overseas (on someone’s else’s dime this time)

After we completed the application process, I was so proud of us.

It doesn’t really matter if we get selected or not…somehow, just taking the steps and trying to go for it is what counts.

And the best part of yesterday was laughing over the bloopers and mis-spoken words as we attempted to make a polished video.

In the end, the clip we used for submission was the version that highlighted the best and worst times we’ve had in our friendship (and realizing that both of those extremes has helped us created an enduring life-long friendship.)

I thought about that old saying, “It’s not if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

Recounting our friendship, I believe we’ve learned how to play the game and we’ve both won.

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