Positive Energy is an undeniably powerful asset as well as a vital personal and organizational resource. It has fueled many successful people and organizations, and those who see positive energy in action recognize it and usually want to be a part of it.

I have witnessed it personally through my work with The Energy Bus, and I am certain you have experienced it too. Let's face it: You need energy to accomplish any activity. Teams and organizations need energy to accomplish their goals. And most people agree that where there is positive energy, productivity is higher, teamwork is improved, and joy fills the process.

If you have ever been around someone who is negative, you know it. You know, the guy that complains and never has anything good to say about anyone, or that individual with the huge scowl on her face who rolls her eyes at anyone's ideas. You don't want to be around those people. You want to be around positive energy and generally recoil from the negative. And guess what? You are not alone. Positive energy is a commodity in high demand, and this field guide is a road map on how to create it in abundance to fuel personal, team, and organizational success.

More and more research shows that you either draw positive or negative energy from the people you interact with daily, and that energy can either fuel success or contribute to personal or organizational decline. Most people do not want to be negative, and many proven health and organizational benefits emerge when individuals focus on positive energy. Some of the health benefits linked to positive energy include: a longer life span, lower stress, lower rates of depression, increased resistance to the common cold, better stress management and coping skills, lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, increased physical well-being, and better psychological health. All these things are beneficial to you, your family, and your teams. In addition, organizations and teams with positive energy have been linked to increased engagement, morale, productivity, and, ultimately, increased revenue and profitability. Positivity is also present in organizations with lower attrition and absenteeism. These organizations are also known to have more fun. I've seen it all over the world. People want more positive energy and the proven benefits that come with it.

Productivity has been shown to skyrocket in an atmosphere of positivity. This is true for individuals and groups. Remember that wherever you go, there you are. You have to be around yourself all the time, and people that complain or focus on the negative are generally people that say they are depressed or unhappy. If there is positive energy at home or at work, chances are you feel more engagement, more joy, and more overall well-being. Higher engagement and well-being generally translates into higher performance, and that is what you want personally and professionally. For all these reasons and many more, I created this field guide to help you bring positive energy into your personal life and organization through the rules in The Energy Bus.

Positive energy is the best preparation for any skepticism, and skepticism can actually lead to the perfect environment for making a difference. Even though we know positive energy makes a difference, some individuals, CEOs, and coaches I have spoken with say their first introduction to a “book about a bus” was not embraced immediately. Even with all the research and many practical examples in most people's lives, you can still encounter skepticism about positive energy. Some people are unsure about The Energy Bus being a credible answer to improving their team or organization.

However, the positive results speak for themselves. Many of the individuals who tell me these exciting turnaround stories are featured in this field guide or in my talks related to the amazing changes and results in their lives, teams, and companies. It is hard to argue with the research that supports positivity, and most importantly, the many success stories people have shared with me. The mounting examples of changed lives and the overwhelming positive momentum for the book speak for themselves.

Bringing more positive energy into the world is my personal mission, and this field guide is a reference tool to take the proven benefits of positive energy to others. Rule #3 in The Energy Bus is to “Fuel Your Ride with Positive Energy,” and this field guide helps you take the proven power of positive energy directly into your personal life, team, and organization to get the same results.

A Quick Overview of the “Ten Rules for the Ride of Your Life”

Before you get started, please review the rules below. These are the rules from the book that the main character, George, learns from Joy the bus driver and other characters on her Energy Bus. These are the rules that forever change George's life and the lives of his team members.

This field guide will help you bring the rules to life in your Energy Bus program. The reflection questions, team-building activities, and organizational program ideas in the guide are designed to support each rule, and you can make the decisions on how to combine them in the best way to achieve your vision for the road ahead. You are the driver of your bus, and I am excited to support you in having the ride of your life.

1. You're the driver of your bus.
2. Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy.
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
5. Don't waste your energy on those who don't get on your bus.
6. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed.”
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.
8. Love your passengers.
9. Drive with purpose.
10. Have fun and enjoy the ride.