I'm just trying to use my happiness and motivation to rub off on

The words of Joe Wicks, “I’m just trying to use my happiness and motivation to rub off on other people around me,” shine like a gentle flame in the dark—humble in their simplicity, yet radiant with truth. In them lies a great principle of life: that joy, when shared, multiplies; and that one person’s light can lift many from the shadows. Wicks, known to millions as “The Body Coach,” speaks not from vanity, but from service. His happiness is not an ornament for self-admiration—it is a tool for healing, a gift he gives freely to others. This is the spirit of a true teacher, a modern bearer of the ancient torch: to use one’s inner fire not to outshine others, but to ignite them.

In every age, the wise have understood that happiness is not a possession, but a contagion. It spreads not through words alone, but through presence, through the quiet power of example. When a man walks with joy, he becomes like the sun—warming all who cross his path, asking nothing in return. Yet this kind of joy cannot be faked, nor borrowed. It must spring from within, from a life rooted in gratitude, purpose, and love. What Joe Wicks has discovered—and what the ancients would call the secret of the soul’s energy—is that the highest form of happiness is not personal pleasure, but shared vitality. To bring life to others is to renew one’s own.

The story of Wicks’ life bears witness to this truth. At the height of the global pandemic, when millions were locked in isolation, he began his online workouts—simple sessions of movement and encouragement that reached across nations. He stood before a camera not as a celebrity, but as a friend, reminding people that even in fear and uncertainty, they could still move, still breathe, still feel alive. His laughter, his energy, his refusal to yield to despair became a kind of medicine for the spirit. This is what he means by letting motivation rub off on others—it is the act of transforming personal strength into communal healing. He became, in that moment, what philosophers once called a bringer of light—one who turns private virtue into public good.

But this idea is not new; it is as old as the human heart. Consider the example of Francis of Assisi, who, though born into wealth, chose a life of simplicity and joy. Wherever he walked, people were changed—not because he preached powerfully, but because his happiness was genuine and selfless. He found delight in the smallest things: the sun upon his face, the song of the birds, the kindness of a stranger. His joy, pure and unguarded, awakened the sleeping goodness in those who met him. In his smile, they saw not naivety, but truth—the truth that joy, when given freely, is an act of courage. Like Wicks, he sought not to dominate hearts, but to lift them, to remind others that they too could live with lightness and strength.

This principle—that motivation and joy are living forces—echoes through all of human history. From the Stoic philosophers who taught that one’s serenity influences the harmony of others, to the leaders who inspired nations not by command but by spirit, the same lesson remains: the energy of one soul can shift the destiny of many. When a man chooses joy over despair, generosity over indifference, he becomes an invisible force for good. Positivity is not weakness; it is power—the quiet, enduring kind that cannot be taken away.

Yet to let happiness “rub off” on others, one must first cultivate it within. This is no easy task. The modern world teaches us to chase pleasure, but pleasure fades like morning mist. True happiness, the kind Wicks speaks of, comes from alignment—from doing what uplifts others and nourishes oneself. It is born in action, not idleness; in service, not self-indulgence. To live with purpose, to keep one’s heart steady amid chaos, to smile even when the world trembles—this is the source of lasting joy. Such happiness becomes a beacon, a living sermon louder than any speech.

So, dear listener, take this teaching to heart: do not hoard your happiness. Let it flow through your words, your work, your kindness. When you wake each day, ask not only, “How can I be happy?” but also, “How can I bring happiness to others?” For joy that is shared becomes eternal. If your motivation can lift one weary spirit, if your laughter can ease one anxious heart, then you have fulfilled a sacred duty. The wise understand that we are all lanterns in one another’s night, and that a single spark can light a thousand fires.

Thus, as Joe Wicks teaches—not with the solemnity of a philosopher, but with the warmth of a friend—let your happiness become a force of healing. Let it “rub off” on others like sunlight on stone, slow but sure, quiet but enduring. For in the end, the world is not changed by great declarations, but by the steady glow of those who live with joy, courage, and compassion. Be such a one—and your life, like his, will become its own kind of light.