How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.
You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.
So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.' I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.
Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.
What about you?
What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet. You'll be happier.
So, love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance , TAKE IT! If it changes your life , LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy. They just promised it would be worth it!
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.
You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.
So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.' I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.
Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.
What about you?
What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet. You'll be happier.
So, love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance , TAKE IT! If it changes your life , LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy. They just promised it would be worth it!
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1 comment:
Much Thanks for the lesson, as I have read and understood your blog. This is exactly heart speaking. Thoughts from the heart but precisely to the point in the problem many young and older people face each day. I think everyone runs into garbage trucks everyday as I do too, all day long I do, and yes, I walk away from them all of the time , while I sweep n' clear them from my happy thoughts space in my memories to the what I refer to as the [pit] in my memories which I later delete into my nightmare dreams while I sleep at night, making those people who've had bad days be forgiven and forgotten till I brush by them again somewhere in a store or public place unplanned (on my part). I know things happen for a reason, whatever it is which makes things happen, I don't ever try to decipher that reason(s) as it would just be a waste of my time as I have better things and good loving people to think about , i.e. my friends and family instead. I am owner of a small company Titled: Baddboyfilms. I do it as best as I can, keep it legal and honest. I get Garbage trucks passing by me 20x per day with snickers and remarks of what I have and who I am etc. But its ok, People will do what they will , they will find themselves in it later or maybe they will find themselves in their own garbage trucks yard in their own lives. Everyone lives, has their opinions, I have mine, everyone lives on earth, so do I. I loved your story, your point makes very good sense. You are right about the whatever, walk away, move on, who cares , part, basically. No reason on dwelling on someone Else's bad day ... ehh? Because if you do, it will only ruin yours and the people whom love you the most, your friends & Family around you. Speading Love and No H8 makes the world safer and cleaner than having to live within a bad day made by someone else you never formerly were introduced to. Baddboyfilms' Moto : same thing, "Never sweat the small people with small minds" , move on, forget about it. You're good. You must have it good or they wouldn't even bother. :~)
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