Law of the Garbage Truck - Received from a Colleague. Pl. read. You like it.

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Law of the Garbage Truck

 

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 she can get back her focus on what's important.

 

Learned it in the back of a Harare City taxi cab. Here's what

happened..

 

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Westgate. We were driving

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!

 

Here's what happened next. 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. How do I know? Ask any Zimbabwean, some

words in Harare come with a special face.

 

Now, here's what blew me away. 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 personal.

 

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy

you did.

 

I guarantee it.

 

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. Like in the movie " The Sixth Sense, "

the little boy said, " I see Dead People. " Well now " I 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 favourite Football players of all times, Ronaldino, does

this every day on the football field. With a smile he always jumps

up as quickly as he hits the ground after being tackled. He never

dwells on a hit.

 

Ronaldino is always 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.

 

Leaders 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. I guarantee it.