"The 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 or waitress, 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 or she can get back their 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. 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 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. 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. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so.. Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If it changes your life, LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy...
They just promised it would be worth it!
4 comments:
After reading it, and it is a long piece, I would have to agree.
I used to be a big garbage truck and you know that better than anybody.
Then my wheels began to creek and my frame got bent out of shape and my lights don't shine like they used to.
In fact, I am no longer loaded down with a lot of garbage like I used to be.
But sometimes, like now and then, somebody comes along racing like a total idiot and runs into what's left of my old wreck of a truck.
It pisses me off that they would do that deliberately, so I dump what garbage I got left right smack in the middle of the street and then I go into reverse and ram them a couple of times trying to insult them somewhat and trying to make them realize that my truck has no insurance and it is going to cost them an arm and a leg to get their truck fixed.
Life is like that. I do my best to let the garbage just pass me by, babe, but sometimes it don't work out that way.
Now, do you believe that?
I see garbage trucks all day long! I try not to dump my garbage on anyone but it's hard sometimes. That was a good article, really makes you think.
Hi Patty,
Great story about the garbage truck, and great advice. Much too often I let things in life upset me. Life is too short. Let the garbage trucks pass me by!
I love these nuggets of wisdom you post. I hope all is well with you.
Renie
Dear People that left a comment, thank you so much. Yes we all tend to sometimes let other peoples bad moods set us into a bad mood also. Sometimes it's so hard to stop it.
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