Deciding What Gets in Your Head

Sayulita, Mexico. 8:00 a.m., sometime last week. 

The view outside my front door.

The thing about there being places like this in the world, is just that. There are places like this in the world.

My reaction to this spot was similar to my reaction to standing at the Trevi Fountain for the first time. I mean, besides “Wow.” It was, “You mean that while I’m back home working on tough projects and getting cut off by stressed-out drivers and dealing with people who are bent out of shape by whatever…this is here? All of the time? While I’m caught up in all the stuff I’m caught up in: This beach is here. This fountain is here. This (fill in the blank with whatever in the world inspires and calms you) is here.

I’m intrigued with the success of Gretchen Rubin’s “Happiness Project.” Among many other things, its success points to the obvious—people want to be happy. Duh. Happy for the sake of happy, a good thing. And—I invite us to go further—happy for the sake of being productive, also a good thing. Think about it. When you’re feeling happy, inspired and calm, you tend to do better work. Yes, there are times you’ve pulled it out of nowhere and excelled in tight spots when you were stressed out and not feeling so great. Over the course of a career, though, sustained success tends to come from a different place than stress and negativity.

So.

You’re on the freeway and people are driving like crazy people. Makes you mad. You’re at work and someone takes the credit for your idea. Makes you furious. Here’s a thought. Esoteric, maybe. Useful, most certainly. There are people in the world who don’t drive thoughtfully and who don’t work fairly and a lot of other unfortunate things. Yes. And, there are places in the world where the waves are crashing and the fountains are flowing and the mountains are standing. Since they’re both realities, which one will you let inside your head? Completely up to you. Most people go by geographical proximity, and let whatever’s in front of them get inside their head. And wind up feeling…wound up. And they act like it. But just because the crazy driver and the difficult coworker are right in front of you, and the waves and the fountain are a few dozen or thousand miles away, why should you let the driver and the person at work get inside your head and stress you out? How about this: Let the waves and the fountain get inside your head. They are real (just at a distance), so why not? And now, in this state, make solid choices about how to drive safely and work well with the crazy drivers and difficult colleagues. I guarantee you, your choices will be more balanced and wise, and your outcomes will ultimately be improved. This is more than just “going to your happy place” and checking out. This is embracing reality—a larger reality. And one that’s going to serve you better than letting what’s in your face get to you.

Happier? Yes. More productive? Very much yes.