ELEPHANT ALERT!
My wife and I recently returned from some work in Aruba. Splendid! Joy! Incredible! The trip exceeded all expectations, and then during a lay-over in Miami, I splurged and bought one of those double-mocha-frappa-latta-venti-foofoo drinks. The perfect way to wrap up the trip.
Needing to use the restroom, I set my drink next to my wife and our carry-on luggage. Gone just a few minutes, I returned to find my drink gone!
My wife, engrossed in a novel, was equally surprised. Immediately we found the culprit: just feet away the custodian was pushing his waste basket with my drink at the bottom.
Here’s the elephant in the office: Too many people have incredible jobs, work with amazing people, earn stunning incomes – and they still take the double-mocha-frappa plunge.
STOMP THE ELEPHANT
I don’t purchase expensive drinks often. I had a right to be angry – right? I stewed. I mumbled. My spirits plunged until I woke up and did a cost-benefit analysis. Was I willing to throw away all that was experienced and gained on this trip in exchange for being angry over a stolen coffee?
As a friend told me later, “Here’s five bucks. Get over it.”
What small, stupid error has someone else committed that is robbing you of the satisfaction you deserve? Is your anger and the “I-will-never-forget” attitude paying you a high dividend?
If you could put a price tag on what it’s costing you to carry a grudge or to resent someone else, what would the cost be? And what would be the benefit of letting it go?
When we stomp the elephants in our life we can move ourselves to the “benefit column” any time we want to.
Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?
