The Law of the Garbage Truck

The mark of a successful person is how quickly they get thier 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.

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.

So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your
car and sent us to the hospital!" 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.

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?