...so don't let the sand get in your shoes

"It's not the work that kills men; it's worry." "It's not the revolution that destroys machinery, it's the friction."

At first, I wasn't entirely sure about the connection of the quotes to the free electronic iBook entitled The Art of Public Speaking I was reading during a return trip from Florida. Initially, the link between the lines and the chapter topic emphasizing naturalness (cadence, pitch, etc…) when speaking didn’t seem obvious. Essentially, the authors of the1915 book (Joseph Berg Esenwein and Dale Carnegie) were making the case against monotony, and arguing that mundane repetition is the enemy of genuineness. While it seemed like an odd reference, the more I thought about the quotes the more they resonated...and I found myself thinking about my own work life and the root of most causes of most of my job-related frustration.

You see, though I often find myself lamenting the actual work, it's really not the job that usually gets old; it's the unnecessary headwind. The ominous nature of most daily tasks are formidable enough to tempt a smarter person to throw in the towel, but like most people, I'm actually excited by the toughest of challenges. It is however the little things...the unending resistance, the annoying pushback, the aversion to even the smallest change...the friction, that too often has me perusing the Internet for retirement properties in south Florida. 

While thinking about this, I was reminded of an old story I'd read some time ago from a textbook on Public Administration. It was entitled something like "The Sand in My Shoes," and it was about an old man that walked across the United States from coast-to- coast. As you might imagine the long trek took him forever, and when he arrived on the west coast looking haggard and tired, he was asked by waiting reporters if he was ever tempted to give up when faced with crossing vast deserts and climbing over tall mountains. The old man surprised the reporters by noting that he viewed those formidable obstacles as challenges, and that he really had little problem mustering the needed will to conquer the monumental roadblocks.

"So," the reporter followed up, "you never thought about quitting?" "Oh yes" the old man replied, "I thought about it every day." "But you just stated you were motivated by the toughest of challenges...if you could cross deserts and mountains, why ever did you think of calling it quits?" "It was the sand" the old man said..."it was the sand in my shoes. After a while...it got very, very annoying."

Like the man, most of us are wired in such a way that we're happy...maybe even eager to do the toughest work. For us, it's not the size of the challenge or the frenzied pace of the work that destroys us....it's the friction. It's not the work that kills us, it's the worry. It's not the mountains or the deserts that tempt us to throw in the towel… it's the annoying sand in our shoes.

“Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out - it's the grain of sand in your shoe.” - Robert Service

If it weren’t for my family, friends, red wine, books (picture books), pushups, red wine, trash TV, cigars, jumping rope, my speed bag, bourbon, copious amounts of red wine and an occasional cigarette, I wouldn’t be able to cope with the self-imposed frustrations at work. My best days, are those where I focus on the things I can control, and brush aside the annoying little grain of sand while keeping an eye on the big things that matter most. Too often, I fear that my focus on minutia at work is the grain of sand in some valued colleague's shoe. I sure hope that isn't the case, because the job is hard enough without the perpetual friction that can bring folks down.

This week, another baby boomer passed away way too early. I wasn’t really a big fan, but every time I hear this music I find myself smiling. I also heard the episode of the Brady Bunch where he appeared (took Marcia to the prom) was the most rerun show of all time. Don’t know if it’s true…but it was reported on CNBC’s Squawk Box, so there must be some fire behind the smoke.

Have a great weekend and try not to worry. Whether it’s family, friends, a chilled straight up Manhattan, hiking, pets, a relaxing dinner, books, exercise or wine (try running with a bota bag...and burn one when you're done), do something that brings some genuine chill to your life.

Now matter how they tossed the dice...it had to be

The Album (Just click “Play All”)