State of Mind

There's a Seinfeld episode in which George discovers the secret to appearing busy, and therefore, important: look angry. It's actually quite comical; people come into his office, and he looks angrily at his computer. They figure he's really busy, and walk away.

A more real-life parallel that I often experience is feeling stressed, as though to emphasize internally that what you're working on is important. I remember it was quite an epiphany realizing that I could still get a particular deliverable done -- but I could either do it in a way that I was serious and stressed... or I could do the same work and be more lighthearted and fun. The latter never seemed "professional" to me, yet clearly this is when the most creativity happens, and therefore one's best work.

Even outside work, it's amazing how many things we consider "chores" -- rather than something we want to do. Take cooking. This used to be something fun when done once in a while... then much more of a chore, the more often I would cook... By just shifting my mindset today into cooking as a way to wind down after work -- rather than just something else on my daily checklist -- it became super fun and almost meditative.

It's a lesson I hope to bring to all parts of my life. I spent half of today trying (unsuccessfully) to secure a visa to my upcoming trip to Ghana. This meant half my day was spent extremely stressed, and I could feel my blood pressure rising as I waited on interminable lines at (insert place here: bank/copier/visa office) to bring exactly the materials they list on their website, only to finally be told that I did not have the proper documentation.

At some point, I just took a deep breath and realized that the outcome would likely be the same, regardless of whether my muscles were all tensed up, or if I just relaxed -- maybe even turning it all into a game.

After all, we create our own realities, and what's it all for if you're not having fun?