Cathy's blog

On Friday evening, as I stood in line at the checkout of my local supermarket, I overheard a conversation between a couple. As the line was quite long, I got to hear the full story.

The girl was - loudly - complaining about her workday, and all the incompetent people in it. Her manager was an incompetent wooz, her team was lazy, the company was only focused on numbers and the clients were too stupid to buy from her. Her poor partner was silently signaling to please keep it down, but she was oblivious to the world. 

Of course I have no clue how bad (or not) the situation at her job really was, but her rant reminded me of one of my favorite stories: "Rule Number 6".

«Two prime ministers are sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apoplectic with fury, shouting and stamping and banging his fist on the desk. The resident prime minister admonishes him: “Peter,” he says, “kindly remember Rule Number 6,” whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologizes, and withdraws. The politicians return to their conversation, only to be interrupted yet again twenty minutes later by an hysterical woman gesticulating wildly, her hair flying. Again the intruder is greeted with the words: “Marie, please remember Rule Number 6.” Complete calm descends once more, and she too withdraws with a bow and an apology. When the scene is repeated for a third time, the visiting prime minister addresses his colleague: “My dear friend, I’ve seen many things in my life, but never anything as remarkable as this. Would you be willing to share with me the secret of Rule Number 6?” “Very simple,” replies the resident prime minister. “Rule Number 6 is ‘Don’t take yourself so g—damn seriously.'” “Ah,” says his visitor, “that is a fine rule.” After a moment of pondering, he inquires, “And what, may I ask, are the other rules?”

“There aren’t any.”»

From: The art of possibility- Rosamund & Benjamin Zander

Not taking yourself too seriously is actually - and counterintuitively - one of the best ways to increase your own impact. 

If you monologue at someone, chances are that at some point they'll switch off.

If you make it all about yourself, you're not connecting with other people. 

When you stop focusing on your own importance, you open the door to genuine dialogue and connection.

Who needed to hear this today?