Don't Get Mad. Get Even.

December 22, 2009.

"Every time you get angry, you poison your own system." Alfred A. Montapert

Ever noticed that things don't always go your way? Of course you have. We all have. There's not one person around who hasn't seen his or her best laid plans completely unravel on occasion. No matter how hard you try, regardless of how hard you work, sometimes things simply don't work out. It's just the way things go every once in a while.

And when things go wrong, it's easy to go with them.

It's easy to get a little cranky when people let you down. Particularly when they're people you're really counting on to get the job done. And it's easy to get a bit bent out of shape when what you're doing doesn't work out. Especially when it's something you really wanted to get done.

It's easy to get upset when you get knocked off course. It's easy to get agitated when disappointment knocks the wind out of your sails. It's easy to get mad when life deals you a rotten hand.

"An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes." Cato the Elder

But does getting mad actually help you get anything done? Does it help you think more clearly? Does it help you solve the problem at hand? Does it make you better, your situation better or your world any better?

No, it doesn't.

Truth be told, getting angry and upset doesn't accomplish much of anything other than get you riled up. So here's a better idea. Instead of getting mad, why not get even?

So long as a man is angry he cannot be in the right. Proverb

Rather than allowing anger and agitation to dictate your mood and your actions, why not choose to get even... better? Instead of sitting around stewing over the mistakes you've made, why don't you look for ways to improve what you're doing?

Instead of focusing on what's going wrong, why don't you start looking for ways to make things right? Instead of allowing your anger to take over, why don't you take charge of your emotions and start finding a better way of doing the things you need to do? When you get over being angry and start getting even better, smarter and faster than ever before, you open up a world of possibilities.

He who conquers his anger has conquered an enemy. Proverb

By opening your eyes, you discover new approaches you've never tried before. By opening your mind, you uncover new ideas that can turn your life around. By opening your heart, you unleash a wave of indefatigable strength you never knew existed.

And you take charge of your life.

Life is too short to be unhappy, to be burdened or to live in a world shrouded in despair and darkness, where you carry anger and resentment wherever you go.

The next time you feel yourself getting mad, let it go. Don't let it simmer, don't let it sizzle. Don't give it a chance to gain a foothold in your life. LET IT GO. Get rid of it - and then vow to get even.

And you'll get the life you deserve.

The Bottom Line: Never allow anger to get the better of you.