Have you ever had one of those days? A day where nothing seemed to go right? I hate those. Last weekend, I found myself in Amsterdam. So far so good, right? While it’s true that two of Amsterdam’s biggest draws – hookers and hash – are completely wasted on me, it’s still regarded as a wonderful and classic European city. There are dozens of museums, picturesque canals, and the world’s tallest people. So I had been looking forward to visiting The Dam for some time.
The moment I arrived, all hell broke loose.
I walked out of Schipol Airport and looked up at an ominous sky. I had heard the weather was going to be unfavorable, but I’ve spent some quality time in London, so I felt prepared for the worst. I hurried toward the taxi queue, anxious to drop off my ridiculously large (and fire engine red) suitcase at the hotel. I asked the cabbie to take me to the Marriott, and he exploded. (Think of a Dutch Robert De Niro. Not pretty.) Apparently the trip was too short, and I had offended him. After several tense minutes, I commandeered a different cab (whose driver curiously wielded a MacBook) and I eventually arrived at the hotel.
My greeting at the hotel was only slightly more welcoming. I had arranged for a AAA rate to save a few Euros, but I seem to have misplaced the actual card. This offended the clerk. Great. I’ve been in town for 30 minutes and I’ve managed to piss off everyone I’ve met. I finally collapsed in my room and tried to regroup. I needed to make a clean start, so I decided to head out to the museums for a relaxing stroll through history. Unfortunately, the lines at both the Van Gogh Museum and Amsterdam’s principal Rijksmuseum were jammed full of lanky Netherlanders. (What do they feed these people, anyway?)
As I meandered about the city in a daze, the clouds opened up, and I was instantly soaked to the bone. At about that time, I began to reconsider my position on hash. I sloshed the few miles back to my hotel, and I resigned myself to the fact that it just wasn’t my day,
I trudged past the scowling hotel clerk and returned to my room. What could I do to break through? I decided to go for a run. I didn’t care where. I didn’t care how far. I just needed to get out there.
I had my first lucky break when I discovered that my hotel was situated right next to the Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s version of Central Park. I jogged very slowly at first, winding my way along the wide path. What a difference! I felt fantastic. I had nowhere to be and nothing to do but run. As if I were in a movie, the clouds parted and the warm sun shone down on the park. It was surreal.
I paid very little attention to where I was headed. I actually got lost in the maze of sidewalks and trails. The park isn’t very large, so I figured there’s only so lost I could really be. I didn’t care. I just kept running. Things were going so well, that I didn’t even mind when a sweet, darling little girl almost ran me over with her cute little bicycle. (Bitch.) I saw dozens and dozens of people walking through the park. Many had very tall dogs trotting at their side. There were runners everywhere. I finally felt like I fit in.
I smiled when I saw a very elegant looking woman in high heels pedaling her bicycle through the park. (That’s talent!) The time melted away, and I ended up running for an hour. I felt a sense of redemption. I relaxed long enough to think about how my experience relates to the challenges we face when pursuing our personal goals. Check this out:
- The environment was chaotic and unfriendly. Sometimes life is tough. We have long to-do lists and sometimes the people in our lives let us down. We’re busier than ever, and we often find there’s too little time for the things we really care about. It’s a jungle out there to be sure. That bit of reality doesn’t have to define us, but it does have to be reckoned with as we work to become successful in our lives.
- Selecting an appropriate goal made all the difference. I could’ve kept forcing the issue, trying to swim against the current. Fortunately, I called a time out and sat down long enough to ask what I really wanted – what I really needed – in order to be happy and productive. This didn’t change what had happened or the challenges I still faced, but it was enough to give me hope and motivation.
- I took solace and direction in the goal. Within the literal and figurative boundaries of “running in the park”, I was able to shift my mental attention and energies to my activities. Without the constant distraction of “What am I doing and why?”, I was able to be fully present in the moment. It was a liberating experience.
- I emphasized the journey and not the outcome. There was no way that the classic definitions of success could apply to my efforts. I hadn’t set my watch, so there would be no lap times and no PR. I had no idea where I was going, so I wasn’t running to achieve a specific distance. I was there to just run, and in that regard I was 100% successful. That boost helped me restore my attitude and my outlook well beyond my simple run.
If you get the chance to go to Amsterdam, you should definitely go. While the weather didn’t improve on my trip, I was happy to have visited all the same. I enjoyed the architecture, the history, and the people. Amsterdam truly is a classic European city. I could’ve spent another three days just wandering the streets, passing over the canals, and wondering why those cigarettes smelled so funny.
If you go, remember that what happens in Amsterdam stays in Amsterdam. But while you’re there, also try to remember to enjoy the journey and not just the destination. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to Amsterdam to make that mental mindshift. You can do it in your own backyard, in your office, or on a bus. Just pick a small and personally satisfying activity-based goal and do the hell out of it.
I think you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
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Quotes:
“Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win.”
- Bernadette Devlin
“Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed.”
- Corita Kent
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Space Muffin.”
- Some sketchy guy outside a coffee shop
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