What We Gain By Being Curious Rather Than Critical

Author Joe Queenan reread Ben Franklin's book, Poor Richard’s Almanac, and shared his thoughts in a July 4th NY Times article called, Ben Franklin s a Big Fat Idiot. It's a well-meaning piece on the man he considers to be a "titan" worthy of his "esteem and affection". That's why it seems odd to me that Queenan doesn't give Franklin's work - one that he has admired for decades! - enough credit. It was the article's concluding paragraph that particularly bothered me.

I still admire Ben Franklin, and will never cease to do so. But from now on, that homage will be qualified. Much as I hate to admit it, sayings like “If it were not for the belly, the back might wear gold” and “A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things” just don’t cut the mustard. They’re the kind of pointless, obtuse, third-rate flapdoodle Franklin himself would have hated, and for which there is only one proper response: Hey, buddy, go fly a kite.

First of all, one's homage should always be qualified. Admire, believe in, follow, but never blindly.

Second, Queenan abandons much of his favorite historical figure's work. In his race to critique, he misses the opportunity re-find wisdom in the words. One should look to their past inspirations not with a critical mind but a curious one.

In the conclusion, Queenan dismisses the line “a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.” Rather than seeking fault, he could have tried to find Franklin's reasoning by asking questions like "How could Franklin's words be right?" and "What's special about them being "two things?"

As a guy whose life revolves around releasing stress, Queenan's dismissal of this line was particularly disappointing to me. I regularly talk with people who feel that if they don't work hard (avoiding leisure) nothing will get done (laziness). Franklin's words correctly state that leisure does not necessitate laziness. They are two separate things. You can get plenty done in a relaxed manner. Plus, the fact of the matter is that everything can't get done, nor should everything that can be done actually be done. This is often overlooked in our do-more society (the Story of the Mexican Fisherman comes to mind).

Third, the attitude of "Hey buddy, if it's not going to be brilliant after 200 years, don't write it!" is a really hostile and unproductive one to have. I have a feeling that Queenan wouldn't ever write a word (let alone this article or his books) if that standard was applied to his own writing.

Lastly, "go fly a kite"? I know it's a historical quip, but in our society it's also a blow-off. If you wouldn't say it to your titan's face (and I have a hard time believing Queenan would), don't write it.

Boring + Fun = Not Boring

When we take the time to add fun to a situation it gets transformed. A lot of people use stress/deadlines/self-flagellation as motivation to do something. Yet we all have things that we do because there's an inner motivation - have you ever had to give yourself a deadline to get dessert?


VolkWagon has a campaign that shows innovative ways they've gotten people to do "boring" things - they call it The Fun Theory. Their most popular video shows how to get people to use the stairs instead of taking the escalator. (Thanks to Shreedevi for reminding me of the campaign.)





For those who want to take the stairs more, but are on a budget, feel free to substitute "piano" for "humming a song" as you walk up.


UPDATE:
Yesterday I played croquet with some friends - it's a fun game, but can become boring quickly. To add some fun I came up with the idea of giving each player the opportunity to place an obstacle (usually a bag) on the field once per game, at least 18 inches from a wicket. This addition created a sense of excitement and unpredictability that changed the tide each game.


Have you added an element of fun to a "boring" activity? Share it in the comments!

New Stop Stressing Radio Show: Being Alone, Driving & Texting

The latest episodes of the Stop Stressing Radio Show are available for download!

In the May 3rd episode my co-host Michele Lamoureux and I discussed how the stress of being alone impacts our health and relationships, as well as what you can do about it. 

In the May 10th episode we discussed the impact of the new laws on driving and texting, and how they relate to other times where something we've grown used to gets taken away.

Lots of stories, tips and concepts are shared! Particularly how to apply the Four Diffusers to each of the situations and points of view.


Listen to the podcast directly or download it from our station's site.

New shows are recorded live every Monday at 2pm, audience call-ins are welcome! (347) 857-3382.

Have a topic you'd like discussed? Leave a comment to this post or send me an email: zo AT StopStressingOut dot Com

An Interview About Stress and Humor

Earlier this week I was interviewed by Drew Tarvin of HumorThatWorks.com - a site dedicated to helping corporations, companies, managers, employees, and even your average Joe (or Joe-ette) bring humor into the workplace and life in general.

Highlights from our talk include:

• The Gift of Stress (0:35)
• Why We Suck at Handling Stress (5:50)
• Can You Become Stress-Free (9:40)
• The Seven Rs of Stress Release (16:30)
• The All Important Reminder (20:14)
• Humor as a Diffuser (27:15)
• The Stress of a Haircut (32:06)

You can listen to the interview and download the transcript here.

The first episode of Stop Stressing with Zohar, Michele and Scott is up!

We discussed how allergies impact our health, cause us to shift lifestyles, and give a lot of new things to be aware of while taking away some of the control and freedom we usually take for granted. Lots of stories, tips and concepts are shared!


Play directly or download it:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stopstressing

Announcing the Stop Stressing Radio Show

Are you stressed out? Would you like to access new ways to deal with your stress better? Join experienced life coaches, Zohar Adner, Michele Lamoureux, and Scott Shane Holt, as they take on the daily stressors in our lives -- Money, Relationships and Health. 

Each week you'll gain a new perspective and tips to manage your own stressful situations. This series is effective, fun, and insightful - you're gonna love it!

Listen and call in every Monday at 2pm Eastern Time starting on April 26th.

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/StopStressing

(Call-in number: (347) 857-3382)

Supporting a Charity

I believe that programs that give creative outlets and opportunities for people helps people find meaning and passion in their lives which in turn makes the world a better place. 

In that spirit I've donated three coaching sessions and a copy of  The Gift of Stress in the support of the great people at Figure Skating in Harlem - a pioneering not-for-profit organization that provides girls ages 6-18 with vital educational and skating opportunities that build self-worth and promote physical well being and academic achievement. 

Please support their efforts with an auction bid on CharityBuzz.com too and get a bargain to boot! As they say, Do Good, Live Well.