What Los Angeles Traffic Taught Me

Anyone who's lived in Los Angeles knows there's traffic. A LOT of traffic. I realized pretty quickly there was a unique opportunity to take advantage of those moments of idleness and turn them into a mobile classroom. Here are a few quick insights that may nudge you to turn daily gridlock into the "University of Traffic."

-- One way to set yourself apart from the herd is to optimize moments most people use for entertainment with education.

-- Divide your audiobook selection into different categories that interest you -- (e.g. Fiction, History, Personal Development, Finance)

--  The average US commuter spends roughly 42 hours in traffic per year. That’s nearly identical to a semester of college. You have a remarkable opportunity to turn your commute, workout, or daily chores into the equivalent of a college degree.

-- After listening to an audiobook make note of at least three things you’ve learned and can implement, track, and measure. Keep an audiobook notebook in your car so you can jot a few notes after your commute.

No Traffic Up Ahead

This morning a group of friends and I left for a little road trip. The entire journey ended up taking us more than 6 hours. I felt especially bad for my friend's 3-year old son who sat patiently in the backseat asking on occasion for us to read him a story.

What's interesting is the the distance to our destination was less than 60 miles away. Windy narrow roads hugging perilous cliffs overlooking the ocean forced us to navigate at an average of 5 miles per hour.

The further along we went the less cars there were in front of us. Traffic gradually tapered off leading to open roads. 

In the end, we were all exhausted but agreed the trip was worth the effort. We also learned an important lesson:

Be the Exception. Put in the Work and Go the Extra Mile. There's Less Traffic Up Ahead.

Look Closer

Last night, I spent about half an hour reading, The Economist as I waited for a film to begin. Just a quick glimpse at the publication's summary page and you'd be forgiven for thinking the world was on the brink of ending.

Just an hour before, I was abruptly cut off by an aggressive driver clearly under the impression he needed to be somewhere, and fast.

The world certainly has its share of challenges. They are not to be taken lightly and its important we all take initiative in finding causes we are passionate about, and making a dent in our communities in whatever capacity we can.

But we are also living in a time of remarkable progress. Broadly speaking, violence and poverty have decrease significantly.

The realization I stumbled upon after being cut off in traffic and thumbing through a well-respected source of world news is this: no matter how challenging, one must try and maintain their poise in the face of unsettling news, and avoid the temptation to jump to conclusions. 

Take a step back, breathe, and look at the larger picture. You may be surprised at what you find.