“Rapido es Happy!”
Let me introduce you to David. He’s one of the janitors who works in our office.
This guy is amazing, really.
I first met him a few weeks ago…I couldn’t help but notice him!
That’s because one evening I was startled when I heard our front door burst open, and then heard a rapidly rolling trash bin and 
keys jingling loudly rushing toward my open office door–I was immediately in the state of “fight or flight” because I actually thought someone was being chased through our office!
Before I could get out of my chair to defend myself, David-the-Janitor ran by my office pushing his trash-bin-on-wheels.
That’s right, he literally runs through our office, from cubicle to cubicle, emptying our trash bins!
For the next week I watched him run around the office, doing his job as if the world depended on him to get it done.
Honestly, I was inspired.
How often do we drag through our daily responsibilities or trudge through life without passion or energy?
Finally, one evening I invited him into my office to take a break…I proceeded to utterly confuse him with my terribly broken Spanish. But we managed a basic conversation.
After we got acquainted, I asked him if he ran like this through the entire building and he said, “Si!”.
I asked him if his boss was the devil or something and he said, “No!”
So I said, “Then why do you run, David?”
He replied, “Rapido es Happy y slow es Sleepy!
Wow. Here’s a guy who does something basic, something a lot of us would probably complain about…and he’s found one of the great keys to happiness…
Work hard, work rapidly, and take pride in whatever it is you do–and be happy.
Thanks, David!
Check our these great blog posts for more information about this topic:
Worth a Visit - Love Your Job?
Tags: Business, Entrepreneurship, hard work
June 6th, 2008 at 11:02 am
David does not hold the best of all jobs available on this planet. Yet his attitude towards work shame many of us.
Me included.
Often, we only look at the problem we faced, but we fail to see the beauty in it.
Here is a janitor with an important lesson for all of us. Learn to see the positive side of things and - Be Happy!
June 6th, 2008 at 11:20 am
How true this is. Just starting a new business for the third time I have learned once again that happiness comes with doing. Now I wake up each morning refreshed ready to take on whatever comes my way instead of waking up and saying “What Happened?”
June 6th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Its a basic thought but holds true. when i am moving quickly to get things done the feeling of accomplishment is stronger and the issues of the day melt away because I have less time to indulge them.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Truly inspiring and challenges one’s thinking. I take my hat off to this guy. Each day I’m challenging myself to do something better and be more efficient, and enjoy my work rather than waste time and energy complaining about what needs to be done or how difficult it is. Positive thinking, positive results, less time to get stressed.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:58 am
This really hits home with me, because I used to be a janitor. I remember how rushing thru my day and doing a good job made me happy too. It’s not what we do that makes us happy so much as how we do what we do. Take action, take pride, get happiness. Simple.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Thank you for the reminder! It is so good to see that we can choose to experience anything as fun and purposeful.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
This was a great article! I was just talking about this with someone at work. How, as long as you feel that your life has meaning and purpose, it can bring you joy and happiness regardless of what you are doing.
I will definitely highlight this on my i-choose-happiness website!
Thanks again,
Ricky
June 6th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
It reminds of an attitude converter…
I have to do this (ughh)
VS
I get to do this (yeah!)
(how can I be more effective through innovating the process by improving it and/or do it more efficiently and faster!
David is a perfect example of a VALUE-ADDER
not only for his customer but for himself (increases his energy, enthusiasm and time to do something else that adds increased value to his customer and himself which of course - includes happiness [aka wealth/well-being]
Cheers
June 7th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
How true this is. Whenever I walk somewhere at work I always walk as if I have a purpose and goal in mind, my stride is fast and strong, I run up stairs and down. Go David, we’ll see you going up in life instead of down.
Mel
July 8th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I have planning for about a month to write an ebook.I allready had the subject and most of the information I needed to get started but I have just been dragging my feet.I know what the guy goes through by the way even though I myself am not a janitor.He should be inspirational to us all to not waste time.My ebook is about nutritional problems facing the US.