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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
The Joy in Business
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
You can change the emotional state toward which you tend to gravitate.
Conceptual tools come in many forms, but few of them pack such a big punch as the metaphor. We’re going to begin with one such metaphor – a simple but powerful way to reconceptualize your emotions and find more happiness in life.
To understand the metaphor, begin by imagining four houses. Each house corresponds to one of the four primary emotions from which all of our other emotions are ultimately derived: sadness, anger, gladness and fear. In each house, you’ll find a wide range of variations on the primary emotion it represents – variations such as sorrow, despair and devastation in the House of Sad; annoyance, anger and fury in the House of Mad; contentment, happiness and elation in the House of Glad; and nervousness, panic and terror in the House of Scared.
From day to day, hour to hour or even minute to minute, we tend to move from one house to the next. For example, imagine someone loses something that’s important to you – a family heirloom, let’s say. You might start off in the House of Sad, as you lament your loss. Then you might move into the House of Mad, as you get angry at the person for losing the heirloom.
But despite all this moving around, one of the houses tends to be our primary place of residence – the one where we spend most of our time. For example, if you wake up with anxiety every morning and feel nervous throughout the day, you might be living in the House of Scared.
Now, here’s the bad news: most of us tend to live in the houses of Sad, Mad or Scared. Sometimes we find ourselves in the House of Glad, but we’re more like occasional visitors than residents there. But here’s the good news: if you’re dwelling too much in one of the negative houses, there’s a simple solution: move out of it!
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
In the next blink, we’ll start looking at practical steps for moving into the House of Glad. But the point of the metaphor is simply to realize that moving is possible. If you’re feeling some variant of sad, mad or scared most of the time, the emotion isn’t a permanent condition; it’s a temporary dwelling place, which you can leave behind.
The House of Glad awaits you!
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What is The Joy in Business about?
The Joy in Business (2019) provides a treasure trove of practical tools, tips and techniques for achieving more happiness and success in both our personal and professional lives. Drawing from her experiences as a business consultant, trainer and motivational speaker, the author pulls together the many bits of wisdom that she’s shared with audiences and companies around the world.
Who should read The Joy in Business?
- Positive thinkers looking for some positivity boosters
- Negative thinkers ready to change their minds
- Anyone looking for a little more joy in their lives
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