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Frustration

An interesting word and an even more interesting emotion, (assuming that is is an emotion? certainly feels like one when you feel it!).

From the age of around 14 months, we all succomb to feelings of frustration ... and after 42 odd years, those feelings still appear from time to time. At 14 months, they tend to relate to the fact that a square block won't fit into a square hole, because your hand is too small and the block is sitting at the wrong angle. Or, you see a picture of a cat on a book you want, and the book is under a pile of other books in a box you cannot move. Or... you want a toy out of the bottom of the toybox and you cannot reach it.

As time passes, those frustrations turn to things like, 'I've lost my keys......, again', or 'why does my computer take 20 minutes to start up these days', 'why hasn't that person called me back with an answer yet'... Wikipedia says 'Frustration is a common emotional response to opposition. Related to anger and disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual will'..

I got frustrated today - because I couldn't find something and then had left some important papers at my office that I needed to work on at home today. I ended up feeling really quite angry inside..

Well, what a waste of energy that was - doesn't actually get you anywhere does it?

Mmmm, then again, many of the greatest solutions to the worlds biggest problems come about just because someone get frustrated with something or the way something was being done and said 'sod this, I can do this better' and away they went - there are numerous highly successful organisations and businesses that have developed off this platform - in New Zealand, there are many examples of organsiations all doing very similar things because people have splintered themselves off 'to go one better'. This results in a huge dilution of effort and I have to say, success - however, that's a separate discussion.

So getting back to my feelings of frustration earlier today - the secret has to be to (1) notice and recognise the frustration for what it is and then (2) flip it 180 degrees and say to yourself, ok, I am frustrated, so what can I do to turn that feeling of anger into something positive. After all, following the frustration only ever seems to lead to more of the same, doesn't it? The harder you push against opposition, the greater the force that comes back at you - and then we get onto Einstein's theories and physics, another topic again!

Now..... back to finding my keys - breathe Peter, breathe :)
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