A few years ago, consultants were brought into Colorado to solve a perplexing mountain traffic problem. Because of great snow and incredible skiing, hundreds of cars were moving up and down mountain freeways at the same time. This resulted in traffic congestion and gridlock costing some travelers up to 4 hours of delay.
You can probably imagine the many problems that arise when thousands of people are stuck on cold and icy roads with no other option but to crawl at a snail’s pace. Between flared tempers, tired and hungry drivers, and pressure to get home or on the slopes, it was not an ideal situation. Sub-zero temperatures could even make the situation deadly. But, what was to be done?
The answer was the Mountain Pace Car
Here was the plan: Two drivers would be placed at the head of the traffic. They could not be passed and they would lead the cars up or down the mountain at a regular and steady pace. In this way, drivers would be forced to steadily move up or down the mountain at a consistent clip. It worked. Traffic jams were eased and delays were remedied. How did this work?
Analysts determined that the problem was individual drivers speeding quickly and braking suddenly. You have seen this (and probably done this) the last time you were in congested traffic. You move as fast as you can when traffic is moving and then brake as soon as all the cars in front of you slow or stop. The cumulative effect of hundreds of drivers alternating between racing forward and suddenly stopping is gridlock.
Simply put, the behavior of the individual driver was and is the problem. But, how do you get the behavior of hundreds of drivers to change? The Mountain Pace Car.
The solution is brilliant really. It capitalizes on something most of us learned as young children when we listened to our mother read “The Tortoise and the Hare” to us. You might recall the motto: “Slow and steady wins the race.” The answer was in being constant and steady.
The answer for mountain traffic gridlock is the same for all of us: Be constant and diligent.
Diligence has been defined as a patient and continual effort. Diligence is being steady and constant in your work and energy. It is applying a regular stream of strength toward a goal. It is not a quick and electric burst of energy. It is not a fast-moving train. Diligence is a paced progress, measured and consistent. It is a fundamental trait of successful individuals. Top performers and happy people are persistent, constant, and diligent.
Diligence is developed by determining what small things you will do every day to move you closer to your goal. It is to do the important but not crisis things in your life every day. It is a gradual and unfailing effort toward a goal. The happiest and most successful people did not get there in one great burst of speed. They persisted. A big shot is just a little shot that kept shooting. So, that is your task.
Truly, slow and steady wins the race. So, be like the mountain pace car, and be diligent.
