Are You Hitting Every Red Light?

Robby

Sometimes, our lives have the same feeling as driving but hitting every single red light. If you jump in your car here in Indianapolis or pretty much any major city, it can feel like all of the lights are out to get you. They stop you from making progress, and it feels like no matter how fast you go you’ll always end up slamming on the breaks, over and over again.

Of course, there’s a secret to solving this problem. It’s not really a secret, it’s more of a fact that we choose to ignore.

All of the lights are timed.

Ask any traffic engineer, and they will explain that these lights are not just random. They are set up on purpose to try and maximize flow at safe speeds. They are designed to help everyone get to their destination quickly and safely. But if you drive too fast, you’ll definitely get ahead of the timing.

There’s something to this notion in our work and home lives. If we’re moving too fast, we’ll outrun the system. Red lights will demand that we stop, and then we feel like we have to race even faster to catch up. Doing so will put us back to the beginning.

So the next time it seems like you’re only hitting red lights, try slowing down. Travel the speed limit. And most of all: enjoy the ride.