All of the Lights: 3 Victory Lessons from Traffic Lights to Celebrate the 101st Anniversary of the First Electric Traffic Signal System

It is quite easy to take the traffic-signal system for granted: We are never able to make the lights we need the most, they cause major headaches when they are not operating correctly and red-light cameras are the absolute worst.

We must consider the many benefits the traffic signal system provides including assisting traffic engineers in controlling traffic in a safe, orderly and efficient manner.

As we travel along the road of life we come upon traffic signals that give us instructions on what to do next.  This list analyzes how you should be following the red, green and yellow signals in your life:

ONE
Pump Your Brakes
The red lights in our lives are warning signs that tell us to stop right where we are.  They inform us that if we do not restrain the results can be disastrous.  Many of us complain about red lights yet they save lives and protect us from harm.

What do you do when you get to the red lights in your life? Are you obeying the warning and acting accordingly or are you ignoring it continuing as you please? You may not be involved in an accident the first few times you run the red lights in your life yet your luck will run out and you will cause an accident if you don't STOP!

"We humans have two great problems: the first is knowing when to begin; the second is knowing when to stop." -Paulo Coelho



TWO
Slow Down
Yellow lights remind us to analyze every situation in our lives prior to making a decision.  They are those moments when we have to take the time to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before moving forward.  Yellow lights may only last for a split second but they are the planning stages where we must slow down before we choose to accept or decline.

You may have recently taken on a new project in your life and now you are struggling to keep up with the increased workload.  Many of us continue in an attempt to regain control when we should slow down in order to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the project is worth continuing.  Take to time to analyze the situation before you proceed.

"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you." -John DePaola

THREE Please Proceed
Green lights are everyone's favorite.  They signal us to continue on our journeys.  When you are on the right road towards your destination there is nothing better than a green light.  Use the green lights in your life as reassurance that you should not give up on your goal or do anything that would negatively impact your momentum.

If you have found what works, continue.  If you have not found the solution that you have been seeking, continue.  If you have the green light, keep going.  If you stop at a green light you can cause a major accident therefore keep going!

"If you're going through hell, keep going." -Winston Churchill

Here is a video that reminds us to use life's signals but continue to enjoy our journeys: