Arnold Schwarzenegger

About a week ago, I was approached by a fellow freelance writer who had a question. He asked me how he could “be productive with anger issues.” Anger is a normal human emotion, but it’s probably not the best emotion to use while you are trying to work.

The solution, for better or for worse, has very little to do with getting to the chopper or explaining that it’s not a tumor, but there are ways for you to use that anger in a positive way. In short, it is possible to use that rage to get engaged.

Translate Anger into Passion

If you want to be successful in your business, you need to be passionate about it. Your career has to be more than just a job to you. Take a look at someone like Gordon Ramsay. He may come off as a very angry individual, cussing at every opportunity that he gets, but this is largely because he is so passionate about cooking and good food. He’s mad, because he cares. The same can be said about Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer. He’s been known to get pretty “enthusiastic” during his keynotes and press conferences. That’s because he cares.

Both of these individuals have been able to focus their natural anger issues into something more productive. It’s because they care so much that they are good at what they do. A great way to find that kind of focus is to listen to music. Use music with energy, like “Eye of the Tiger,” and you could be the next Rocky… so to speak.

Channel Rage to Good Humour

One thing that we can learn from the Dog Whisperer is that the cause and solution need not be related. It doesn’t matter how you came to be angry, per se, because you can overcome that rage with a more pleasant human experience: laughter. Some people may not like his brand of comedy, but Lewis Black is easily one of the best “rage comics” on the planet today. He’s always angry about something, but this makes for some great comedy for us. Humour is incredibly powerful. Laugh it off and get back to work. Life doesn’t need to be so serious.

Take a Chill Pill, Pal

When you are suffering from a headache, it can seem like the whole world is throbbing down upon you. You could flip out like Michael Cera at just about anyone over the smallest and most insignificant of issues. This is obviously not the right way to turn that anger into productivity. You want to get that rage out of your system in a positive way.

Sometimes, the best way to turn anger issues into productivity is to take a break. Remove yourself from the situation that is feeding into that rage and cool off. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Head to the coffee shop for a cup of java. Hit the gym and burn off that energy. Having passed that state of uncontrollable rage, you can return to your computer with renewed vigour and a fresh perspective.

We All Get Mad Sometimes

There’s nothing wrong with getting angry from time to time. It’s much better to express those emotions than to bottle them up, but you want to express them in such a way as to minimize damage to others (and yourself). Channel that energy in a positive way, converting the anger into passion and good humour.

What do you think? How do you deal with anger? Chime in with your thoughts below and you might win something.