Tame the Primitive Brain: 28 Ways in 28 Days to Manage the Most Impulsive Behaviors at Work

Day 10

BFFs

One Mind in Two Bodies

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.

—Henry David Thoreau

Today you’ll tame:

• Some social risks

There is a story of two guys who were introduced to one another at a fete where one of them was playing in the band. Although they were from different parts of the city, there was an instant connection between them. One found the other impressive because he knew all the chords to “Twenty Flight Rock”; the other was amazed by the first’s ability to just make up the words to songs.

The two would spend most days sitting opposite each other playing their guitars, trading tunes, rhythms, chords, and lyrics. They became great friends; closer than friends, in fact. They would often say they were “like brothers.”

A few years later, they revolutionized the music world and became what many consider the most important song-writing duo ever.

The two men were John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

No doubt you’ve had one or more best friends (BFFs) over your lifetime. And you may have sometimes wished that your life partner could be like your best friend. You may also occasionally have felt it would be nice to have a best friend at work, since that’s where you seem to spend most of your time.

Perhaps you do work with your best friend, which is fantastic at times, but even as John and Paul often found, a challenge other times.

My guess is, your best friend just showed up one day, and at some point along the path of the developing relationship, you ...