Rumbling with joy

A highway in the UAE has carved rumble strips that play Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" when you drive at exactly the right speed. You're rushing to your destination, operating on autopilot, then suddenly, arguably one of most beautiful pieces of music emerges from the asphalt beneath you.

The highway as metaphor feels perfect. We spend our professional lives in fast-paced, automated modes, moving efficiently from task to task, always focused on the destination. We optimize for speed, often missing the richness of the journey itself.

But what if we welcomed moments where a 200-year-old symphony could interrupt our rush toward efficiency?

Beethoven composed "Ode to Joy" while battling deafness, transforming his struggles into music about universal humanity. Simple enough for anyone to sing, yet profound enough to become an anthem for freedom movements worldwide.

Here's what strikes me: This highway only plays music when you calibrate your speed perfectly. Too fast or slow, and you get only noise. It requires presence and harmony between human intention and the system around you.

Maybe that's the lesson. The most meaningful experiences often emerge not from pure efficiency, but from moments when we slow down just enough to hear the music that was there all along.

I’m going to try to build a little more "Ode to Joy" into my daily rhythms.

Sometimes the road itself has something to teach us.

#Leadership #Mindfulness #Innovation #Purpose