Inequality makes me angry.

Children not having books in their school makes me angry.

People who donate less than 1% of their annual salaries to help those in need makes me angry.

There are a lot of things that make me angry, but I recognize that my anger is dangerous to both myself and my organization. It can lead to cynicism, depression and the false belief that the work we do is not making a difference. My anger can also bleed into the attitudes of those around me.

Projecting anger for any sustained period of time is a selfish act. People consume that energy and then bring it into their own lives. Anger is rarely productive. Anger destroys. Anger is thought without empathy. Anger is lazy.

With that said, anger is what drives me forward. I cannot get beyond the fact that seeing children without access to books in their school library makes me angry. It does, it will, and there is very little I can do to change that fact.

Actually, there is something I can do, and that is put books into the schools that have none. This helps to bridge the education inequality divide. This also makes me less angry.

I regularly take time to remind myself of the thousands of people that help our organization achieve its mission; from the donors, government officials, drivers, book distributors, suppliers, bank tellers, partners, landlords, husbands, wives, children, volunteers, team members, friends and family. I have to consciously do this, because if I don’t, I risk going down the rabbit hole of anger and cynicism.

Anger is an unavoidable emotion, but your anger is in your control.

Recognize that there is no future in anger, positivity is a much sharper blade to wield.