What a great post this is.Have not seen the Meyer quote before, but it rings true from life experience.
I'm well into middle age, though younger than BB who turns 65 tomorrow. I thought as I grew older that I would have more patience. True as to some things, but glaringly wrong when it comes to dealing with problem people.
You've accomplished certain things in your career and life, and more than once have been burned by chasing fool's gold. You reach the conclusion that life is too short to be around knuckleheads, people who present situations that stress you out or piss you off. To the extent possible, you drive these people from your life.
I own my own business, have done so for about 20 years; in the beginning, anytime I ran into a problem customer, I'd bend over backwards to do whatever it took to appease them/keep them as customers, they continually annoyed and stressed me out, but I figured it's better to have a customer than to have to go out and find new ones.
I shitcanned that approach about 5 years ago; now when I run into a problem customer (or as I call them, "the 1%"............), I cut them loose and let them go drive someone else nuts. I want to have customers I enjoy working with, selling to and being around, not some ballbreaker who works my last nerve.
Drive them from your life is exactly right; life is too short for sure.