5 Questions for People Who Were More Productive in High School
What can you learn from your younger self?
Sometimes I reminisce about the 15-year-old version of myself that subsisted on vending machine snacks, classic novels, and SAT practice tests. What happened to this creature? Where did her productivity go and how do I get it back?
The easy answer is, “Adult life isn’t high school.” Or simply blame modern technology and our shrinking attention spans.
But what if every period of life, including adolescence, has its wisdom and its blind spots? What might you learn from thinking about the conditions that create boosts in functioning?
Not having to pay the bills has its perks. But could bringing back a little bit of high school be useful? For those of us who were more productive 25 years ago (or 50 years ago), here are few questions.
What evidence did you use for measuring progress or success?
School years imply constant measurement. Test and competitions can be stressful, but they do provide some alternative to evaluating yourself based on how you feel. Where in life do you need to evaluate yourself based on functioning and not on the vibes of the moment? (How you feel about your life choices at 10pm is not a helpful measure, Denise!) Tests and competition can measure functioning, but so can a clear definition of one’s own principles and values.
What did you never try because you wouldn’t be great at it (at least not right away)?
This one of my favorite questions to ask people. I never took an art class because I suspected it would lower my GPA. Where did it feel too risky to enjoy being not great at something? What do you want to be delightfully terrible at today? When do you not try something because it will take a lot of hanging in there to get better?
What shared goals did you have with others? How was this useful?
Humans were built to cooperate. Where was being part of a team or group useful? Where did healthy competition breed creativity and drive?
Fast forward to today. Does your family have a shared goal? Your work team? Your friend group? Your religious community? I think this is an interesting research question: can the energy generated from working on group goals be applied toward individual goals? I suspect that it can be.
How have technological changes impacted your functioning? What do you want to do with this observation?
Wondering why you can’t rip through a novel anymore, take a walk without listening to a podcast, or pick up the phone and just call someone? Chances are technology plays a role. Here’s an experiment: For one week, live technologically like you’re back in high school or the early years of your working life. Using a map to navigate, only checking your email on a computer, or picking up the phone to call a friend might remind you that you’re quite capable.
What wisdom might your younger self have for you?
People think about what they would say to their younger self. But I want to challenge you to think about the wisdom your 15 or 20-year-old self might have. I think baby Kathleen would say to me, “You think life is easier when you don’t have to take any tests, but having no metrics is a great way to be mean to yourself. Objectivity about functioning spares you from unhelpful questions like, ‘Am I doing enough?’” She might also say, “Surround yourself with people who are working on something interesting together. Find some healthy competition.”
How does one be a part of something bigger, but also chart one’s own path? This is the challenge of the human, whether you’re 15 or 95. Sometimes in life we lean a little too much in one direction, and sometimes we veer the other way. Trying to strike a balance is an interesting experiment. In working our way towards the future, we might learn something by looking back.
If you liked this post, you might want to read:
Are You Consuming Content to Fix Anxiety?
The Little Boosts That Keep Us From Ourselves
News from Kathleen
Reading: Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon (speaking of someone with drive) and Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis.
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