In school, I see some students joining as many activities as
possible to boost their resume for college applications. They are taking more AP classes than ever
before and always pushing for the highest grade. What worries me about these students: Will
they ever be content? Or will they
always be on a treadmill, never taking the time to enjoy their accomplishments?
This summer, the Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson was
negotiating his contract. While the
billionaire owner was negotiating with a millionaire player, I wondered, how
much money did either party need to live a good life? How many accomplishments do you need to feel
fulfilled? How many awards do you need
to make yourself happy?
More is not always better. As a matter of fact, I might argue most times
it is not. This summer, I reflected upon
why I became a teacher. In answering
that for myself, I developed a list of questions I now ask myself before I say
yes to any request:
1.
Is what is being asked of me aligned with my
values and why I became a teacher? If
the answer is no, I respond “no” to the ask.
2.
Will what is being asked of me make me
happy? There are times I might do
something that just brings me joy.
3.
Will what is being asked of me make me a better
husband, father, teacher, or colleague?
I still enjoy growing in all of these areas.
The challenge is that we often feel guilty when we say “no”. The truth is that when you learn to say “no,”
you do the things that are important to you better. “No” might be the answer to improving mental
health for all of us.
As always, your feedback is appreciated.
Phil- Thanks for sharing this. I think as a teacher I often say yes without thinking. I'm getting better at thinking of whether it makes me or my students better.
ReplyDeleteI think about number 3 a lot for myself--I hope that we all seek to grow to be better to those around us. I know that I appreciate you and the work you do to be a mentor to those around you.