I think I still battle this, though it’s gotten oh so much better. It’s the idea that one does what they do not because that’s what will genuinely render results, but because it looks good on paper, it will be handed in for a grade, and the better the grade, the better i.e. your weight will be. So silly! Who is this “Teacher” I think I’m appealing to?
I imagine this must be more common among those of us who had that kind of “straight A” track record in school. Early on, we crystalized this idea of putting together a pleasing package, and in return be rewarded with an A. Unfortunately, that approach does little to teach one of the realities of life. The truth is, whether it’s your body or your business or your relationship with another, it/he/she doesn’t “care” how “good” what you’re doing looks on paper. It only knows whether you’re truly doing what needs to be done to cultivate honest results. I can revamp my business plan until it’s such a work of art they ought to be using it as a template at business schools. But unless I’m getting out there and doing the “real” work, the stuff that’s going to increase my company’s exposure and present a compelling product and a good reason why a person needs it…..no amount of “A” work is going to make up for that. It so goes against that ingrained thinking and yet that’s exactly what I need to renew and recommit myself to every day.
And as I said, it’s across the board: eating, relationships, business. The more I can learn to cast off this “doing what would earn a good grade in school” approach and roll up my sleeves to do the honest work, which let’s face it is often messy, undefined, nonlinear, improvised, inuitive, uncertain….and even boring, scary, unpleasnant…..the more I will continue to grow and meet the success I seek.
