So yesterday one of my business professors left me a lovely note on my report that said:
"You really need to get help with writing. Please seek help in the Writing Center."
My first reaction had me laughing so hard and flaunting my paper for reassurance of how wrong she had been.
"Seek help"...
I thought about how this was the one area in my life I was sure I had yet to botch.
Since the womb my mother can attest that I had a way with words; creating sentences that were meant for coloring outside of the box.
Trying to see where she was coming from, I had begun to analyze the situation more thoroughly.
Sure maybe my style of writing is a little rough around the edges. But honestly...maybe the business style is too box-y and sounds about as boring as watching grass grow.
Have you ever done that? Yeah me neither.
But if there's one thing I've learned senior year it's this;
Never sacrifice your way of doing something to please the boxes. These boxes do not build, they limit.
I am to the point in life where I would rather get solid C's and have learned something significant, then get the A by checking off boxes and doing the bare minimum.
Not going to conform to being a robot.
{black & white}
B👏🏼O👏🏼R👏🏼I👏🏼N👏🏼G👏🏼.
Why? Because who really wants to read something Google can spew out in a matter of milli-seconds????!?
That is the most spoon-fed way of writing and learning EVER.
There's no sparkle. No color.
However.
In all due respect, maybe she had a fair argument..that she, like many of us, loves the black and white "boxed life".
100% Serious. Snaps.
This is the life limited to word counts, page numbers, formatting, comfort. The life that has an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Ya know? Less is more?
Okay so I am the type of strand who says,
"More is less."
"Go big or go home."
"Push your limits and pee on the electric fence."
So...how am I supposed to submit a piece I am not confident in?
Why should I have to limit my imagination in order to get the grade based off what the reader wants to read?
Why is it that we are graded based off these boxes and our ability to uniformly perform?
Why is this system of grading the same one that my 11-year-old brother is evaluated by, as well as my 28-year-old brother in medical school?
I don't know about you but I would not like a doctor who just followed the boxes to perform an important surgery on me. :-)
Like what happens when the unthinkable, outside of the box case scenario occurs?
"Sorry honey, WebMD doesn't have the paper map to fix this for you."
...oh shoot, better luck next time?
In a world encouraging to "be different", it seems like we are all tied down to be quite simpatico, no¿
Just curious where the "individual" comes into play in an "individual written-report"...
Of course in the fast-pace world of business, people no longer have the time to think of extra-ordinary.
Uniform.
Everyone wants the same six figure salary, wondering what local charity they can volunteer at to constitute their individual-report (resume) as "different".
"Follow the rules and eatchyo veggies"
Except don't follow the rules.
"Cut corners and maximize sustainable profits. This builds character. In order to be happy, you gotta be selfish."
It was after this pessimistic conclusion that I realized exactly what I was being taught....
Humility.
"From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus."
Ugh. Really?
So as the story continues, I have concluded my own ending:
Getting the last word in an argument is not worth it.
Learning how to accept the criticism, no matter how much you may disagree, and walk away having learned something.
Silence.
Being able to accept any conflict as a daily offering to achieve that long-term confidence that we as humans crave. Something six figures and a Partridge in a Pear Tree will never satisfy.
So for the remaining of my time spent in the business school, I will choose to accept the humility in being wrong.
I don't always have to be right or appeal to the black & white, cookie-cutter A+ student. It's okay to be told you need to "seek help"... because she was right!
Maybe not the kind of help she suggested, but we would all be foolish to think there is no need to seek help.
It's the person that does not seek help, that truly needs help more than anyone.
I can fail and not be a failure. Failing in this world means nothing. Everybody fails. It's why you get up and it's what you are striving to become that gets you somewhere.
Past the boxes.
Past the individual-reports.
Past the six figure salary.
Past the pain.
Past the pride.
My mom once told me the best advice that I want to share with y'all:
"Rejection is God's protection."
After 22 years of chewing on this I have my own spin...
Ready?
"Rejection is God's redirection."
Guys...how exciting. How exciting is it to know where you're going is greater than the boxes. Greater than the procedure and plans.
Trusting this without reason, creates humility.
It creates the ability to strive towards the best version of ourselves, regardless of the rejections that these boxes weigh our merits by today.
"That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it."
Xxoo,
Toodles 🌻
