It's no surprise that children do their homework and finish high school, even when the demands are absurd.
They know what will happen if they don't.
It's also no surprise that kids are there for every soccer practice or dance rehearsal, and rarely quit the team.
They know there will be social consequences if they do.
But...
What happens when no one is watching?
When we take away the grades, the stigmas, and the consequences...what then?
It turns out this is where some of the most important stuff lies.
Here is a list of just some the invisible things that aren't graded but make all the difference.
- Working out and eating healthy.
- Deciding to learn a musical instrument.
- Leveling up our skills related to our jobs just because we want to...in the hopes of moving up or maybe even starting our own business.
- Learning to relax and take care of our emotional selves.
- Searching for our passions in life.
- Developing our resilience and patience so that we can become our best selves.
This is just a sample of the things that create a happy, fulfilled life.
The things that aren't graded, and that we probably didn't learn in a classroom.
The best thing we can do for our kids is show them this. It's not all about the grades. It's not about the consequences if we don't perform as expected.
It's developing a love of learning. Developing the will to continue even when no one will know if we quit. Creating momentum and generating our own excitement, simply because we decided.
This is where real change happens.
And those who succeed in this are the ones who will change the world.