What did it take to get into college? A high GPA, and high SAT score, and a few extra-curriculars thrown in for good measure. That’s the screening process. Yet, only 40-70% of students (depending on socioeconomic factors) graduate college. If the goal is to admit only […]
Tag: intentional
The Two Meanings of “I’ll Do Better Next Time”
“I am an Intentional Learner. I know that I will perform as I practice, and so I practice well. I am not waiting for certification. My results are my certification.” “I’ll do better next time.” I have an image in my head of what it […]
Punching the Clock
“I am an Intentional Learner. I affirm that my ability to breathe does not entitle me to an income. My ability to create something that changes a person’s life leads to payment proportional to the impact. I am not paid by the hour, I am […]
The Market Will Judge You
“I am an Intentional Learner. I learn to add incredible value, not to make grades. I add value by meeting people’s needs. My grades are a reflection of my performance, not the reason for it.” The problem with judging someone based on measurements is that […]
Thrashing
Have you ever worked on a big project? Maybe for school? Maybe for work? Even binge-watching an entire TV series counts. When I finish a project, I have two strong feelings: (1) accomplishment at having completed a long-term effort, (2) “what’s next!?” There’s a quote […]
How to Decide the Rest of Your Life, Concluded
We’ve been talking about this for a couple days now. Picking majors, internships, and full-time jobs is scary work. First, take some pressure off. This isn’t the rest of your life, it’s just the next step. Second, get to know yourself. If you base your […]
No, Really. This is How to Decide the Rest of Your Life.
Yesterday I shared some important statistics that should have helped reduce the pressure you’re putting on yourself over the big decisions: what major? Where to intern? Where to work after you graduate? If you’re in school right now, you were likely raised by the “company […]
Triple Down on What You’re Good At
I’m a magpie. I realize the reference is dated, but it fits perfectly. I’m a magpie. I see shiny things, I get excited, and I go after them. I don’t mean shiny things like fancy cars or watches or anything material at all. I mean […]
The easy way make people do what you want
Systems engineering is interested in the way that seemingly simple components interact to create complex behaviors. A car driving down the street is fairly simple. Put a bunch of them near each other and complex behaviors arise. I’m about to pick at the system called […]
My Ideal Week: Schedule things that actually matter
During prep week I get four systems in place to help me win all semester. We already talked about the first two. My morning routine lets me start each morning with meaning and calm. My time budget gives the right amount of time to each […]
