A recap of episode 79 of the Cracking Creativity podcast. If you liked it, check out the full episode with Henry May where he talks about why well respected jobs aren’t always right for us, why good ideas take time to develop, and why you need to stop waiting and put your ideas into action.
Henry May spent his childhood playing with LEGOs. He loved the outdoors and harmless mischief. He thought his life was pre-ordained. He thought our paths are set for us.
This all changed the summer he joined Teach First. The two years he spent here, changed his thoughts on the education system and his role in the world.
After his time at Teach First, and a short stint at Procter & Gamble, Henry took a trip to Colombia through Teach Colombia and fell in love with the country. But he also heard horrible stories about the public schools there.
These were the driving forces that pulled him to leave everything he knew in London and to start CoSchool in Colombia.
In this episode Henry talks about why well respected jobs aren't always right for us, why good ideas take time to develop, and why you need to stop waiting and put your ideas into action.
If you ask most people what they want out of life, one thing they will mention is a good career. They want a safe job at a well established company. They want stability and security. But that doesn't mean a job at a well respected company is right for everyone.
That's exactly what Henry found out while working at Procter & Gamble. While most people would be overjoyed to have a job at a company like P&G, Henry found it frustrating.
"It was such a different world from this real life, hard hitting world of being a teacher in a school in South London. To then be found in an office talking about selling razor blades, nappies, shampoo. I just couldn't connect with the deeper purpose. I really respect an organization like Procter & Gamble for the success that they've had, for the benefit that they bring to the world... however I found it very frustrating to see so many intelligent, capable, caring people there who were using all of that talent and all of that brilliance to sell 1% more shampoo than their rivals."
Just because a company is a good business, that doesn't mean it's the right fit for everyone. Sometimes our hearts just aren't into it.
"Ultimately that's the bottom line in an organization like that. They do a great job of developing people, and growing leaders, and making some fantastic business people, but I was a mismatch in terms of where my heart was."
In the modern age, we want things to happen instantaneously. We have been conditioned to expect instant gratification. But sometimes good ideas take time develop. Sometimes we need to think things over before they can become a reality.
That's exactly what happened to Henry. His dual passions for Huracan FC and CoSchool were on completely different journeys, but after thinking about it for a few months, the ideas converged.
"They were separate dots on... different journeys of my life that didn't make a connection immediately. There wasn't intentions. It took a process of reflection and iteration, and three or four months initially of thinking 'Am I going to focus on the Huracan foundation? Is that my thing? Is that what I am going to do? And eventually CoSchool was born out of this process of stopping."
We're always in such a rush to get our ideas off the ground that we don't give them time to breath. That's why Henry advises aspiring entrepreneurs to spend some time thinking about their ideas.
"I think that if there's something that I learned from that, there's something I share with other people, with friends who are thinking about doing something entrepreneurial, the value of stopping and stepping outside of the white water, not just for a day or for a week, I mean I did it for three months. I gave myself the time and space to think, to explore, to consider, to evaluate, to analyze. I think out of that space, was the birth of probably my greatest moment of creativity."
James Wightman and Kristen Cruz are the co-founders of Rebel Advisorsand the authors of The Rebel Way. They want to show students that college isn’t the only path towards success.
Here are three things you can learn from James and Kristen:
The problem with most students who go to college and don’t finish is, they never stopped to think about what they wanted out of the college experience. They are told by their parents and counselors that college is the path they need to take. They are never given the chance to decide for themselves whether college really is the best path.
That is why conversations with those who want to help you are so important. These conversations can help students identify the paths they can take, find something that makes them comfortable, and build the skills they need for what they are seeking. They can help you find the motivation necessary to find what lights you up inside.
It can be hard to find what you want to do with your life. The majority of college students change majors at least once and only 27% get their first job in their given major. That is why it is so important to do research and self-reflection before you choose a path.
James begins the process of helping students by doing research. He sees what options align with the skills they have. Then guides them towards something where they can use those skills.
Kristen begins with self-reflection. She has the student figure out what they want first before she can begin to help them. It is only when you know what you want that people can help you get there.
By doing research and self-reflection you can align your skills with what you want to do. These things will give you a better idea of what you should pursue in life.
One of the main problems with the education system is, we have taught people that there is only one right answer in life. Schools teach for the test instead of the process, and it has stifled our ability to be creative.
This has led to a society of people who are afraid to make mistakes. But mistakes are where you learn the most.
The thing is, you shouldn’t try to fail. Failure in itself isn’t the goal. It’s the lessons that you learn from failure that are the key to success.
One thing to consider is finding something you want to do, even if you fail at it. What thing are you willing to take risks for? What has a strong enough pull that you are willing to let go of fear?
Pursue that thing without fear of consequences and you will no longer look for the single right answer. You will try and try again until you’ve found the path forward.
More shownotes for episode 38 with James Wightman & Kristen Cruz
Mark Guay is an educator and the podcaster behind The Traveling Cup and Your Life on Purpose. He is combining these passions to make a difference in the world. In this episode he talks about the education system, how we will work in the future, and lessons he has learned from podcasting.