Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.: Charles Goodhart

Charles Goodhart is a British economist. I think his principle is spot on in so many areas of my life. In my other professional life, my students are measured by some systems dictating where they should be, and if they are not there, my job is to close the gap, accelerate learning, teach new behaviors, and somehow motivate them to become agents of their own learning.

Recently, I acquired all new doctors. I chose very young doctors because it was a complete time consuming pain to choose a doctor, find out if he/she was accepting new patients and my insurance, and make appointments. My intention in choosing young doctors was to hopefully lower the probability of having to go through this process again. Along with my new doctors came a bunch of tests. Shortly after I had my blood drawn, I received a call from my new doctor’s office saying that my blood work came back “mostly normal.” What does that even mean exactly? Mostly normal - does that mean I am somewhat abnormal? The caller offered no further explanation except to say, I could look at my chart. Like everyone else, I want to be normal!

It seems we live our lives in ranges - health ranges, education ranges, socio-economic ranges, career ranges. I am not so sure, I want to necessarily be a category. I’m not so sure about continually setting unrealistic goals like, I want to lose 10lbs by such and such a date is supporting my mind, body, and spirit. I am not so sure being bombarded by media images and promises is all that helpful.

Today, I am going to be okay with being mostly normal. I am going to allow my inner dragonfly to be on the journey, not focused on the measure. I would be honored to take your inner dragonfly on a journey with me.