The Math Problem of Life
I recently had a conversation with positive psychologist Dr. Robert Zeitlin and he posed a question that has stuck with me ever since.
“What’s the math problem? Is the math problem just the answer you get at the bottom? Or is it the actually working through of the problem? Is life something you do on your own time and then you come up with the perfect mic drop moment? Because that’s only part of the answer - there’s much more to it. As much as we’re in the mess and we think we’re not ready for prime time, we’re in it actually. The mess is part of it.”
Life isn’t just a series of tidy answers turned in to the teacher. Life is working the problem. Adding, subtracting, and exploring different possible solutions. The messy and unfinished scribbles are a big, beautiful part of life. And let’s be honest, there are so few definitive answers in life anyway.
Instead of being ashamed or trying to hide as we work the problem, let’s be real about the struggle, the emotions, the process. Let’s show our work - whatever is appropriate in terms of detail and audience.
As it turns out, working all of those math problems in school was preparing us for life. Perhaps differently than we imagined, but still essential for being fully human, messy scribbles and all.
To hear my whole conversation with Dr. Robert Zeitlin, check out All The Feels Podcast with Laura Tyson (Episode 4).
To process today: What does working the problem look like for your life? How might you show your work?