What If What You Were Doing Was Silly and Fun?

Dear colleague,

I read this line from comedian Jack Druce once that sat with me for a bit for both its humor and wisdom.

Trivialize what you do. I learned this with comedy but I think it applies to everything. If you are betting your self-worth on everything you do, it's easy to crumple under the weight of your own expectations. If you can find ways to convince yourself that whatever you're doing is just silly and fun then you can simply do your best without dreading the consequences of it not going exactly how you planned.”

Unlike stand-up comedy, teaching is pretty weighty stuff. You represent education to your students; you're the ambassador for lifelong learning. Have just one bad moment where you humiliate a kid, and it could stick with him for decades. Miss a learner's quiet struggle with reading, and you're just one more nail in the coffin of their literacy. Do a great job, and their whole life trajectory can shoot skyward.

Pretty intense, you know?

But nonetheless, I think Druce's “trivialization” trick is good medicine for conscientious teachers like us. It's true that my work with students is important and that literal lives are on the line — but what if it was all just fun? What if the challenges could be a source of silliness? What if we could delight in the hard and important work instead of stressing about it?

I don't know — maybe it's the school year fatigue making me slap-happy, but this picture of me walking into school tomorrow and telling myself, “Today, you're just playing around. It's just for fun. Do your work as if it's trivial.” I dunno — it kind of feels like it could be powerful, like it might actually make me sharper and better.

If you're over-stressed right now, I'd say give it a shot.

Teaching right beside you,

DSJR