Friends, I’m excited to share that today’s note is a guest post from my friend and colleague Josh Traughber. Enjoy!
Last year, several weeks into the school year, a teacher asked me to stop by her classroom. As a principal, whenever I’m asked to stop in a room, that generally means one thing, a student behavior issue. After a few minutes, I managed to break away from what I was doing and walk down the hallway to the teacher’s classroom. As I stepped in to approach the teacher, I happened to look at the whiteboard to see something completely different than what I was expecting. Bear in mind that I see a lot of whiteboard spaces; this was a unique sight. It also happened to be the reason I was asked to come into the classroom. The teacher had just learned a new technique for eliciting student knowledge, and she was excited to show meOur minds are powerful vehicles for action, for speaking, and for thinking, but like any other things, they get bogged down. All of these are vital to our perceived and actual abilities, but it is the last one I want to focus on - thinking. I’m not frequently in the habit of comparing the mind to a vehicle engine, but it seems to fit. Anytime I get my truck’s oil changed, I’m reminded that it is one of the most important aspects to the health of it. Of course, oil is the very lubricant that keeps the engine going. Though it also serves other critical functions. According to Meineke’s website, oil advances longevity. Without an oil change, other parts have to work harder in order for the vehicle to perform. Oil also fronts as a cleaning mechanism. Per the aforementioned website, ‘Dirt particles are deadly to engines. Over time, dirt can cause corrosion and decrease the life of an engine…[t]he name of the game is to keep the engine clean. Routine oil and filter changes help remove particles and sludge and keep engines at peak condition.’ Among other functions (e.g., lubricates), oil promotes longevity and helps divert gunk from building up in the engine. Ultimately, each of these functions impact optimal performance, but only, and this is the key, when the oil is purged regularly.
Purging your thoughts, similar to the reason for changing the engine’s oil, is critical to cognitive performance. This was the technique I was shown by the classroom teacher as earlier described. She learned how to help students remove subjective - and perhaps too narrow - thoughts from their minds in preparation for an upcoming test. This approach was a way to enhance students’ collective thinking about the tested concepts, and according to a conversation with her afterwards, it worked. The students grades increased when compared with historical data.
So, what’s the takeaway here? The mind is a horrible place to store information. Anything worth thinking deeply about is worth storing elsewhere. In this way, thoughts need to be documented in order for our performance to be what it ought to be. And as leaders - parents, educators, professionals - we have to bring our best each day. Thus, as you peer into the upcoming season, and grapple with the busyness thereof, purge your thoughts. Not because you don’t want to think about them, but rather, so that you can thoroughly develop them and make them what they ought to be. This will help you be your best self in the short term (i.e, removes the potential ‘particles and sludge’), which naturally positions you for a more productive long term (i.e., advancing your longevity).
Josh Traughber is a principal, husband, and father of three. He writes regularly at jtraughber.com. Navigate to his website to learn more about what he’s up to.