For learners, it’s seems insane: Some people don’t want to learn more than they have to.
You can roughly divide the working population into two parts:
People who show up to work - to work.
They want to know how to do their job in the most efficient, quick way and go home. They tend to want to accomplish the minimum requirements of the position and learn the minimum they need in order to not fail.
Passion-driven professionals, who care deeply about what they do. They want to do the maximum they can to be successful in their work, surprise their colleagues and be able to do as much as they can by themselves.
While both are valid, relevant parts of the working population, Jolt is a better fit for the 5:01ers. We sometime call them “Life Designers” internally, because they tend to be passionately committed to learning how to make a difference in their careers and professions.
For the lifelong learners - people who get a kick just from learning new tools, methodologies and ideas. They believe there’s always more to learn and more to be done. They’re humbled by the wealth of knowledge available. They have an insatiable hunger to learn.
And the fun part is that putting lifelong learners together is kind of like putting Furbies together (remember those?) - they immediately hit it off. They teach each other. They learn from each other (not the furbies. The learners.) The same passion that drives them to be curious, drives them to be instructional. The best students are also the best teachers.
We see that all the time with Jolt - some of our best instructors came in as students first. In fact, some of our best employees came in as students first - because like other employers, we understand that people who invest time and effort in learning new things and meeting new people - are the people of the new world. Before they event start working - just from the fact they have a track record learning at Jolt, we know they are:
And that’s the kind of people we - and other employers - rather work with.
Charles Darwin took long walks around London. Kurt Vonnegut made listening to jazz a daily priority. Fiona Apple disappeared for 6 years after the release of her third album.
I ask because I can often be found agonising over the "more". If only I posted on Instagram more, I'll think in the bath. I'd have more followers if I pitched to more publications. I need to post 2 more times a week, minimum. I could go on...
Between you and me, I've got frustrated with myself for browsing Facebook or watching too much TV more times than I can remember.
And I'm not alone. So many of us are terrified of taking a break, creatively speaking. We won't let a moment pass without listening to a podcast, consuming an article or sharing something.
The cognitive load is real, y'all.
But like Vitamin D, sleep and good food, it's not only ok to take a break, it's essential.
Living a successful life is also about knowing when not to work. For your best output, you need to focus on your input, too.
The world won't end if you disappear from the internet for a week or so. Your creativity won't suddenly stop. Your time is now, but your time was also then and it will be again.
Many of us confuse being "busy" with being constructive. But you can only do your best work by taking breaks.
And science backs it up, too. The brain requires substantial downtime to do its most innovative thinking. The ideas you have while driving or in the shower aren't coincidental. They're a result of you taking a step back, whether you're aware of it or not.
Let yourself take a wonderful and indulgent break. Several breaks. Hell, get downright bored.
Wallow in it. Don't be afraid of it. Push it as far as you can.
When you leave your laptop behind, something always happens. A new idea or a fresh perspective appears.
Take proper breaks, often. Completely clear your mind. Your next best idea depends on it.
By taking this 10-min test I can set myself up for success
