I spent a relaxing day at home today, catching up on some needed rest, and going through a backlog of my DVR. After tossing on an episode of IRON CHEF AMERICA, one of the shows I use for background while I cook or do the dishes, I started some familiar household chores. I had just finished loading my dishwasher when a commercial break hit for a new minivan. The commercial story-line focused on a pinewood derby. I couldn’t help, but think about my own experience.
I rarely made it out of the first few rounds of the pinewood derby back in my Cub Scout days. My car never looked as nice as the other competitors and it lacked the prerequisite speed, but I knew I had built it. Each year I brought home the kit and my dad would let me sketch out my ideas. He supervised, but I had to run the drill, sand the wood, apply the glue, and paint the car. We’d work together, but my dad allowed me the chance to make all of the decisions (unless it would cause me physical harm in the implementation of the idea). The crazy thing was–my dad is an engineer. He thinks systematically about all problems. Still, unlike most of the other dads, he let me build the car.
I lost every year. I think one year one of the wheels came off, but in the process, I learned two valuable things:
1) The value in doing your own work: My parents never had to do homework checks for me. This helped in high school, college, and even now as I run my own business
2) The value in asking for input: While I appreciate working on your own, I’ve also grown to see that there are people around me who know more than I do. I find asking for advice from trusted friends can really enhance projects. I still have to do the work, but I can learn from others as well.
Just simple reminders on a commercial break