This post is about letting the world in on an inside joke I have with some colleagues.
It goes back to overhearing a conversation between two superintendents a couple of years ago.
It started innocently enough with Superintendent #1 asking, “How are you doing?”
Superintendent #2 responded with something like, “It’s just crazy, I can’t believe how busy I am. I have things going on every night, Trustees are keeping me busy and we have more on the go than ever. We have a bunch of people sick, and I have been picking up the work. It is just wild, I can’t keep up this pace, I am up at 5 am and work until 10 pm everyday and do it all over again the next day. I have never been busier.”
Superintendent #1 paused for a moment, as Superintendent #2 slowly calmed himself down, he nodded his head and said, “Well, your choice.”
It was a stunning answer. These type of conversations usually turn into a one-upmanship with each person proving how much busier they are, how indispensable they are, while validating their work based on the frenetic speed at which they are working. This was completely different.
I loved the answer, and it is one I often think about. It is my choice. We have a great profession that way, that largely, regardless of your role in the system – it is every bit what you make of it. While we have defined responsibilities, we have the great ability to place emphasis on our passions, and make choices of how, when and where we spend our time.
Short and sweet, but it is great self-talk and a good inside joke with colleagues who like to boast about how busy they are, “Well, your choice.”
cultureofyes.ca 
GREAT post. I think the most over-used word is “busy”–so much so that we now have to add words of emphasis to it, such as “crazy busy”, or “insanely busy”, or some such indicator of the blur of activity that comprises our every day.
Everything is a choice, and I chose this profession because it IS busy. But it’s a worthwhile busy, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Thanks for reminding us of choices.
Thanks Cale. Yes – “crazy busy” is a good one. It is funny, how at times, we have all worn our business as a badge of honour. I wonder if it is because there are not that many obvious ways to measure how “good” we are doing – we use how “busy” we are as a substitute.
I agree – there is no better business!
Well put 🙂 This one made me LOL but smile at the same time because it is so true!
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