Have you ever thought about Adulting outside of the world of lame jokes? Seriously, what are the most valuable skills we need as adults, and where did we learn them?
I’ve been thinking about this lately and thought I’d get the conversation started. Please, do pop in with your own faves!
These are the things I think should be taught in school or taught in the home BEFORE we enter the career and big people worlds.
Emotional Intelligence
Specifically, how to:
Understand and validate your emotions
Empathize with others and establish trust
Build strong, healthy relationships
I like to think that “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is still the best book written on this topic.
Personal Finance
How to:
Benefit from compound interest
Establish excellent credit
Invest wisely for long-term goals
Make (and automate and manage to) a budget
I had no personal finance training other than always to save and not spend money. While making a budget was second nature almost from childhood, it took me decades to learn that spending was just as necessary as saving.
Time Management
How to:
Choose the better or right priorities
Do fewer things better (to avoid burnout)
Time block your calendar to get the right things done
Although a brief course would likely be helpful, I think we learn this one best through living it. So here’s to all things accountability.
Self-Discipline
How to:
Delay gratification by staying focused on long-term goals or promises.
Staying focused (even when faced with distractions or obstacles)
Make sacrifices and build mental toughness
Keep commitments and self-promises
Reduce screen time
Enough said, right?
Critical Thinking
How to:
Evaluate multiple arguments
Question existing beliefs (both your own and others)
Ask clarifying questions to understand the other’s needs
Think creatively about out-of-the-box solutions
Self-advocate with confidence
Consider the best alternative options in order that everyone is a winner
In the old days, this would have been called negotiation. And if you’ve listened to the podcast lately, you know that the old days are coming to an end. The win-lose position of negotiation is being usurped by everyone wins (a little bit.) Collaboration, to me, means we are all interconnected.
Healthy Habits
How to:
Get more restorative sleep
Lift weights to promote muscle development and bone density
Do cardio for heart health and mental clarity
Enjoy nutrient-dense meals
Why is it that most of us don’t appreciate our health until we get to be ‘of a certain age’?
These are my top seven ideas about Adulting. What are yours?
