Too Much

September 13, 2007 at 11:59 am (Academic, Christian Walk, Journal Entries)

8 years ago…

After reading numerous studies about the learning process of the brain and how learning things at younger ages is easier, I endeavored to spread myself as thin as possible and learn as many things as possible before I hit that theoretical wall of the learning curve. This led me to take on over 10 extra curricular activities while at the same time trying to balance the course load of the pre-International Baccalaureate Program (read more about the program at Wikipedia). Some of these activities included:

  • Ballet lessons
  • Jazz (dancing) lessons
  • Guitar lessons
  • Piano lessons
  • Voice lessons (for singing)
  • Musical theatre (I was in the Wekiva Riverplayers Anything Goes production)
  • President of the Physics Club (despite my dismal grades in the subject)
  • Varisty Lacrosse

And let us not forget my work (many jobs held simultaneously)

  • Working at Old Navy on weekdays
  • Working at Disney on Saturdays and Sundays
  • Working at Field’s BMW on Saturday shortly after I went to seasonal status at Disney

Even going through this blog, I can see numerous instances where I overcommitted. For a history major, it seems like I have yet to learn from my mistakes…

Then again, perhaps I have learned some things. I have never held simultaneous jobs since my senior year of high school and I no longer take on ten extra-curricular (or nowadays, outside of work) activities, but I still have this strong proclivity to spread myself to thin.

Every quarter at work, we set goals for ourselves. I outdid myself this quarter. Despite the cautions of my mentor, I set my goals too high and now I suffer because of it. I’m the kind of person that never wants to compromise or cut back on my commitments, so dropping goals or failure is not an option (indeed to me they seem like similar things). We will see how it all turns out, but let this serve as milestone by which to remind myself to beware of overcommitment (but may God use it as an Ebenezer – “Thus far has the Lord helped us“).

In other news, this is my first viable post in over two years… will there be more to follow?

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