Friday, November 30, 2012

I'm not a success


I’m not a success.  One of our lessons featured a ‘psychometric’ test designed to tell a person if they have the right stuff needed to become successful.  The results were tragic if you took them at face value.  To be a bona fide success, one needed a score of 20-24.  I received an 11.
I simply disagree with some of the questions.  For instance, “One of your colleagues gets a promotion.  How do you feel?”
I answered that I am happy for the colleague.  That response got me 0 points.  I guess we are supposed to gain success by competing and battling in a zero-sum environment—I cannot get ahead without someone else losing.
Some other questions were less difficult to understand how I should answer for success.  And also made the results more understandable as far as why I am not considered a success.  “Do you find it easy to concentrate on one subject?”  My answer:  “Not at all.  I like to think about a variety of things.”  0
My answer to, “Do your leisure interests ever distract you from your work?” was probably the poorest answer in terms of gaining ‘success.’  “Yes, often.”  0
The most telling thing is the distribution of 0s, 1s, and 2s.  I received only one ‘1’.  I was either all in for success or a total slacker.  One question asked if we would study an extra course that would be useful at work.  I said that I would take the course even if I had to pay personally.  That got me a couple points.
In five years, I see myself in the same position.  I have absolutely no ambition to be anything more than I am.  If anything, I want to be less.  0
Some of the questions could be interpreted differently.  The question that asked what we think about hard work is one.  I answered that it is ‘tiring.’ 0   I think that any work that you LIKE is not HARD.  Therefore, someone might work hard but not feel like it since they enjoy what they are doing.  If I feel like I am working hard, then it’s not fun.
The question about which I was most ambivalent concerned my propensity to talk about work away from work.  At first, I chose “very frequently.”  Then I reconsidered and chose “sometimes.”  A friend said I definitely should NOT have changed my answer.  Thus, I should have had 12 points.
       The paragraph that supposedly describes my personality seems to imply that I have a problem with self-confidence.  I don’t think so.

I like to characterize myself as lazy and unmotivated.  Maybe I feel that way because my work does not feel like work right now.  My schedule is:

M 15:00 – 21:30.
Tue 7:30 to 9:00 and 14:00 – 21:15
Wed 12:00-13:30 and 15:00 – 21:30
Thur 7:30 to 9:00 and 14:00 – 21:15
Fri   10:00 – 19:15

All the times mentioned are not full of constant work, but I don’t have time to leave the school.
In my mind I am quite successful.  I’d make my own test if I had time to waste.

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3 comments:

  1. The test begs the question, "How do you measure success?" I'm pretty sure I would have been deemed unsuccessful as well. Thankfully my success is not judged by this test. Thanks for the post James.

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