So, brace yourself, it is Vol. 2 of WWWW. I am sure you have been on the edge of your seats waiting to read the next edition.:)

So today we will discuss curiosity/lack of focus versus focused/cautious behaviors and what they lead to. Have you ever observed how children play either in a classroom, playground or at your own home? The observation of 2 kiddos are what made me come up with this post idea. It is amazing how different people can be, even before words are formed.

As a psychology major, I observe quite a bit. I don’t do it consciously, but I will be at a restaurant waiting for water and may look over at a couple and notice how they are with each other. Or, I may see a family and observe how 5 people are at a table, yet no one is speaking. I don’t stare, but I notice things and am very aware of my surroundings.

Anyhow, that brings me to the point of this post. I was around some kids that I have not known for long and noticed that one was rambunctious, never paying attention to a toy or book for more than a few seconds. The other, very measured and calculated in movements and actions. They are both toddlers.

It led me to think of how they would be as adults, and to think of examples of people whom I have known like them. This then crossed my mind: which personality type is generally more successful? Does the one who is looking out the window during class versus the board, work for a company or run a company? In cases of adults I know, it seems that people whom were focused at a young age and not all over the place with their decisions were generally more successful in life. Going to the best schools, having high paying careers, etc.

Intellectual curiosity is different than someone who just asks irrelevant questions and can’t keep their mind on the subject at hand. Being curious is great. But focusing that curiiousness is another story. Now while asking the question at the beginning of this post, I was not speaking about these particular little kids, but just their personalities as a point of reference. Because generally people are type A or type B or are serious or lackadaisical.

I think that for me personally, I am a dreamer. I have always been a mediocre student, up until grad school and then I made all As. I was actually on point for the betterment of my kid. But overall, I have spent a lot of life trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and wondering why everyone else was doing it wrong, but I was the one seen as a late bloomer and totally not on the straight and narrow, by a long shot.

But there are areas of my life where I am totally type A like parenting. I rock at being a parent. My kid is focused and ambitious and driven. She is excellent at basically everything she does. She color codes her planners and has a spreadsheet for colleges (since 7th grade!). I lacked confidence and focus, so I made sure she had boatloads of it. The point is, I the rambunctious one, would not be considered the epitome of an American success story to many. Though I am more intelligent than some of my materially successful counterparts, I have had trouble keeping things together enough to succeed on a higher level in the way that I could.

However, there are people who thought differently, did not follow the leader and did not draw within the lines and have ruled! These folks didn’t get degrees did not conform to a set standard: Ted Turner, Steve Jobs, Russell Simmons-to name a few. So maybe there is hope for me and the toddler who cannot stop looking for trouble:) Those guys may be exceptions to the rule and not the norm for out of the box thinkers who just can’t bare to comply.

What do you think? Are people a combination of both personality types typically, or are they normally one or the other? And which persona have you known to be the ones who have it all figured out, even at a young age?

There are no right or wrong answers here. The focused and cautious type may not have as much fun, but would have their life more together probably. But as I continued to type, I remembered that happiness and peace for some, is success. Because without the freedom to be whom they are, no fab job could fill the void of losing that creativity and flair that makes them so special and unique.

Instead of feeling bad for what I haven’t achieved, I realized that I am one of the people that is definitely an individual and maybe I will be the next great thing and be the one to shine:) And I also remembered that we are all given amazing gifts and that what is important is how happy we are, no matter what our type.

Where do you feel you fall on this spectrum, and why? I’m truly interested because we all have something to offer, I just think knowing who we are and why is kinda cool…

~simply

Dee