I AM AN ECONOMICS TEACHER... I feel like I'm in some 12-step rehab program when I say it. Three years ago, I would have never admitted to being one. In fact, when told I was going to have to teach economics, I looked confident, I smiled, nodded and said "yeah, sure, no problem"... and on the inside, proceeded to have a pretty good sized panic attack. I had never made it through an economics course in college. Sure, I had passed a test while in teaching school that said I was qualified to teach at the basic level, but not to be a real-life economics teacher.
But, when I interviewed for what is now my current, and most awesomest job ever, I may have played up my economics ability a weeeeee bit more than I should have. Regardless, I got the job, and promptly began enjoying my summer, forgetting that I'd actually have to come up with a CURRICULUM for this course in a matter of a couple weeks and at some point, pass the Arizona Educators Proficiency Assessment (if tests could be douchebags, the AEPA would be the king douchebag test).
Sometimes, when I get overwhelmed or stressed out, rather than confront the issue, I push it away. Pretend it doesn't exist for the time being and then at the very last minute, I CRAM. I work well under pressure, almost too well. So, with one week to go before I started working at my new school, I started cramming for the big kid economics test. I bought "Economics for Dummies" and the "AP Economics Study Guide". A few things looked vaguely familiar, but really none of it made much sense. Luckily, my boss told me I had until the end of the school year to get highly qualified. Pshaw - no need to cram, I would teach it for the next few months and surely I'd learn it well enough to pass the AEPA. So come May, after 9 months of learning economics along with my students, staying approximately 48 hours smarter then them, I took the test... and failed.
Now, my students can tell you that the OPPORTUNITY COST of my decision to slack off was failing my economics test and potentially losing the best job I've ever had. Fortunately, my boss is a pretty outstanding character. He vouched for my teaching skills and I was able to keep my job. Long story short, the second time around, I studied, took the proper classes and passed it. Voila. I am now an economics teachers.
One of the biggest points I pound in to my students heads is the textbook definition of Opportunity Cost... you know the definition, so let's all say it together "The cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action". In other words - it's all about that thing you didn't chose. The thing you're missing out on. The thing that you could be doing if you weren't here. The thing that you regret not doing. I should have paid a lot more attention to this lecture...
I've been emphasizing the wrong thing to them. It's funny how much this lecture correlates with my life. I'm pretty sure, at the time I was putting it together, I could really relate to all those things I was missing out on so it makes sense I would focus so much on that. Today, however, I'd like to revamp that lecture a bit. Today, I'd like to concentrate that lecture on the thing you DID chose, not the value of the thing you don't chose.
Why care so much about the cost of something we DIDN'T do?? Isn't it about enjoying the thing you did and the moment you're in RIGHT NOW? And, as my hike in the Superstitions reminded
me, it may not turn out to be the bestest and most wisest use of your
scarce resource, but what you didn't chose won't ever change, so stop
dwelling on it. That would be the "sunk cost" part of the lecture... "A cost that has already been incurred and thus cannot be recovered". As economists will tell you, you must ignore sunk cost and use the information you have in front of you to decided your next action. Two great life lessons in economics.
No one, not my family, or my friends or my boss can tell me what is most
important to ME. Everyone has different importances in their lives and YOU are the only one who can decide what the most important things are. So, find what's important and do it. Stop worrying about the cost of
the things you aren't doing and take pleasure in the thing you get to
do. If you don't like something, change it. If you like it, stick with it. Ignore the sunk cost, make your decisions now, going forward.
Speaking of enjoying the moment... as I'm writing this, I just looked over to see this. Life really is about the little things.
