Me & My "Troublemaker" Report Card

As a kid in school, the message was loud and clear: “Don’t ask questions, be quiet, and just copy the board!”  For a naturally curious kid, this was torture. Every time I was told to be silent, my head just filled up with more questions—questions I wasn’t allowed to get out, so they just got stuck on repeat in my brain.

My report card became a broken record that followed me year after year. The recurring theme? "If Steven could be a little quieter in class and focus more, he might achieve better grades, he has the ability to be better."

Fast forward to high school, and the narrative didn't change much. The only places I really thrived were in woodwork and metalwork—somewhere I could actually use my hands and translate ideas into tangible things. Outside of those classes, the reports stayed the same. I had the ability, but apparently, my focus and my voice were the problem.

The Sneak Preview

But here’s the wild, beautiful twist to that story.

Around that same time I was being told to quiet down in class, a completely different dynamic was happening in the hallways. Other students started coming up to me, opening up about their problems, struggles, and fears. They'd just… talk. And I’d listen.

Little did the teenage version of me know, this was the universe giving me a sneak preview of my future.

Now, my days are spent doing the very thing I was told not to do: asking questions and, believe it or not, asking more questions. It turns out that my "problem" with being quiet was actually my biggest strength—the ability to be curious, to dig deeper, and to connect with people by giving them the space to talk through their challenges.

Troubles or Lessons?

It took time, and a whole lot of tough lessons had to be learned, so I could finally be the person I needed to be to do the work I genuinely love. I had to unlearn the idea that my curiosity was a burden and embrace it as a vital tool.

So, I want to put this question to you:

Are the troubles you might be going through right now really just troubles, or are they lessons designed to make you the person you always wanted to be, before life and old narratives got in the way? 

#lessons #personalgrowth #askquestions #realtalk #lifelessons #careerjourney