"The Art of the 60% Effort: How ""Good Enough"" Unlocks Full Potential | Megumi Midorikawa | TEDxTIU"
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXoA5DN0_Cw Video ID: fXoA5DN0_Cw ============================================================ imagine you're juggling a mountain of exams presentation due yesterday training a new hire at work brainstorming how to help your struggling tutoring students trying to clean your your apartment before your parent visit and planning for your summer vacation with your friends and oh yes trying to find a perfect surprise gift for your date next week sounds familiar overwhelming right we've all been there trying to be perfect for everything only to end up feeling exhausted and defeated but what if I told you there's a secret to not just surviving but thriving in the chaos I discovered this secret in the most unexpected Place The Trenches of Tokyo's hyperco competitive private school admissions process let me rewind to 2010 I was working in a tech industry full-time and raising two young daughters and navigating a grueling world of international kindergarten and private school application I was juggling too many balls at once spending sleepless nights with endless to-do lists it was a very challenging period of time for me physically mentally and financially too in a global IT company our working time zone overlaps in the US in the morning and around the time that we finish work around 6:00 p.m. European offices wake up for meetings although I had a daycare option to send our kids and stay for a whole day from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. but I selected to send my kids to the kindergarten where a drop of time was 9:00 a.m. and pickup at 2 p.m. Tokyo's private elementary school admissions process is a nightmare and challenging that from the in International kindergarten would make things way much more tricky and difficult yet Against All Odds we were able to enter our first choice school with the competition rate of over 10 times many of my friends and colleagues come up to me and ask megumi you are working in a tech company fulltime and you're juggling a kindergarten that's hard enough and on top of that a pressure of a School exam how on Earth did you manage it all how did I do it the answer is surprisingly simple I embrace the art off the 60% effort now I'm not talking about being lazy or careless I'm talking about the mindset shift the shift from striving an unattainable Perfection to focus on what truly matters let me explain instead of aiming for a spotless Health G grooming meals every night with perfectly folded laundries I prioritize spending a quality time with my children instead of obsessing over every little detail of your project I aimed for a solid 60% knowing that the remaining 40% could figure it out along the way that was good enough and you know what it worked so instead of pulling all nighters to get that A+ aim for a B+ and get some sleep that's good enough instead of stressing over every detail of your presentation focus on the main point and deliver with confidence that's good enough instead of saying yes to all the party invitation prioritize the one that truly matter to you that's good enough well you might be thinking that 60% is far from enough but by giving you the permission to be good enough you will free up your time and energy so that you can concentrate on what truly matter to you and then you will be able to focus on your mental health relationships passions because you're not constantly stressed and you can be more creative and even enjoy the process here is the best part and you will probably end up achieving more in a long run my passion has always been and still is connecting with my girls repetitive dialogue and seeing them smile wanted them to thrive in a diverse Global Society I enrolled them to the international kindergarten however juggling a full-time job with the rigorous Private School exam was incredibly challenging it was like literally asking a kid who just learned Head Shoulders Knees and Toes in English to answer about the old Japanese stories like motaro a peach boy to make learning fun I changed the study session to a game show or competition we rised to count numbers and celebrated small victories after a countless nights doing some tiny tiny handwritings for the application form I even needed a reading glasses in the end when my daughters were accepted to the first Choy school I couldn't have been prouder seeing their excitement and joy was the best reward and I ended up achieving more than I ever never thought possible but there is another key ingredient to this 60% philosophy building a supportive Community we all need a tribe of people who understand our struggles cheer us on and lending the helping hand when needed for me picking up my daughter at 2: p.m. I needed my colleagues understanding and that means creating a culture to not say sorry but where it's okay to say I'm leaving early today or I'm working from home today because my kid is sick at home it means having a partner who supports your dreams and understand that sometimes the laundry can wait with friends it means being honest about your limitation and ask for help when you need it I may have been putting 60% eff effort at work or at home but with a good enough philosophy I prioritize spending a quality time with my children and that was good enough my fellow imperfect humans I invite you to embrace the art of the 60% effort to join the good enough Revolution let go of the need of perfection prioritize what truly matters build a supportive Community because at the end of the day life isn't about being perfect it's about being present being kind and being the best version of yourself even though that version is 60% polished dstress yourself and let's try to stay positive with smiles I truly hope that the next Generations like you all will expand your boundaries won't limit yourself and unlock your full potential college is just one chapter of your life it's okay not to have it all figured out it's okay to make mistakes and remember just be good enough thank you