THE ROOT 9: 6.2

The Resume Arms Race and the Deformed Giraffe: A Reflection on Overdoing It

William Deresiewicz's Excellent Sheep is a powerful critique of the modern education system and the pressures it places on students. The book argues that the relentless pursuit of achievement, often at the expense of genuine intellectual curiosity and self-discovery, is creating a generation of "excellent sheep" – brilliant and accomplished, but ultimately lacking in purpose and direction. Yet, I think Deresiewicz's insights resonate far beyond the hallowed halls of academia.

Deresiewicz directly compares the competitive nature of building a resume to the Cold War's nuclear arms race, highlighting the absurdity of accumulating more and more – warheads or extracurriculars – not out of genuine need or interest, but simply to outpace the competition. The question "what purpose does having them actually serve?" cuts to the core of the issue, exposing the [sometimes] performative aspect of resume building. The striking image of "giraffes evolving ever longer necks" paints a picture of an unnatural and potentially detrimental growth driven by external pressures.

While Deresiewicz uses the resume arms race to illustrate the pressures within education, his analogy extends far beyond college applications. We live in a culture that often equates busyness with importance and quantity with quality. This "more is better" mentality seeps into various aspects of our lives, leading us down paths where we accumulate experiences and commitments without truly engaging with them.

And I’m not saying I don’t do this…A very tactical example is that I set out on recording reels for each day of my 75 Hard journey. And…if I’m being honest…quantity is starting to supersede quality. I like to think that there is truth to the "female urge to do it all", but when does that lead to overwhelm and burnout?

This mirrors the resume arms race perfectly. Just as students feel compelled to add more and more extracurriculars to appear competitive, we often feel pressured to fill our lives with activities, hobbies, and commitments to appear successful, well-rounded, or engaged. We fear missing out, and the pressure to keep up with others drives us to overextend ourselves.

We become stretched thin, stressed, and ultimately, less effective and less fulfilled in the things we do. We lose the opportunity to delve deep into our passions, to cultivate genuine expertise, or to simply be present and enjoy the process. Instead of mastering one or two skills or hobbies, we become dilettantes, flitting from one thing to the next without truly connecting with any of them.

The lesson here is clear: quality trumps quantity. Instead of chasing an ever-increasing number of achievements or commitments, we should focus on identifying what truly matters to us and dedicating our time and energy to those areas. It's about intentionality, depth, and genuine engagement, rather than a superficial accumulation of experiences designed to impress others. Just as a giraffe with an excessively long neck becomes cumbersome and vulnerable, a life overstuffed with superficial commitments can leave us feeling equally unbalanced and unfulfilled. Perhaps it's time to step off the treadmill of "more" and embrace the power of doing less, but doing it well.

All this to say, I am personally struggling with the commitment I made to myself of trying to capture and memorialize each day of 75 Hard to see if I’d enjoy content creation. I still think it’s worth it to pursue and see how I feel at the end - but I am battling the ‘more is better’ mentality day in and day out.

Decluttering Your Closet: The Hanger Hack for Ongoing Peace

I’ve mostly written about wellness in terms of diet and mindset to date, but our physical environment plays a huge role in our mental well-being too. A cluttered space can lead to a cluttered mind.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand and knew it was time to address when I noticed my closet rod quite literally bending under the weight of too many clothes. I had fallen into the trap of purchasing without releasing. My closet was cluttered, our room becoming overwhelming, leading to me growing to dislike our bedroom, and then never really feeling 'at peace' in it - always like something was disheveled. Tactically, I lost the energy to sift through all of my clothes and just started re-wearing the same things because sifting through everything felt like a monumental task.

It's easy to let clothes pile up, justifying each purchase and holding onto items "just in case." One of my best friends told me that I’d talked about purging my closet for as long as she’d known me and graciously spent a Saturday throwing all of my clothes on my bed and helped me let go of the ones that get the "I'll wear this again someday" excuse.

But the real magic for long-term decluttering isn't just the big clean-out; it's building sustainable habits. And that's where the hanger method comes in as a fantastic wellness weapon for your closet. The trick is simple: when you put a piece of clothing back in your closet after wearing it, turn the hanger in the opposite direction from all the other hangers.

This creates a visual system that makes it easy to see what you've actually been wearing. When you're choosing an outfit, you can quickly identify the items that haven't gotten any love recently. This not only helps you rotate your wardrobe and potentially rediscover forgotten favorites, but it also sets the stage for your next decluttering session.

This turns decluttering into a continuous, low-effort practice rather than a dreaded once-every-two-years event. Set a timeframe – say, every three months – to review the items that still have their hangers facing the "unworn" direction. If you haven't reached for them in that time, it's a strong indicator that it's time to let them go. That’s what I’m testing! 🙂

By making decluttering a habitual part of your routine, you can maintain a more organized and peaceful environment, contributing to your overall well-being. So, if you're looking for a practical way to boost your wellness, start with your closet and give the hanger method a try. You might be surprised at the sense of calm a decluttered space can bring.

I’ve been dealing with the nervous habit of picking the skin on my fingers for as long as I can remember. I have good and bad weeks - it is definitely a journey - but finding effective tools to redirect that energy helps me. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’ve stopped, but fidget toys have been helpful.

However, the noise factor of many fidget toys makes them impractical and distracting in many situations. I purchased the Ono Roller about two months ago and have been loving it. I think it’s unique because of it’s sleek design, offering a discreet and silent way to keep my hands occupied. For anyone seeking a quiet and effective way to manage fidgeting or break habits, I’d look into the Ono Roller.