Remember when you were in school? You probably spent hours daily on different assignments. Remember science projects and presentations where you created and explored? Papers that you spent hours perfecting? Talks that you gave?

Months ago, I designed a program for my health coaching practice. I spent hours creating 30 different pages and setting up an email program that would email out to anyone who purchased the program. (One sheet per day for a 30 day wellness program). I sent it to a few friends, but no one ever purchased it. (And I suspect about 5 people ever knew it existed because I have a lot to learn about sharing my work with those who want to engage with it).

I recently decided to use my content in a new format, and this means I may not use the program in the way I created. I might use the content, but not the actual pages which I spent hours designing.

I felt sad about the time lost.

Then I remembered school. I spent 16 years of my life doing work that was only seen by my teacher, or possibly classmates. I was motivated by a grade and a system. I learned through doing, and it had value to me, built up over time.

Why is it so easy to forget that as an adult? To feel everything must have a direct purpose? Exploring through doing regardless of the outcome may be worth every moment, even if it’s never spread widely.