I love setting goals and striving for something that feels impossible when you first set out to achieve it. As someone coming from a career where I worked with students, I learned early on that a key to teaching is modeling, but this meant taking action on my part and actually modeling what I was teaching.
Somewhat reluctantly, I began to model a handful of disciplines like goal setting. This practice made me more intentional and aware of my goals—both personally and professionally. I would often share them with my classes (just ask some of my former students) and ask them to help hold me accountable. The point wasn’t so much about them holding me accountable but more about modeling what it looks like to bring something to fruition.
My mother-in-law knows I like challenges and gave me a Rubik’s Cube for Christmas. This stocking stuffer intrigued me and became a test of patience and perseverance—attributes that tend to run low for me. Since I no longer work with students, I communicated to my TealHaus team on New Year’s Eve of 2023 that one of my goals for 2024 would be solving this Rubik’s Cube. Once I started towards this goal, I knew there was no backing out. I had to solve this befuddling cube and my work began.
Honestly, my team probably forgot about this silly goal, but I didn’t.
I purposely kept the cube on either my coffee table or my nightstand, seeing it constantly. I would sit and work on it for 30 minutes to an hour at a time (occasionally having to set a timer). My boys like me to sit with them when they watch TV, so this is what I did while they watched their shows. I was determined to solve this thing.
Now, if you know anything about the Rubik’s Cube, a major step is to solve the white face. I finally solved it after probably about four or five months. Well, then the unimaginable happened.
One of my boys had a friend over for a playdate. Before I knew what was happening, he picked up my cube (with nearly five months of progress) and fidgeted with it. Let’s just say that the white face was no more. I was back to square one, literally.
I don’t think I touched the cube for a few weeks. It sat on my coffee table and stared at me. I would see it daily, but was still a little bitter. However, I was determined not to give up. I picked it back up one night and within a couple of evenings, I solved the white face much faster.
I began to pick up on patterns and algorithms. It’s almost as if (and I cringe as I write this statement), starting over gave me a new perspective and a better understanding of how this 3×3 cube worked. This made me even more curious and determined to see if I could actually solve a Rubik’s Cube!
I continued to chip away at it. Eventually, I solved the middle layer, occasionally having to start over. Finally, I made it to the third layer. To be totally transparent, I had to ask a friend (who is 30 years younger than me) for some help. I also had to do some research. I even had to start from scratch once more after making it this far.
Finally, I had solved all but three small squares.
Part of me wanted to leave it knowing how close I was, fearful of messing it up again. BUT, my goal was to solve it—not almost solve it. I picked it up and applied what I understood the complicated algorithm to be.
Nervously twisting and turning the faces clockwise, counterclockwise, and flipping the sides, much to my surprise, I had solved the Rubik’s Cube! At first, I was shocked but then felt a sense of achievement. As silly as it sounds, I was so proud of myself.
There’s a bigger idea here than solving a silly puzzle. Curiosity, patience, and perseverance drove me to keep going. Again, had it not been for starting over, I’m not sure I would have ever actually been able to solve it. A fresh start helped me pick up on some of the patterns and see the puzzle from a different perspective. To be clear, I am not saying I could do it again. Eventually, I might try, but for now, I’ve placed the completed cube on my desk as a reminder to never give up even if I have to start over with square one.
Some say “Curiosity killed the cat.” I say, “Curiosity solved the cube.” TealHaus welcomes the spirit of curiosity. After all, it’s one of our core values.
Whether solving a Rubik’s Cube is a form of stubborn perseverance, a lofty achievement, or perhaps a hint of both, it taught me a bigger life lesson—starting over is not always a bad thing. But for now, I’m not quite ready to go back to square one in cubing.
