I had a random memory re-surface recently from my high school days … about an assignment for my Year 11 English class.
It was probably my very first copywriting experience, which seems particularly significant now that I actually am a copywriter specialising in web content.
Unfortunately, this particular instance is memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Our task was to come up with a name, slogan and blurb about a new brand of washing powder for a magazine advertisement. Okay, it probably doesn’t sound all that exciting, but I really got into it!
However when our assignments were handed back, the teacher had zeroed in on the fact that I’d used the name of an existing brand of washing powder: “Care”.
What the?! As if my 15 year old self spent hours in the grocery aisles examining all the laundry products! All I knew was that it wasn’t the one we used in our household, and I’d never seen it advertised, so it was new to me!
And by majoring on this minor and pointing it out in front of the class, that teacher successfully rubbished my first copywriting efforts and any career aspirations – and it was decades before I returned to work I’ve loved from my very first experience.
Apart from feeling sad that I was never encouraged to pursue my dreams of making a living from writing (you can’t pay the bills that way apparently – though I’ve since found that’s not true!), this story also shows how easily we get distracted from the important things in life, by majoring on the minors.
Imagine if that teacher had realised that most teenagers wouldn’t have a clue about brands of laundry products, and had actually praised me on my work (though I’m assuming I did a good job of it – maybe I didn’t!). Would I have discovered the career I wanted – should have – needed to – pursue, way back then?!
Majoring on the Minors in Christianity
As a church-going Christian for most of my life, I’ve been amazed at how many well-meaning people (even me, at times) get sucked into “majoring on the minors”. Instead of sharing God’s love, and caring about people, they get caught up in all sorts of silly quibbles, or even major rifts, over matters like:
- denominations;
- which version of the Bible is the best (purists would say it’s the King James or nothing! Personally, I believe the best bible version is the one that gets read).
- whether you were a “pre”, “post”, or “mid” rapturist (ie when would Jesus return to earth as recorded in the book of Revelation – before the tribulation, during, or after?!)
- if Christians should use birth control;
- whether kids should be sent to a state school, Christian school, or home schooled … well, you get the idea.
But it’s not just Christianity which is guilty of majoring on the minors.
Majoring on the Minors in our Relationships
I’ve written before about how I think many marriages break down, not because the love is gone, but because one partner is depressed.
But I also think there’s a tendency to focus on the little things that annoy us. For example, our partner leaves their dirty socks on the floor. Every. Single. Day.
Sure it can be annoying, but turning it into a mountain, instead of a molehill, can wreak havoc on a relationship. We forget about all the good things our partner does, and the hundred and one ways they love and support us every day.
Majoring on the Minors in the Home
Years ago I knew a woman who acknowledged that she was a “messy”. It wasn’t that she wasn’t house proud – she was. But she just couldn’t seem to get her act together to keep her living space tidy. She was embarrassed to have people over. And yet, she seemed to be always fussing over the housework!
I couldn’t work it out, until the time she told me she’d spent the whole day cleaning her oven. And that’s when it clicked: she was majoring on the minors.
While it’s nice to have a clean oven, it’s never been a priority in my life. Nobody sees it, and as long as it’s still helping me to produce meals for my family, I’m happy. Sure, I might even clean it occasionally, but I certainly wouldn’t waste a whole day on it – unless perhaps I was selling, or moving out of a rental and wanted to get all my bond back.
Instead of working out what was important to her – having a presentable lounge room for when people dropped in – she went to town on her oven. If she’d kept her goal in mind, she’d have tidied away all the random paperwork that was cluttering every surface – and it probably wouldn’t have taken all day either! (If you too struggle in this area, check out this helpful post: 8 Practical Minimalist Living Tips for Calm and Happiness.)
Majoring on the Minors at Work
Have you ever looked back on a crazy busy work day or week – and felt like you’ve actually achieved nothing? You wouldn’t be alone! The reason could be that you’ve been – yep, you guessed it -majoring on the minors.
As human beings we all have a tendency to get distracted. We spend our time on the little things, which in the end, really don’t matter that much!
I’m as guilty of this as anybody else. I’m doing something on a client’s website, and the next thing I know I’ve fallen into the black hole which is cyber space, following a trail of interesting tidbits – which, while it’s fun, and may even lead me to some random and possibly useful information – isn’t really the best use of my time.
Blogging
I love blogging, but sometimes I catch myself faffing around on Facebook … While it’s a useful tool to connect with a lot of my readers, it certainly shouldn’t absorb the bulk of my precious “blogging” time. Instead, I could be writing an actual blog post – now there’s a radical thought 😉 !
Getting our Priorities Right!
So how do we stop majoring in the minors?
I think it all boils down to one thing: goals.
Knowing what you want to achieve in life, and where you want to be – whether it’s home, finances, career, family, health, travel – and then working towards it. You might take small steps, but if they take you a little bit closer, it’s not a minor thing – that’s major!
And if something isn’t really helping you get there? It’s a minor and therefore not a priority.
Have you noticed any particular area of your life where you major on the minors?