12 Favorite Problems

1. How do we save the world? How do we figure out what that even means?
2. How do I care for my soul within a culture that makes this so easy to forget?
3. How do I fully embrace being “good enough” while still striving to be better? How do I continue striving in the face of resistance without becoming jaded?
4. How can I be a mother that I am proud of while recognizing that I am many other things too?
5. How can I teach in a way that reaches every student without burning out and while being true to who I am?
6. How can we create new models of education that are fun and cultivate a better world while working within traditional education systems that make this work challenging?
7. How can I cultivate a lasting, loving relationship with my partner without fearing change?
8. How can I keep working toward making the impact that I want without losing heart or constantly second-guessing myself?
9. How can I center the search for and creation of beauty in my life when it’s so easy to fall into routines where beauty is unseen?
10. How can we keep building new ways to encourage healthy collaboration between groups despite numerous barriers?
11. How can we create cultures where giving and helping are the norms when so many times, the prevailing norm is that of survival?
12. How can we build systems that are committed to fostering trust in data when, so often, facts don’t change people’s minds?

Evolution

I first learned about the 12 Favorite Problems framework when first taking Write of Passage in late 2021. When this framework was introduced during the first live session, I was captivated.

The following were my original 12 Favorite Problems:

1. How can I truly reach every student without burning out?
2. How can we make inspiring and successful education available to everyone?
3. How can I be the best mother I can be while maintaining my own well-being?
4. How do I contribute to a fulfilling marriage for me and my husband?
5. What do I owe the world?
6. What can I do to help safeguard human knowledge?
7. How can I convince others to take meaningful action without forcing them or being preachy?
8. How can I maintain a clear vision of what truly matters and let go of what doesn’t?
9. How can I find the strength to change myself when it matters most?
10. How can we fix the way science is conducted and funded?
11. How can we create a more data-minded society?
12. How can I infuse the best parts of games into all that I do?

Much of the spirit in these questions remains in my current FPs, but I find it interesting to leave a record of my thoughts over time to see how I’ve changed.