Hello, Reader,

Last week I wrote about cultivating teams and why I lean towards hiring optimists — the people who see open doors rather than closed ones.

This week, I want to zoom out and look at something a bit more personal — not about who you hire, but about how you measure your own path.

I came across something recently called The Young and Old Test.

The idea is beautifully simple:

• Would the child you once were be happy with the person you’ve become?

• Would the older version of you — the person looking back at 70 or 80 — be proud of the legacy you left behind?

It struck a chord because I’ve been carrying my own version of that test for years.

When I think back to 10-year-old Gerry, he looked at the world with a mix of curiosity and conviction albeit amidst an environment filled with fear of my father who used to say that you can't trust anyone. Something even then, I challenged.

10-year old Gerry believed things could be better, that change was possible, and that you should try to play your part. (Funny enough, as I write this email, it was my Mother who used to stress the importance of helping people wherever and whenever possible. Something I carry forward every minute of the day.)

Whenever I pause to ask if that kid would be proud of the work I’m doing today, it brings me back to what matters most. This is the exercise.

And then there’s the other end of the line — the future self. If I’m fortunate enough to live into my 70s or 80s, will I look back and be proud? Not just of the projects delivered or roles held, but of the values I stood by, the lessons my kids absorbed, and the kind of impact my work had on people’s lives.

That’s the balance the Young and Old Test offers — between staying true to your younger self’s sense of possibility and your older self’s sense of responsibility.

Most of us are somewhere in the middle of our careers right now. It’s easy to lose sight of that balance in the day-to-day rush, the back-to-back meeting's, the stressful commute or the parental juggle of balancing kids and work.

But just as optimism helps a team keep moving forward, this test helps us keep moving in the right direction personally.

So here’s the reflection I’ll leave you with: if you paused today, would your younger self smile at the life you’ve built? And would your older self be quietly proud of the path you’re on?

That, for me, is the test worth running often to start making small adjustments daily.

Finally

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Gerry Scullion​ Founder & Designer Connect with me on LinkedIn | Join our Directory | Write a podcast review for This is HCD Podcast​

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