Kelly connects with Raffi Grinberg, a business leader, author, and educator based in Washington, DC. When teaching at Boston College, Raffi created a popular class called “Adulting 101.” He’s turned the teachings from that class into the book, “How to Be a Grown Up.”  

Does this book about adulting step from personal experience? 

“When I started my first job after college, we had to fill out all these forms on the first day. Human Resources gives you the tax forms and the health insurance selections, and I was starting with this new class of associates who had all gone to top universities. Every single one of us went in the hallway to call our parents and ask them what we’re supposed to put on these forms. And that was the moment I realized I’ve been in school for, I don’t know, 17 years – and just hadn’t learned all these basics of adult life that seemed really important.” 

It does strike me that school doesn’t teach us some of the absolutely most important skills to help us live a happy life. 

“Exactly. Happiness, fulfillment, those are different for everyone. Everyone has different versions of what they want. But there are some fundamental skills that can help everyone get closer to those goals. And if I were designing a K through 12 or college curriculum from scratch, my question would be, how do we equip people with the skills that are going to maximize the probability that they thrive in life? It doesn’t seem like that’s how most curricula are actually designed. So, I tried to remedy that with the course that I taught.” 

In the book, you introduce us to Sturgeon’s Law – can you tell us what that is? 

“Sturgeon’s Law is 90 % of everything you hear or read is bullshit. It roughly jives with my experience. And I don’t want people to be cynical. I try to be skeptical, but not cynical. I don’t think most people are trying to lie or being badly intentioned or spreading misinformation. I think what it really is – is just people have a lot of opinions. And now with the internet, people share their opinions all the time, all day. You’re just inundated with opinions. And a lot of them are just total BS.” 

Photo Credit: Cory Vetter