Britt, Student and soon to be Associate Consultant at The Bridgespan Group, CA

“I want [my future kids] to find what’s important to them, to be happy (whatever that means to them), and not let another’s definition of happiness deter them.”

What do you consider to be a “good life?” What do you want for your self, and what would you want for your future kids?

A good life is one that is built upon your values. For me, those values are relationships, meaningful work, creativity and adventure. I want happiness, however I'm not exactly sure what that means . . . it's difficult to define. I think it means being okay with where you are—appreciative, resilient, having a positive feeling about present and future. For my future kid(s), my answer's pretty similar. I want them to find what's important to them, to be happy (whatever that means to them), and not let another's definition of happiness deter them.

Do you think everyone agrees with you about what a good life is?

No. At least not in the stage of life I am in now. A lot of people are struggling to figure it out. And the people who think they do know are probably wrong. However, I also don't think there is one definition.

What role do you think schooling should play in achieving that ideal good life?

I think it should be help kids figure out what they enjoy—what they are interested in—and find their own confidence.

Do you think everyone agrees with you about the role of schooling within that?

At the university level, there's also a lot of debate around this (more so than before). Especially regarding how much school should or should not be tied to industry, or whether it should just be about pursuing knowledge for knowledge's sake. In Silicon Valley, this seems to be having an effect on high schools as well.