Every Day

Every day we have the power to make our day what we want it and need it to be.

Every day we have the power and the potential for greatness.

We have an opportunity every morning when we rise to give back to our world, to give something to our family, to give joy out into the universe.

We have the power and the potential and the promise to do more today and be more today than we were yesterday.

We have the promise of greatness within us, and yet so many of us on so many days choose to ignore it or hide it.  We can be more today than we were yesterday.  We should be more today than we were yesterday

We should live our lives to be tired by the end of the day because we spent it in service to grow ourselves, to grow our families, to grow our communities and to grow our world.

Let today be the day we start recognizing our power and our potential and make the promise for growth, for betterment, for joy, for service.

Calibrate to Capacity

You have so much to give to the world. And to yourself. You have the light, the power, and the passion to be the best you possible. The only you possible! And so we must spend each and every day doing a little bit more, getting a little bit closer to our true self, our full self. We must spend the time it takes to look within us and lead outside of us. We must venture deep into our souls.

So often we make the mistake of taking on the burdens of the world, and in the process of carrying those burdens or baggage, we begin to lose sight of who we really are. It’s time, today, to be your better self.  It is time to grow, to challenge our notions of who we are, and to truly truly see ourselves in the full light of the day.

We are amazing, extraordinary beings. Most importantly we are unique.  It is time to calibrate our daily lives to our capacity.

Thought is the Sculptor

“Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.” – Henry David Thoreau

Who is it you want to be?  Are you aware that your thoughts determine who you are – and who you can become?  We live our lives based on our thoughts and perceptions of people, of situations, of the world.  We all hold a viewpoint of how we see ourselves, know ourselves.  Within the ‘knowledge’ of ourselves may be variations of truth.  We may think we are a good person, yet gossip about people.  We may think we are a trusting friend, yet never share about ourselves.  We think we are a good communicator, yet few seem to know what we are saying.

The intent of this blog is not to get down on ourselves.  Rather, it is to help us recognize that our thoughts guide our actions.  We are who we think we are.  More importantly, we can become who we think we can be.  The power of the mind is a great force for change.  Think about yourself – who you are, who you wish to become, and how you will grow to be that person.

Thoughts lead to actions that lead to habits.  Trust yourself to have the thoughts to become who you need – and want – to be.  Think about it.  Now, become it!

#Connect  #Challenge  #Create  #Linchpin

How Do Others See You? How Do You Wish to Be Seen?

How do you wish your colleagues would treat you?  What do you have within you that others need to see?

As you reflect on your self and the goals you may have for yourself, ask yourself – “what am I trying to become?”  Also, challenge yourself to reflect on whether you are being true to yourself and to others. Challenge yourself to look deeply within and question whether you are making the choices necessary to become who you want to be.  You need to know yourself to know what you want to change.  You also need to know what you want to become so you can make disciplined decisions to get there.  You need to ‘explore your core’ and be prepared to address what you find.  Once you know your current reality, you can set the plan in place to get to your desired reality.  You can know clearly what is missing and what must be addressed.

When you know you, you can change you.  And others can be witness to you – improved.  Share more of yourselves and others will treat you as you ought to be treated.

What is a Linchpin?

Linchpin literally means to keep the wheels from falling off.  In today’s society and multiple organizations a linchpin is someone who does more than keep the wheels from literally falling off.  They create value in the company.  They keep things moving metaphorically in the company.  And, they are indispensable components of any successful organization.

In every successful organization, linchpins served three primary functions.  First, they challenge ideas, people, and assumptions.  Second, they connect ideas, assumptions and people.  And third, they create new information and stronger groups formed from these connected individuals.

Linchpins serve critical purposes.  They challenge assumptions and create value for their organizations.  They are invaluable pieces of an organization and are not found in large numbers.  Linchpins certainly are not born.  Rather they are created over time through challenging situations, tackling wicked problems, and through pushing themselves to find a new insight into old problems.

There is a need for linchpins in our society – and every organization and institution.  I wish to be a linchpin.  I hope you do, too.

Let’s work together to be indispensable.

Lead Yourself

Lead yourself with passion, purpose and perseverance.

Rise

Rise to the level of your excellence, not sink to someone else’s level of mediocrity. 

Advance Confidently …

While I like this blog to be about my thoughts, I must admit that today I am thinking about others – other people’s choices, other people’s dreams, other’s people’s challenges.  And so, I am also thinking of other people’s wise words.  My 2nd favorite quote is from Henry David Thoreau, and it speaks well to me today –

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Know your purpose.

Know your principles.

Live your life, and

advance confidently . . .

Define! Design! Deliver!

Tomorrow, Iowa ASCD launches its two-day conference on competency-based education.  It is a dream come true for me, since I suggested this conference over a year ago to our board.  Now, we are hours away from its opening, and I am thrilled with the work we have done so far.

Our national presenters include –

* Rose Colby, who helped usher in competency-based education in New Hampshire

* Tom Vander Ark, who has traveled the world to share his expertise on blended learning

* Jim Rickabaugh, who is the executive director of CESA 1 in Wisconsin, which is  supporting competency-based education

And we have the best educators locally in Iowa who will also be sharing their learning and leadership with us!  So many great educators here in the state ready to move the entire state forward.

I am honored to work with them, excited to learn from them, and exhausted in preparing to share their leadership with the entire state.  Come be a part of the transformation!

My Wants – Class of 2013

I want students with

minds open to taking in new ideas,

hearts open to share their passions, and

hands open to accept the opportunities that will bring them success.

 

I got all of that with our Class of 2013.  Congratulations and safe travels as your journey continues.