If you can be happy whether or not you get that (name the external thing), then you are truly happy.
Byron Katie
Author: chungwipff
Commonly Kept
ornery goldfish
in search of the next nibble
never satisfied
5,000 Hours
Malcolm Gladwell estimates it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to be world class at a skill.
But a new study destroys that rule.
In any case, we’ve estimated that with regular practice, rehearsals, competitions and school orchestra, the girls have at least 5,000 of deliberate practice under their belt.
In nearly nine years of playing, the girls have not once said they want to quit. I attribute that to the fact that they only play violin – they do not do any other extracurriculars. The upsides of “being good” at something are: self-confidence, self-discipline and optimism!
Slow and Sure
Tonight, our school will hold an Awards Night to recognize students for exceptional GPAs, Service Work and other academic accomplishments.
Not one student will receive recognition for work achieved in a day or a week. These kind of successes require dedication throughout the school year.
“Your” Children
One of the biggest lessons in life I’ve had to unlearn is that my children are “mine.”
Gibran’s words are plain and true:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.Kahlil Gibran
Too many parents believe their children are a reflection of themselves. Our job as parents is to provide nourishment and safety for these souls. But they are whole people already – we do not – SHOULD not – impose our dreams on them.
Writing prompt: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Student: This prompt makes me sad. Because I don’t know. My parents tell me I must be either be an engineer or a doctor. I cannot have a job that pays less than that.
Teacher: Well, let’s say your parents tell you that you can pursue ANY profession that you want. What would it be?
Student: I don’t know…I don’t know, because I’ve never even thought of it.
Why do parents tell their kids how to live your lives when they have their own?
By the way, Gibran never had children. Maybe he could be this wise because he had the distance necessary to see the whole picture.
The Basics of Happiness
“Happiness is a living thing. You need to feed your happiness in order to have happiness last. It’s like love. If you don’t feed your love, it will die. Understanding and compassion are the foundation to happiness.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Big Top Dreams
Create, Don’t Criticize*
*Theodore Roosevelt
“Do you create anything or just criticize others and belittle their motivations?”
Steve Jobs
You might not admire Steve Jobs as a person or even as an entrepreneur, but there is truth in this quote, as Kovie Biakolo points out.
Social media is a tool of communication. As with any form of communication, it can be utilized for productivity and education or noise pollution.
I’d like to add: it can also be used purely for consumption – for hours on end.
Something worth considering: What is your consumption/criticizing to creation/production ratio?
Maybe it’s time to praise and produce more, and criticize and consume less?
A Teacher’s Week
I started going out for runs at 5:30am this week. It’s a phenomenal way to start my day.
It was Teacher Appreciation Week and I received very touching notes from students (as well as their gifts).
It’s allergy season and it seems just about everyone exhibits some symptoms. My classes have gone through many boxes of tissues.
A word of advice: When a student sneezes and says, “Oh gosh!” Don’t look.
Freelancing – Inspirational Words
Freelancers podcast from Seth Godin’s Akimbo – the Conclusion (last 5 minutes):
You need to deliver the product of difficult work. Solve a problem in a new way. If you had a great boss, your boss would understand and encourage you to keep doing it.
Be smart about how good you are, who you do it for and how much you charge. This is an opportunity to dig deeper and do the work. This is what you signed up for – not to work a lousy job for a lousy boss.
Kismet 