Stop stealing our dreams
Posted on: March 5, 2013
Grades are an illusion... ….passion and insight are reality. Your work is more important than your congruence to an answer key. Persistence in the face of a sceptical authority figure is priceless, and yet we undermine it. Fitting in is a short-term strategy to get you nowhere. Standing out is a long term strategy which takes guts and produces results. If you care enough about your work to be willing to be criticised for it than you have done a good days work.
So says Seth Godin in a brilliant talk about just what school is for called Stop stealing dreams. It’s a message that can and should translate into life beyond school I suppose.
Read the quote again. I especially like the bit about not fitting in. because we need more mavericks in this world who are prepared to speak out for something in which they believe, rather than just fitting in and trying to be one of the herd. Its a misnomer that this approach can’t work in large organisations too. The homogenised majority do need to be shaken up by people who are prepared to ask difficult and challenging questions in often uncomfortable circumstances.
But as Seth says, its a long term strategy…and that’s not easy.
2 Responses to "Stop stealing our dreams"
March 6, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Thanks Joe…I hope critical friend is the right expression. I’m happy to remain at the tent flap, looking both in and out.
And yes, I too hope that ACfE produces more confident souls really prepared with the skills to question and constructively criticise their own perceptions of the status quo..
Jaye
March 6, 2013 at 3:48 pm
Jaye and keep being our education system’s critical friend and bottom line as we produce more confident individuals would expect more learners to challenge the system at system and institutional level