Awesome Stories 336

/ September 9, 2017

This week Awesome Stories brings your education reform, life lessons, reciprocity, and beyond judgments.

Education Reform

I really resonate with Seth Godin’s perspective on education reform called Stop Stealing Dreams. His core premise is that our education model is outdated and mostly kills dreams and creativity. Education in the US and much of the world was designed to create obedient factory workers and consumers. His core perspective is that we need to teach kids to lead, make connections, and solve problems. From my perspective, the biggest problems are population, over consumption, and climate change. I also agree with Seth that parents need to accept responsibility to educate their own children. His latest project is AltMBA to create leaders and changemakers. May we find the courage and creativity to create new education models that help kids become better people and citizens of the world.

Life Lessons

This article offers some good life lessons. Unfortunately, they offer it with a click-bait headline to make a point about how we chase happiness in quick fixes instead of working to become better people. If you want to become a better person, here are 8 fun tips. I love the blunt reminders to quit believing our BS, look at the sky, let people in, apologize, and most importantly, be kind. What was your favorite tip? Mine was to be kind, with star gazing as a close second.

Reciprocity

Gratitude is most powerful as a response to the Earth because it provides an opening to reciprocity, to the act of giving back. ` Robin Wall Kimmerer

Reciprocity, Awesome StoriesReturning the Gift is an interesting perspective on gratitude. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s view is that practicing gratitude fosters a sense of debt and responsibility. According to her Potawatomi ancestors, responsibilities and gifts are two sides of the same coin. When we receive a gift, we are indebted to the giver with the sense of wanting to give back. Gratitude fosters the understanding that we owe of life to something bigger; to parents, friends, teachers, plants, trees, animals, and the planet itself. Practicing gratitude can also create a sense of contentment, having enough, and restraint for the good of all. Robin believes gratitude to the earth is our next evolutionary step if we are to survive as a species.

Beyond Judgment

This honest and soulful video called Recovering the Diamonds offers us an intimate look at one man’s journey to move beyond judgment to connect with the souls of the inmates. Juan Carlos Molina, Director of Rehabilitation in the Guatemalan Penitentiary System, narrates his journey to connection and understanding that lie beyond judgment. I aspire and advocate for better communication and understanding between people, but I don’t know that I could do this with a prison inmate covered in gang tattoos. Could you?

May your week be filled with compassion, reciprocity, and creativity.

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18 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 336”

  1. Wow! Thanks for the rich collection of helpful stories. I remember flat abs, and also remember they took a lot of work to keep in shape. Today, well, I’m more relaxed, and happy.
    Your tattooed gang prisoner question reminds me of an experience I had. About 10 years ago I had about 30 employees, one of which was Harlon, complete with abundant facial piercings and tattoos. Our work was on the phone so appearance didn’t matter, although having a good voice, intelligence, and being kind did matter. And Harlon had all of this. On the day I hired Bob, he later told me he felt worried when he first saw Harlon, wondering what kind of place he’d be working in. Bob was more like the Archie Bunker type. A couple weeks later, while Harlon was on the phone near my office, I saw Bob walking slowly toward the sound of Harlon’s professional conversation. I then saw Bob shocked and puzzled to discover this adept was Harlon, someone he’d judged and dismissed at first sight. Bob was transfixed and transformed, and from then on looked at Harlon with respect and kindness. Harlon, on the other hand, was having none of it, as he had his own judgements about people like Bob. I’d love to share that they ended up building a beautiful friendship, but this was to be unrequited.
    It was a great reminder that appearances can be deceiving and quick judgements can narrow our world.
    Thanks again for your inspiration.
    Vincent

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  2. Totally agree 👍😊 if I were to talk about India… The education system is so focused on creating good employees that end purpose of doing any course is getting decent job! No one talks about new ideas and businesses… It’s only recent that start up culture is catching in India.

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  4. I’m not kidding: I have a tab open on my computer about Seth Godin’s book, Stop Stealing Dreams. It caught my attention, because he’s also offering a marketing seminar which is relevant to my work right now. And of course I always enjoy your other awesome stories. The gratitude piece reminded me of how when we get gifts I have heard that you should learn how to expect nothing in return, and feel gratitude for having given a gift. Because, so often, when we give something, there is a silent expectation that we’re supposed to get something back. But how freeing is it if we just let things go and they’ll come back in their own time without any worries whatsoever? In any case I hope your weekend has been wonderful so far. Sending you big hugs.

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    • Thanks Cynthia. I hope the book serves you and your teaching. There are a few broad stroke ideas. I’m with you that giving (and gratitude) is better when done freely with no return expected. Hugs received and appreciated. 🙂

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  7. Seth Godin’s views I agree with Brad.. and the education system even in the UK is all about statistics, putting children under enormous pressures to achieve so their schools can have their boxes ticked in the rated systems..
    You have a wonderful pick of topics to get absorbed in Brad and it shows your caring spirit in each choice presented..
    Love and Blessings 🙂

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