"You are more likely to be successful, overall, if you participate joyfully with projects and goals and do not think your life depends on achieving the mark because then you will be better able to connect to people all around you." (Zander and Zander, page 21) I like this comment because we are always measuring who we are by others and not what we deem as successful. There are a world of people that we don't even experience and we guide our lives and possibilities by what others in our small circle judge as success. The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander is a read that allows the reader to be open and vulnerable in thinking beyond what is normal.
It is amazing, as well as, interesting that this would be the book we are reading. Last year the idea of "POSSIBILITY" was so easy for me to envision, but the closer I get to completing school the box opportunity seems to get smaller. I find myself restricting myself and losing sight of a purpose. My thoughts and actions are becoming limited which is moving my passion to uncomfortable. The chance to step into the "Universe of Possibility" that I designed and visualized is becoming challenging and my fear is not allowing me to continue in my transformation. The idea that I must continually question, "how my thoughts and actions, in this moment, reflections of the measurement world?", forces me to acknowledge that there will be struggles and fears, but there are possibilities in the transformation.
As I continue to read and then write about the ideas presented in the first few chapters I am realizing the it is difficult to separate the chapters. Each concept builds on the next. In the beginning of the book they discussed how, Our minds are designed to string the events into story lines, whether or not there is a connection between the parts."(Zander and Zander page 12) Which made me think about the dash (-) that is in the middle of the birth and death and what we contribute, what opportunities we take advantage of or not take of advantage of, how we value our experiences/relationships and what story they will eventually tell. While living we use excuses and experiences to restrict our possibilities, close boxes and fail ourselves figuratively and literally preventing a transformation in who we can be! "In the measurement world, you set a goal and strive for it. In the universe of possibility, you set the context and let life unfold." (page 21) Thinking and acting universally we open so many boxes and then our limitations are limited!
Great idea that we end with thinking of POSSIBILITIES... media and technology offer so many POSSIBILITIES!!!
@ Stacey
ReplyDeleteI agree that success is in the eye of the beholder. That can be interpreted both ways (1) by people looking at the situation or event and (2) by the person in the situation or event performing a self-assessment, either way success is in the eye of the beholder. Participating in joyful activated is one of the best motivational factors of all. I think that everyone looks for that inner peace and when they find it they do not measure success by what others think. There have been many people that have created great works in film, art, music, and other walks of life that have made the comment, “I did not create this work thinking that I would receive acclaim, I just did it for my own personal satisfaction”. That is like receiving the full benefits of stepping into the universe of possibilities when you can enter into a project that is not constrained by outside influences. The universe of possibilities is already within us, all we have to do is uncover them and let them rise to the top.
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you chose to write about some of the uncertainties and fears you are facing jumping off of this cliff into the realm of possibility. Many people in school, including our students, face the same fears you are facing. The world of possibility seems so big that at some point it overwhelms you and it seems to come crashing down. I think this book can help us as students and teachers realize that what is really scary is how we are going to be judged. The important thing is to cast aside these fears of being judged so that we can truly embrace our abilities.