“If you care enough about your work that you are willing to be criticized for it, then you have done a good day’s work.” When Godin (2012) made this statement, I felt a bit of anxiety. I know what it means to have an idea and want others to share in the excitement. However, having the idea and seeing it come to fruition comes with skepticism and a need to prove ROI, return on investment. Often this is where the innovative idea stops due to the learner/leader either feeling defeated or not having the people, time, or financial resources to fully prove the theory to achieve buy in.
So, as an adult, if I “felt” that comment, how do we get our students to share their passion and excitement for learning on a specific topic? I propose that it may actually be easier to get the younger or novice learner to be willing to share their innovative thoughts and we can nurture this through our learning environments, physical and emotional, that we create.
A growth mindset allows us to foresee what a class, organization, or a passion CAN be. We may not be able to make this innovative idea happen immediately, or on our own, but we can help our students, colleagues, or peers to share their ideas in a risk-less environment. We can share in their excitement and guide their thought process, while providing feedforward. This approach won’t feel like criticism; it’ll be framed in a space of appreciation for the idea and encouragement for the learner to further improve their work.
At the end of the day, we want students, colleagues, and ourselves to find the value of learning beyond simply collecting the dots (Learners Mindset, 2021) and move them into fully understanding, or connecting, the dots in a deeper manner. Godin (2012) says grades are an illusion and contends it’s the passion behind the projects that matter. I absolutely agree and am trying to fully grasp, and rewire my thinking and teaching, to better exemplify and live this ideal.
TEDxYouth. (2012, October 16). STOP STEALING DREAMS: Seth Godin at TEDxYouth@BFS
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpbONjV1Jc
Learners Mindset. (2021, January 18). Collecting dots vs connecting dots [Video]. YouTube.
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