The Beginning is Here…

Thread for Thought

Seth Godin’s post today:

I was paging through a photo set that someone sent along and when I hit the left button one too many times, the screen popped up and said, “you’ve reached the beginning.”

I guess that’s right here.

And right now.

Always.

Sunk costs are real, but when making a new decision, they’re immaterial. This is the beginning. Again.

Some of us may feel that “The End is in Sight“, that “There is a light at the end of the tunnel“. But this is deductive in nature – it is saying that the energy is leaving the building, and that we’re sprinting to the end. It asks us to narrow our focus on those closing goals, the ‘make it matter’ and ‘get it done’ goals.

Take this time to see where your work matters, now and beyond. See the narrative of your work as a long thread, not a book chopped up into chapters. See your work an album, not a collection of singles.

So, while the term is closing, what is opening for you and your students? What have you done to set your students up for a successful year? What have you done to encourage students as learners, not just in your classroom, but everyday. Because everyday is a beginning.

Let’s get started,
Happy Holidays…

3 thoughts on “The Beginning is Here…

  1. Hi Garth,

    I love the title, and the message in this post. “The beginning is here.” I read a newsletter today from Brené Brown and have been reflecting on some of the questions she posed, as I begin this new year. What do I want more of in my life? How do I let go of what’s no longer serving me? What will make me feel more alive? More brave? How have I contributed [more than I’ve criticized] and what will that look like moving forward?

    I’m looking forward to a year of more quality time, more creativity, more collaboration, more connection and more growth. All of this makes me a better person, and a better teacher, and enables me to make real connections with my students.

    All the best as you head into your own new year.

    Kelly

    1. More than that, I think that if we can look at decisions as a new beginning, it gives us a sense of ‘accomplishment’, ‘possibility’, and ‘opportunity’. With these, we can build the momentum for change. We can build the critical mass to make positive changes sustaining.

      Thanks, in big part, to Seth Godin!

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