One student wrote about his leadership role model and sitting through meetings where all anyone can say is that “we don’t have the resources.” Here were my thoughts on the post:

You have to wonder what the “no-sayers” would say if they were told that they don’t have a choice but have to find a way to do it. Period. The point of view of the classroom instructor, especially one connected to the needs of his/her students, doesn’t begin with what “can’t be done.” You look for a way to meet the students’ needs, to bring them into the experience of learning and THEN you think about how you can do it. You start with the needs, then develop an idea or plan then work through whatever you might use to get it done. You can’t begin by wondering if it can be done, how would you know that without trying? Ack. The other thing about someone like Steve Jobs is that you don’t listen to conventional wisdom and recognize that you are going to fail more than a few times before you realize your vision. If all you’re going to do is play is safe than you haven’t gotten anywhere close to what is otherwise possible. In reality all learning is a process of failing forward.

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image: Little Pencils – museum members by Jason Eppink – Creative Commons – Attribution Some rights reserved