Sunday, February 22, 2015

Adding Value

I recently read a blog from a former football coach concerning his advice for creating opportunity for you in whatever you pursue.  His message was simple.  Add value.  Make each interaction you have with somebody count for something.  Add value.  Whether its applying for college, applying for a job, meeting someone, or even talking to the boy/girl of your (current) dreams do something that separates you from the herd.  Add value.

You add value by bringing the things that make you a spectacular person to each encounter.  Think about the positive characteristics that you and other people love about you and be that person all the time.  

You add value by going the extra mile.  Everybody that applies to college fills out pretty much the same form that you completed.  So do something more to make yours stand out.  Be excellent academically.  With your essay, include a picture of you in that school's t-shirt.  Do more than what everybody else is willing to do, and you will add value to what you bring to the table.

The same goes for adding value to your own life.  Look for opportunities to become better at what you do and who you want to be.  Last week for genius hour I had you find five people who are experts of your topic.  I also had you find a way to contact them.  What are you going to do to make that contact worthwhile?  Add value.  Make them want to engage with you and help you in your pursuits.  

When they do, think about the value that will be added to your life because you began a conversation with someone considered to the best at what they do.  It could be life changing, mind-blowing, or world-rocking! The worst thing that will happen is they say no, or don't reply at all.  That doesn't mean you stop, it means you keep looking for that opportunity to add value to your life.  

I can't wait to see how each of you use genius hour and this opportunity to add value to your life.


This week we will being our look at the invertebrate phyla in the ocean.  There is a wide variety of animals that we will be covering and examining how they evolved from the simplest to the most complex of invertebrates.  They also include one of my favorite organisms on the planet, the octopus.  We should be looking at them next week.  

This should be a great week of school.  I hope you take my words to heart and look to add value to your relationships and interactions with people as well as add value to your own life.  

Thank you to Alex Kirby for inspiring this week's blog.

No comments:

Post a Comment