Amazing Achievers

Mozart heard his father play the violin. As soon as he could hold the instrument, his father gave him lessons. No doubt, young Wolfgang said to himself, ‘I can do that, if I try.’ At the age of six, he gave his first public concert. Before long, he was touring the concert halls of Europe.

Florence Nightingale did it in nursing. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain did it in literature. Einstein and Pasteur did it in science. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs did it in business. They all identified their talent, plus developed their  confidence and  ’can do’ attitude to make something of their abilities.

About 100 years ago, a young man saw some drawings and said, ‘I would like to do that.’ He practiced both day and night. That included sketches on the side of the ambulance that he drove for the Red Cross in France, at the end of World War I. Despite many commercial ups and downs, he succeeded by creating a cartoon of a mouse that is now world famous. So it was that Walt Disney developed his talent and an amazing business.

I am fascinated by how people identified their special talent and used it in a way that made them famous. At some point in their lives, they all saw someone practicing a skill and said, ‘I can do that.’

We now recognize people like Einstein, Darwin, Helen  Keller, Andrew Carnegie, Dr Elizabeth Blackwell and others as amazing people.But, how did they do it? That has been the subject of a number of life stories that I have written. They are called bioviews, which is short for biographical interviews and now available in the Apple I store Amazing Leaders Series.They are used by teachers to introduce lessons to inspire students to say, ‘I want to do that’.

People who succeed no doubt work hard, but in specific areas. We recognize them for developing a level of perfection. Therefore, we can review the psychology issues associated with such efforts. It has been said those who succeed are very determined, like to win, hate to be beaten and can be rather obsessive and compulsive about pursuing their goals. To what extent does that apply to yourself?

Their examples provide inspiration for students of today who will make their careers tomorrow. The Amazing People Club celebrates amazing contributors and achievers.

Here are some of the titles that have now been published. Also, the new avatar based multi-media versions are in the Apple iTunes store.

An Amazing Leader

William Shakespeare wrote very little about himself and his family. In that respect, his life is a mystery. Or, is it?

In the new Apple i Book  titled William Shakespeare, he comes to life in the form of an avatar. It is very life like.

The new book is very readable because you can push press and click your way through it. Yes, the book has audios, videos as well as quiz notes, career notes and timelines. This is a book like no other you have ever seen about Shakespeare.

His birthday was the 26th April 1564. So, if he was alive today he would be celebrating his 449th birthday. It is a mark of his considerable achievements that we still remember him and his work.

His writings have proved enduring and, in that sense, he is a leader in terms of ideas and achievements.

The series in which the publication appears  is called Amazing Leaders and features other amazing people.

When you were at school, did any of the teachers ever ask you to give feedback about their lessons and style of teaching?

In my experience, teachers rarely get feedback on their teaching methods, particularly if the students are dissatisfied with the learning process. Students will be marked by teachers, so they are usually careful about what they say.

Instead, the students go outside and complain to each other that the class was ‘ a waste of time’,or  ’boring’. So, the next time, they go to the class with low expectations and often cause problems for the teacher, in order to alleviate the boredom.

My view is that are two types of learner in every class. The students and the teachers, who need the views of the students on the learning experiences that they have as a result of being in the class. If the teacher is an expert on teaching content then each student is the expert on the experience of the learning process.

It was therefore encouraging to receive a video from Ken Loomis, who is a High School teacher in the USA. He used the amazing people video that  we have developed on the life of Captain Cook, the great explorer.

Ken asked his students to comment on the use of the short video in order to gain feedback from the students on their views about the learning process. This is what they had to say.

It is clear that the students of today want a say in the education process. They can help teachers improve their performance.

How many teachers will follow the example set by Ken Loomis? It seems to me that is the best way to improve both teaching and learning.

But, the students are rarely consulted. They are the recipients and the clients. In many cases, they know more than their teachers, particularly on the use of mobile communications. Having visited a number of schools, it is clear that too many teachers are way behind their students on the use of technology.

Teachers also claim they are too busy filling in forms  and marking papers. They also complain that they have to produce detailed teaching plans.

Well they may be right. My view is that we need Learning Plans. This would put the focus on the getting results. Instead of doing more teaching the teachers would focus more on facilitating students in groups to work on learning assignments.

It is well established that people develop competence by taking action. Too much of education, involves students sitting in passive mode. There is a need for more action learning.

We have been facilitating this by introducing amazing people into the classroom. Pictures are worth more than words – so have a look at this and make up your own mind. -

An Amazing Leader

William Shakespeare has led the way. Yes, 400 and more years after he wrote his first plays they are still performed.

There are now over 500 million people who speak the English language in various forms and accents. The name of William Shakespeare is known to most of them over the age of 10, even though they have not read one of his plays or poems.

His ideas still are alive today. Phrases he used, such as ‘to be or not to be, that is the question’ are part of everyday sayings. His seven ages of man – all that glitters is not gold –  there is a time in the affairs of men – all the world’s a stage – and thereby hangs a tale. These and many other sayings came from Shakespeare.

So, in my view he has been and is an Amazing Leader in the English language and culture. That is why he is included in the first of the Amazing Leader E Book Series available from the I store 

His life story is inspirational.

Taking Opportunities

A friend of mine has bought an annual membership to a local gym. He believes that, having paid in advance for his subscription, it will make him more determined to improve his fitness.

That is his self development  motivation psychology? What is yours?

We all have our beliefs on self development.  You will have some friends who are very dedicated to self improvement. One of my associates says she gets up at 4.0 am and studies French. It certainly shows in her ability to converse in the language.

What is certain is that people like Mozart, Galileo, Coco Chanel, Leonardo da Vinci,, Florence Nightingale and other achievers took  self development very seriously. They did not achieve greatness by accident. They focused on  self development and  their extraordinary abilities are recognized in so many cultures and countries.

In the next series of blogs, I will focus on the Psychology of Self Development with particular reference to what we can learn from amazing people and their approaches. In particular, I will look at what students can do to improve their performances and also what adults can do.

Success

Had an interesting meeting today with a friend who  lived in Melbourne, Australia, when he was growing up. ‘My mother comes from Ukraine and I went to a school where we spoke Russian’. he said.

‘In the streets, I played with boys from Greece and Italy. So, I learned how to speak four languages, as well as English.It all seemed so natural’.

We discussed the ways people learn languages and culture. We felt that schools have formalized the learning, and taken away to rough haphazard methods of the street. But, do they enable students to learn as effectively?

My friend had a situation where action came first. learning came second and applications were the result, in terms of the games they played and the conversations held. We are now facilitating that in classrooms, by providing the basis for action and learning discussions.

I like also what is happening at Danville, Kentucky, USA. The local school has adopted project learning. Real tasks become the focus for applied learning. How can we introduce more of the learning from participation?

We are doing that at The Amazing People Club. One way is to have the curriculum reflect more of what students do in terms of action, learning and applications. A good start could be in handheld communications systems. Why not have the students conduct the lessons and the teachers will learn in the process?

Billy Joel wrote the famous song called Piano Man, no doubt based on his observations from what he noticed as he played in bars and cafés as a young man.

I am now in a similar situation. Each day, I play the piano at the Baby Grand Lounge at the Oasis in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland. It is not my full time job, as I am a psychologist and author, working in the publishing industry with The Amazing People Club and Team Management Systems.

I find it relaxing to take time away from writing and editing our i books and e books, to play popular songs. But, most of all, like Billy Joel, I learn a lot from the people who come to the café. A number of them come over and ask me to play their favorite tune, or to talk about their own experiences as a musician in a band.

Most people though are head to head in conversation. For some, it looks like a business deal, as they are dressed in formal clothes. For others, it is a family get together. Many of the people are old friends and meet over a cup of coffee or tea, to share memories or plan. Some people seem to be in discussions about life and living and the highs and lows. No doubt, a problem shared is a problem halved. Many come to the café in between their shopping, to have a rest and reflect on what to do next.

Yes, the modern café serves many purposes. Maybe, like Billy Joel, I should write a song about the people and events. In the process, I have learned what people like and improved my abilities as a musician. Another example of action learning through involvement.

What do you want most in life?

For some people, it is money. Others will choose fame. Some will choose power. Many will choose love and affection.

Those who are ill, and in pain, will probably choose good health.

In a recent discussion, a friend of mine said that he wanted recognition and appreciation. It seems simple enough. Indicating to others that you recognize and appreciate what they do does not cost anything.

Since my friend mentioned recognition and appreciation, I have kept my eyes and ears open to find it, So far, it is a scarce commodity. When people give feedback, too often it is  negative rather than positive - criticism, rather than support. Telling people what they do wrong seems to come easier than telling them what they do right.

Interestingly, in my study of amazing people, they kept going even when they were not recognized and appreciated. In the main, they recognized and appreciated themselves.

It is said that self praise is no recommendation. But, it can have the desired effect of self motivation. So, when no one else recognizes and appreciates your work then give yourself some positive feedback. After all, why let the perceptions of others dictate your state of mind.

There is considerable research to show optimism and self belief are the foundations for achievement. Yes, amazing people believed in themselves. So, in schools, the most important thing is not the teaching, but the recognition and appreciation of students. The same is true in all homes, both for the children and parents. Mutual recognition and appreciation of ones talents, contributions and relations will change things for the better.