My Comment:
Kristen_McKerninMay 12, 2012 11:31 AM
Shrav-
You couldn't have chosen a better image to go with your response!
I really liked that you pointed out that our our professor has chosen music to play at the beginning of our sessions. I think that same mindset was in play when he chose this book for our readings. This book is not the traditional textbook that matches our course of study. It is a reading that pertains to all of our lives and has made us reflect on many personal things. I was nervous at the start of this course with all that was required, but these reading have actually been motivating to push through the last of our journey. I am so glad that you have made personal reflections to this book and I think it will continue to do so in thinking about our futures!
Keep on pushing!
Kristen
You couldn't have chosen a better image to go with your response!
I really liked that you pointed out that our our professor has chosen music to play at the beginning of our sessions. I think that same mindset was in play when he chose this book for our readings. This book is not the traditional textbook that matches our course of study. It is a reading that pertains to all of our lives and has made us reflect on many personal things. I was nervous at the start of this course with all that was required, but these reading have actually been motivating to push through the last of our journey. I am so glad that you have made personal reflections to this book and I think it will continue to do so in thinking about our futures!
Keep on pushing!
Kristen
In Response To:
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wk2 Blog Post - The Art of Possibility ch. 1-4
This week I began reading The Art of Possibility by Rosamund
Stone and Benjamin Zander. If you ever felt we are all living in one
giant rat race of a world where we are all constantly struggling to
survive, constantly competing against one another, and constantly hung
up on measuring our successes, you are not alone. In fact, there are
countless others, including myself, that have the desire and capability
in transporting to another vast universe of possibility.
Chapter 1 helped me understand that our minds are designed to string events into story lines, or in other words, construct.
Just like the senses of every species are vastly different and
fine-tuned to perceive information critical to their survival, we also
can design our own existence with our own internal "map" for survival.
However, before we can go about creating our own happiness, we need to
realize that it's all invented. Opportunities are all around us,
and will not come to us. We have to strategically and methodically work
hard and build a bridge to those opportunities. To my initial surprise, I
was able to complete the famous nine-dot puzzle provided under 15
seconds in my mind, using my own rules and POSSIBILITIES, such as using
the whole sheet of paper. The best strategy in helping with the practice
it's all invented is to eradicate common assumptions.
Chapter 2 helped me to truly and effectively contrast the 'Measurement
World' vs. this so-called 'Universe of Possibility'. In simpler terms,
the 'Measurement World' is a confined world where we are constantly
jumping hurdles and obstacles to strive for success or a better place
than where we are. The 'Universe of Possibility' is what we enter once
we realize that our everyday reality is not confined to traditional
frameworks within society. In a realm of possibility, we gain knowledge
by invention and it consists of all worlds, aside from the 'Measurement
World', such as "Infinite World', 'Generative World, and 'Abundant
World'. Most of us can easily experience it by just forgetting ourselves
and become part of all being. The best quote of this chapter to me was:
"In the measurement world, you set a goal and strive for it. In the
universe of possibility, you set the context and let life unfold." It
helped me understand that in order to be successful, we shouldn't be
hung up on achieving the mark, yet rather participating joyfully with
our projects and goals to be better able to connect to people all around
us.
Chapter 3 was my favorite chapter of this week's reading, because it was
very inspiring and helped me understand the heart of mastery. The first
example that was posed in the beginning of the chapter stated that if
you simply give a student a B+, you are only matching them up against
other students, yet if you constructively point out the student's
errors, you are indicating something real about their performance. Not
only that, issuing out a bland grade only creates competition that puts a
strain on connecting with others and too often consigns students to a
solitary journey! I loved the Michaelangelo quote provided: "Inside
every block of stone or marble dwells a beautiful statue; one need only
remove the excess material to reveal the work of art within."
Metaphorically, this beautiful statue in education is each child's
developing skills, creativity, mastery, and self-expression. THIS should
be the practice of giving an A -- an enlivening approach that
promises to transform you as well as them by supporting them to be all
they dream of being. This is another fine way of entering the 'Universe
of Possibility', rather than keeping your eye on the statue's roughness
of the uncut stone in the 'Measurement World'. Another quote that opened
my mind greatly was: "Standards can help us by defining the range of
knowledge a student must master to be competent in his field. However,
standards and constant alterations of grades defines the limits of what
is possible between us." If everyone were to be granted an A, we can all
be open to different perspectives than the instructor's, and everyone
will really listen and engage. I think this is why we are all given 100
points for professionalism in the beginning of each class, in accordance
with Full Sail University's GPS guidelines.
Chapter 4 covered what it takes to be a contribution. The opening story
of the woman throwing stranded starfish's back into the sea happily and
serenely, much to a bystander's concern and dismay that there are too
many starfish and not enough time to get them all back into the ocean,
was epic. There truly was no mention of a rescue mission or a measured
goal, so why create mountains out of molehills? We all can be
contributors in our own right. I grew up as the second child of a very
accomplished brother who graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in
computer science from a traditional 4-year university -- so I often felt
I was living in his shadows, especially as my parents constantly
praised his accomplishments and measured successes more than nurture my
comparable potential. The game of contribution in chapter 4 is defined
as: "waking up each day and basking in the notion that you are a gift to
others". This is why I always treat others impartially and comfort them
with the knowledge that they all have something unique to bring to the
table. I truly admire the instructor of the music performance class who
had his class take a moment to write down how they have "contributed"
over the past week! What made this so awesome was how the contributions
did not need to be about just about the course content, yet anything
that comes to mind. This, in turn, produces a shift away from
self-concern and engages us in a relationship with others that is an
arena for making a difference collectively. We all have complementary
perspectives and a voice that needs to be heard. The sooner we realize
that, the sooner we all can have a one-way trip to the "Universe of
Possibility".
