Week 3 Reading: The Art of Possibility- CHs 1-3

This book evoked strong feelings from me before I even started reading the chapters. It began on page ix in An Invitation to Possibility. I rolled my eyes and sighed. The notion of "a perfect day" is as real to me these days as the tooth fairy or boogie man. I have spent so much time focusing on the negative that I have conditioned myself to believe that the glass is now and always will be half empty.

Still, I persevered...

I then read "Launching the Journey". Huh, a self-help book, oh joy! So not only will this book "fix me", it will teach me to be a carpenter- able to design new and beautiful frames in which to view my life. Now we're talking!

I appreciate the way this book is set up. I like the way the authors lay out their theory and follow it up with a practice. What a smack in the face the "It's all invented" practice was- I am guilty of making assumptions for many situations and these are constantly forming my thoughts. Argh! I am feeling a bit challenged to invent new possibilities to my current issues. What else might the Zanders have in store for me?

I would like to relocate to the universe of possibility- could someone send me the address? I wish I could shake off the notion that measurement is important. I am always worried about being the best- not doing MY best- doing THE best. I do not like it when people see the flaws in my armor. It is a stressful struggle right now to keep up the appearance that everything is fine (never mind 'perfect'). This book is making me sad.

I can imagine the blow to a student who felt they did A work and received a C. That would make me insane. The thought of it alone is already driving me a little batty. Measuring someone's performance gives you a tremendous amount of power over them. It is somewhat unfortunate that we have such an assessment driven educational system- right down to the schools themselves being graded and punished or rewarded accordingly. I loved Zander's letter-writing technique. I think I may try it with my life-

Dear future Joann, I got the job because...

but I might just start with

Dear future Joann, I had a great day today because...

The "Giving an A" experiment reminded me of the movie Dangerous Minds. The teachers gives everyone an A, then tells them they have to keep it. When they question her, she states that keeping an A is more difficult than getting an A. I guess I had never really understood this concept. It was very enlightening to read about it. I like the idea of shaping ourselves into the future person we hope to be. I would like to do that- decide who I would like to be and reinvent myself into that person.

Zander, R. S. & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. New York: Penguin Books.