We have all heard the Greek myth of Icarus.  Icarus’s father warns him first of complacency and then of hubris, asking that he fly neither too low nor too high, because the sea’s dampness would clog his wings or the sun’s heat would melt them.  This is the story that closest resembles my life. I did not want to get too high because life would kick me down. I did not want to be too low because then my life would be meaningless. That all changed when I read the book entitled Good to Great penned by James C. Collins.

The book analyzed why some companies were able to achieve statistical greatness while others didn’t.  It researched companies that were good than hit a transition point where they went on a 15 year tear with stock returns that averaged 6.9 times the general market average. (read the book for more explanation)  The quote that really resonated with me came from the bottom of page 71.  It stated, “There is nothing wrong with pursuing a vision for greatness.”  That statement right there gave me the freedom to imagine being great.  I was able to change my mindset and start believing that greatness is in my future.  That is step one to greatness. Believing that

I understand that greatness and arrogance have a close relationship, but they are not mutually exclusive.  I can want to be great without having other people be beneath me. In my perfect world we would all be great.  I do not need to step on others to get to the top; however, I definitely need the help of others to achieve greatness.   See the story of complacency and hubris is true in attitude not outlook.  We can want to get better while all the time understanding we are not the best.  Sports has taught me this lesson time and time again.  There is always someone faster, stronger, or better at something I do. It is not about what they are doing but about how I am bettering myself.  How am I training to excel in life?

This week I watched the culmination of an idea come to fruition.  William Bode (@bodepe) and I started a physical education Voxer group toward the end of last school year.  It has grown to something that is way beyond anything we could imagine.  There are Voxer groups for Elementary, Middle and High school PE and Health.  There are groups for Field Day, assessments, solo taxonomy, technology in pe, and so many more.  It has become the greatest form of professional development that I have ever used.

If you are interested in Voxer and you are a physical education or health teacher; Mike Graham (@pe4everykid) and Lynn Burrows (@lovepeme) have created the best introduction to Voxer you could wish for.  It has links to how to download and start on Voxer, what the chat groups are, lesson plans from over 50 teachers, and so much more! This link to Voxer Form may just be the link that takes you from being a good teacher to being a great one! If you are an educator and are interested in Voxer contact (@schleiderjustin)  to get put in SatChat where we post a question a day about education.

Q1:  Do you want to be great? Why or why not? #slowchatpe

Q2: Is being great a growth mindset or just arrogant? Why? #slowchatpe

Q3: What are doing to better yourself? #slowchatpe

Q4: What are you doing to better others? #slowchatpe

Q5: How can we convince our students that greatness is achievable? #slowchatpe