“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” This simple yet powerful question can be the catalyst for positive change in your life and, in turn, the lives you touch. A quick internet search shows that variations of this question are attributed to Sebastian Thrun, popularized by Regina Dugan’s TEDTalk, and likely originated with Robert Schuller. Credit to all who have challenged others to take action based on its powerful premise. At a local coffee shop less than a year ago, a friend of mine and I were discussing this very question. One of the first answers that came to me was, “I would speak to large audiences to inspire them to build a sense of belonging in their communities; to be part of something bigger than themselves.” It was that question and answer that led me to pursue opportunities to do just that. And after months of crafting a meaningful message, developing networks to help shape the message and the methods to deliver it, lots of conversations with mentors who inspire large audiences on a regular basis, reading and more reading, writing and more writing, I presented my new message to an overflow crowd in a small presentation room at the Ontario Student Leadership Conference in Niagara Falls. My message was well-received. The assembled student leaders and advisors were engaged throughout. The feedback I received was positive and encouraging. There were some passages I will edit moving forward; anecdotes that I thought would be effective that were not, ad libs that struck a chord that I will expand on. It was rewarding, satisfying, and hopefully a taste of things to come. I am pleased that I have been able to arrange further opportunities to share with larger audiences based on this humble beginning. But enough about me. What might your answer to that question be? Maybe it is a grand answer with life-changing potential like a different vocation or living in a faraway land. Maybe it is something within your current environment like asking for a promotion, a raise, or starting that DIY project you have always wanted to tackle. Perhaps it involves starting a conversation with a friend or relative about that topic that has been the elephant in the room for too long. There are many multi-step plans and self-help strategies to make your answer to this question a reality. They will include concepts like understanding why your answer matters, why you want to achieve the answer, writing down your goal, finding someone to share your goal with, breaking the goal down into manageable tasks, counting the cost involved in these steps along the way, visioning what it will look like when you reach your goal, accessing your allies, waking up early in the morning, eating better, exercising, posting positive quotations and images on your social media, and more. Meanwhile, as we contemplate our individual answers, might there be some that apply to all of us? Are there things we can all do that we know won’t fail? I believe there are, and that a commitment to doing them can bring positive change in our life, and in turn the lives of those we connect with. Pay someone a compliment. Tell the person beside you as you read this, or that you drive with every day, or that you raise a child with, a genuine compliment that comes from something you know about them or have noticed about them, and watch them light up. Offer a helping hand to someone who needs it. Is there a person you know is swamped at work? Or at home? Or swamped in a different way from being alone? Do something tangible to provide them some small relief. Knowing that someone thought to take action on their behalf will mean as much as the help you provide. Here’s a good one: say you’re sorry. Want a sure ‘can’t fail’ action that will positively impact any relationship? Apologize. You may not even be convinced that what you did, or said, or didn’t do or say, requires an apology. Do it anyway. Long after the injustice (perceived or otherwise) is forgotten, the step you took to bring restoration will be remembered. Give up something for someone else. Show gratitude. Be optimistic. The list of things we can do that won’t fail, and that will in turn make our lives better and enrich the lives of others, is longer than we might have first imagined. And the great thing is they don’t require a multi-step plan or a new self-help strategy to achieve. They just need a commitment to putting the interests of someone else ahead of our own.
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October 2017
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British Columbia Student Leadership Conference - Oct 25/26, 2024
Abbotsford, BC Rotary Club - May 29, 2024 Kitchener, ON Avon Maitland DSB ETFO PD - May 22, 2024 Seaforth, ON SDSS (Leadership Workshop) - May 15, 2024 Stratford, ON Stratford District Secondary School - May 6, 2024 Stratford, ON HOBY Western Ontario Seminar - May 4, 2024 Ridgetown, ON Waterloo Collegiate Institute - May 1, 2024 Waterloo, ON Montreal English School Board Leadership Camp - April 25, 2024 Montreal, QC Derby School District - April 19/22, 2024 Derby, KS* SouthWest Student Leadership Conference - April 9, 2024 London, ON Stratford District Secondary School (Staff) - April 8, 2024 Stratford, ON West Oak PS (Staff) - April 8, 2024 Oakville, ON Lions Club District Convention - April 6, 2024 Stratford, ON Three Rivers Homelink - March 27, 2024 Richland, WA* Horizons Leadership Tour - March 10-15, 2024 La Crete, Fort McMurray, Calgary, Olds Alberta California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA) - Mar 8, 2024 Reno, NV Horizons Leadership Tour - Feb 21-23, 2024 Camrose, Edmonton, Morinville AB Missoula County Schools - Feb 12, 2024 Missoula, MT* Texas Association of Student Councils Advanced - Feb 9-11, 2024 Mo-Ranch Assembly, Hunt TX The Village School - Feb 7, 2024 Houston, TX WESCO Interhigh Student Leadership Conference - Feb 6, 2024 Lynnwood HS, Bothell, WA Texas Association of Student Councils Advanced - Jan 27-29, 2024 Lakeview Conference Centre, Palestine TX Alliance for Progress School - Jan 26, 2024 Lafayette Hill, PA* Columbia Basin Hospital - Jan 17, 2024 Ephrata, WA Northern Hills School - Jan 2, 2024 San Antonio, TX* NA4SA National Conference on Student Activities - Dec 1-3, 2023 San Francisco, CA McKinnon Park Secondary School - Nov 30, 2023 Caledonia, ON Central Secondary School - Nov. 17, 2023 London, ON Ontario Student Leadership Conference - Nov 5-7, 2023 Niagara Falls, ON Nova Scotia Teachers Union - Oct 27, 2023 Halifax, NS John Caldwell School - Oct 26, 2023 Grand Falls, NB Blackville School - Oct 25, 2023 Blackville, NB Canadian Student Leadership Conference - Oct 11-14, 2023 Saint John, NB Woodstown HS - Oct 10, 2023 Woodstown, NJ* AB Lucas Secondary School - Sept. 28, 2023 London, ON Balch Elementary School - Sept 18, 2023 Norwood, MA* West Shamokin Jr/Sr High - Sept 15, 2023 Rural Valley, PA Armstrong Jr/Sr High - Sept 14, 2023 Kittanning, PA Mount Boucherie SS - Sept 12, 2023 Kelowna, BC Richland School District - Aug 22,23 2023 Richland, WA* Greene County & Fort Madison Schools - Aug 16,17 2023 Jefferson & Fort Madison, IA* Smoky Mountain High School - Aug 10, 2023 Sylva, NC* Los Fresnos High School - Aug 2, 2023 Los Fresnos, TX* Geneseo Central School District - June 21, 2023 Geneseo, NY* Channelview ISD - June 6, 2023 Channelview, TX* Chaffey High School District - May 30, 2023 San Bernardino County, CA* Southern Alberta Interscholastic Leaders Conference - May 9,10 Lethbridge, AB |
Digby Regional High School - May 4, 2023
Digby, NS Lockview HS - May 3, 2023 Fall River, NS Three Oaks High School - May 2, 2023 Summerside, PEI Global Student Leadership Summit - May 1, 2023 London, ON Waterloo Collegiate Institute - April 27, 2023 Waterloo, ON Swope Middle School - April 14, 2023 Reno, NV Horizons Leadership Tour - April 2-4, 2023 Edmonton, Lloydminster, Vermillion AB Clayton Heights Secondary School - Mar 8, 2023 Surrey, BC Fleetwood Secondary School - Mar 7, 2023 Surrey, BC Rutland Senior Secondary School - Mar 6, 2023 Kelowna, BC California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA) - Mar 3, 2023 San Diego, CA Western University Education Conference - Feb 22, 2023 London, ON Solon Middle School - Feb 20, 2023 Solon, IA* Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute - Feb 9, 2023 Kitchener, ON Geneseo Central School District - Feb 1, 2023 Geneseo, NY* Bridgeport School - Nov 16, 2022 Kitchener, ON Ontario Student Leadership Conference - Nov 6-8, 2022 Niagara Falls, ON Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Staff Training - Nov 2, 2022 Virtual Talk Stonewall Collegiate- Oct 14, 2022 Stonewall, MB MacGregor Collegiate - Oct. 13, 2022 MacGregor, MB Beaver Brae Secondary School - Oct 12, 2022 Kenora, ON River Falls School District - Oct. 10, 2022 River Falls, WI* Canadian Student Leadership Conference - Oct 6-8, 2022 Virbela Virtual Campus AB Lucas Secondary School - Sep 21, 2022 London, ON Campbell County School District - Aug 15, 2022 Gillette, WY* Shasta County Office of Education - Aug 12, 2022 Redding, CA* Ripon Unified School District - Aug 8, 2022 Ripon, CA* KIPP St Louis - Aug 3, 2022 St. Louis, MO* Oak Ridge Schools - Jul 20, 2022 Oak Ridge, TN* Arkansas City Public Schools - Jul 18, 2022 Arkansas City, KS* Horizons Leadership Conference - May 24, 2022 Lockview HS, Fall River NS MacLean Memorial School - May 2, 2022 Chibougamau, QC Horizons Leadership Conference - Mar 8, 2022 Virtual Western University Education Conference - Feb. 22-25, 2022 London, ON (Virtual) Avon Maitland DSB Remote Learning School - Jan 25, 2022 Canadian Student Leadership Conference - Oct 21-23, 2021 Virtual Campus Global Student Leadership Days - May 18-19, 2021 Everywhere! Brant County Rec Staff Training, Dec. 21, 2020 Global Student Leadership Days -May 6-7, 2020 Brock University ConEd, St Catherines ON - Mar 7, 2020 Saugeen DSS, Port Elgin, ON - Feb 18, 2020 Camp Belwood Staff Training - Jun 26, 2019 Camp Wabanaki Leadership Staff Training - Jun 23, 2019 City of Kitchener Neighbourhood Camps Staff - Jun 9, 2019 *CharacterStrong presentations |