Practical Advice, "The Art of Possibility"

Imagine it. Do it. Become it. Rosamund and Benjamin Zander wrote "The Art of Possibility." They offer practical advice about transformation. You don't have to read it cover to cover. It's much like have a conversation with caring strangers; the words can start anywhere. 

"In the absence of a purpose greater than themselves, adolescents retreat to the sidelines as though their existence were inconsequential."

You matter. Your effort, process, and output matter. It won't be great every day. Nobody. Perhaps being on the MVB team confers special status. Grant your fans the same privilege for taking the time to watch you play. 

"I now ask them to take a moment in that class to write down how they have "contributed" over the past week." 

That could include anything, including a random act of kindness. Remember Sarah Blakely's father asking her, "what have you failed at this week?" Have the courage to fail. 

"Rewards in the contribution game are of a deep and enduring kind."

Maybe you remember receiving praise for doing the praiseworthy - cheering up a teammate or helping a frail elderly person across the street. But give yourself credit for doing the right thing, regardless of whether someone was there to give you credit. What you do when no one is around can be most important.  

"I discovered a person cannot live a full life under the shadow of bitterness." 

We choose to live lives of gratitude or grievance. Have you ever met someone who crafted a positive life from a negative attitude? You cannot make chicken soup from the proverbial chicken feathers. 

"Are you willing to pretend that there is a wall between us?" 

We can't achieve what we want or break down walls if we won't acknowledge their presence. It's hard to ask for what you want or to hear why you can't have it. Coach Auriemma says that the hardest words for players to hear are often, "I know that it's hard." But you cannot become productive without getting past hard. 

Don't expect to read The Art of Possibility in full, anymore than you'd enter a pastry shop and order everything on the shelves. Savor the treat you find and return another day. 

Lagniappe. Keep chopping.