Quote-A-Day: Day 181

A change of environment is one of the best ways to gain a change of perspective. #QuoteADay #Day181 #edchat #edu #EmbraceChange

We all need to change our perspective from time-to-time.  In many cases, we need to change our perspective regularly, if we hope to keep current and also increase our worldview.

But, a change in perspective doesn't come easily.  When we travel between home and work day-in and day-out, it becomes harder for our perspectives to change, simply because we're in the same physical environment following the same routine.

Regardless of how welcoming your work space is, and regardless of how things are going at home, perspective won't change unless we force it to.

There are two sizable ways to change perspective.  One is to have something major happen in your life.  This can be good or bad, but regardless, it is a jarring way to change perspective, and one that causes the perspective to change for you forcefully, as opposed to with your input and consideration.

The other way, equally sizable, is to change your physical environment.  This means taking a vacation, going somewhere different, travelling to work in a new way, or simply taking a walk outside.

The power of a new scene is that it causes our brain to make different connections than it did just a few hours ago.  These different connections cause our thinking patterns to shift.  This modification to our thinking patterns allows us to embrace new ideas.

Changing perspective is actually quite easy, if we allow ourselves the time to do it.  How regularly should you change perspective?  Well, the minute you think that things have been "the same" for a while, is the minute when you need a change of venue.

Quote-A-Day: Day 180

A #PLN is only as good as how it used. #QuoteADay #Day180 #edchat #edu #ISTE2014 #aussieED

It's great to have a PLN (or multiple PLNs for that matter).  However, as I've learned, being part of a PLN means nothing if we don't make use of it. Regularly, it seems we're much better at making use of the "P" and the "N," and not necessarily the "L."  Here's why:

• As leaders and learners, we tend to look for connections we can build with others, and we often look for these connections in the form of relationships that are tied to either professional or personal goals.  This makes the "P" and the "N" portions of a PLN fairly easy to hit.
• The "L," the true learning portion, doesn't appear to be incorporated into PLNs as easily (in my humble opinion).  Take Twitter chats, for example.  Being a regular participant in many as well as a facilitator and moderator to a few, I often relish the opportunities to share my thinking and hear the thinking of others.  But, as I've learned, PLNs using this format of collaboration don't always breed action.  Sometimes it is an opportunity for us to spout thoughts and ideas, without really any accountability to getting better from the experience.

How do I know this happens?  Simply because I've been guilty of it.  I have a wonderful PLN that contains folks who I engage with virtually as well as those who I work with closely.  I've found that my deepest learning happens with those in the F2F realm of my PLN, rather than my virtual colleagues.  It seems, at least for me, that I hold myself accountable more when it involves tangible work, and experiences that I'll be exploring F2F, then when ideas come up that are powerful in a Twitter chat, for instance.  

While I'm sure this isn't true for everybody, I'm sure it is for many.  So, what can we do?  How can we make sure that all aspects of our PLNs honor all three letters?  Here are two thoughts:

1.  Make sure your virtual PLN doesn't stay virtual forever.  Find opportunities to meet with those in your PLN at a conference, convention, PD opportunity, or just when you're in the same city.  Get to know the person as a real-life person rather than an avatar or Google Hangout feed.  When our relationships move beyond the virtual, we tend to raise the stakes of working together.

2.  Make promises.  Twitter chats, as an example, tend to be very philosophical and pithy; after all you only have a few characters to make an impression.  This "big picture" structure can make it tough to drill down to actual next steps, even when colleagues are sharing resources (ever try to explore a link during a Twitter chat?  Ever try to then catch back up to the chat feed?  Exactly).  So, by making "I promise" statements to members of our PLNs, we hold ourselves accountable for taking the steps we talk about.  This means that we have to be willing to do something more than just talk about change.  We have to promise to do it.  Nothing impacts a relationship more than breaking a promise; if we're serious about the "L" in PLN, then we have to be willing to make and keep promises of learning.

I regularly do number 1, but not so much number 2.  So I can practice what I preach, I promise to submit the proposal for the book I've mentioned to some of my PLN members by the coming Fall.  Promise made.  Now I just have to make sure I keep it.  

Now it's your turn.

Quote-A-Day: Day 179

If we don't take care of ourselves, then how can we take care of others? #QuoteADay #Day179 #edchat #edu #TakeGoodCare

So, here's what my morning has been like so far:

• Wake up a bunch of times in the middle of the night because our youngest daughter kept waking up crying.  Me and my wife take turns going into her room to rub her back.
• Wake up at roughly 3:30 AM itching like crazy (I'm usually a careful gardener, but last weekend I wasn't.  Poison ivy came on strong by Wednesday).
• Take the kids (older daughter has a bad cough) to the urgent care office affiliated with our medical group.  Wait.  And wait some more.
• Go to CVS to pick up two prescriptions,and wait.
• Drive home, take a shower and shower the kids, and type up this blog post (about to have breakfast [or lunch] in a few minutes).

This certainly hasn't been the most enjoyable morning, but it raises an important point.  If we don't take care of ourselves, how can we take care of others?  If I wouldn't have gone to get a little something to ease the itching, how could I have best helped my two girls?

We have a responsibility to those around us.  As servant leaders, we have to make sure that we help those who need it, and care for those who need to be cared for.  What's so interesting about this, though, is that we can't take care of others if we aren't well.

In effect, being a servant leader means we also must live to serve ourselves.  For if we always put everyone before ourselves, and never take care of our own needs, then chances are, at some point, we won't be able to help anyone.

Remember, the true servant leader serves all (including him/herself).

Quote-A-Day: Day 178

Remember: The #relationships you built yesterday are the people you'll need to rely on today. #QuoteADay #Day178 #edchat #edu #PeopleFirst

I’ve probably written about this prior, but when it comes to being an effective leader, one of the first things you need to be able to do is cultivate relationships. 

This is different from being able to schmooze.  This is about cultivating truly deep relationships that last for years on end.

This isn’t easy.  To build strong relationships we need to take time, and there is never enough of that to begin with. 

But, that doesn’t make relationship building any less important.  When we get to know people, when we get to know them so well that we can talk about more than just work and family, and talk about truly deep topics, then we know we’ve built a lasting relationship.

Yes, leaders can succeed with only surface relationships.  But, they can’t be transformative. 

Major change and transformation requires relationships that can hold up under any stress.  These types of relationships not only take a lot of work to build, but they require a lot of maintenance to keep going.  The upside to all this hard work is that these are the people who you can lean on when things get tough.  And, since you never know when things are going to get tough, it pays to build these deep relationships as often as you can.

We always need people to rely on, and rather than hit a stretch where we wonder why we don’t have people to come to our aid, why not take the time to build deep relationships so when the time comes, we will.

Quote-A-Day: Day 177

Regular paradigm shifts are necessary to help us realize that there is always more than one way to see something. #QuoteADay #Day177 #edchat

I’m sitting in a training right now for Obaworld, a new course development system that we’ll be using for our Online Courses for the 21^st Century program.  We’re moving to this platform from a number of years of using Blackboard. 

I used Blackboard for many years as both a teacher and an administrator.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the tool, but I got used to the structure and the design.  It wasn’t the best for students or teachers, but like so many things in life, we get used to them and just “do” them.

Moving into next year, we’re looking to change portals, because it is time, and it stands to be able to benefit everyone.

We decided to move to ObaWorld, a service that combines open source design with social media functioning.  In the first two hours of the training so far today, I’ve learned quite a bit, and already tend to like this tool a lot better than Blackboard.

An interesting piece about this process is that if we don’t put ourselves into situations where our paradigms change, and change regularly, we tend to get stuck in a rut, doing the same thing over and over again, without really understanding why.

In order for us to become stronger at reflecting, we need to have different experiences to compare to each other.  By shifting our paradigms, we can make sure that we are always learning and (hopefully) always getting better.  And, by always experiencing change, we can make sure that we never settle for the status quo.

Quote-A-Day: Day 176

That mountain might be just as high the second time, but remember, you've already climbed it once. #QuoteADay #Day176 #NeverGiveUp #edchat

While some challenges never seem to get any easier, no matter how many times we face them, we should take some solace in the fact that once we’ve already had experience with something, even if it doesn’t seem so, there are a number of benefits we need to realize.

First, simply by experiencing an issue multiple times, we get better at identifying the situation and better at responding to it.  Though dealing with loss (either physically or emotionally) may never be fun or easy, we can become more prepared for it.  Over time, we know what to expect, how to prepare ourselves and others, and how to move forward after the fact.

Second, in some cases, by climbing the mountain once before, we can decide whether to climb it again.  The data we’ve gained and the analysis we’ve done may tell us that we can’t afford to climb the mountain again, or that instead of climbing it, we can simply circle the base and get to where we need to go.

Finally, taking on the same challenge multiple times builds resolve and encourages reflection.  Life isn’t easy for anyone, and in the realm of education, life can be extremely hard.  Being resolute is a necessity for leaders and learners, and the only way to build that skill is through practice and perseverance.  In addition, one of the best ways for us to learn to reflect is by experiencing something more than once.  When we reflect on previous reflections, we actually become more effective at thinking back and making decisions.

Whether you decide to climb the mountain only once or fifty times, the sheer fact that you’ve done it once better prepares you to make decisions when faced with the challenge again.

Quote-A-Day: Day 175

Never underestimate the power of a simple #ThankYou. #QuoteADay #Day175 #edchat #edu #GiveThanks #Gratitude

Giving thanks is actually very easy to do, but it is amazing just how often we don’t take the time to do it. 

It isn’t because we don’t value the work people do, but often it is because we either “don’t have the time” or we think it is “silly” to regularly thank others for the work they do.

Of course, we’re wrong in holding both of these opinions.  In fact, we couldn’t be more wrong about the silliness aspect of saying “Thank You.”  Letting others know that you are thankful for the work they do goes a long way to building capacity and further cultivating a community.  It also does two very important things: It recognizes the fact that people are working just as hard as you are, and it also shows that you are aware of what is happening; a present leader is a present for those he/she works for.

In terms of the time piece, one things is for certain: We aren’t getting more free time.  But, in the grand scheme of things, a one minute “thank you” takes just one minute.  If we’re concerned that we don’t have the time to engage in a deep conversation, it is okay to say so.  Try something like this:

”Hi Jean.  I just wanted to stop by this morning to thank you for putting your students work up along the hallway by the cafeteria.  Yesterday I saw a whole bunch of students, teachers, and parents stopping to study it, and heard one parent remark: ‘This is truly amazing work by the fifth graders!’ I’m sorry I can’t chat with you more about this right now, but I would love if you could make an appointment with me for about fifteen minutes over the next few days so I can hear more about this.”

What does this do?  First, it shows that you make time for your staff and students.  Second, it acknowledges the time spent by your team to make the school more than just a place “to be.”  Finally, it puts control of the conversation in your hands, so you don’t have to feel rude by having to leave to go somewhere else.  You’ve also provided some context for Jean so she has a sense of how she should structure the meeting and how much time you hope to spend with her.

Saying “Thanks” isn’t just something that we can do.  It is something we must do if we hope to build a community that thrives on support and collaboration.

Quote-A-Day: Day 174

You can't be everything to everyone, but you can be something to everyone. #QuoteADay #Day174 #edchat #edu #MakeADifference

We can all make a difference, and that is the important thing. 

If we attempt to be everything to everyone, however, we’re in for a rude awakening.  Life is challenging enough as it is.  If we attempt to be everything to everybody, then we’re likely to be little and less to those who need us most.

Instead, we should do whatever we can to be a positive influence on all, even if it is on the small scale.

The fact of the matter is, we all need support.  And, support doesn’t have to be huge.  Instead, by doing a little bit for as many people as we can, we can pay it forward, thereby encouraging others to do the same.

Imagine if we built such capacity that everyone took whatever extra time they had to help others.  We would accomplish much more than if we simply tried to do everything for everyone.

There is only a finite amount of time in a day.  And, there is only a finite store of energy in each of us (though scientifically, that really isn’t true).

We need to do whatever we can to do something for everyone.  Remember, everyone includes each of us (and our families as well).  We always have to have a little reserve left for those who matter the most.

Quote-A-Day: Day 173

You can teach an old dog new tricks, as long as the tricks are ones the dog wants to learn.  #QuoteADay #Day173 #edchat #edu #KeepItRelevant

Old or young, new or old, fast or slow, proactive or reactive, it doesn't matter.

Regardless of where we are in our life cycle, we can always learn, and we have to, realistically.

The old adage of not being able to teach an old dog new tricks isn't really correct.  Old dogs can learn new tricks, as long as the tricks are what the dog wants to learn.

We can never underestimate the power of relevance, as regardless of one's age, or one's past experience as a learner, if the subject, the style, or the medium is relevant, then we can, and we will, learn about it.

Too often, relevance is left out of the schooling equation.  Sometimes it is because curriculum is being taught, rather than learners.  Other times it is because a teacher, or leader, doesn't know how to reach a learner or group of learners, and either doesn't know how to ask for help, or doesn't know who to ask.

Education has to be all about relevance.  If it doesn't matter to us as learners we tend to shut down and ignore it.  Or, in the best case scenario, we engage because we have to, but not because we really have any interest in doing so.

Contrast this to when something is relevant.  Oftentimes we can't get enough, clambering for the opportunity to go deeper and deeper down the learning rabbit hole.  All of our learning experiences must be like this, if for no other reason than it makes our learning more powerful, and makes us more likely to remember (and apply) what we've learned.

Remember that everyone can learn something new, but if it doesn't mean anything to the learner, then why would they want to, and why would we expect them to?

Quote-A-Day: Day 172

No matter the season, #leaders need to exhibit warmth, and do their best to reduce clouds+fog. #QuoteADay #Day172 #edchat #satchat #InSummer

Welcome to summer!  While summer is the time we often associate with warmth, lots of sunshine, and reflection and vacation, we need to remember that our communities look to us to exhibit all the sunshine and warmth that the summer brings, regardless of what actual season we're in.

Summer is a great analogy for a general view of successful leadership personality.  As leaders, we have to exhibit warmth and sunshine to our stakeholders, even if internally we're having a bad day or just heard frustrating news.  We have to remember that for many, we may be the guiding light that steers moods and emotions throughout the day, so we have to always put on both a happy and "ready to learn" face.

The same goes for warmth.  We have to be welcoming to all who enter our doors, making both new and old students, parents, community members, and businesses feel welcome at all times.  Our buildings and districts (or any organization we work in for that matter) must also be warm and feel, in many ways, like a home.

On the flip side, we have to reduce cloudiness and fog, by being as open, transparent, and clear as we can be.  Nothing sours the day like a poorly communicated message.  We are, after all, a species that thrives on creating and sharing messages.

Sure, there can be storms that come and go, and every leader and school system should be allowed to have multiple bad days (hey, that's life, right?).  But, the best leaders operate like every season is summer, helping all learners they serve to bask in the warmth of learning every day.

Quote-A-Day: Day 171

Nothing wrong with wearing your #heart on your sleeve, as long as you put it back in your chest from time-to-time.#QuoteADay #Day171 #edchat

As leaders, learners, and heck, as people, we need to be emotional.  Showing our emotions is something that keeps us human, and allows us to better get to know our community and ourselves.

Those we work and live with need to see us be emotional from time-to-time.  We have to exhibit a range of emotions that convey to others that we are no different from them.

However, being a leader requires some emotional restraint.  While we should comfortably wear our hearts on our sleeves, we have to remember to put them back in our chest form time-to-time. 

Leaders are expected to be both emotional and emotionless, depending on the time and the situation.  We need to be able to exhibit joy, sorrow, pleasure, and pain, while at the same time remaining stoic when the situation requires it.

This isn’t easy, as a fairly emotional person such as myself will tell you.  That being said, I’ve learned to regulate my emotions to fit the scenario at hand, if for no other reason than to make sure I don’t add to the stress that my community feels.

What about those situations where our bodies tell us we need to be emotional, but our minds implore us to regulate ourselves?  In those situations, I tend to allow my emotions to be released in another location. 

Maybe I vent about what took place with my wife, maybe I watch a movie with my older daughter, maybe I go for a run, maybe I meet up with a friend for a drink, or maybe I work outside around the house.  These are just a few of the steps I’ve found help me to keep my emotions steady, without having to bottle up additional stress.

Humans are emotional organisms, and an important part of building a community requires the exhibition of emotions.  That being said, leaders need to understand that we can’t be emotional (at least on the surface) all the time.  The stakeholders we work with need us both to cry with them, and serve as a shoulder for them to cry on.

Quote-A-Day: Day 170

Reaching every #learner can't be just a goal. It has to be a way of life. #QuoteADay #Day170 #edchat #edu #edreform #LearningForAll

We all would agree that an aspirational goal, a goal that drives the other work we do, is to be able to reach all learners.

The “all” is key, as it isn’t just about your student learners.  Your adult learners are just as important to setting the tone and building the culture of the school.

With a goal this important, it makes sense to emphasize the fact that this “goal” in particular must be more than just “a goal.”

In reality, reaching all learners needs to be a life mantra, a cause that we strive for beyond our classroom, beyond our building, beyond our district or organization.

In everything that we do, in every way we do it, we must live by these three words:

“Reach Every Learner”

Now, what happens if even in the best of cases, we can’t quite reach every learner?

Then we must ask ourselves a series of questions:

1.        Could we reach the learner if we gave more of ourselves?

2.       Could someone else reach the learner because they bring something we don’t or cannot?

3.       Could a different set of resources (different placement, different learning materials, different daily “structure?”) help the learner be better reached?

4.       Is there something the student is trying to tell us that we aren’t hearing?

These questions are all important, as they provide an additional means to assessing why we haven’t successfully reached every learner.

Even in situations when we can’t reach all learners, asking ourselves these questions at least allows us to get some closure, and still has the potential to end up helping the situation.

There are some ideas that are larger than goals, and instead, need to be looked at as mantras for life.  The idea of reaching all learners is one that we all need to put on a pedestal.  

Quote-A-Day: Day 169

The best #leaders do things for people, not to them. #QuoteADay #Day169 #edchat #edu #LeadWell

One of my realizations (both working for leaders and serving as one) has been that all of our actions should be about doing things FOR people, rather than TO them.

This is an important realization, as at times, leaders may see themselves as the means to an end, rather than a step towards a means to an end. 

Being directive certainly has its place in organizations, but it can’t be the only place that a leader goes to.

When people have things done to them, they begin to feel as if they have no say in the matter, and that their opportunity to take the lead or complete a task does not exist.  When we do things to people, we also tend to make it personal, whether we mean to or not. 

Doing something to somebody makes it all about the person-to-person interaction, something that the best leaders know is the key to success.  If we pull too tightly on the strings of relationships too often, they’re bound to break.

However, when we do things for others, we act in a selfless way.  Our goal is to help (rather than to punish, as doing things to someone can fell like), and while there are times when help isn’t wanted, we do all require help from time-to-time.

The goal for leaders is to determine how best to do things for people, and that is where knowing your community comes into play.

Some community members are comfortable with outward displays of assistance, others would prefer if that helping hand stays veiled.  The only way to tell is by learning first, and leading second.

Regardless, the difference between “to” and “for” is extremely important.  By focusing on the “for” we can still provide aid when needed, without taking the wheel out of the hands of those who need to learn how to drive.

Quote-A-Day: Day 168

The best step a new #leader can take is to sit back and #observe. #QuoteADay #Day168 #edchat #edu #SlowAndSteady

At times, leaders new to a position want to make a name for themselves.  It is quite common to think that a new role as an organizational leader is a “free pass” to beginning to make change.

Of course, as we know, nothing is ever that simple.  New leaders may be hired for what they will bring to an organization, but rarely is the organization ready for them to “bring it” immediately.

One of the most important parts about change is the capacity building that comes along with it.  While some change simply “happens,” the best change scenarios occur when leaders have braced and prepared the community for the modifications that are in store.

This means that leaders need to understand their community if they hope to be able to build a bridge from the present to the future.

This work starts when a new leader takes time to simply observe.  Getting a sense of the health of the community, what is going well, and what is not, are all important parts of an action plan for change.  The best leaders don’t force change right away.  Instead, they wait until they have gained enough knowledge to help change grow.

If you’re embarking on a new role this coming year, make sure you remind yourself to take it slow and look, listen, and learn, before you push for change.  While smooth sailing isn’t always what we experience, it’s made a lot easier when we aren’t making waves.

Quote-A-Day: Day 167

The key difference between "good" and "great" is a desire to keep getting better, whatever the cost . #QuoteADay #Day167 #edchat #edu

There is a big difference between being “good” at something, and being “great” at it.  But, the difference isn’t necessarily in a skill set, or even an aptitude.

Rather, the difference is in desire, and a desire to keep improving, no matter what.

Those leaders and learners, who are truly great, recognize that the only way to reach greatness isn’t to achieve a goal or hit a benchmark, but rather, to understand that one’s work is never done, and to be as successful as possible, we must always keep getting better.

There are a few ways to make sure that we always keep our eyes on greatness and constant improvement.  

Here are two:

1.        Never take an answer as the final word.  Learning never stops, and therefore even if we feel we have solved a problem or answered a question, we need to consider what other questions (or problems) might arise from what we have learned.

2.       Explore ideas as soon as they arise.  We know there is never enough time.  So, when a new idea raises its head, we should really consider it, as the time may not come again.  This allows us to keep learning, and never get stymied by old topics that never seem to go away.

Getting better is a process that is never fully realized.  We keep working towards the goal, but it should never be a goal we expect to reach.  That in itself is comforting, as we can understand that “greatness” is aspirational, and not expected.

Quote-A-Day: Day 166

A #father knows that the best way to raise a family is to #lead when needed, and #learn, always. #ThanksDad #QuoteADay #Day166 #edchat #edu

Parenting is a tough job.  Whether you're a mother, father, or a parent figure for someone, you know that some days serving in that capacity is tougher than any responsibility you might face while at work.

However, every day, while serving in a parent capacity, is the most important day in your life.

One of the lessons I learned from my dad (which I hope my two girls learn from me) is that the best parenting one can do is to serve as a leader when necessary, and to serve as a learner, always.

We don't know how our kids will "turn out."  We never know which pathways they'll take.  But, it is within our locus of control to help them see the best possible options that life provides, and then keep our fingers crossed that what we've tried to show them will help them become the best possible people they can be.

As I write this, my two daughters are playing with each other in the living room (my four year old is trying to show our eight month old how to play a toy instrument).  This is bliss, and exactly what parenting, and being a family, is all about.

My only hope is that twenty years from now, when I contemplate this blog (if blogs even still exist), I'll be able to look back on the shared decision-making we've done as a family and say to myself, "Things couldn't have gone any better."

I wish the same for you!

Happy Father's Day.

Quote-A-Day: Day 165

If we lose our sense of #humor, we lose our sense of #humanity. #QuoteADay #Day165 #edchat #edu #LaughLots

Humanity only "works" when we remember that we can't take ourselves too seriously.  Yes, our work is very important, and yes, education is not a joke.

That being said, humor is a necessity in leadership and learning, not just a trait to possibly have or that's "a nice supplement."  Leaders and learners who are comfortable laughing are leaders and learners who understand their humanity and the humanity of others.

When we work in fields that are relationship-based, we have to remember to include a little fun in all that we do.  Sometimes that is irreverent fun and "jokester" type activity.  At other points it is fun with a true purpose and deep goal in mind.

Regardless, we can be more successful and build deeper relationships when we have a little fun, be a little funny, and let the world make a little fun of us.

If there is anything this world needs, it is more humanity, and if there is anything that can make us seem more human, it is laughing so hard that you cry.

So laugh lots, and always put a little humor into everything you do.

Quote-A-Day: 164

You'll always #think you can do less than you can. At times, we must stop thinking and just do! #QuoteADay #Day164 #edchat #edu #TakeAction

It is true that our worst enemies aren’t out and about.  Instead, our worst enemies, are ourselves.

Though our brains are what allow us to learn and lead, they are also what prevent us from taking positive risks and making the most of every moment.

One thing I’ve learned about life so far is that I will always think I’m capable of doing less than I really am.  In fact, I take umbrage with the old adage that “You can do anything you put your mind to.”

In fact, I would amend it to “You can do anything that you take your mind off.”  In reality, we tend to overthink the decisions that we make, and tend to convince ourselves that we are less capable than we really are (and that others often know we are capable of already).

So, from time-to-time, it pays to just stop thinking and take action. 

Now, we can’t live by this mantra at all times (or I can’t, anyway).  But, it is empowering to take action, leaving any doubt or uncertainty floating around in our heads to gather cobwebs.

Since there is nothing to fear from failure, we just have to remind ourselves to act.  Once we’re engrossed in action, it becomes much harder to look back, knowing that whatever we are doing, we need to see it through to completion; we can (and should) always reflect afterwards.

What’s great about adopting this frame of sidestepping thought and embracing action (at least form time-to-time) is that it is incredibly freeing.  We let our actions speak, we ignore the protestations of our brains, and we just.

DO.

The calm we feel after we’ve achieved something in this mindset is to be cherished and enjoyed.  Then, it’s time to flip back on our “thinking switch,” let our brain take over, and get back into the business of overthinking things. J