Quote-A-Day: Day 366 :)

If you want to get better at something, you can never allow yourself to run away from it. #QuoteADay #Day366 #edchat #edu #satchat #NYedchat

Over the course of the last year I’ve thought a lot about what it means to “get better” at something.  Not just continue spinning the wheels, mind you, but to really get better.

This year was an experiment in that.  Would pushing myself to write a blog post every day make me a more experienced writer?

A deeper thinker?

A more effective leader/learner?

A better person?

While I would like to think the answer to all of these is “yes,” I also understand that answers rarely come when we want them to, and they rarely come in the form that we most expect.  Maybe I’m a better writer, and maybe this will help me to reach a dream of eventually writing a book on leadership in education. 

But maybe, it won’t.

Instead, maybe I’ll write a book, but it will be a work of historical fiction, or a children’s book (certainly illustrated by someone else; my artistic skills have not improved this year J).  That’s the funny thing about the future.  We never know what it will bring.

Regardless of how, when, or if answers to those questions ever come, one thing I do know definitely is that I’ve reflected regularly and learned lots, especially about myself.

When I began this process, there was doubt that I would have it in me to come up with 365 different “quotes” and blog posts to capture what they mean.  But, if there is one overarching idea this whole experience has taught me, it is that if we want to become better at something, we can never allow ourselves to run from it.  Even on the worst days this year, when I was sick and couldn’t get out of bed, I still found ways of getting to my goal of completing a #QuoteADay post, each and every day.

The learning/leadership value in this process is simple to see: Every initiative is reachable; we just need to be willing to put the time and effort into constantly striving for it.

What’s next for me?  What goals will I set for myself in 2015?  I plan to write more, that’s for sure, but beyond that, I’m happy to say “Who Knows?”

Because you know what?  I’m confident that after reaching my writing goal this year, there isn’t much that I can’t accomplish.  365 days of staying a course in which I was only accountable to myself is enough to make me say, “Yeah, I can do that” (“that” being just about anything).

Thanks to all who played a part, read these posts, and provided support and constructive criticism.  You all helped me reach this benchmark, and I’m happy to return the favor in any way I can.  J