Lesson Learned from Visiting the Dentist

I remember my dad telling me a story one evening about a recent visit to the dentist. “I was in the waiting room for 15 minutes when his secretary popped her head out in the waiting room and said, ‘Would you mind waiting another 10 minutes or so?’ Absolutely not!  I said.  My time is just as valuable as his.”  Seconds later, his dentist came sprinting out of his office as if he’d been chased by a pack of crazed wolves. “John,” he said.  “So sorry to keep you waiting.  Follow me.”  

My dad was teaching me how to protect my time. His little hiccup at the dentist's office also taught me you can only protect your time if you value it.

The 5-Second Rule

What a difference 3 weeks can make. One of the biggest reservations I had about teaching this summer was having to have what are called, "Desk Talks" with students. It refers to when a teacher needs to speak one-on-one with a student disrupting a class.

I was also a bit reluctant to speak to parents about possible behavioral or academic setbacks their children might be having. I associated both responsibilities as confrontational and wanted to avoid both at all costs.

But a funny thing started to happen the more I taught. I gradually fell into a groove, took command of my classroom more and more each week, and didn't hesitate when an issue needed to be addressed. I implemented what is called, "The 5-second rule."

The idea is simple. When you know there is something you should do, but your mind alerts you of the danger and gradually persuades you to steer clear you go to the fear anyway. The longer you wait the less likely you'll address the problem. If it helps, you can even count to yourself.

Just remember not to wait. GO. TO. THE. FEAR. 

Speed Up Your Recovery Time

The single greatest gift being an actor has given me is teaching me to have absolutely zero fear of failure. I wish everyone could be in the entertainment industry for this reason alone. Unfortunately, I still see far too many people crippled by the thought of failure to even begin. 

Strange as it may sound, getting good at failure, or rather accepting failure, is like any endeavor. The more you practice the better you get at it. In time, you'll learn to appreciate that failure is an integral part of success and both need one another in order to exist. 

So how do you get better at accepting failure? Simple. Constantly put yourself out there. Whether you want to ask someone out, submit a film to a festival, or audition for a play you don't seem "right" for it takes a sustained effort.

Once you hear the word, "no" enough times something remarkable slowly takes shape. You stop taking it personally. Instead, you take failure in stride, and most importantly, move on to the next best thing. 

With enough practice the time between each setback and moving forward speeds up, you take less time to dust yourself off, return from your hibernation, and just keep moving. 

So fail fast. Fail often. And get back up quicker and quicker each time. 

Lessons Through a Webcam

This afternoon my 4-week teacher training came to a close. Strangely, it was a bit emotional. For nearly a month 35 soon-to-be instructors stared through a webcam, yet managed to construct a sense of community.  

Many of my classmates will go on to graduate school and pursue careers in teaching full-time. For others this position will merely be a summer job, something to pay the bills in the middle of a transition. But we all share a love of reading, stories, and spirit for sharing that very passion.

Our instructor ended our final session by telling us how much the work meant to her, which had a profound influence on me. I sensed how important her time at this institution was and immediately decided I would do anything not to disappoint her. But most importantly the students deserve our very best.

What I learned today was well-worth the 4 weeks and perhaps the most poignant lesson of all:

Always show up. Always go to the fear. Always do what you can.

Priority & Poise

My schedule just had a wrench thrown in it. I'm excited to be teaching this summer but it's already left far less time for me to pursue my creative endeavors. But there may be a silver lining in all of this.

After a very long day of teacher training, I discovered I still have the time to follow through on projects of value. I just need to do two things:

1. Prioritize
2. Keep my poise

When we say we don't have time for something what we're really saying is it's not a priority. You'll move mountains to get something done if it's important enough to you. We do it every day.

Glaring at an endless to-do list can be daunting but the more we keep our poise and gradually chip away at each task, a funny thing starts to happen - it gets done. 

Conversely, when we look at the list as a whole it's easy to get overwhelmed. As a result, we often throw in the towel without even trying.

But when you break it all up into small pieces with a heightened sense of focus on each task your confidence builds and you start to see the finish line. Just don't look up too soon.

The Benefits of Reading Stories

I'm getting ready for a summer teaching job. In a few weeks I'll go through roughly 120 hours of training all in an effort to give me the tools to teach kids ages 4 - 17 how to fall in love with reading. I'm looking forward to the skills and techniques I'll be taught because I believe I'll be able to use them in other arenas of my life.

I spent a great deal of my time reading biographies, self-development and entrepreneur books, that I sometimes forget that fiction expands your imagination in remarkable ways. 

But what I've learned by reading the required books, The Cricket in Times Square, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Lord of the Rings is falling in love with fictional stories has many benefits. 

You learn to think critically, identify broad themes, and take solace in knowing you're not alone. Storytelling is the oldest form of cultivating community. And as readers, we have the opportunity to focus on our shared bond as creators, adventurers, and dreamers. 

Three things you're never too old to be.

The Benefits of Patience

For some, there are no two words more maddening than, "Be patient." We want what we want when we want it.

Still, though those two words are not sexy and seldom offer comfort, I have found them beneficial for a number of reasons:

-  Being patient strengthens your "Why" for doing something. If you're willing to pursue a dream, goal, or passion despite setbacks and waiting years on end to see it realized, you are gradually eliminating the extrinsic values that may be associated with achieving such a feat. What's more, the people whose "Why" was never strong to begin with start to quit.

-  Being patient can build character. There's integrity in seeing a project through from beginning to end without cutting corners or believing your success needs to come at the expense of another's failure. There is a way for your to win the right way. Gaining something quickly often diminishes that likelihood.

-  Finally, achieving something of value through smart approach, hard work, and patience means you'll value it more once you attain it. What's more, you'll be able to pass on what you know to someone else. There a fewer rewards greater than teaching what you know.

Be Patient.