Growing up an ice hockey player you were taught from a young age to always keep your head up. In a high speed contact sport where having your head down would risk being knocked hard flat on your back it was an important lesson… Learned the hard way on more than one occasion!
As I progressed through my career I would often be asked how the puck always seemed to find its way to my stick. At the time I probably didn’t answer the question in the way I would now, but the answer seems clear; I kept my head up and I didn’t stop moving my feet.
By reading the game and always moving I was able to adjust my angles ever so slightly in order to give me the best chance of ending up with the puck on my stick. Other times I would be able to manipulate a situation simply by keeping my feet moving without even touching the puck, influencing a play by my presence alone.
What has this got to do with teaching, or any other profession for that matter? Over time I have been able to see the answer is actually, a lot.
If you take this analogy into your everyday life the task becomes clear, work smarter to always put yourself in a position to make an impact. That impact will be different depending on where you are in your career and what your goals are, but the principle is the same for everyone.
Give yourself the best chance for success by always being present and in the moment, say yes to things and tackle your challenges head on with a positive outlook, look forward to what opportunities could arise from a situation rather than be worried or angry that you are ‘having’ to take on a new task. And don’t forget, even if you’re not leading on a project your presence alone can have a huge impact on the outcome!
You never know at the time if the decision you are making is going to be the right one, but by getting stuck into different or challenging situations you never know what the outcome could lead to.
So… Don’t be caught with your head down and your feet still when that amazing opportunity next comes ‘a’ knocking.
Schools' Active Community Coach 