The Audacious Act of Educating
a series on fulfilling a purpose
verse one, the intro
Every so often his eyelids would flicker, and slightly open, before collapsing under the weight of pure exhaustion. We were deep into it, and the mental anguish, the mind-numbing boredom was just too much.
We tried everything those first few days.
Unhealthy amounts of Mountain Dew. Huge batches of commissary-bought Folgers. And as desperation called, we resorted to pushups and jumping jacks, even blasting the air conditioner, just to trick the brain, and be somewhat awake.
We were classmates together for a two-week training course, and the sessions seemed to repeat themselves, one massive deck after another. Physically, we were secluded in a vault, but our minds were in far worse shape.
Some might have called the problem insignificant, given the privilege of this world class training opportunity. We honestly saw it as misery; and ultimately, we weren’t learning a thing.
It’s been a number of years, but those two weeks remain a daily reminder of a purpose far greater than training itself. In many ways, I’ve come to realize how formative and invaluable that experience really was. And, though I wasn’t privy to sharing my opinions, I always knew there were better ways to learn, believing I’d eventually further the cause.
At the time, having no control over required training practices, I started on a path to build the best slides, to become the most engaging presenter possible. I began reading books and emulating great instructors, mindful of transitions and animations, text boxes and font sizes. All the while, I remained captivated by the profound nature of the problem, one that required a paradigm shift more so than a refined set of techniques.
Of course, there had to be more. At some point, there had to be a transcendence into modern training techniques, a philosophy of empowerment and servant leadership, combined with the desire to generously share knowledge. Today, as the stars have aligned, the time’s come to execute and breathe life into this new, audacious art form.
Alongside a uniquely talented and worldly team, I’m working to bridge the knowledge gap, and in the process, help reinvent the educational paradigm. Devoted to empowering individuals from all walks of life, we’re working on big ideas that scale learning. The more bridges we build, the narrower the knowledge gap becomes. To the point where everyone feels comfortable and confident taking their own intellectual leap.
While paying homage to the philosophers and thinkers of the past, we’re intent on moving forward, creating modern learning opportunities with non-traditional approaches to content. The time has come.
And so we begin.
P.S. If you wake up with a desire to disrupt the status quo and change the world, please go on to read Verse 2, and share with others as we continue learning more about one another, one story at a time.
