Strong VS Weak
We believe it’s the nature of all kids to want to be strong at everything and weak at nothing. In other words, you’ll meet plenty of kids these days who are proud of “being bad.” But you won’t meet any who are proud of “being weak” at anything.

We believe that given the right conditions, almost all kids NATURALLY become a little stronger mentally, spiritually, and physically every day, every week, every month, and every year. And if those strength gains are documented and celebrated publicly, in front of family and friends, these students will soon learn to expect success instead of failure.

Returns on Their Investments
They’ll also learn that there’s a payoff, a return on their investment of time and effort, and that with persistence they can tackle difficult tasks one bite at a time, and expect to succeed in almost anything. You see most kids never learn this lesson and inevitably fall far short of fulfilling their true potential.

Opportunity VS Obligation
We believe that anything presented as an opportunity (you get to do it) will become more highly valued than anything presented as an obligation (you have to do it). So if  presented as an opportunity, education (growing stronger at everything) becomes highly valued and this motivates kids to want to participate. On the other hand when something is mandated and students are obligated to participate, it undermines any genuine motivation, and encourages failure to become the proverbial self fulfilling prophecy.

Systematically Undermining Motivation and Self Confidence
Finally we believe that kids come to school at various levels of maturity and development, and to require them to compete against each other at a young age is a sure fire way to de-motivate the highest percentage of them who, for all kinds of silly reasons, are variously labeled average, below average, or much worse, by a system that seems unwittingly determined to undermine the very kids it wants to support.

Creating the Self Fulfilling Prophecy
Along with bursting their young motivational bubbles, the system simultaneously strips many kids of the self confidence necessary to tackle new challenges and to grow stronger in all kinds of ways. In other words, when motivation and self confidence are systematically undermined, students stop trying. And when they stop trying, failure automatically steps in and becomes the self fulfilling prophecy mentioned above.

The Price of Being Cool
Then again when their failure is inevitably paraded in front of family and friends, these kids are prepared with the ready made excuse, “I didn’t try.” You see when you try hard in public, you risk being humiliated…the opposite of being cool. That’s a price many kids are unwilling to pay.

The Natural Antidote
The antidote to this dilemma is to simply compare Johnny in week one to Johnny in week two, Johnny in month one to Johnny in month two, Johnny in year one to Johnny in year two. In other words, help Johnny compete with Johnny, not with his friends. Make sure to celebrate Johnny’s progress publicly (a simple high five works great), then stand back and watch his winning attitude unfold like a beautiful flower before your very eyes. With this simple strategy you’ll strengthen Johnny’s self confidence, constantly reignite his motivational flame, and transform the self fulfilling prophecy of failure into self fulfilling prophecy of success.

Fulfilling Our Own Potential
At this school it is our challenge and our privilege, as professional educators, to create the conditions in which all our kids will grow stronger at everything, more confident in themselves, and more capable of taking personal responsibility for their own actions, decisions, and their own lives. To the degree we succeed, we will fulfill our own personal potentials. Carpe diem.

Strong at Everything, Weak at Nothing…

Operation Pull Your Own Weight

The 4 Goals 

• To compete with yourself instead of others
• To be stronger this week than last week
• To be stronger this month than last month
• To be stronger this year than last year 

The 7 Strength Generating Habits

1. Workout regularly
2. Eat right
3. Get sufficient rest
4. Avoid tobacco
5. Avoid alcohol
6. Avoid drugs
7. Take responsibility for doing these things because nobody else can do them for you

The One Final Challenge

Once the seven habits are incorporated into your own life, teach two other people to do the same. You'll be amazed at how much stronger meeting this challenge makes YOU feel.