Ever wonder what would have changed in your life if you knew at a young age that your future would be an every changing road map. That nothing was guaranteed. And I mean from 10,11,12 years old. Who is ready for that? NO ONE! And do you know why? Because no one prepares children for the amount of changes they go through at early ages (and boy are there a lot) No one thinks children can comprehend "“curveballs" in life and be able to develop engines to change them ((because as adults we are just so damn good at it—HA!) No one gives children the tools to RESPOND to change- instead they react to it. Instead children make mistakes, they scar their self confidence, drive and strength. They fumble and flounder and live out their "life lessons" as a result of scattered direction and adults chalk it up to immaturity. As adults, we don’t provide our children with vision, cognitive knowledge, mindfulness and control. We just judge what we think to be right based on our experiences. But we never base them on our childrens experiences….why?
We are given a blueprint- a linear path to "“succeed" in life- a waterfall model if you will. Traditionally that looks like this. You go to school which is distinguished into phases depending on a standard developed by people that don’t know the individuality of children-cutouts, replicated and labeled under "“adolescent " . All of your requirements are laid out in front of you-the schedule, scope, cost. You are granted little deviation to the script and then when you are done, are expected to be primed and marketable. Then life is simple- collage, job, marriage, kids, retire, golf course. Easy right? There are more problems with this than I can count! This is what I believed in my youth. That there was no variability in my course of growth.
First, I want to explain to you my story and how this blind faith of absolutes led me to place of darkness coveted by a smile and need for achievement and belonging. But this story does not have a sad ending. It revealed my super power and because of it, I vowed that I would build a program that would never allow for a child to believe that their life has to be a blueprint someone else designs for them. That stemming from the basic principles of leadership skills at a FRESHMAN level, would catapult their self image, self respect and self confidence and self control.
