About four years or so ago I decided to do some more study. I'd been working full time for fourteen years and I'd come home to be a SAHM. I thought it might be a good time to reinvent myself. I've already got a couple of degrees in the whole office management/people management side of things, but for some reason (possibly boredom) I decided to study to become a teacher. Because I already had the other academic feathers in my cap, the university talked me into doing a Masters of Teaching (Primary).
Yeah well, that lasted a whole semester. I quickly realised that teaching wasn't really my life's purpose. I admire teachers and I applaud them, but for me to fulfill my legacy I couldn't be one teacher, in one school, in one town, in one country. I needed to do something different. My life's work was not as a teacher. So I quit.
BUT
Not before learning something very valuable which has stuck with me to this day. My maths lecturer gave me two pieces of wisdom which I carry with me everywhere:
- You can be a friendly teacher, but not a teacher friend (I often replace the word "teacher" with "coach", "supervisor", "manager"), and
- Failing to plan, is planning to fail.
It is number two that I am focusing on today. As I gear up for the big trip to New York* I am getting increasingly antsy about being 100% ready for what awaits us. Unfortunately though much of what I need relies on the actions of others. I cannot manage the workload of others. I can sure try, but in the end I can simply coordinate and encourage and let others do what they need to do. But I can manage myself.
Good self management puts ME in control.
It's that simple.
*Derek and I are taking Cheer Chick Charlie to the USA to introduce the books and the concept to our American counterparts. We are very excited, but also very nervous. A lot is riding on this trip.
I hope your planning is going well. Enjoy your trip introducing Cheer Chick Charlie to the world.
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