Inspiration for me lately has come from Seth Godin’s book, Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?
Usually, I devour a book, plowing through four hundred or more pages in a few days, a week, tops. But this one, a mere 244 pages, I savored, drinking in words, ideas, inspiration and wisdom. In fact, I have been reading this book, off-and-on, for a few months.
The general premise is that in a world full of cogs, we need to find a place to be unique. We need to recognize how we can be different, and share that as a work of art. It’s in the sharing of ideas and insight that we can build a network of similar individuals.
In my tiny Canadian province there are 31 high schools. One of my friends in Toronto remarked that there are more high schools in one single school district in Toronto than in our entire province. And indeed, we are a small population. In an area the size of Ireland, we have the population of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Not every high school in New Brunswick offers a course in media studies, but I have tried to search out those teachers who do, and make some connections. I’ve shared ideas and resources with my provincial media studies colleagues via email links, at least 3 times each week since September. Occasionally, I hear back from some of these colleagues, but I have not heard at all from those few who are the closest to me, geographically. Someone who teaches down the hall never comments on the gifts of resources she gets. Someone across town never says a word.
“And what do you do when your art doesn’t work?” writes Seth Godin. “What happens when the conversation doesn’t happen, the product doesn’t sell, the consumer is not delighted…and people aren’t moved?”
The solution, Godin writes, is to “make more art. It’s the only choice, isn’t it? Give more gifts. Learn from what you do, and then do more.”
The alternative, he writes, is to give up and become an old-school cog.
It is hard to be an inspiration. I am discouraged I have not stirred up more passion, more ideas, more sharing.
Am I stopping my networking and sharing?
NO.
Welcome to 2012. Welcome to the year of the Dragon. According to Chinese mythology, the Dragon is the sign of power, inspiration, passion.
It could not have come at a better time.
After I wrote this, and grumbled to myself for a while about not being appreciated for the small things I do for some people, I thought about the times I might not have sent thanks back to the people who do nice things for me on a regular basis. So I am saying it now. Many thanks. Sorry to be so long is saying so. Many thanks.
Posted by Mr Media | January 24, 2012, 3:26 pmUsually I don’t read post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to check out and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thank you, very nice post.
Posted by Minda Hoskins | February 2, 2012, 8:18 pm