Understanding Your Why

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

One of the most important pieces of leadership is being able to identify your "why".  What is your purpose for what you do each day?  This purpose is more than just a response that you share with others.  It is your aspiration, your motivation, your drive for every decision that you make each and every day.  Before you can truly be an effective teacher, colleague, and leader, being able to identify your why, living and breathing your why, is absolutely critical.  This is the piece of you that motivates you when challenges become overwhelming.  This is the piece of you that pushes you to reflect and grow.  This is the piece of you that makes you smile when you remind yourself of why you decided to go into your profession.  It is the heart of you.

I believe your why can change with experience, application, reflection, and circumstance.  It evolves because you are being shaped every day by your encounters with others that enable you to refine your beliefs and core values.  I know that my why has strengthened over the years because of the students I have met, the leaders who have influenced me, and the communities in which I have served.

Identifying my why for wanting to become a teacher began in high school.   I was fortunate enough to have wonderful education experiences growing up.  Because of those experiences I decided that the very best role model a child could have in their life (besides their parents) was their teacher.  I knew that I wanted to be someone my students could count on and look up to.  I wanted to be that example of someone in their life that they felt was the prime example of a great teacher.

Over the years, I have used Dr. King's quote to motivate me to stay true to who I have wanted to be for my students as a teacher and an administrator.  I chose to work back in the community that gave me so many wonderful experiences because I believe that our students deserve the same and even better.  Berwyn has its share of challenges and keeping my why of being the very best role model for my students has kept me focused on the experiences I want to give them every day when they walk through the doors of my school.

I have recently shared my why with other leaders in my building and in our district and they too have shared theirs with me.  Understanding a person's why strengthens your empathy for others and your ability to work towards common goals.  If you have not done so yet, I would encourage you to take a few minutes to jot down your why in a Sketchnote, on a Post-it, or even in an email to yourself, and keep it handy for rainy days when you are lost in the whirlwind of a school year and need a reminder of your purpose, your aspiration, your drive.