It's my pleasure to bring you this awesome interview all about motivation, health, diet and exercise featuring Alicia Hurps our school's Exercise Science Sports Medicine instructor. We get deep into the weeds of all these topics and hear Alicia's answers to my silly happy fun time questions. Please enjoy!
It has taken me 2 years to figure this out, but I finally have an answer to how the pandemic has changed current students. I believe this is profound and once you understand my chat bubble theory, you'll see evidence of it every time you interact with teenagers. Joining me on this episode is return guests, Kim Tatman and Shannon Kenily. If you can listen until you understand the first 20 min of this episode you'll be way better interacting with kids today and you'll stop thinking they are "different." Please take time to pay attention to this. It might be my most important work to date.
I put three questions from high school students together into this episode that addresses the issue of not letting friends drag you under. The questions are Should I make decisions to better myself or to make others feel good about themselves, can my happiness determine my success, and Is cutting off negative people in your life a normal thing?
In an activity at the beginning of the new year, I asked students to list their classes and the grades they'd like to receive in those classes. Then I asked them to write three things they could do to earn that grade. I compiled their answers and picked the top 5. In this podcast, you'll also learn what makes a gray goal and how to turn these goals into clear black and white goals. After almost 30 years of teaching, I'm confident if students did these 5 things, it would almost guarantee an A. Can you guess what they are?
Should students use calculators? When should they use calculators? Do they over-rely on calculators? Do we teach math right? Find out how math should be taught like martial arts. It's the perfect system.
Here are several questions from actual high school students. How do you get unstuck when you are in a rut and feel like you can't complete a project? The answer to that one is between the answers. Enjoy!
It's back to school time
2020 - pandemic started - heard about a school that had a graduation for the 2020 students. Good on them.
2021 - The mask year
2022- the normal year filled with learning gaps, online/in-person teaching, and quarantines
2023 - Let's call this one back to normal. - so what do we need to do
The 3 most important things teachers should do this year
Life is rough no doubt about it. Sometimes it's really, really bad. I don't want to downplay how bad someone may have it but many times though our perspective gets off and our imagination takes over making life seem way worse than it really is. Is your perspective off? Come with me in this episode and lets explore our perspectives.
This is the manual and pretty much the exact speech I gave my classes on how to work in groups of 3 and 4. If you get this wrong you have nothing but a big waste of time. Students struggle with group work - this will help.
S3|EP 4 Red alert show - What do I do when I stop caring about school? It's so easy to get behind, let it pile up, lose motivation, and feel like you can't catch up. Then you can reach the point of saying that it's not even worth it. This is a warning light. This episode is your game plan to reset your brain and motivation, and get on top of things instead of under them.
When you feel things are not worth it, you may be trying to please others and giving but getting nothing or not as much as you’d like in return.
It’s ok to be focusing on yourself when you are in high school. In fact, I’d highly recommend it.
The internet will tell you to simply say you are worth it every morning and you should do that but does it help? Is it a cure? What is the fix for this?
You are behind and it’s piling up on you and now that you’re trying to get out from under it more piles on you. This can make you feel like it’s not worth it for sure.
How do you fix this?
Your motivation has now gone to zero
Always remember motivation comes from doing, and I mean starting with very simple things to get traction.
The joy of a brain dump
I want you to do this today.
Do you have goals or even tasks written on paper right now?
The mind is not meant to hold information
David Allen in the book Getting things done - says the mind is only meant to be creative and solve problems. It’s not meant to remember everything.
If you are trying to hold all the information in your head - you must be stressed out to the max.
Be present with what you are doing.
Trying to multitask is killing your productivity.
Remember productivity is like football - One play at a time.
If you have earbuds in your ears when you are trying to learn something else you are not being present and it’s part of what’s stressing you out. I’m not talking about listening to music when you wash dishes or do a chore like that.
Concern yourself with your future. These next few months are extremely important.
The friends you make, the future contacts with your teachers are valuable, and this is when you should be setting some kind of aim for your life.
Remember school is to help you see enough to aim at what you want in life.
I’m convinced that 30 years of your life can fly by on a path you don’t want if you are unmotivated your senior year.
Sure you can change, but it’s easier to put the train on the track now.
Remember you can do it - you can.
I’d recommend listening to “A graduation speech I would want to hear” S2 EP 38.
Respect is the hardest thing to gain quickly and the easiest thing to lose quickly. Why do we respect some people and not others? Do the things in this podcast and you'll most definitely build quality respect with people.
No one likes to be told no. No one likes telling other people no, especially your own kids. However, being told no and learning to tell others no may be what the world needs most right now. Let's take a journey together with this podcast episode and find out the 7 benefits of telling someone NO. I'd love to know what you think about this episode. If you like it please consider giving me a 5-star review on Apple podcasts or a written review. Feel free to contact me with questions at our website tapodcast.net.
Welcome to Season 3! Some of the seven involve working with each other, some involve working on yourself. None of which are easy. The hell with easy. We can make this coming year better than the last two. Here are seven things that you can do immediately, that I believe will help. Take a breath, have a sip of coffee, and enjoy the season opener. Crank it up.
Don’t join team MSNBC or team FOX.
Separate facts and what actually happened from people’s opinions about what happened. Realize news shows are 24 hours per day and they have to fill up the time. Don’t forget it’s about shocking you into watching today and to keep you coming back.
6. Work on yourself
What is a resolution?: A firm decision to do or not do something. A pledge, intention, or decision to work on a project to better yourself.
I’ve asked a lot of people if they have any new years resolution and the vast majority say no. Why? - No doubt it’s fear of failure.
People think why put yourself through something hard that has a very high probability of failure. I get that!
A pledge, intention, or decision to work on a project to better yourself - Should you do that? How is the answer not yes?
In season one I answered a student’s question, “What if I don’t feel good enough?” (Season 1 episode 8).
Saying you’re good enough or something is just good enough is drawing a finish line and that’s not good.
We all have stuff to work on - How is life not a continuous path of improving ourselves?
You should definitely check out S2 Ep 7-9 on how to set goals, break bad habits and start new ones.
Goals can be overwhelming and if you set what I call a doomed goal because it’s too broad like “I want to be more healthy” or “I want to get ripped” or “ I want to be more productive.” These goals have great intentions but you can’t measure them at all.
Goals can be also overwhelming if you set them too focused. Like if you chart out where you want to be everyday for the next 6 months. Or like if you say I want to lose 30 lbs. If you lose 19lbs are you a failure?
Instead have goals like: I’m not going to touch my phone for the first hour of the day, or until I’m out of the shower and had breakfast. Or everyday I’m going to put my shoes on, walk outside and take at least 10 steps. Or I’m going to read for 2 minutes per day and set the book where you can’t miss it. What can happen then is you can become a person that does those things?
7. Stop comparing yourself to other people.
Compare yourself to who you were yesterday.
I have your new year’s resolution for ya. How about being outrageously kind to people? The world would instantly become a better place. Come with Kim Tatman and me as we talk about the “Dude, be kind” movement and her huge successes in spreading kindness across the country. If you liked this episode please consider saying thanks by giving me a 5-star review or written review at apple podcasts. Find all my shows at tapodcast.net and #bingelisten to both seasons of episodes.
You can also sign up for my email newsletter and updates at tapodcast.net. I promise not to spam and there is nothing for sale there other than how to be awesome.
I greatly value your input and love to hear your questions. Don’t hesitate to contact me at the website above or by emailing me at teacheranswers@gmail.com. I love hearing from you and your successes! I hope this year is going well for you. Set goals and smash them - trust me you can do it. Listen to my show for inspiration. It’s like gasoline for motivation!
Sam
In this episode, we get to know public information coordinator Kim Tatman. Come with us as we talk about her life journey and her amazing work. Kim is the person behind the "Dude Be Kind" movement. There is so much wisdom in this episode including very eye-opening information about the importance of your social media footprint, staying positive, and crushing life. If you enjoyed this episode and want to say thanks, consider a 5-star rating at apple podcasts. There will be a special episode kicking off season 3 all about "Dude Be Kind."
Merry Christmas and happy new year!! - Sam
Special guests Alexis Stokes and Taylor Hites join me discussing 5 questions that they picked out. This fun episode will make you smile and maybe think about the meaning of success differently. As always thanks for listening and sharing this with friends.
How do you stop beating yourself up?
1. Act like you are counseling someone else that is coming to you with those concerns.
a. You wouldn't say stuff as you suck, you loser, you are never going to be able to do that.
b. You would be supportive but in a real way.
2. Stop saying you are the only one and the victim stuff.
a. All other people are also struggling
b. You have to understand that no matter what, no one has it all together all the time.
c. Be present with what you are feeling
i. Don't try to fight it - because you'll constantly be thinking about it.
ii. Don't fight for it - If you argue for your limits and weaknesses you become that.
iii. There is no perfection - Do not catastrophize everything.
iv. Be accepting of yourself and your flaws but also figure out what it is you need to work on. Like someone is taking care of you. What would they tell you?
v. Use the word YET. I'm not where I want to be yet. I don't read as much as I want to yet. I don't have as many friends as it want yet. Etc (This gives you something to work on)
3. You fight the negative thoughts with the inertia of confidence
a. Sure you can say stuff like "Hey negative thought, I'm shutting you down!" However, if people knew how to do that we wouldn't have this problem. If you dwell on it you create it permanently. Imagine saying that to a student, hey just shut it down? Don't you think they/everyone already know that?? So how do you fight it?
b. How do you get confidence?
i. By doing, not by thinking about it…by doing something, and most of the time for someone else.
4. The world and our thoughts naturally tilts toward the negative
a. Ted talk study about how people get stuck in the negative
i. Survey of doctors about a procedure that has a 70% success rate and the other group was presented a 30% failure rate. Group A looked at this at first favorable but when presented like group B they looked at it unfavorably. Group B stayed negative even when looking at it like group A after they were presented 70% success rate.
5. You have to work at staying positive. - THE KEY TAKEAWAY
a. Steve Harvey talks about the foreman on the positive side of the brain and the foreman on the left side of the brain.
b. Being grateful.
Inspiration
Jim Kwik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XkviCyYmZ0
Steve Harvey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWDo-y-tK7k
Teachers and parents may want to study this. This is an eye-opening episode for anyone working with students in school. Hear the words of current high school students, as they describe their weaknesses. I promise anyone listening to this will learn something about school-age students. Do NOT miss this episode. If you'd like to say thanks consider giving me a 5-star review or even a written review on apple podcasts. As always share it with a friend and thanks for listening! You can sign up for my newsletter at tapodcast.net and get updates and episodes emailed to you directly.
I asked over a hundred high school juniors and seniors, "What are the strengths and weaknesses of your generation -Generation Z? This episode will go over the strengths of generation Z in the words of actual teenagers. This will be continued in the following episode with the weaknesses. If you are interested in looking inside the head of current kids this series is for you.
Strengths
1. Knowledge of Tech
2. Can learn fast if they try, everything is at their fingertips
3. Accepting of things, not in the normal and other people's diversities. People my age that have not been exposed to things may believe it's wrong.
4. More open to who they really are.
5. Multitaskers
6. Less Brutal - meaning more sensitive
7. Good communicators.
8. More worldly than gen x - Exposed online through other viewpoints from a variety of countries and backgrounds.
9. Flexible with learning.
10. Creative with content
Why do people get offended so easily now compared to a couple of generations ago? Let's take a look at Generation X and some of the differences between now and then. Sit back and enjoy this episode.
Why?
Let's talk about a couple of generations ago which is gen x.
Now…
Warning #1: We are losing our empathy with each other because of this.
Warning #2: Being close-minded contributes to taking things personally