opinions

The Real Ones Recognize the Journey

/ Dave Eberwein / 2 Comments

People who’ve done the work exude a kind of quiet power. They don’t need to shout about it. You may not even notice it, but it’s there.

It’s subtle, but if you look closely, it becomes obvious:

Real Ones Recognize Greta Thunberg’s Courage
  • recognizing the efforts of others who are beginning their journey;
  • not offering criticism when others trip along their way;
  • not tearing others down but building them up.

This quiet power comes from experience. From deep inside one’s being.

They know the kind of courage it takes to try something new. To begin. To keep going when it gets ugly. When the failures seem to outnumber the successes. When the inevitable roadblocks stop others.

They know what it feels like to be criticized. They are the real ones.

Real ones don’t criticize. They recognize.

The Courage to Begin

Starting something new is one of the most vulnerable things a person can do. Whether it’s launching a new initiative like writing your first blog, stepping into a new role, rewriting the rulebook, or experimenting with a new tool — the beginning is always the hardest part. It’s where one’s doubt is the loudest and the support from others is often its quietest.

But those who’ve been there — those who’ve travelled a similar path to you — they see you. They know the courage it takes just to begin. Behind every success story is a mountain of unseen effort. Early mornings. Late nights. Repetition. Sacrifice.

Real ones understand that discipline isn’t glamorous—it’s gritty, it’s lonely and it’s necessary. And because they’ve lived it, they don’t mock your hustle.

They respect it.

  • The athlete respects the new gym attendee for the effort it takes to be awkward and unknowing in front of others.
  • The experienced master teacher honours the rookie who is trying new strategies.
  • The system leader cultivates a culture of emotional safety for new leaders allowing them the space to take risks.

To risk is to believe in something that doesn’t yet exist. It’s to bet on yourself when no one else will. Those who’ve taken real risks—who’ve put their time, money, and heart on the line—don’t belittle others for doing the same. They speak the language of the courageous.

Take the Risk to be Better

There’s nothing more raw than creating something from nothing. Sharing your ideas, your voice — it’s an act of vulnerability. True artists, makers, dreamers and doers know how exposed you feel when you put your work into the world — when you put yourself on the line. That’s why they applaud your courage.

It’s why you don’t see the athlete mocking the novice gym rat, nor the master teacher belittling the first year professional. These newcomers to the adventure are starting out and taking risks to be better — and that’s worth recognizing.

The Echo Chamber of the Uninspired

The loudest critics are often the ones doing the least. They haven’t risked. They haven’t built. They haven’t dared. Instead, they mock what they don’t understand. But their noise is just that—noise. It’s not a reflection of your worth. It’s a reflection of their fear.

You’ll know you’re on the right path when the quiet nods start showing up. The athlete who sees your grind. The leader who respects your ambition. The mentor who sees your growth. Real ones don’t need to say much. Their recognition is subtle, but it’s real — and it’s earned.

Protecting Your Energy

Listen to Your ‘Why’ and Risk to be Better

Not every opinion deserves your attention. Learn to discern between critique and criticism. Protect your energy like it’s your most valuable asset — because it is. Stay rooted in your purpose and let your “why” be louder than their “what ifs.”

Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and believe in you. The right community doesn’t just cheer you on—they hold you accountable to your potential. They remind you who you are when you forget.

Keep Building You

So keep going. Keep building. Keep growing. The world needs more people who are willing to try, to risk, to create. Don’t let the critics dim your drive. Let the real ones remind you that you’re not alone.

Let your superpower be your perseverance.

You’re just getting started.

(This post was inspired by the author prompting AI on the idea of someone being acknowledged by those who have travelled a similar path.)

Reality – More than the Facts

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

I’ve been doing a lot of recent wondering about the large amount of loud, social media noise that is crowding out more rationale thoughts and ideas. Part of my musing is how the education system should be responding to it in a way that builds a capacity in students to be able to discern truth from fiction — facts from opinions.

Let me go back a few years to my late teens and early 20s.

My undergraduate training in science provided me with an excellent set of tools to understand the world — to find reasons or explanations for a lot of things:

  • Why is the world’s climate changing so quickly?
  • What happens to our brain when we read?
  • What does trauma do to a person’s ability to learn?

Science uses The Scientific Method which, at its heart, is about ‘careful observation coupled with rigorous skepticism‘. Science uses a systematic process of working to disprove a current understanding about something, until the overwhelming evidence points to the truth — to an accepted fact.

I also love that science remains open to being wrong — that it challenges our assumptions and beliefs to ensure that bias is not part of the explanation.

REALITY IS MORE THAN FACTS

Yet, as I’ve grown in my career and throughout life, I’ve also come to understand that the ‘black and white’ world of science is not the complete answer. Reality is a combination of both the facts in front of us, and our personal experiences — experiences that help to create the context surrounding the facts.

Context: The conditions or situations that give meaning to an event.

Context adds the colour to the ‘black and white’ world of facts. The reality that we each experience lies enveloped in our own personal history and context.

The Facts are Black & White
Context Provides the Meaning
  • How is one’s own personal history influencing the event of today?
  • What inherent biases are people bringing to what they ‘see’ or ‘hear’?

By taking the time to understand the ‘tapestry’ or colour of the situation you can start to forge a deeper understanding of what lies before you — helping you create a better solution to whatever problem or situation exists.

So, what do context and our own history have to do with public education? I’m glad you asked!

CRITICAL THINKING

If a goal of public education is to ‘have educated citizens who thrive in a changing world’, then preparing them to be critical consumers of their world is essential. Students need to be able to understand more than facts — they need to be able to examine the context in which they observe these facts and be aware that a person’s own history and perceptions may be affecting their understanding.

Critical Thinking is an absolute necessity for our students to be the citizens we need in a world filled with fake news, social media bias and opinions camouflaging as fact:

BC Education: Critical … thinking encompasses a set of abilities that students use to examine their own thinking and that of others. This involves making judgments based on reasoning, where students consider options, analyze options using specific criteria, and draw conclusions.

Sounds great. We want students to critically examine the information before them, ask relevant questions and move their understanding forward.

But, can we objectively measure Critical Thinking? Should we even try?

It’s not like you can easily put a number beside Critical Thinking to see if it improves over time. And, because something isn’t easily measured, it doesn’t mean it isn’t important — As examples, Character, Integrity and Honesty are three traits that I would argue are very important but aren’t easily measured.

Several cognitive experts set out to come to an agreed definition of Critical Thinking at a Learning and the Brain conference. And to save you the time of wondering … No agreement was reached. In fact, they disagreed on a number of issues surrounding the concept.

Curiosity Leads to Thinking Critically

But, here’s some of what they did agree on about Critical Thinking …

  • Although we can’t agree on a common definition, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prioritize Critical Thinking in education.
  • True critical thinkers aggressively question their own beliefs.
  • Teaching to think critically about something should be done as early as Kindergarten.
  • Asking questions about a topic is the necessary first step to a deeper understanding.
  • Be careful in the assumption that students are not already thinking critically, especially if we know that it can’t be easily measured.
  • Critical Thinking is important — but so are Creative Thinking, Interdisciplinary Thinking, Systems Thinking, and Fuzzy Logic to name a few.
  • So, don’t start a Critical Thinking Program in schools — that isn’t necessary or reasonable.
  • Instead, schools should focus on the importance of Curiosity being present. Being openly curious is the path to understanding.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Here are my top 5 take aways to help students be well prepared in distinguishing reality from what is not reality:

  1. Challenge assumptions – don’t assume what you’re observing is accurate,
  2. Watch out for opinions that may be misrepresented as facts – social media is flooded with this reality,
  3. Be reflective on your personal history and bias – it’s more influential on you than you may think,
  4. Be open to being wrong – I’m wrong a lot and admitting it actually helps me move forward, and
  5. Always be curious — because curiosity leads to deeper understanding!

That’s a pretty good list.

  • Science gives us a foundation;
  • Critical Thinking can lead to understanding context and its impact on the facts; and
  • Students become better, more informed citizens.

Important concepts in a world of uncertainty, hyperbole and unsubstantiated opinions. And there’s no shortage of that these days.