Sarah Catto, a personalized learning coach with our office, supports schools and districts in SC as they transition to a personalized, competency-based framework. Her new blog series explores the idea of change.
I've been mountain biking for almost ten years now, and while I am definitely not an expert in any sense of the word, I do feel I’ve learned a lot about the sport and about myself in that time. Reflecting on that, I’ve started to see some parallels between how mountain biking and taking on change have a lot in common. It’s gotten to the point that when I go for a ride now, I’m constantly drawing connections in my mind to what I’m doing in that moment and how it’s similar to taking on change. So what does a person like me do when she’s constantly thinking about something? She starts a blog series!
As an instructional coach in many capacities throughout my career, one of the common themes is supporting those who are dealing with some type of change. In my new role as a personalized learning coach with the SC State Department of Education, I support schools and districts as they make what can be, in my opinion, one of the biggest transitions of all in education: the change to a personalized framework and competency-based education. Combining two of my passions in life led to this question: What can mountain biking teach us about change?
Today’s installment focuses on the path you choose. When I first started mountain biking, I knew that I needed an easy trail. I needed one that I could feel confident on, because I hadn’t gotten on a bike in over 15 years! That old saying, “It’s just like riding a bike,” was not applicable to me in this situation. I was wobbly, uncertain, terrified of falling, and wondering why I decided to let these people (my friends) talk me into giving this a try when I had plenty of other athletic pastimes I liked to do for exercise. I definitely needed to feel confident in what I was doing, or I knew that I would give up after my first try.
So the first “real” off-road path I tried was Cottonwood Trail in Spartanburg, SC. I look back on that time with a smile, because the trails I travel now are very, very different. But at the time, Cottonwood Trail, with its dirt paths, twists and turns, and terrifying tree roots was the perfect beginner path for me. I wanted to take on something new, and this relatively easy trail made me feel like I could do this. I went slowly, I remember, avoiding anything that remotely looked like a bump in the path so my ride could stay smooth. I kept my eyes on the trail in front of me, barely looking up to greet other people walking and enjoying the day. I was in the zone, focused...and having fun. When that ride ended, I immediately knew I wanted to do it again. And I did, at that trail, and then others, slightly increasing the difficulty of my ride as time progressed.
Change is hard enough as it is. So why make it that much more difficult by choosing a path that won't lead to you feeling confident and successful?
How is choosing a path for mountain biking like taking on change? I had to take the path that I knew would leave me feeling confident at the end of that first trip. I knew that if I tried to travel a path that was too difficult, I would give up easily and never give it another shot. That’s just my nature when it comes to trying something new, especially new hobbies. Taking on change, I believe, is very similar. Everyone has their own different starting point. Some people may start on the relatively easy path like I did. Others may be ready for far more difficult or strenuous paths, and can still feel confident when that trip is finished. You need to start at a point where you are going to say, "I can do this!" at the end. Change is hard enough as it is. So why make it that much more difficult by choosing a path that won't lead to you feeling confident and successful?
To choose the right path for you, you have to know yourself. You have to be honest with who you are, what your strengths are, and what your challenges could be. If you aren't honest with yourself, you're going to be that much more frustrated at the end of the path you chose. Knowing my personality, it was difficult for me to admit that I needed to start on the easiest path possible at first. My personality, one that is highly competitive with myself and others, really wanted to start on an average level of difficulty. Not a flat, easy greenway! But I was wobbly even getting on the bike at first, so I had to face the truth that I needed that greenway-level of difficulty to feel confident and be successful in that first ride.
When is a time when you faced change and had to check yourself to see which point of entry you needed to start with? With personalized learning and competency-based education, we are supporting educators in a major shift in thinking and practice. But just like me, there’s no shame in starting at the point where you feel most comfortable, even if that means starting literally at a flat, easy greenway. The point of pride is in starting something new at all. You are taking on change, and that, in itself, is an accomplishment. So do yourself a favor and pick the path that leads to the feeling of success and confidence when you are finished.
The next installment in this series will be about what appear to be obstacles along the path, and how to deal with them. Look for it in the coming weeks!