Millions of things dance through this world. Millions of things pass us by. Millions of things created by mankind.

As humans, we strive to be one in a million, but often become lost in a million in one.

The Million in One

In a crowd… In a flock… In an army

Blending in. Being just another face. We stand there. We operate on a cycle. Mediocrity drives us and guides us through the days. We settle. We become dependent on the average.

Clouds in sky… Notes in music… clothes at a yardsale… cars on the interstate… ALL multiples of one to create a whole.

Do you teach a class full of complacent students who have the mentality of being a million-in-one? If so, what opportunities are you providing to motivate, mentor, and maximize their potential so they can reach beyond the million-in-one?

Do you lead a group of complacent adults who have the mentality of being a million-in-one? If so, what opportunities are you providing to motivate, mentor, and maximize their potential so they can reach beyond the million-in-one?

The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.

Benjamin E. Mays

The Bridge

In my 15 years in education, I have had the opportunity to teach K-12 students and K-12 educators. I have also been on the other end of the roles, where I was a student and educator being lead. I am sure like everyone reading this, you have fallen into the million-in-one mindset and have caused others to travel with you. It wasn’t until recently that the characteristics of how to cross the bridge became clear.

You can call me high maintenance, but I need you to…

• Believe in me. Trust me. Be real with me.
• Know me and my family. Understand me and the gifts I have. Stand in the trenches with me.
• Expect more of me, but be consistent. Quality over Quantity.
• Differentiate for me. Be dedicated to who I am. Encourage me to reach beyond.
• Respect me: the choices and decisions I make. Want me.

I know you might be thinking… when do I have time to focus on each child or each adult to this depth. Guess what… As Rachel Hollis in her book, Girl, Stop Apologizing states, time is there… we all have 24 hours (it’s the equalizer) and what you do with it is up to you.

Success in any area of your life is choosing what you want most instead of choosing what you want now.

Rachel Hollis

If you will invest your time… they will cross the bridge.

The One in a Million

In a crowd… stand tall. In a flock… have a mohawk. In an army… be the one with grit.

Being unique. Capitalizing on your passion. We are attracted to others with like-minds. We are bold and brave. We are driven by finding problems and attempting to solve them.

Clouds in sky… Notes in music… clothes at a yardsale… cars on the interstate… All multiples with unique characteristics to create a whole.

Did you catch the difference from above? Unique characteristics.

Once crossing the bridge, how do you plan to foster a group of students who know their strengths and gifts so they can continue to be the one in a million?

Once crossing the bridge, how do you plan to foster a group of adults who know their strengths and gifts so they can continue to be the one in a million?

It is the one in a million who are bothered by the normal, challenge the status-quo, who invent and create our future.

Which leads me to Google X and the idea of Moonshot Thinking. This idea is used as a verb in context. “Moonshots live in a gray area between audacious projects and science fiction.”

I am ready to inspire moonshot thinkers. I am ready to mentor moonshot thinkers. I am ready to be given the opportunity to be a moonshot thinker.

Are you working on something that could change the world? Yes or no? The answer for 99.9999 percent of the people is no. I think we need to be training people on how to change the world.

Larry Page

The journey is worth every hill and valley because on the other side the view will be beyond our imagination and we will be that 0.0001 percent changing the world.

We all need to be ONE IN A MILLION.