The power of one

I was told this week, “You know Dr. Schmittou, I admire how hard you work, but you can’t keep trying to change the world.”

My job is hard. Really hard. Physically it is not nearly as exhausting as it is emotionally, and that is why I know I am doing the work that needs to be done. When you care, your struggles hurt. When you care, your passion is your purpose.

I am so blessed to work with people who have a similar mindset. We smile in the midst of our struggles, not because we are careless or carefree, but because we care. Our smiles are genuine even when we are struggling. Our smiles are because we know that we matter. We are making a difference.

Our world is made up of 7 billion people. To make a difference in the world does not mean that we have to have a personal relationship with each person alive. It means we need to make a difference with each person we can. In America today there are more than 200,000 school administrators. In America today there are more 3 million teachers. To say that each of us working to make a difference are not capable of changing the world is an affront to the power and influence a passionate educator can have.

If you are an educator and you believe you cannot and do not make a difference, you are misunderstanding your purpose. Your purpose is to make a difference. The only responsibility of a teacher is to be a change agent. To change minds. To change hearts. To change destinies.

If we were to ever try and organize a cause and get 3.2 million individuals to passionately support it, to put their lives, their careers, and their hearts into it, we could accomplish anything we wanted to.  3.2 million people working 40 hours a week is a 128,000,000 hours of focused, life changing purpose. It’s time we stop the negativity and doubt. It’s time we stop seeing the negative and begin to embrace what we can do. Assume the good and doubt the bad. Teachers, embrace your Bold Humility. Find your passion again. Show up, teach your heart out, and change lives.

To tell me I cannot change the world, does not discourage me. It motivates me. I will choose to smile because I can. I will choose to speak out, because I need to. I will choose to be a champion for purpose, for growth, for progress, because we all play a part. 3.2 million people. That is a powerful force and one that I am proud to be a part of.

Keep smiling… It makes people wonder what you’ve been up to. 🙂

Don’t cry because it’s over, SMILE because it happened.
– Dr. Seuss

Silence and smile are two powerful tools. Smile is the way to solve many problems and silence is the way to avoid many problems.

To order books by Dave or to read about he can help support your school or district, visit: http://www.schmittou.net