Did you try the zone challenge we talked about last week? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, keep reading and then go catch the last one here. 

Ready. Set. GROW!

We’re in the middle of unpacking a growth mindset technique that could influence yourself, your student, co-workers… anyone who desires to live into their leadership potential or nurture others.

The 3 zones are:

1. Comfort Zone
2. Challenge Zone
3. Panic Zone

An 8-Year-Old Taught This Leadership Principle

I had an opportunity to interview this past week the student who was part of our Loveworks summer camp and is also a student at Evergreen, a student-driven school located in Noble, Oklahoma that introduced this concept to their students last year to kick off the semester. 

Q. When did you first hear about the idea of there being different growth zones? 

A. This idea was one of our first Socratic discussions as a class when we were coming up with our rules of engagement. 

Note to reader: How old is this kid? 🙂 PS. This student will turn 9 a little later this month

A. The best way I can explain this is using a donut as a metaphor. The inside of the donut is your comfort zone, kind of boring. The frosting on top of the donut is the sweet spot, the place you want to be to feel alive, awake and learn new things. The outside of the donut is your panic zone, the place that you don’t want to spend a lot of time either.

Q. What would be the best way for a student to get in the habit of using this in their daily life?

A. By having continual conversations with a parent, peer or coach to help with accountability.

Q. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

A. Let me tell you about something that are called SMART goals and getting into the FLOW. 

To anyone needing a quick crash course, SMART goals are an acronym for your goals being:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Tough

Giving yourself SMART goals will help you to be in FLOW which is the mental state in which a person performing an activity is feeling energized, happy and fully involved.

Needless to say, after saying goodbye I could not help but smile from ear to ear knowing that our future will be in far better hands than society is giving credit to the upcoming generation. 

The donut metaphor is a simple and calorie-free way to understand that its possible to find a sweet spot where you can be truly engaged and feel like you are making a difference and contribution to the world.

I’m grateful for schools like Evergreen that have reimagined what an educational experience might look like for the student I interviewed and possibly even my own kids. 

I’m grateful for schools like Evergreen that have reimagined what an educational experience might look like for students who are hungry to dream BIG dreams.  

For more information about Evergreen visit: www.evergreenacton.com.

Evergreen is a student-driven school that seeks to inspire every child that enters our doors to find a calling (where a personal passion collides with a burning need in the world) and change the world. We do this through hands-on projects, Socratic discussions, and goal-driven, individualized learning in a caring community. To learn more, check out their website or schedule a tour.