Every Now and Then

Every now and then I connect with a former student and get praise like this:

I wanted to let you know, I jumped on a FB Live with Alexis Del Cid today and your name came up...

She's in broadcasting on a morning show and was on her way to present an award to a teacher in her viewing area. She talked about the value of great teachers and asked who some of our favorite teachers are. 

The thing you did for me in fifth grade, no one has since expressly taught, and that is divergent thinking. In your TAG program, we did many cool and engaging things but what stands out is, you described the process of thinking divergently and had us practice it.

To this day, 30+ years later, there is no single skill that is more valuable to me. The fact that I can take a single scenario and intentionally turn it over in my mind and flip it upside down and inside out gives me an immense freedom to take risks. 

I also believe it gives me an edge over less creative thinkers, in my various chosen fields, that is most of the competition!

I have created new opportunities in life and business, sold things to people who couldn't be "sold", even quite jobs with zero fear of what would come next simply because I am skilled from all those years of internalizing that one simple lesson you taught. 

Thank You!

By the way, I meant to tell her your name is pronounced Hor-Vick, it might have been autocorrected to Hot-Vick which she probably thought was crazy when she read it on air... Sorry Alexis!