Wk 2: Reading Response to David Middlebrook's Post on the Art of Possibility

David's response to Chapters 1 through 4: 

When I first opened the book, When I first opened the book The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, I didn’t know what I was in store for. I’ve read self-help books before, but this one seemed different, went about it at a different angle. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the chapters.

Chapter 1. Its All Invented is about understanding that it is all invented and you can break through barriers that keep you in the box if you recognize assumptions you make about life.

Chapter 2. Stepping into a Universe of Possibility is about moving away from the world of measurement and into a world that reaches beyond survival and scarcity to one of openness and opportunity.

Chapter 3. Giving an A was the chapter that really spoke to me. This quote from the book sums it up.

“The practice of giving the A allows the teacher to line up with her students in the effort to produce the outcome, rather than lining up with the standards against these students.”

The grade, in a sense, takes us out of the world of measurements and into the world of possibilities. It is an invented thing that allows us to be creative without worries.

Chapter 4. Being a Contribution is all about making a difference in others lives and taking the focus off of our self.  “Naming oneself and others as a contribution produces a shift away from self-concern and engages us in a relationship with others that is an area for making a difference. “

This book and its practices have already begun to make me look at life and the endless possibilities that it offers. I’m looking forward to reading the next chapters.

Here's the link. 

My response:  

David, thanks for your quick synopsis of the chapters. I've been thinking lately about "scarcity" thinking. After some reflection, I was quickly able to identify this type of thinking within myself. Additionally, I was able to identify people who are in this frame of mind. If we open up our thinking, abundance comes. I purchased the book on tape and am taking an eight hour road trip today. I am looking forward to listening to the text as well as reading it. The content is so dense that it takes time to absorb that much information. I'm putting faith in the ideas expressed by the authors in this book. Additionally, I am looking for applicable ways to incorporate the ideas, philosophies and best practices into my workplace.