Everyone suffers motivation failure some times. Its part of being human. I have a scale in my office where each day I place a little magnetic tile that reminds me where I started each day. By the end of each day I try to move it up at least one notch. The levels are ‘Over Enthusiastic’, ‘Very Motivated’, ‘Motivated’ and move down to ‘Motivation Failure’, “Severe Motivation Failure’ and finally ‘Catastrophic Motivation Failure’. Quite often some of my students start the day off at least one or more levels below me. But just has each person can suffer motivation failure so to can they be inspired to higher levels of motivation and engagement.
The Hall of Inspiration is one such way to help not just inspire students but motivate them to add their own story of success.
What is the Hall of Inspiration?: Every day my students enter the school and walk down a long corridor to get to many of their classes. Most schools have these corridors.
Imagine if these corridors were lined with profile after profile of inspirational people who have come from humble beginnings to achieve great success in their chosen field. Imagine every field and KLA being represented by one or more inspirational figures, each with an image allowing us to connect to them on a human level as well as a small bio on what they have achieved and how they achieved it. These people can be famous, historical or modern contemporary individuals who are embodiment of what it means to have a dream, strive for it, overcome life challenges and make it to the top.
And they can be gender specific to the school as well to allow even more connection.
Then, as the students walk down the corridor each morning they see constant reminders of what is possible when you try your best and work hard.
This morning walk could be supplemented by uplifting and inspirational music that brightens the spirit and gets the heart pumping, something that stirs the emotions and can help drive us to succeed.
Finally, and this last bit is was proposed by my colleague Dimi Saisanas who suggested right at the end of the corridor there is one last profile, but instead of a picture it has a mirror and a blank space for the story with just the words “What will your story be?”.
