Tag Archive for: education

What Happens When We Face Fear?

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What Happens When We Face Fear - Empower U Educational Workshops for TeenagersEmpower U

“To do or not to do?” Our minds tell us no, that we might mess up, that we might disappoint, and that it is just too risky – we are fearful. The prospect of failure in the face of uncertainty gives us a reason to hold back, and so we let our fears consume us, as we decide it’s best to stay within our comfort zones.

However, when we choose not to face our fears, what we may fail to realise is that we are actually validating them — giving them the power to grow, to have a stronger hold on us, and to keep us from living our best lives. Our fears are made up of past experiences that have created the references to the limiting beliefs we have now, and when we allow them to, they are powerful enough to keep us from grabbing the opportunities in front of us. Fortunately, a life lived without fear is something that is completely possible for all of us, and achieving this involves recognising what we may find beyond our comfort zones.

Generally speaking, most people associate the idea of stepping out of their comfort zone with a negative feeling, but it is also universally recognised that when we push through it, it ultimately leads to feelings of pride, satisfaction, and an overall sense of happiness. When we allow ourselves to feel our fears and face them head-on, we are able to have a positive, enriching experience that we can grow from. While we are uncertain of its end result, we know that at the end of the day, victorious or not, choosing to take that risk rewards us with an invaluable learning experience to carry for a lifetime.

Most of our fears aren’t based on facts, but on our personal beliefs.

Here is a short clip from a recent Empower U Program where we have a conversation around beliefs, how they are formed and what we can do to create a new set of beliefs that serves us better.

For more information about The Empower U Program and upcoming events, click HERE or give us a call on 1300 039 662.

 

The Only Failure in Life

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The Only Failure in Life - Empower U Teen EducationEmpower U

Undoubtedly, failing is not a very pleasurable experience. More often than not, it leaves us feeling uncomfortable and discouraged, and is oftentimes the force that holds us back when presented with an opportunity that entails trying something new and unfamiliar. Consequently, it stands in the way of our growth and success. 

So how do we keep this from happening? How do we not let the fear of failure keep us from going for the very things that may help us grow?

We must learn to understand the importance of shifting our beliefs about failure. 

In reality, it is the most successful people who have failed countless times, and they are able to do so because they do not see it as something to avoid, but rather an avenue to maximise their growth. Michael Jordan, considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, once said,

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost more than 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeeded.” – Michael Jordan

As someone who is often in the spotlight, well aware of the importance of each shot he takes, the thought of failing to deliver and disappointing his team and a multitude of fans must be overwhelming – but he recognised how his very failures served as the stepping stones to his extremely successful basketball career. 

Truly, it is when we do not give up that we develop resiliency, as it is when we fail that we are able to truly learn. In Michael Jordan’s case, the shots he missed allowed him to come up with better techniques and strategies so as to improve. And we can learn from this that it is through taking our failures, utilising them to learn — gaining a wider perspective, actively asking questions, and continuously making an effort to improve that we are able to maximise the growth opportunities from our setbacks. 

Here’s a short clip from my recent Empower U Program where I talk about failure and how if we really look at it, there really is only one failure in life.

For more information about The Empower U Program download our latest Program Guide or give us a call on 1300 039 662.

The 4 Levels of Learning

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The 4 Stages of Learning - Empower U Teenage Education Programs AustraliaEmpower U

Before we learn something new, we often do not realise how much we do not know and are yet to learn. At times, when we begin to learn, we discover the gravity of what we do not know and get overwhelmed by its difficulty, which may leave us feeling disheartened. Through understanding the levels of learning, we will be able to more easily recognise how we feel as we keep track of where we are in the learning process. The 4 Levels of Learning are often illustrated as a model that highlights two factors that affect our thinking: Our awareness (consciousness) and our skill level (competence).

1. Unconscious Incompetence

In this stage, we do not have the knowledge or skill set yet, and we do not know that we need to learn it. This is when we do not know what we do not know. For example, as a child who has not been introduced to riding a bike, we are completely unaware of its benefits and usefulness. When a certain idea is introduced to us and we realise that there is value that may be gained from learning it, we then move on to the next level.

2. Conscious Incompetence

When we are in this stage, we are aware of the skill we lack and understand that we must put in the work to bridge the deficit. We can say “I know that I do not know (what this is really about/how to do this)” and hopefully, that will be followed by, “but I would like to learn.” Applying this to the previous example, this is when we begin to learn the fundamentals of properly riding a bicycle and putting it into practice by getting on a bike and working to master its manoeuvring.

3. Conscious Competence

This stage entails being aware of one’s ability to execute, but having to remain conscious as they do so because it doesn’t come naturally yet. This is when we can say “I know I am doing this right” – we know we aren’t incompetent, and that we can ride a bike, but we still need to consciously think about it in order to correctly execute the action.

4. Unconscious Competence

Reaching this stage entails knowing that we know something so well that we don’t even realise that we are doing it when we do. This is when you can ride a bike without even thinking about it, or to take the example even further, when you’re driving a car and you get to your destination without properly remembering how you got there. The skill is so embedded in us that we do not have to continuously process what we are doing.

Embracing the Journey of Learning

The 4 levels of learning framework is best used to help us understand the emotions we experience during the learning process. It helps to reassure ourselves that while learning can get frustrating and challenging, we are well on our way to improving as we continue to do so.

For more information on the 4 levels of learning and The Empower U Program, download our latest program guide or call 1300 039 662.

Launching into 2019 with the 5-Day Camp

Well it’s now been a week since we finished our January 2019 5-Day Camp. This is the most advanced event we run and is only open to graduates of the Empower U weekend program. This was the 19th Camp in Tomorrow’s Youth’s History, and was one of the most challenging camps we have ever run for a variety of reasons. That being said, the greater the challenge, the greater the reward, and this camp was certainly a rewarding and enriching experience for all the participants and the team.

So what makes the 5-Day Camp so different from The Empower U Program? Empower U focuses on teaching a variety of strategies and concrete lessons in the areas of Goal Setting, Communication Skills, Creativity, Emotional IQ, Social Media Etiquette, Money & Finance and Career Guidance. It is very content focused with a handful of experiential moments we like to call “Processes”. Ultimately it is the processes that are most challenging, confronting and ultimately empowering.

The 5-Day Camp flips that completely around. We have a little bit of concrete strategies taught, but the week predominantly comprises experience based learning through multiple “Processes” every day. We essentially take the theory taught at Empower U and put it into practical experiences to really embed the teachings and deliver massive breakthroughs.

Of course, every participant had their own best things or moments from the camp. Have a read below to hear what participants had to say about their experience at the Empower U 5-Day Camp.

“The Best Part of camp was the Michael Adamedes process (Dynamic Meditation). For me it showed that I can do anything. I broke my mental walls, so I am now unable to give myself an excuse not to do something”

– Andrew McIntosh

“The best part of camp was the firewalk for me! As I was so emotionally invested in my board, seeing it be burnt and walking across it truly helped cement my commitment to action in achieving what I wrote about.

– Alicia Alarcon

“The best part of camp for me was the board break. It was the most emotional and invested i’ve been in a board break. I couldn’t break it standing and broke it on the chair, which showed me just how hard i’ll have to work at some things and to not give up. It was also a good reminder that if the first strategy you try isn’t working, changing it may be the best thing you could do.

– Claudia Schulz

“My best part of camp was the mission statement process. Having put down the word determination on my card, the importance of determination could not be more evident to me then now. There were many times I just wanted to stop, and hearing that I was the only person left… I felt so alone and useless, but I still kept going, and I eventually got to my statement. This process really showed me that although you will be faced with challenges in life, big or small, everyone will get to where they want to be if they just keep pursuing their dreams.

– Riley Simpson

Be sure to watch the above video and see the incredible breakthroughs, lessons, and fun we share at camp!