Obvious to You, Amazing to Others

As I sit on the flight back home to Houston, after spending an incredible week in Long Beach for NAESP, I keep having the same thoughts I do after most conferences or interactions with my peers.

I need to do better.

For years I've connected, traveled, and learned from others from all over the world.  I've heard about incredible initiatives, classroom experiences, community opportunities, and more.  I've seen the great work so many of my colleagues are doing, and I begin to feel like my ideas are inadequate.

Just this week, I was sitting at a table surrounded by Elementary Administrators I admire, and the conversation, like it often does, turned to what each of them were doing at their campuses.  I was so enamored with the ideas and experiences they were providing for their communities.  I sat there in silence.  Feeling like some of the ideas I had this year were....ordinary.  Expected even.

I even got to speak on a National Panel with 5 other inspiring administrators.  Even in the midst of sitting on the panel I thought "how dare I think I should be the one up here.  Someone else surely has something more profound to say than me."

And you see, I think many of us do that.  We compare ourselves so heavily to others and then in turn begin to doubt the amazing things each of us bring to the table.

I know that for myself I do that often.  I often doubt the impact I have.  Doubt the capability I possess.  It's a character flaw that I continually work on.

And then just last week my good friend, Felix Jacomino, showed me this video.  It's called "Obvious to You, Amazing to Others" by Derek Sivers.

The video hit me like a ton of bricks.  And it's a video I now go back to and view when I begin to doubt my ideas.

I also remember what Angela Maiers always tells me and what I so heavily preach to everyone I know.

Each of us holds value. Each of us has importance. Each of us matters.

We have to stop comparing ourselves and our ideas to what others are doing.  All we can truly do is give the best that we can and know that tomorrow we get another opportunity to do it better.

So for those of you who are like me.  For those of you who see "amazing" from others and wonder what you have to offer.  Remember the YouTube video from above and the simple fact that what you view as your "ordinary" ideas could be the ideas that are going to be AMAZING to others.