Enthusiasm and Confidence

No one can impact your enthusiasm and confidence.

Regardless of your position, situation, or environment, you still have 100% control of your level of enthusiasm and confidence.

Confidence is defined as "the feeling or belief that you can rely on someone or something; firm trust."  There is a fine line between confident and cocky; I'll admit I toe that line from time to time.  You can be confident and acknowledge there is much yet to be learned.

When you view your leaders, don't you want them to be confident in their decision-making?  Wouldn't you prefer a leader who demonstrates genuine enthusiasm?


It should be the same in the classroom.  Every teacher is an instructional leader for their students.  You walk-through a classroom with an enthusiastic teacher and you will most likely see students engaged in the learning process.

It helps to truly enjoy your profession and actually look forward to "going to work."  As a result, my enthusiasm is absolutely genuine.

On the first day of each semester, I used to tell my students, "I will be the best math teacher you've ever had."  Some may think this is too brash or arrogant, but I wholeheartedly meant it.  It was my responsibility to be held accountable for this level of expectation.

One of my favorite quotes is by retired tennis professional James Blake, who overcame great adversity in his career and also is an author of a New York Times Best Seller: "You cannot control your level of talent.  You can only control your level of ability."

There are many factors of our profession, schools, and environment which we cannot control.  Fortunately, enthusiasm and confidence are not two of them.

We all have the ability to be enthusiastic and confident.  I carry these characteristics with me every single day to the point of habit.

Will you?

Thanks for reading,

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.