Dreams Vs. Goals: Rd. 2 - June 19, 2019

Dreams Vs. Goals Rd. 2 

June 19, 2019  

By. Michael Earnshaw 

@mearnshaw158 

If you’ve read my last blog on Dreams Vs. Goals Rd. 1, you understand that I'm not saying we need to abandon dreams, but instead transform them into goals. By setting goals, creating action plans, and doing whatever it takes to reach that goal builds our character. It gives us strength and the ability to inspire others. Goals would not be possible without first having dreams.  

A key characteristic we must remember while climbing that ladder to a goal is to stay true to our word. Displaying action behind what we say shows so much more about our character than the actual words we speak. Keeping true to our word shows ourselves, others, and the enemy mind that we will not be stopped on our mission for betterment.  

Thinking about proving our word brought me back to a time five years ago when I took my role as Principal. I had served as an AP for 2 years and was trusted by my Superintendent and School Board to lead Oak Glen Elementary to amazing opportunities.  

I took up my Principalship at the end of July. At the August School Board meeting all the district’s Principals were presenting on, at the time, our local STAR assessment data from the previous school year. When looking at all three of our elementary school’s next to one another, the one I had just inherited was below the others and did not show the same level of growth or achievement. One of the points all the principal’s needed to make was our plan of action for the next school year: How were we going to show improvements?  

I had no nerves about presenting our plan. After I explained what we would do as a school, our action plan, I finished up my presentation by stating, “I guarantee that next year that our scores will improve.” 

The Board President responded, “Did you just guarantee your scores will improve?” A few of the other Board members chuckled. I began hearing those voices in my head, “Dude, did you just say guarantee?” “What is wrong with you?” “Oh my God, I meant to say I guarantee that we will work hard to raise scores, not guarantee that they for sure will go up!” 

“Are those mics on?”, I replied. “Yes, I did. I guarantee when I present to you next year our scores will have improved.”  

That was it, my portion of the presentation was over. The next day my Superintendent had a laugh over my comment, but I had said it, now it was time to prove it.  

I spent the remainder of the year learning my building, staff, and families. I always had what I proclaimed in the back of my mind, tucked away in that old trunk not shut with the latch, but it wasn’t the driving force behind my leadership. I knew that by building relationships, being visible, and being active we would come through on my word.  

August rolled around again. I crept up to the District Office, mentally preparing for our annual data presentation. My wife must have secretly fed my caterpillar cocoons that hatched during the commute because I now had a butterfly conservatory housed in my belly. When my turn came up to present Oak Glen’s STAR data, I showed our charts, explained the data, and concluded with, “If you remember last year, I guaranteed our scores would improve. Well, there you have it!”  

Our scores did in fact improve that first year, and I’m proud to say have continued to since then. Some years better than others, but still growth.  

To show your true character, others are looking at your actions behind your words, not the words themselves.  

Take your dreams, put them into goals, get an action plan behind them, and then be sure your actions stay true to what you said you would accomplish.