Chop Wood, Carry Water
How to fall in love with the process of becoming great.
Otsego High School One School, One Book
I am excited to be reading this book with each of you and share this experience. I really hope that the contents of this book will help you grow in ways you've never dreamed possible and throughout the year we get many opportunities to discuss what you have read and relate it to your life and journey.
Each week, I will post a new thread with questions and challenges for you. These questions will encourage you to reflect on what you have read and challenge you to engage with the book. I hope you enjoy.
Parents and community members if you are interested in joining this experience we encourage you to also get a copy of the book and follow along.
If you ever have questions about the book you can email me directly at koshea@otsegoknights.org. #OneHeartbeat Go Knights!
Weekly Reflections
WEEK ONE, Chapter One (Pages 1-3)
Chop Wood, Carry Water
- What are your goals and dreams? Write them down somewhere and keep them in mind as you go through this book.
- If you reach this goal, how will it benefit your family and the community you live in?
- I challenge you this week to take a single step with me and commit to reading one chapter of this book a week and look at this update weekly. That's it. One Chapter. You in? I suggest you find someone or, a group of someones, to do this with you. A parent, friend, or even a teacher to hold each other accountable. Make sure your partner goes through these weekly reflection questions/challenges with you to make each chapter more meaningful.
Have a great week! Do the Work.
WEEK TWO, Chapter Two (Pages 4-6)
Building Your Own House
Reflection Questions:
Is there an area in your life right now that you take "shortcuts" in? (Homework, Chores, Relationships)?
Think about the things you don't like doing or don't understand why you have to do so you do them carelessly or with as little effort as possible. How might these shortcuts affect your long term goals?
I challenge you this week to call yourself out when you become negative or start complaining and stop. Complaining solves nothing and is a complete waste of your time, talents, and energy. It affects you and everyone around you and most importantly it impacts your attitude, effort, and performance. When you are negative and when you complain, you are not giving your best effort and if your effort is low, you are not thinking about the opportunity in front of you. You are only thinking about the obligation. Three things you always have control over every day. 1. Your Attitude. 2. Your Effort. 3. Your Actions. Be Positive, Work Hard, Love Relentlessly.
You Are Building Your Own House every single day. The only thing that is truly significant about today, or any other day, is who you become in the process. This is one of my Favorite chapters in this book.
WEEK THREE, Chapter Three (Pages 7-10)
"Every little thing we do, no matter how mundane, matters greatly when it is multiplied by the number of times we do it. Over time, even the smallest habit or choice can change our lives immensely."
Reflection Questions:
- What are some bad habits that you have?
- How do you think these habits will negatively impact your life over time?
- I challenge you this week to focus on ONE of these bad habits you identified, and work to eliminate it. Stop doing whatever it is for just one week. After the week, see how you feel and then try and go longer. Over time you should start to see some real positive results in your life. Stay focused and relentless about eliminating this from your life for good. Greatness is for the few who choose. So choose to be better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than today.
WEEK FOUR, Chapter Four (Pages 11-13)
In a world where anyone can look up information online, it's deceptively easy to gain "knowledge." But knowing about how to do something and having practical experience actually doing something are radically different."
Reflection Questions:
What is the difference between ginōsko knowledge and ‘yāda’ knowledge?
What is something that you have ‘yāda’ knowledge?
What is something that you have ginōsko knowledge in?
Why did the author say "it's one thing to study war and another to live the warrior's life."?
WEEK FIVE, Chapter Five (Pages 14-16)
"Everyone wants to be great, until its time to do what greatness requires."
Your greatest challenge will be faithfully keeping your focus on the process while surrendering the outcome.
Reflection Questions:
- Think of a major goal you have in your life. You answered this back in chapter one. What are some daily habits you have to try and achieve that goal?
- What are the things you enjoy the least about the process of achieving this goal?
- What sacrifices are you making in order to achieve this goal?
WEEK SIX, Chapter Six (Pages 17-20)
"No man climbs a mountain all at once. He climbs it by making one solid step at a time."
No matter if you are winning or losing, the point is to focus on the PROCESS and neither get too high or too low, instead to control only what you can control. Just take one step at a time and let go of the rest.
Reflection Questions:
- What are some things in your life that impact you negatively that you have no control over?
- What are some things in your life that you have 100% control over?
- Think of an example of a time you let things in your life that you have no control over get the best of you and dominate your focus in a negative way?
Jon Gordon is a well known motivational speaker, positivity coach, and author. He says you control three important things every day that will make all the difference in your life. Only you can control Your EFFORT, Your ATTITUDE, and Your ACTIONS.
Jon has written some incredible books about Leadership, The Power of Positive Energy, and being a Great Teammate. Students I have all his books in my office if you would like to borrow one. I recommend you start with The Energy Bus. To see more about Jon Gordon - CLICK HERE
WEEK SEVEN, Chapter Seven (Pages 21-22)
Do not look at every situation in life as a test to prove yourself. Rather, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow and you will be able to fulfill your potential.
Reflection Questions:
- What do you get caught viewing as “a test” instead of an opportunity to learn and grow?
- When do you focus more on proving yourself over actually improving yourself?
- When has the fear of “looking stupid” held you back from taking a risk or trying something?
WEEK EIGHT, Chapter Eight (Pages 23-25)
My value comes from who I am, not what I do.
Reflection Questions:
- What are some things in your life that you do really well and that you think has defined you as a person? (ex. athlete, musician, student)
- How do you define your personal worth?
- Answer Akira’s question, “What would you be if the thing that you enjoy doing the most was taken away from you?”
- Who is someone you know that struggles with detaching their value from what they do?
Just like Akira challenged John I challenge you this week. Find your identity in something that cannot be simply stripped away in a moment. Do the hard work of reminding yourself that your value comes from who you are, not what you do.
WEEK NINE, Chapter Nine (Pages 26-29)
Uncomfortable isn't a choice, but where you experience it is.
Reflection Questions
- What does the title of this chapter, “Uncomfortable isn’t a Choice,” mean to you?
- Identify an area of your life that you think you need to be more disciplined in.
- Have you ever experienced a low grade or did poorly on a test? How much did your own effort contribute to that?
WEEK TEN, Chapter Ten (Pages 30-32)
"Like thirsty people guzzling saltwater, achievement only creates a greater desire for accomplishing more, dehydrating us of true satisfaction and fulfillment."
Reflection Questions
- Think about three people you truly admire and write out what characteristics embody them.
- List at least three characteristics you would like to be known for?
- Do you think it is possible to get “addicted to the high of winning or being successful?” What is the result of measuring ourselves with uncontrollables like winning, money, and success?
WEEK ELEVEN, Chapter Eleven (Pages 33-35)
"You fuel your heart with six things: what you watch, what you read, what you listen to, who you surround yourself with, how you talk to yourself, & what you visualize."
Reflection Questions
- When have you been discouraged by another teammate, parent, teacher, or coach? What did they do specifically? How did it feel? What was the result?
- Who is someone that can give you hard, honest feedback that you still respect? How do they give feedback that works?
- How do you fuel yourself? Choose one specific example for the following: What do you watch? read? listen to? Who do you surround yourself with? How do you talk to yourself? What do you visualize?
WEEK TWELVE, Chapter Twelve (Pages 36-41)
"Humility is not thinking less of your self, but thinking of your self less."
Reflection Questions
- Value Statement: My value comes from who I am, not from what I do.
- What is your growth mindset statement?
- List fifteen things each day this week that you did well.
- What are some areas of growth?
- What have you learned?
WEEK THIRTEEN, Chapter 13 (Pages 42-43)
"You don't shine under the bright lights; the bright lights only reveal your work in the dark."
Reflection Questions
Who is someone you know that has great talent but little work ethic?
Who is someone you know that has limited natural talent but an incredible work ethic?
Choose someone that you really respect for an accomplishment they’ve made. Research the work ethic that they have used to get to where they are. What is the “dirty work” that they put in that most people do not see?
WEEK FOURTEEN, Chapter 14 (Pages 44-47)
"The grass is greener where you water it. Do NOT compare yourself to others and focus on your journey, and yours alone."
Reflection Questions
- Who is someone that you compare yourself to?
- What is a specific example when you were caught believing that “the grass was greener somewhere else?”
- What are at least three unique strengths you possess, blessings you enjoy, or opportunities you have?
WEEK FIFTEEN, Chapter 15 (Pages 48-51)
"Hardship often prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."
Reflection Questions
- What is the toughest challenge that you have overcome in your life?
- What did it take to overcome this challenge?
- How did this challenge make you stronger?
WEEK SIXTEEN, Chapters 16 & 17 (Pages 52-56)
"You may not have control over how other people talk to you, but you do have control over how you talk to yourself."
Reflection Questions
- When do you experience self-doubt, worry, or your inner critic the most?
- In moments of negative self-talk, what could be your powerful self-talk statement that helps to refocus you on the controllables?
- What is a specific example of a time when your actions did not represent the values that you hold?
86,400 Seconds, 1,440 minutes, 24 Hours....How will use your day?
Mental training is not magic. It is deliberate, intentional, and extremely hard training.
WEEK SEVENTEEN, Chapter 18 & 19 (Pages 57-62)
"Mastery moves in steps, not constants." "Everything impacts Everything."
Reflection Questions
What is an example of a time that you sacrificed and put in the “dirty hard work” but didn’t see the improvement you hoped?
What is at least one strategy you use to stay committed to your process even without outward signs of improvement?
WEEK EIGHTEEN, Chapter 20 (Pages 63-65)
"Excellence is a long and arduous process of invisible growth, where you are building the foundation that is necessary to sustain success. You must trust the process regardless of what is happening around you."
Reflection Questions
- When is a time that you gave up on something before reaching your potential?
- What is an example of a time when you did not give up even though you experienced tough circumstances? What were the results?
YOUR MOMENT OF GROWTH IS COMING...WILL YOUR FOUNDATION BE READY?
WEEK NINETEEN, Chapter 21 (Pages 66-69)
"Even though the path to mastery is available to everyone, very few will choose to take it."
Reflection Questions
- What are the road signs that steer you and/or your team in the wrong direction on the path to mastery? What does the author mean by "Your choice creates your challenge."
- What obstacles are you currently facing?
- Who are the people trying to hold you back?
- What circumstances exist, outside of your control, that creates challenges for you?
- identify times when you feel lonely and ways to overcome this.
"Your choice creates your challenge...Choosing to believe that anything that happens is in your best interest will turn all of the challenges and circumstances into a refinery that will shape your character and skills, and will develop within you an ability to change the world."
WEEK TWENTY, Chapter 22 (Pages 70-72)
Be Where Your Feet Are
"When you tell yourself that you HAVE TO do something, it creates a negative internal energy, but when you realize you WANT TO do something it creates a more beneficial internal energy.”
Reflection Questions
- Are you the kind of person who turns their phone off, sits in the front row, and takes handwritten notes?
- Does social media, television, and video games keep you from "Playing Present?"
- What are the things you tell yourself that you HAVE TO do?
WEEK TWENTY-ONE, Chapter 23 (Pages 73-75)
Goal vs. Mission
"A mission will make you think beyond the moment, which is greatly important because the only thing that is significant about the moment is who you become in the process, and the impact you have on others."
Reflection Questions
- What's your mission?
- Has their ever been a goal that you have achieved that afterwards you felt let down or realized it didn't satisfy you like you thought it might?
- If you were on your death bed what are some of the things you would care most about?
"OFTENTIMES, FAILURE IS THE GREATEST TEACHING TOOL."
WEEK TWENTY-TWO, Chapter 24 (Pages 76-78)
Surrender
"You cannot Play Present if you are focused on winning or the outcome....In order to reach your greatest potential you must operate with a heart posture of gratitude, commit to the controllables, surrender the outcome, and trust the process."
Reflection Questions
- What are the things in your life you are grateful for, especially the little things you take for granted?
- What are the specific controllable's you need to commit to?
- What are the specific outcomes you need to surrender?
WEEK TWENTY-THREE, Chapter 25 (Pages 79-82)
Famous Failures
"...failure can be an incredible launching pad if you have a growth mindset...anything that happens to me is in my best interest and is an opportunity to learn and grow."
Reflection Questions
- What are some failures that you have experienced and what did you learn from it?
- What excuses have you made when something didn't go your way?
WEEK TWENTY-FOUR, Chapter 26 (83-88)
The Illusion of Partially Controllable Goals
"Things like winning, rebounding, sales, or beating your opponent's records, can distract us from what is more important: the person we become on the journey."
Reflection Questions
- Do you have true mental toughness or are you focused on the wrong things?
- The Author lists 5 traits of true mental toughness. Which of the five traits do you need the most work at?
- In pursuit of your dreams, is there anyone in your life that you feel has been left behind in your "trail of tears?"
WEEK TWENTY-FIVE, Chapter 27 (Pages 89-92)
The Fight
"At every crossroads there are at least two choices: to view your circumstances as a calamity, or to view it as an incredible opportunity...the thing about opportunities is that they often come to us disguised as five-hundred-pound lions."
Reflection Questions
- Has there ever been a time you lost control of your emotions? How did this impact you and how did it impact others?
- If you ever faced a setback and were not able to train or participate in something, what would your "Can Do" List look like?
WEEK TWENTY-SIX, Chapter 28 (Pages 93-96)
Principles Instead of Feelings
"Living by feelings is never going to work out well for anyone, because feelings change....The most you can expect from feelings is happiness. But like every other feeling, Happiness doesn't last."
Reflection Questions
- Do you live by principles or feelings?
- What are some stupid or careless choices you have made that have caused you or others pain?
- What are 4-6 principles that you want to stick to no matter what?
Tim Kight is a well known motivational speaker and author. Tim is the founder and CEO of Focus3 whose mission is to develop leaders, strengthen culture, and equip people with the skill set to produce exceptional results. I first learned about Tim and what he teaches when I read the book Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life From a Championship Program. Students, I have a copy of this book in my office if you would like to borrow it. I Highly recommend it.
In the book you are introduced to The R Factor. The R Factor is a critical performance resource. It equips people with the mindset and skill set to be intentional about the way they think, make decisions, and take action.
The R Factor is built on a simple, powerful equation: (E+R=O) Event + Response = Outcome. The key to producing outcomes is not the events or circumstances that people encounter, but how they choose to respond. Better outcomes in your organization require better responses from people. The performance of your organization is determined by how people manage the R. Many of the chapters in CWCW have correlated with Tim Kight's work and have reminded me of many of his lessons.
WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN, Chapter 29 (Pages 97-99)
Warrior Dial
"We rarely have full control over the things that happen to us in life, but we do have the power to determine what those events and feelings mean to us."
Reflection Questions
- What kind of internal feelings do you experience before big moments.
- How have you labeled your internal feelings or what meaning have you given them?
- How do you turn your warrior dial up or down?
WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT, Chapter 30 (Pages 100-103)
They
"It is much more comfortable to believe talent is reserved for the chosen few than it is to work your ever-living butt off to become the best you are capable of being."
Reflection Questions
- Who are they "crabs" in your life, the ones that work to pull you down?
- Identify someone in your life, or a role model of some kind that has "made it." In what ways do people or the world try and pull them down?
WEEK TWENTY-NINE, Chapter 31 (Pages 104-107)
Climbing Mountains
"Mediocrity is replaceable. Greatness is not."
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in your life that you have avoided risk to stay comfortable where you are? Do you think you will regret this later in your life?
- How replaceable are you? Are you the circle on the left, or the circle on the right?
- List some "mountains" you would like to climb. What is holding you back?
WEEK THIRTY, Chapter 32 (Pages 108-113)
The Map is Not the Territory
"You can farm the whole world doing the things YOU are incredibly passionate about! All it costs is your full engagement, and the sweat equity of doing tremendously hard work for years in a row with very little return on your investment."
Reflection Questions
- What do you do to gain peoples Attention and Trust?
- What are some old ways of thinking that you or others around you still value that may be hindering your ability to get ahead?
- What did the author mean when he asks, would you rather follow a person that has studied and old map for 25 years or a person who has studied and survived in the territory for 25 years?
WEEK THIRTY-ONE, Chapter 33 (Pages 114-117)
A New Name
"Greatness is a bunch of small things done well, added up over time, that most people think are too small to matter."
Reflection Questions
- What are some deliberate actions you want to start taking consistently overtime and how do you think this will affect who you become?
- Name some "Next Big Things" society pushes you towards that could be a trap/counterfeit?
Final Reflections
I've really enjoyed going through this process with all of you over the past 32 weeks and reflecting on what we've read. I know that there will be many who don't see the value in this, won't participate, and be critical of those who do, like crabs in a bucket. Think about that for one second. Most of these chapters were only two pages long and took no more than 5-10 minutes to read and we only did one chapter a week. Yet still many will not be willing to dive into this and would rather stay comfortable and refuse to reflect on these pages.
But I truly believe that each one of these chapters has value and meaning, and if you have the courage to read this and apply it you will see positive results in your life. If you took anything away form this though you know that it will not happen overnight, it will be incredibly difficult, and you will stumble along the way. But never stop chopping wood and carrying water. Become relentless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.
Superintendent & CEO - Chief Energy Officer of Otsego Local Schools since 2013.