Which one of the following scenarios do you most identify with?
Scenario A
You've been given a great gift. You aren't always aware of it but you know you are here for a reason. A lot of your "reason for being" has to do with others. You understand that there's something inside all of us that is joyful and lives to get the most out of every moment of life. You are here to help bring out this joy in others namely in form of something called "talent", which they've got locked up somewhere deep inside of them. Your quest has been to look at ways, using dance instruction as a modality, to help others aspire to greatness.
The question becomes; How do you keep the process of motivating students and fellow staff to keep pushing, to keep excelling on their paths to greatness? You totally understand that one of the answers to this question has everything to do with keeping your brain and imagination fresh and updated on a regular basis. It's been a bit of a quest in your life to always learn new choreography, new ways of teaching and new ways of motivating staff that you weren't aware of before. You understand that to continue to keep students and fellow staff motivated, you have to keep yourself motivated. This has everything to do with Continuing Education so you can act as a vessel to bring new ideas to those that can benefit the most from them.
Scenario B
You've been given a great gift. You haven't always realized it but you, at your current stage in life, totally know you are to share it with those who come into your life's path. You studied dance extensively and realize that not only is it a passion of yours, but you also live to share this passion with others. You feel you know just about everything there is to know concerning this topic, so to spend time learning "new" things that might be carbon copies of what you studied long ago, would be a waste of valuable time. You're a great leader and you know what it is to teach effectively and how to work well with fellow staff at your studio. When the topic of Continuing Education comes up you usually have the same reaction which happens to be,"Um...no!" You're not being difficult, you just know that you've just about taken things as far as they can go and anything additional to the system you've worked so hard to put in place to share the gift of dance with others, isn't worth the time it would take to learn.
So Who Are You?
You may strongly identify with Scenario A. Others might have found themselves in Scenario B. While others might have traces of both depending on what day it is. Any one of these possibilities is just fine. There is no right or wrong when it comes to something like this.
Wherever you may find yourself in the spectrum of things, understanding that exposing yourself to new information might be something to consider. How wonderful would it be to find a new way to teach something you've been teaching for quite some time now, only to find that there is an easier, shorter and more effective way to teach it? How cool would it be to know that there are hundreds of new techniques that have been discovered in the last two years when it comes to the fine art of teaching dance? This might serve as a new source of motivation for you, something that causes you to see things in a new and different way. The excitement of this new discovery would cause you to pass this on to your students who always seek a way to incorporate new energy that motivates them to go above and beyond, even when they don't realize it.
What I'm saying here is don't be closed to bettering yourself when it comes to your passion and art. Particularly if you are in the habit of passing your gift and knowledge on to others. Knowledge is fluid in that it is always moving in a forward direction. Learning something that you never realize existed before can be nothing short of a revelation in your life. If it is for you, just think of what it might mean to those you'd end up sharing it with! The smallest thing realized can create a tidal wave of change for others.
Continuing Education may have the sound and feel of a negative, but it's anything but. It's a choice. It's not a right or wrong one, it just "is". You choose to avail yourself of it or not. If you choose to see it as an opportunity for growth and motivation, then so be it. If you don't, no problem. It's something that's totally up to you.
If the process of learning new things is of benefit to you in terms of where you are in your life and career at this moment in time, consider the possibility that Continuing Education is an important part of your journey. It's a refreshing stop along the way. Remember, life and career are a journey of continued discovery and wonder and in this way, there isn't any such thing as a destination. Learning and sharing is great exercise for the brain. It's what keeps us forever young and vital. Giving your brain a workout such as this not only is of benefit to yourself, but for everyone you choose to share your newly attained knowledge with. This is a process that has no "Scenario".
