Week 5

Journal Entry 5

Hola, it's that time of the week again!

  It's been a busy couple of days, but there's no time like the present to do my blog post! Well, that, and it's due tomorrow. Yeah, there's always that. Moving on now...

  This week's post is about questions. Important, hard-hitting questions like, "why don't people bake bacon or fry fries?" and "in Star Wars, how did Anakin Skywalker grow so much between episodes I and II, when his lady friend didn't age at all?" because seriously, he was like 9, and she was like 17, then suddenly they were both around the age of 20 in episode II when they GOT MARRIED. 

  Whoa, tangent. Let's just stick to the powerful questions for the rest of this page or so.

Powerful Questions

  Okay, there are three big aspects to powerful questions: assumptions, scope, and construction. The linguistic construction of a question can either open our minds or narrow our view. For example, "how can we fix the problem?" is not nearly as powerful as "what can we learn from this problem?". The scope of a question has a major effect on its power, too. If the scope is too broad, it makes the question vague and unmotivating. If the question is too narrow, it limits the question's creative potential. If the scope is just right, it not only opens the innovative possibilities, but the promise of an immediate difference makes it encouraging, as well. The assumptions regarding our questions are also critical, since exploring them opens up any underlying beliefs or would-be givens about the situation. The more data we have, the more we can question, and the more we question, the more we discover about ourselves and the world around us.

Create three powerful questions you have about your future. 

  What will my career be in the future?

  This question assumes that I will have a career in the future. I think that's a safe bet. It's admittedly a little vague, but it's an important question that I find myself wondering often. I continue to ask this question because the answer to it will drastically affect my future.

  How will I work towards God's will in all that I do in the future?

  I think this is a pretty powerful one. It holds more questions than assumptions. How will I know God's will? Will I know God's will for me? What will I do to work toward it? How can I apply God's big plan for my life in the little things? The main assumptions in this question are that God has a will for my life, and there's something I can do to work towards it.

  How do I achieve success in anything that I set out to do?

  This question is again a bit vague, but then again, so are the guidelines surrounding these questions. It assumes that I can't already achieve success in anything that I set out to do, and that I value the ability to succeed. It also assumes that success is always possible, with the right tools and know-how.

Create three additional powerful questions that you want to explore during your courses at UC.

   How much can I learn from these classes?

  This isn't as much a question of their teaching ability, but a challenge issued to myself. How much can I learn if I really try? How much can I make myself learn? What can I take out of this? It assumes that I can learn something, which shows a sliver of humility and pushes me to learn anything and everything I can.

  What kind of person will I become if I go in this direction?

  I think everyone should ask themselves this question every once in a while. By "this direction" I mean that we should examine any direction that our life could take if we allow it to. Who we are is more important than what we know, what we think, or what we do. This question assumes that we may be heading in a direction that makes us into a different person than we are now, or that the option to become a different person is in front of us.

  How can I make the best of this opportunity (Azusa Pacific Online)?

  This question assumes that being in my current college is a great opportunity, and one that I should make the very best of. I believe that both of those assumptions are as true as any assumption can get. By seeing my current situation(and any situation, for that matter) for the fantastic opportunity it is, and consciously making an effort to maximize the potential of it, I can accomplish, learn, grow, and achieve more than someone who sees the world around them(school, college, work, etc.) as a mandatory waiting period between them and the "fun" parts of life.

Create three more powerful questions that you want to ask important people in your life.

  If I could ask you any three questions, what should I ask?

  This question could reveal what the person values, or an important lesson that they've been looking for a chance to teach. It assumes that the person would want to have questions asked of them, and that the person would have a substantial answer.

  What matters most to you in life?

  This question could reveal a lot about a person. Someone's priority number one could give you enormous insight on who they are, and why. It assumes that the person you're asking has something that matters more than anything else to them. 

  What is the number one thing that you think I should improve about myself?

  This question not only helps you to better yourself in an efficient way, but it also shows what qualities are valued by the person you're asking. It assumes that you have room for improvement, which may be slightly humbling to the question asker. It also assumes that you value self-improvement over personal pride.

Write a brief paragraph about the results of the Curiosity Challenge.

  The Curiosity Challenge basically means I was supposed to try something this week that I wasn't sure I could actually accomplish, and write about the experience.

  This week, due to an oversight, I realized that one of the biggest papers in my art class was due a day earlier than I previously thought. That meant that I only had one night to crank out an A+ paper on a work of art that I had never seen before in my life. What a perfect opportunity.

  Four hours, three Wikipedia articles, and two cups of coffee later, it was done. I'm still waiting on my grade, but let me just say that I didn't sleep much that night, so it better have been worth it. The experience? Exhausting, stressful, headache-causing, and oddly satisfying in a bizarre way. Am I glad I did it? For sure. I was worried for a bit, but I finished the paper, and I did it in one night. Would I do it again? Not a chance.

  My fingers are getting tired, and my "eyes are getting soft", as my parents used to say back in my obsessive gaming days. Guess that means it's time to sign off! Suppose I should credit The Art of Powerful Questions by Eric E. Vogt, Juanita Brown, and David Isaacs for about 90% of the powerful questions stuff before I go. Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

“The problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created them."

-Albert Einstein

 

Week 4

 

Journal Entry 4

Hey, how's it going?

  Hard to believe that I'm already on week 4 of 8! Oh, and in case I forgot to mention, there's 8 weeks for this course. That means 8 weeks of blog posts. And I'm on week 4. Now the first part makes more sense, huh? 

  This week I'll be talking about strengths. My strengths, other people's strengths, how my strengths get along (and don't get along) with other people's strengths, and so on. It's gonna be fun! Not to mention deep and hard-hitting. Anyway, take a deep breath, and HERE WE GO!!!

  Vital Friends Map

 

 Okay, so maybe we won't start with the "strengths" part. Instead, it's the Vital Friends Map.

  It's a bold subject, so you know it's gonna be good.

  Apparently, there's these 8 or so categories in our lives that get filled by friends, or family, or whatever. Unfortunately, the "vital friends, family, or whatever map" isn't as catchy of a name, so they just stuck with "vital friends". Oh well, whatever works, right? Oh, and I should mention that often, one person fits into more than one role. Also, one or more roles are often left empty, due to not having anyone to fit that spot. I guess that's totally normal, though. On to the categories!

  Builder- A great motivator, someone who always helps you grow and pushes you to do more. This role sounds like a teacher or mentor type to me. This category could fit either of my parents, really. They both will make time for me, if need help badly enough to ask. I can be a bit stubborn about doing things myself, though...

  Champion- A loyal person, someone who will always follow and defend you. Very proud of your successes, and accepting of what you say without judgement. Kinda sounds like a "sidekick" to me, but I suppose that's not really a bad thing. My little brother David, through and through. He's always looking up to me and asking me questions. I feel like he's helped me to be a better person by striving to be a better role model.

  Collaborator- A friend who shares your passions and interests. Someone who seems to be on the same page with you quite often would fit this role. This one sounds a lot like my dad. We share a lot of interests, having lived in the same house for so long. We watch the same TV shows, play the same video games, listen to the same music, etc.

  Companion- This is the person that's always there for you. You know you could count on them for anything. They'd put they're life on the line for you, and you'd do the same for them. I can't think of anyone that would fit this category too well. I mean, besides the Lord.

  Connector- As the name suggests, this is the person that can connect you with anyone. They know all the right people, and can get you in touch with them. I'm generally self-sufficient when it comes to getting in touch with people. I can't think of anyone to fit here.

  Energizer- These are the fun friends. They pick you up when you're down, and they're the ones you go to when you want to enjoy yourself. This would be my friend Justin. We haven't talked or hung out in a long while due to distance and busyness with school, but I still consider him a good friend. If I get too overwhelmed, and find myself in need of a break from life, he's the person I call or text.

  Mind Opener- A mind opener will broaden your perspective. They ask the interesting questions that help you see things a new way. This could be my friend Delaney. Anytime we talk, it's always about some ridiculous idea or concept. Most of the time we're joking, but every once in a while, we stumble onto something interesting.

  Navigator-The Navigator is the person that keeps you pointed in the right direction. They're the one you talk to about your big decisions in life, and the ones you can trust to keep you on the right path. This sounds to me like my mom. She knows me better than most people, and never hesitates to give me advice on what to do.

  Okay, so those are the categories. Unfortunately for me, I tend to not keep many close friends. Usually no more than 2 or 3 at a time. Instead, I realized that most of these roles are filled by family members! Yeah, yeah, I know that sounds like a cop-out. I can't help that it's true!

  Anyway, moving on to strengths now.

  Strengths and Conflict

 

  Okay, so according to this Gallup StrengthsFinder test, there are 34 different themes that we have as humans(for example: adaptability, competition, discipline, positivity). Each of us have these themes in differing amounts, and are naturally geared for some. The test shows you which 5 you are the most naturally inclined to. Here are my top 5:

  1. Ideation: A fascination with ideas. Someone strong in this theme is creative, easily inspired, and able to find connections with things seemingly unrelated.

  2. Context: Someone strong in context often looks back to the past to understand the present and predict the future. They become more confident after knowing the history of something, and after understanding the ideas behind it.

  3. Empathy: The ability to sense the emotions of those in contact with you. A strong empathizer can put themselves in someone else's shoes, and see the world from their perspective. This helps them to understand others better, even if they don't agree with them.

  4. Strategic: Strategy helps you see through the clutter and find the best route. A strategic person can see patterns, and use them to play out potential scenarios to find the end result.

  5. Learner: People strong in the learner theme love to constantly improve themselves. The process of learning excites them, and they can't stand being stagnant.

  I thought they sounded a little bit like me when I took the test, but now at the end of the week, I can't seem to find anything that I do that doesn't correspond with one of these themes!

  I think that I work best with:

  Futuristic themed people, that can keep me from getting too wrapped in Context, and encourage my Ideation and Strategic themes, while keeping me focused on the end result. Activator themed people can also be a major benefit, getting me past the "planning" stage and into the "action" stage. They could also spur me on, despite any Empathy-based restraint. The one thing that I believe my talent set really lacks is motivation to act, and now that I can see that, I can do something about it. I also think it's important to stay around people that can keep my diverse talent set balanced, rather than push one or two so hard that I can't ever employ the rest.

  I have difficulty understanding:

  Woo themed people, who thrive on making large amounts of friends. What's the point in making so many new friends that you neglect the old? Also, the single-mindedness of the Focus theme is difficult for me to follow. Some people might say I'm easily bored, but I can't help that I think so quickly! I could also imagine myself frustrating someone with a Command theme, being the mental free spirit that I am.

  I could potentially have conflict with:

  People who have strong Discipline, Command, and Belief themes. The rigid structure and frequent obstinance that sometimes occurs in these themes is overpowering to my open-minded(some might say sketchy) Ideation and Empathy themes. In my mind, it's more important to be open, and care about the other person's opinion, than to be right. Also, the impatience that accompanies the Activator theme might clash with my methodical, Strategic way of going about things. If I could get along with an Activator, though, we would make a powerful team... 

  Okay, so I've identified my own strengths, my best team-ups, and my potential conflicts. Now all I need to do is be aware of the differences in our styles, and work to make myself less frustrating to them, and trying to be less frustrated by them. I also know which kind of people I would do best by surrounding myself by. If I can survive their go-getter attitudes, that is. Maybe all I need to do is get in touch with my own go-getter, so that I can better understand them. 

  Whoa. I have a lot of work to do. At least I'm a good empathizer...

  Now, here's a quote! Again, no idea who this guy is.  

If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won before you have even started.

-Marcus Garvey

Week 3

Journal Entry 3

Heyo, it's that time again! Time for more of my ramblings, in print!

This week is the week I finished my Personal Mission Statement. It's in bold because it's important. Also, I'll be discussing the goal I posted into stickK.com. You'll be able to tell what subject I'm talking about by looking at the bold headings above, in case you couldn't tell in the last few posts.

My Personal Mission Statement

Okay, first you can read it, then I'll talk about it. If you get bored and want to skip to the end, I put the end in bold so you don't miss it. Brace yourself, it's a doozy!

The Mission Statement of Joshua Blanton II:

I am at my best when I'm creating something cool or helping others.

I will try to prevent times when I feel unappreciated, overworked, or frustrated.

I will enjoy my work by finding employment where I'm needed, and know that I'm making a difference in the lives of the people around me.

I will find enjoyment in my personal life through making art, playing music, or even building things. Anything where I'm creating something new.

I will find opportunities to use my natural talents and gifts such as art, music, creativity, wearing socks until they have holes in them, giving advice, cooking, listing positive qualities, reading people, recognizing actors from other movies they were in, organization, and learning quickly.

I can do anything I set my mind to. I will build my own galaxy. Because seriously, that would be awesome. And why stop there?

My life's journey is about learning some things, because learning is always something great to do when you don't know what else to do. Living life for God, because that's more important than being rich, famous, or successful. I suppose somewhere along the way, I'd like a family of my own. I'll leave that part to God, though. If I can always be happy with whatever I do, then it doesn't matter too much what I do! As long as it's God's will for me, It'll be a great life.

I will be a person who'd done more with his life than anyone ever thought possible. Who'd helped more, created more, accomplished more, and cared more than anyone had before him.

My most important future contribution to others will be that because of me, they never had to spend their lives worrying about money. That because of me, they always had a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen. That because of me, they had someone they could depend on, no matter what..

I will stop procrastinating and start working on:

• Getting around to cleaning my room sometime.
• Working out a bit more.
• Writing more often.

I will strive to incorporate the following attributes into my life:

• Courage for God
• Imagination
• Insight

I will constantly renew myself by focusing on the four dimensions of my life:

• Eating healthy, exercise, and getting out in the fresh air once in a while.
• Regular Bible study, giving God control over my life, and keeping myself open to His direction for me,
• Constantly reading something new, designing something new, and staying well fed with new ideas and concepts.
• Staying in touch with friends and acquaintances, and keeping close with my family. 
  
  
  The end.
  
  
  Okay, now is the part where I talk about it. Actually, my fingers hurt from typing it out, so I'll just give you the quick rundown on what I was thinking. 
  There are 3 main values behind the whole thing. I love God, I love others, and I love to create. The rest of it is all the little extra bits that fill it out and give it life. There, that was quick, easy, and painless! Now, on to the stickK commitment I made.
  
  
  The StickK Commitment 
  
  
  So, I was required to create and commit to a measurable, self-improvement style goal with this website. I decided that if I'm ever gonna get paid for my writing, art, or music, I'm gonna have to get better. Hence, my commitment, starting today, is to draw 1 picture, write 1 page, or play music for 1/2 hour, every day. There's an option to wager money on your ability to persevere with it for a set amount of time, but I'm not rich. Also, I'm not a bettin' man, except at blackjack. It also gave me the option to set a "referee" to keep me accountable, but I don't like the idea of anyone wearing a striped shirt and whistle following me around all the time. Just seems kinda creepy to me, I guess. The final option I had was to publicize my commitment and gather supporters for my noble cause. This is public enough for me, thanks. I'll save my big push for supporters for when I need them most, once I nominate myself dictator of Blantonia. Yeah, that's me planning ahead. 
  What qualities do you think I have to stay committed to my goal, you may ask? I've got plenty of qualities, I answer proudly! For one, those are all thing I love to do! For two(?), writing and art are both big parts of both my classes right now, so I've been doing a page a day already! Finally, for three(?), even if I hated art, writing, and music, and art and music weren't required for my classes, I have some serious persevering power. Just look how long I've been breathing! Breathing is really exhausting too, but I've never quit! 
  Now that I think about it, maybe the first two aren't personal qualities. They sure do help, though. 
  
  Well, that's all the time we have for today! Remember kids, God made you special, and He loves you very much. Bye!