Green Lantern Corps

Green Lantern Corps

There are times that even superheroes have to be cautious; however, we should not be cautious to the point where we become paralyzed to take action in our quest to serve others.

Do you have willpower? If so, when and how does your willpower manifest in your leadership? Willpower is the source of the Green Lantern Corps Power. The Green Lantern Corps have the power to construct the mental images in their minds to help them succeed in their battle to protect the innocent. The stronger their WILLPOWER, the stronger the CONSTRUCT!!! The Green Lanterns real power has never fully manifested in the DC comic universe, and when you take the time to think about it, it makes perfectly good sense. Who would be able to defeat a unified team that had the willpower to overcome any obstacle?  What would happen if our willpower was strong enough to bring the constructs of our mind to reality as educators?

Willpower is synonymous with heart, a power source we tap to enhance our emotional intelligence and increases our capacity to build relationships and inspire others. As a society, willpower is often manifested and glorified in the sports arenas when an injured player decides to play and makes an outstanding play to win the game. For the past ten years, I have had the unwavering willpower that all of my students will succeed. It did not matter if they did not believe it or if someone else doubted them. Why you may ask because I had enough willpower (heart) for everyone until they believed in themselves. I know that my students are who I believe they will be and therefore, I would never doubt their abilities for a second because they are the epitome of greatness. Consider it the Pygmalion Effect. Our words power our hearts that create the constructs of our minds.

The antagonist of willpower is doubt better known as fear. Human nature causes us to have willpower in areas that we are comfortable in and doubt when we are on the verge of a new endeavor that will ask us to leave the safe confines of our comfort zone. I can relate to this situation with my first Blog post, “I Am Batman.”

Would anyone read it?

Who cares what I have to say?

Who am I to write anything?

What if nobody likes it?

I am not ready (which translates into, what will happen if I fail?)

I have delayed sharing any of my thoughts through writing for years not because I was cautious, but because...I WAS AFRAID TO FAIL! Rather than fail, I decided to make excuses to pacify my mind. Maybe you have experienced similar internal conversations regarding your capacity.  

The phrase 'I am not ready' presented the greatest challenge to my willpower.  Often, it is not the challenge of the new responsibility that we question, rather it is what will happen if we fail or even fall short of the expectations that we have set for ourselves? How will others view me and more importantly how will I see myself? Once again, False Expectations Appearing Real, better known as F.E.A.R. reared its ugly head.

 Willpower would challenge this line of thinking through the belief that our one action might ignite the passion that helps bring change to a person’s life, community, even the world. This is why we need WILLPOWER (HEART) to overcome the fear (doubt) of the world. Our willpower has to be greater than the sum doubt of any entity that would paralyze us to respond to our call to action. When you are confronted with F.E.A.R. you ultimately have two choices, Forget Everything And Run or  Face Everything And Rise. Your choice will ultimately determine your capacity to be a SUPERhero. I know As members of my PLN, I have found strength in the willpower you have in yourselves and in, me. The consistent nudging of @literacyloverPT, @jodiepierpoint, and @mgrosstaylor helped me shine my light in the sphere of F.E.A.R. that encompassed me. I hope that one day I will be able to be that light for all of you as well. The worst feeling in the world is not necessarily failure. It is allowing years to pass and living with the uncertainty of not knowing what could have happened if you would have attempted to step outside of your comfort zone to impact change.

There is one last thing that I need to let you know about the Green Lantern Corps, and it is critical that I share this with you. You can not choose to be a member of the Green Lantern Corps. When a Green Lantern ceases their role, the ring chooses the next bearer based on their willpower. In the current age of education, it is often said that we made a choice to be educators. I disagree. I believe you answered your calling to be an educator to serve the members of our society and bring about the change our world needs through enlightened minds.

At the end of my podcast on the EduGladiators You Tube Channel, I shared that I had a challenge for everyone.  The Green Lantern’s mantra is utilized throughout the galaxy as it enhances their collective willpower to eliminate the doubt within their minds. What false evidence appearing real are you challenged with for the 2017-2018 school year? Is it a student that you heard negative reports about? Maybe you are transitioning to a different grade level or school. 

So the challenge is enhancing our collective willpower to ensure we Face Everything And Rise so we make the positive constructs of our minds a reality for the students and families that we serve.  What is our mantra that will be the light that shines and eliminates the educational darkness that attempts to enshrouds our world?

Thank you for reading my blog post and supporting me. This experience has stretched my thinking in ways that you can not even imagine. 

Batman signing off.

Green Lantern Corps was first released August 4, 2017 at EduGladiators.com.