ESSENTIAL SKILLS COMPANION CARD

Your !exibility superpower! /fleksə'bilədē/ !ex·i·bil·i·ty the quality of bending easily without breaking the ability to be easily modified willingness to change or compromise FUTURE SKILLS RELATED ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Comfortable with Discomfort, Tolerance of the Unknown, Empathy, Understanding, Consideration, Thoughtfulness VIDEO: Your Flexibility Superpower http://tiny.cc/ essential-flexibility Try It: As you work through your project guide, think about how you could become more flexible in your thinking. BEFORE YOU BEGIN: A strong tall oak tree does not bend to a mighty wind but may come crashing down if the storm is strong enough. On the other hand, a reed is flexible...it bends with the wind and rises again once hardship passes. • How am I thinking about this project? Am I rigid in my thought or am I flexible? • How might others be thinking about this project? Could they teach me something new? • Am I feeling anxious or nervous right now? Why might that be? Is there a different way to think about this situation? WHILE YOU WORK: Can I try more than one way to show my thinking? How can I switch gears in my approach? How can I think about this situation from someone else's perspective? • Turn to a teammate or friend and ask, “What do you think about this?” and “How do you think things are going?” Now, listen. • How can we try a new way forward? WHEN YOU ARE DONE: • What new ways did I learn to solve problems? • Are there other possibilities/outcomes? • How do other’s thoughts assist my way of thinking? • How was I like an oak tree (rigid in my thoughts) or like a reed (able to bend and flex) during the pressures of this project? IT’S A FACT. At 2,717 feet, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is over half a mile tall. Did you know this massive piece of engineering genius slowly sways back and forth up to 2 meters at the top of its reach? Most skyscrapers are built to sway in strong winds or during an earthquake... if they didn’t, can you imagine the disastrous results? Extend It: For more inspiration and motivation watch this grit-filled video from Kid President: https://www.ted.com/talks/yves_ rossy_fly_with_the_jetman