The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life

by Rosamund Stone Zander

trying and achieving are the same thing when you are your own master—and I am.

In fact, I actively train my students that when they make a mistake, they are to lift their arms in the air, smile, and say, “How fascinating!” I recommend that everyone try this.

This student, in a brilliant flash, had hit upon the “secret of life.” He had realized that the labels he had been taking so seriously are human inventions—it’s all a game. The Number 68 is invented and the A is invented, so we might as well choose to invent something that brightens our life and the lives of the people around us.

The practice of giving the A allows the teacher to line up with her students in their efforts to produce the outcome, rather than lining up with the standards against these students.

Remember, it’s all invented.

Did we resolve the issues? Obviously not, but the issues themselves are rarely what they seem, no matter what pains are taken to verify the scoreboard. We walked together, moved our arms, became joyous in the sunlight, and breathed in the morning. At that moment there were no barriers between us. And from that place, I felt our differences could easily be spoken.

You can turn your attention away from the onslaught of circumstances and listen for the music of your being; then launch yourself as a long line into the world.