Category: Recreation
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Remember me by
I’ve read a countless number of self-development books this year, and each of them discuss a common thread about being abundantly clear on what you want your 80-year-old to 100-year-old self look like. The idea is that if you know what you want to be like in the far far, almost unimaginable future, you will…
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The life lessons I learned from grade 5-6’s this year
Firsts are always magical. They don’t always go to plan. For that matter, it’s hard to have a fully fleshed out plan. You’ve never done it before! But the experience is always memorable. I think that’s part of the reason why this SPARK program has been one of the unequivocal highlights of my time with…
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The best way to build confidence in others
In dozens of different articles on this website, I’ve written about how competence naturally breeds confidence. I’ve also mentioned how confidence naturally breeds competence. If we do something frequently enough, over an extended period of time, we will naturally become better. We might even master it. As that process unfolds, we will grow our own…
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Why hard work should never be at the expense of enjoyment
Rihanna loves work. She sang about it that one time. She repeated that line six times. David Goggins and his disciples feel the same as Rihanna’s song. Work, work, work, work, work. If you work hard and stay disciplined, you will achieve your goals. That’s the only way of living life. To work hard. Hard…
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Why dodgeball is the best game for all ages
One of my favourite things to do as a program facilitator? Create activities based on the interests and desires of our kids. Typically, our kids go through phases. For the first half of the year, it was all about the playground. Working to make everyday different, I’d often create games and activities that centered around…
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Storybook, not Snorybook: My greatest songs as a camp-counsellour and why they worked
The best way to increase teamwork? Put people in situations where they feel motivated to work together to achieve a common goal. How do you oversee and facilitate that teamwork as a leader? It’s simple. Be unequivocally unafraid to be your truest, silliest self.
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The power of creating innovative play experiences
As early as the days of Plato and Aristotle, play has always been recognized as an important function of human life (I bet you even the dinosaurs liked to party). All of the world’s most acclaimed researchers and innovators recognized that they wouldn’t have been able to make their discoveries without treating their work as…
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The #1 way to increase engagement in programs
If you are going to take anything away from reading this article, I want it to be this: Learn more about your participants. Learn more about the people around you. Learn more about what they like, what makes them tick, and where they want to go.
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The #1 way to excel as a coach/leader
As part of the attendance to every class I teach, I like to ask a thought-provoking question that students reflect upon. Reflection is one of the most valuable assets a coach can possess, as it allows them to continuously refine and rethink their practices for the better. One of my favourite questions to ask when…
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Essential traits of successful coaches and leaders
Truth be told, there are millions of checklist items that help to form a successful coach, mentor, or leader. But at the bare bones of it all, successful leadership ultimately comes down to a focus on social relationships.
Rhys Desmond 