Perseverance

"It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is best able to adapt and adjust..." - Leon C. Megginson, Interpreting Darwin

So much of our focus in education continues to be teaching to and celebrating the intellect.  Daniel Goleman introduced Emotional Intelligence and our work has been in the area of Social Emotional Learning for the past 47 years.  In 1997, Dr. Paul Stoltz introduced the concept of Adversity Quotient.  AQ, according to Stoltz, is a valid predictor of performance, ability to deal with stress and challenge, resilience, pressure and health.  Those of us with a high AQ can withstand significant adversity, maintain perspective, stay flexible and creative, enhance self esteem in the face of challenge and use adversity to move forward.  - Stephen Cope, Soul Friends

Perseverance in the face of adversity is one of my highest valued and most admired characteristics.  Some of my perseverance role models are Viktor Frankl, Bob Wieland, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, and Sandra and Ashley Stecher.  One of the keys to perseverance is a belief in something greater than you, a higher calling, a greater sense of purpose, coupled with love and deep commitment to relationship.  I have seen this perseverance, fueled by unconditional love as Sandra has cared for Ashley these past 37 years.  Because of undiagnosed learning difference in her youth, my wife Sandra does not think of herself as "smart."  She is the most brilliant socially and emotionally intelligent person I know.  Her ability to persevere and be lovingly resilient is world class.  My life, my work, our family and many others are dependent on her social emotional intelligence, perseverance and unconditional love.