#ELBlog #329: Make Them Thirsty

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. I’ve heard this term countless times in my life, and for some reason, it has never sat well with me. It just seemed kind of negative and pessimistic.

As I continue down my road of being an educator and motivational speaker, I’ve added a new line to it. It changed my whole mindset and outlook on things.

You can lead a horse to water; you can’t make them drink, but you can make them thirsty. This changes the whole thing.

Our job as leaders, educators, parents, and more is to inspire and uplift those around us. Kids might not be excited to learn about World War I, but making history come alive through stories, enthusiasm, and more can get them interested. When you walk into a restaurant, if there’s no music, no smell, and no ambiance, your appetite might not perk up. However, if you walk into a restaurant and there’s beautiful music, wonderful decor, and a smell from the kitchen that stirs your senses, you automatically become hungry. The same thing happens with teaching, education, and motivation.

I had an interaction with the teacher recently. She had just started teaching the lesson. She did not provide any background or work to get the kids interested. She just expected them to pay attention because she was teaching it. We had a great conversation about this topic. I encouraged her to try the lesson again. The next go around, she made them interested, making them “thirsty,” and getting them curious about what the lesson would be about and why they should be interested.

Haven’t we all heard kids ask, “Am I gonna need this in real life?” Well, there are always ways to relate things to kids’ lives. You just have to look for them and think of them. So, I challenge you here on this blog: How can you make those around you in your life thirsty? Thirsty for curiosity, thirsty for learning, thirsty for their families and their work.

Keep chasing your passions, friends! If I can help, don’t hesitate to reach out!