Category Archives: Critical Thinking

(#333) Questioning Risk

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

It’s OK to go into uncharted and murky waters. Diving in headfirst is optional. When you think of the concept of “risk,” what comes to mind?  For some it may be bold and reckless venturing into the future. It could … Continue reading →

Posted in awareness, Critical Thinking, decision making, Life lessons, risk-taking | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

(#325) Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Lunch Money

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Don’t let anyone deny who you are. I have often joked with friends not to let anyone take their lunch money. For me, it has been an off-handed reminder to them not to let anyone take advantage of their good … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Appreciation, Being REMARKABLE, courage, Critical Thinking, dignity, fortitude, Gratitude, Reflection, self-love | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#324) What Motivates Your Reasoning?

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

It can be very easy to point out the window… The challenge is to look into the mirror. A quote attributed to Alan Alda reminds us that our “assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once … Continue reading →

Posted in assumptions, awareness, confirmation bias, Critical Thinking, decision making, leadership, Life lessons | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#317) Finding Your Passion Is Just The Beginning

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Once we discover what we feel is our passion (or at least, our interest that could become a passion), the work has only begun.  One day in class, a thirty-something student raised her hand to ask a question about my … Continue reading →

Posted in accountability, creating your future, Critical Thinking, Discipline, Dreams, focus, fortitude, Goals, Grit, growth, habits, Passion, resilience | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#316) Process, Trust, And Organizational Growth: An Optimistic Approach

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Trust is what teams, students, teachers, employees and leaders need in order to challenge the process on the way to a better answer.   Earlier this week I stumbled upon some notes from a meeting I attended more than two … Continue reading →

Posted in amplifying, assumptions, authenticity, awareness, collaboration, courage, Creativity, Critical Thinking, effective meetings, growth, leadership, Life lessons, Passion, plussing, transformational leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#294) Benefits Of Remaining A Continual Learner

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

It can help us fill in gaps between assumptions and realities. A few months ago on this blog I posed the question, “Do we take time to experience what our customer, client, or student is experiencing?” Regardless of your profession or … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, assumptions, change, college retention, Critical Thinking, effective teaching, growth, habits, Integrity, intentionality, Reflection, Reflective practice, resilience, vulnerability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#293) Community Resilience

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Steve Piscitelli

Maybe we can approach resilience as a condition of not only being adaptable to a disaster but also living and sustaining a healthy life that avoids (or, at least, prepares for) disaster before it happens. Thinking out loud about resilience…. Does … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Mindfulness, Personal growth, Personal Wellbeing, resilience, risk-taking | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(#291) Befriending Ourselves

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Think of your favorite novels.  More than likely the protagonists did not follow a straight line from the beginning to the end of the story. Your life journey is the same. You are the hero of your story. This past … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, awareness, Balance, Choice, Critical Thinking, curiosity, Discipline, fitness, listening, Mindfulness, mindset, Reflection, self-efficacy, self-regulatory behavior, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#246) Are You Bitching or Are You Pitching?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Do you work (or live) with someone who endlessly pontificates, grouses, grumbles, moans and laments? One of my mentors taught me a valuable lesson near the beginning of my teaching career.  Dr. Veronica Valentine had a simple “rule” if anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Appropriate Behavior, awareness, collaboration, collegiality, Connection-Disconnection, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Discipline, Energy Vampires, Haters, Personal Wellbeing, problem solving, Reflective practice, responsibility, teamwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

(242) Reflecting on a Significant Event

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

The power of this reflective practice exercise lies in its ability to help us discover not only what we do but why we do it. Regardless of our calling, we can all point to those critical (or significant) events that … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, effective teaching, faculty development, growth, habits, Personal growth, professional development, Purpose, Reflective practice, resilience, Success | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment