This month’s book recommendation may look like a personal development book from its title. I must admit that that’s why I picked it up at first, thinking that maybe it contains the secrets to finding your passion in life (and thus will change everything). I’m sorry to say that this book may not actually help you find your passion in life, but it does show us how creating the right educational environment, and honouring the role creativity plays within society, will lead to everyone having the possibility of discovering their passion. Which is something I feel strongly about.
You may have heard of the author Ken Robinson before. He’s a world-renowned expert in creativity and education reform and has given a number of inspiring TED talks. His mission is “to transform the culture of education and organizations with a richer conception of human creativity and intelligence.” In this book he talks about how the current education systems we have are failing our children. They are not allowing them to discover their natural creative talents (and he is very broad in his definition of creativity) and as such children are not finding their ‘element’.
The ‘element’ is the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion. The reason finding it is so important is the effect it has on our experiences of life. It goes beyond being happy or enjoying life fully – when people are in their element “they connect with something fundamental to their sense of identity, purpose and well-being. Being there provides a sense of self-revelation, of defining who they really are and what they’re meant to be doing with their lives.” The ‘element’ is different for everyone, it’s highly specific to your own personal circumstances. It may have emerged in childhood as a natural skill or ability in one area, or it may not be discovered until later in life. As someone who has always felt that she is on a long journey to self-understanding, particularly in learning what I’m meant to be doing with my life, this book helped to remind me that the only motivating factor in what I choose to do with my time and my talents should be what I love to do and what makes me feel connected and useful.
There are 2 main features of the element: aptitude and passion. It is not enough to just be good at something, to have a natural inclination for it or to find it easy. For this thing to become your element you must be passionate about it, you must love it and enjoy doing it. Chances are you would do that thing regardless of whether you were paid, despite anyone else saying you couldn’t or shouldn’t. But, again, having these 2 features (aptitude and passion) may not mean you have found your element. Robinson tells us that there are conditions where the element flourishes: attitude and opportunity. By having the right mindset – being optimistic, having self-belief and being ambitious – by being open to and actively seeking opportunities, we put ourselves in the element. It reminds me of one of my favourite quotes by stoic philosopher Seneca: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It feels like, in this setting, the luck of finding your element comes from the preparation of discovering your natural talents, growing your passion, developing a positive attitude and being open to what lies out there. Things we are all capable of and can cultivate.
It’s a relatively straightforward read with lots of examples and case studies to highlight the ideas. Robinson keeps the language simple and clear, signposting the research at the end rather than in the text, allowing his humorous anecdotes to illustrate his point. The book is full of big ideas, that could change the world if we let them, and full of small moments that I found helpful on a personal level. Like this snippet that resonates with me in my eternal search for balance in work/life: “The objective of this form of recreation is to bring a proper balance into our lives – a balance between making a living and making a life.”
Definitely read this book if you are at all interested in finding your own element. If you work in any creative field, especially engaging in education, then I’d say this book is vital reading. As Robinson says at the end of the book: “If we discover the Element in ourselves and encourage others to find theirs, the opportunities for growth are infinite.”
The Element. How finding your passion changes everything. Penguin Books