| The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything |  | Author: Ken Robinson Ph.D.
Publisher: Penguin
Category: eBooks
In Stock
Rating:  87 reviews
Sales Rank: 5,791
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 153.9
Publication Date: January 8, 2009
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Product Description
A breakthrough book about talent, passion, and achievement from one of the world's leading thinkers on creativity and self-fulfillment.
The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the Element, they feel most themselves and most inspired and achieve at their highest levels. With a wry sense of humor, Ken Robinson looks at the conditions that enable us to find ourselves in the Element and those that stifle that possibility. Drawing on the stories of a wide range of people, including Paul McCartney, Matt Groening, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and Bart Conner, he shows that age and occupation are no barrier and that this is the essential strategy for transform-ing education, business, and communities in the twenty-first century.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 87
 Great fulfillment August 28, 2010
Patricia L Keeney (Grand Rapids, MI, US)
I ordered this book for a gift, and it arrived within a few days. Thanks for offering such a good product at a fair price with excellent service.
The Element August 27, 2010
Pam Rosenberg
A must read for every parent and teacher. It wouldn't hurt anyone in the corporate world, either. Nicely written.
 Rivals "Chicken Soup for the Soul" for intellectual discourse August 21, 2010
Robert A. Pawlikowski (Roxbury, CT United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I can recommend the paperback edition of this book for its size and weight. At 275 pages and roughly 5" x 8" it is easily transported, and can be read comfortably on an airplane.
It is primarily a collection of anecdotes about people overcoming an educational system that failed to provide a fertile ground for their talents. The likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Meg Ryan, Chuck Close, Matt Groening, Ridley Scott, Sir Richard Branson, etc., were fortunate to find their Element - that place where "the things you love to do and the things that you are good at come together."
All well and good, but as the author points out:
"There is a risk in giving example of people who have found their Element. Their stories can be inspiring, of course, but they can also be depressing. After all, these people seem blessed in some way; they've had the good fortune to do what they love to do and be very good at doing it."
For me, it wasn't a risk, but a certainty. I rapidly grew weary of reading about all these people that are able to exploit their talents into "lifestyles of the rich and famous".
The reality is, only a small percentage of people can do what they love and earn a living from it, especially in the arts. I'm not saying that you shouldn't try, but there are a lot of bitter people out there who were sold this bill of goods and, at best, ended up financially insolvent for some period of their lives, and at worst succumbed to depression, seeking personal anesthesia in alcohol, drugs or suicide.
The author blames the school systems for draining creativity from children. "Education is the system that's supposed to develop our natural abilities and enable us to make our way in the world. Instead, it is stifling the individual talents and abilities of too many students and killing their motivation to learn."
This places a tremendous burden on "Education". Who said that its the responsibility of the schools to develop our natural abilities? Right or wrong, education is structured to give a foundation in the process of learning, and provide a shared knowledge base so that we may continue to function as a society and nation.
Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.
I absolutely agree that our Industrial Revolution age, mass production structured education system needs to be revamped, but I don't think that will happen by making it the mission of the schools to find the individuals "Element" (wouldn't that redefine "Elementary School"?).
If you're looking for a collection of stories of how people who were "different" were able to overcome obstacles and create great careers and lifestyles by doing what they liked to do, by all means, buy this book.
Otherwise, let me give you my recommendation for YOUR Element:
Make space in your life for doing what you love, without expectation of reward. Therein lies happiness.
Everybody Should read This Book! August 20, 2010
Sylviastel
Sir Ken Robinson's book, "The Element," is about many people who didn't thrive in the traditional school approach. Take for example, Gillian Lynne who is a famous dancer and choreographer. She was thought to have some disabilities but her mother took her to the right psychologist who diagnosed her as a dancer and needing movement to thrive.
You can also examine how Sir Paul McCartney and his Beatles disliked music class because of the traditional setting and a dull music teacher. There are other stories here to mention like some of the most successful people in their line of work, famous and not famous but successful, became legends in their fields. They did it without being traditional and finding their element which is what thrives them to become successful not only as household names in some cases but as happily fulfilled. How many of us are going through that exact same thing only to learn that we were never told that there was more than one learning style around and how teachers are trying to adapt in getting students to achieve successfully in the classroom.
I found this book to be both an easy read and enjoyable in learning that if you didn't succeed in school doesn't mean that you are dumb but rather unchallenged and unable to thrive because you can't make music or explore your imagination. The school system today is in disarray for a variety of reasons like money and politics. If you have children, you should be concerned when the school systems are too sensitive and restrict learning because of fear.
The schools today particularly K-12 are totally frightened by political and economic backlash so they are totally frightened into not challenging their students. Even in the private schools, the students who are creative and imaginative like myself were limited to pursuing it in favor of the traditional structure.
I appreciate Dr. Ken Robinson for his insight in helping explain why we are miserable in many ways. Many of us whether we are 3 or a 103 haven't found our element to succeed professionally and personally. Imagine if we were allowed to do what we loved, wouldn't be happy? Sure, we would. I envy those who are able to pursue their talents, interests, and areas and are both happy personally and professionally but for those of us who can't break through into that world because of closed doors and politics, it's harder to imagine. I envy those who get the breaks and chances that many of us will never get because the arts is very difficult. It's under-funded, under-appreciated, and only 1 percent of 1 percent thrive in that area.
education, reform, creativity, intelligence, brain August 9, 2010
Philip Henderson (Irvine, California United States)
One of my client's suggested that I read this book. I will always be grateful for her recommendation. The Element clearly describes an educational system that cannot serve the best intersts of the people of this nation. More than merely pointing out the flaws in our antiquated system--he shows how to change the system for the better. The Element will shake up your beliefs and make you a convert to reform desparately required to make our educational system first rate.
Thank you Ken Robinson. I hope millions of Americans learn the lesson you are teaching with this wonderful book.
Philip Henderson, Ethical Magician
Showing reviews 1-5 of 87
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