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    THE LEVER CREED
    Ten Principles for a Great Life
     
     
     
     
     
     

    1. Family Is Forever You hit the lottery when you came to this school.  You now have an army of supporters ready and eager to provide you with anything you need to make your life wonderful.  We are a circle of strength and love, with every year the circle will grow, making the circle stronger.  Your Maple Point family (parents, teachers, administrators, community members) is your biggest fan, most vocal cheerleader, most attentive audience, softest shoulder, and, when necessary, your toughest critic.  But no matter what comes your way, your family will be there for you.  Always.  Forever.

     
     

    2. Work Hard, Be Kind, and Attack Each Day with Enthusiasm Unknown to Mankind Life is beautiful.  Every day is filled with the promise of a new beginning.  These beginnings can be exciting, nerve wracking, scary, and exhilarating.  The twists and turns of life can bring both joy and sadness.  However, in both the good times and the bad, the ride will eventually come to an end.  Learn from each experience and keep moving forward.  Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard, you're kind to others, and you attack each day with enthusiasm unknown to mankind, amazing things will happen.

     
     

    3. To Thine Own Self Be TrueIn Hamlet, playwright William Shakespeare offered this sage advice. Focus on your character.  Treat others with respect and use words like please and thank you.  Throughout your life you will encounter moments that call on you to make decisions… do what others tell you to do (or act the way others are acting) and go against what you believe in or be true to yourself.  Sometimes you need to stand up for what you believe is right even if you are standing alone.  I implore you to vigorously protect your character for Plato said, “When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.”  Character allows this to happen, reputation does not. You will never be disappointed in your decisions if you are true to yourself.  

     
     

    4. Foster Connections Foster your connections with friends as you move through the chapters in your life.  Later in life, when you need a little help, a friend from elementary school or Maple Point may suddenly return. You never know when you might need a pal.  Good friends are family.

     
     

    5. Use Your WordsWhen you were toddlers, your parents probably begged you, "Use your words." Yet sometimes they forgot to take their own advice. Even when you're older, don't hide behind silence. When you face a problem, talk it through. Sometimes miscommunication is the result of no communication.  Remember to speak calmly.  Chances are, if you are shouting… people hear you but no one is listening.

     
     

    6. Live The QuestionsHave patience with the unknown. No matter where you find yourself, if you ask questions, you'll find your way. Don't only seek the answers. Try to love the questions.

     
     

    7. Do… or Do Not… There Is No TryYoda was a wise Jedi.  In the Empire Strikes Back he tried to teach Luke Skywalker a valuable lesson.  If you are going to achieve something worthwhile in life you must BELIEVE you can do it.  If you're going to TRY something, DO it.  Don't commit to something half way.  Always give 100% effort. 

     
     

    8. Show Some GRITIt has been said that life is a storm. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you who you are is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into the storm of life and shout… “Do your worst, for I will do mine!” This principal will allow you to dream big regardless of the obstacles. When you encounter a storm in life, it will help you find a way to get over it, around it, or under it.  Whatever you do, don't succumb to it because you are stronger than you think you are. Goals can only be achieved through Resilience, Intensity, and Tenacity. 

     
    GRIT:  What if doing well in school - in life - relied on much more than IQ.  GRIT is perseverance and passion for long-term goals.  Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress. The gritty individual approaches achievement as a marathon; his or her advantage is stamina. Whereas disappointment or boredom signals to others that it is time to change trajectory and cut losses, the gritty individual stays the course.
     
     
     
     Mr. Lever 9. Hug The MonsterIt is normal to experience apprehension in the face of uncertainty. But don’t let that stop you from tackling your fears. Pilots learn that when they face a life-defining challenge, they should not run from their fear. They should embrace it.   Hug The Monster! Wrestle your fear and doubt into submission. Redirect it into a source of resilience and purpose. 
     
     

    10. Find Confidence and Face Challenges In the game of life winning or success has less to do with talent and more to do with conquering fear, doubt, and insecurity in you.   Life is full of difficult challenges.  Facing a challenge head on is half the battle.  It is easy to give up in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.  Some of the greatest stories are about the underdogs rise to victory.  So find confidence within yourself!  You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

     
    What does "Do something like a girl" mean to you?
     
     

    Never let someone diminish you.  You are a firework.  Let your colors burst!

     
     
     
    Sometimes the difference between try and triumph... is a little umph!!

     


    Be kind.           Be curious.         Be optimistic.         Be inspirational.     

     

    BE YOU!!!

     
     
     
     
    The Original "Attack Each Day With An Enthusiasm Unknown To Mankind!"
     
    Carpe Diem!
    Film: Dead Poet's Society
     


     
    Interesting article on GRIT if you have the time - 

    September 14, 2011

    WHAT IF THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS FAILURE?

    By PAUL TOUGH
    NEW YORK TIMES
     
     

    Life Lessons by Ashton Kutcher
    I know... who knew?!
     
     

    Modified Transcript from his Teen Choice Awards Acceptance Speech: 

    "My name is actually not even Ashton. Ashton is my middle name. My first name’s Chris. It always has been. It got changed when I was like 19 and I became an actor, but there are some really amazing things that I learned when I was Chris, and I wanted to share those things with you guys because I think it’s helped me be here today. So, it’s really 3 things.

    The first thing is about opportunity.  The second thing is about being sexy.  And the third thing is about living life. 

    First - opportunity.  I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work. When I was 13 I had my first job with my Dad carrying shingles up to the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant, and then I got a job in a grocery store deli, and then I got a job in a factory sweeping Cheerio dust off the ground. And I’ve never had a job in my life that I was better than. I was always just lucky to have a job, and every job I had was a stepping stone to my next job and I never quit my job until I had my next job. And so opportunities look a lot like work.

    Number two - Being sexy. The sexiest thing in the entire world, is being really smart.  And being thoughtful.  And being generous. Everything else is crap(ola – added by Mr. Lever), I promise you. It’s just crap(ola) that people try to sell to you to make you feel like less, so don’t buy it.  Be smart, be thoughtful, and be generous.

    The third thing is something that I just re-learned when I was making this movie about Steve Jobs. And Steve Jobs said when you grow up you tend to get told that the world is the way that it is, and that your life is to live your life inside the world and try not to get in too much trouble, and maybe get an education and get a job and make some money and have a family, but life can be a lot broader than that when you realize one simple thing, and that is that everything around us that we call life was made up by people who are no smarter than you, and you can build your own things, you can build your own life that other people can live in. So build a life. Don’t live one, build one. Find your opportunities, and always be sexy. I love you guys."