How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything - The Element

I saw Dr. Robinson on a session of "Huckabee" and was influenced by that interview to purchase this book. I have enjoyed reading this book. It gives encouragement and describes how others have overcome difficult situations to fulfill their life's dreams. I highly recommend this book.

Such an insightful and encouraging book. Have been indoctrinated by the current education system and set value towards career options and what to do and what not to do in my whole life, I think I have missed out too much. But like what it says in the book, it's never too late. It's always a good thing to actually realise that everyone is talented in ways and you just need to discover it and do not let other people put you down. Love it. Thank you Sir Robinson.

I wholeheartedly agree with these views. I agree that more people should be doing what they are born to do rather than settle for mediocrity purely to earn a living. Life is too short. This book is well worth reading and do look up this wonderful author on youtube as his presentation of ideas is so refreshingly uplifting and worthwhile.

The book shows a different perspective on how humans have been living their lives through a process of the typical industrial production chain. Sir Ken Robinson talks about the flaws of current education and how to get past them, proposing a new form of education focused on learning and not only on tests and results. The core of the book is about the stories of people who have been able to discover their 'Element', the thing they are good at, love to do, are willing to do and look forward to be involved with. Robinson describes how being in an environment in which people feel like themselves proves to be essential in living a full life. You must read this book if you feel like something is missing in your life, and I don't think this is a selfhelp book (although it might sound like one) because it is all about a vision we all should share.

The book sheds light on some interesting topics about education and leads to a reflection about the education system and how we perceive ourselves. However, sometimes I felt it was too much of stories,, and the core message was put aside.

What we fail to accomplish in our education is nourishment of a person's inherent talents and intelligence. "Element" provides a guideline as to how one needs to approach education. It asks what is one's passion? Not an easy question to answer for many, if one were to truly seek the answer. It then continues by moving to the next steps; once you know the passion, then, one needs to see if there is the intelligence for pursuit of that passion.... if the answers are positive, then and only then, one needs to go after acquiring the skills needed to make that passion into a life long pursuit. What the book clearly demonstrates is where we as a society fail to identify the passions, talents and intelligence and simply move on to the training part, as all our educational system is geared towards that last part, training one in the skills necessary to do a function, without regards in latter two.

Element is a great book, fun to read and I recommend it. It changed the way I look at education and it also changed the way I approach my children as to what they want to do and how they want to do it.

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.

I have read The Element with the leadership team at my elementary school. We have decided that as teachers of young children, we have to create in them a passion that inspires their lives rather than just getting them to pass tests.

It is CLEAR that the tests and standards we currently live and die by for mainly political reasons are an insane way to measure student success. True innovation and success in life is almost NEVER measured by passing some test invented by some bureaucrat.

We are choosing what we believe is our sacred duty to help young people find their true path, prepare passionately for it, and then create their own success.

This book and its ideas put into words the manifesto for the generation of educators who are teaching the kids who will be creating base knowledge that will inform the 22nd century (do the math on current Kindergarten kids!!!!). We have to be better than tests that do nothing more that inform how wealthy children's families are or how well kids and schools have played the losing assessment and accountability game created under NCLB.

We should all read this and move on to a much better system of education and therefore a much brighter future!

insightful, revolutionary and thought provoking. Depressing to think of how daunting a task it is to overhaul our education system. As a parent it changed my thinking in where to encourage my children to focus their time and efforts. To give them wings to fly not burdens to carry.

This book is so helpful in understanding that we all learn differently and that is a good thing. The stories in this book explain a lot about education and how our system doesn't work and what we need to do to improve it.

Excellent and inspiring, especially for the younger generation who seem to have lost the passion for nature as well as human interaction that can result in the innovation that will required to solve the world's problems.

I bought the book after having enjoyed many of the talks by Sir Robinson available on the net. The book is a written version of many of the concepts that Robinson discusses frequently in his talks and lectures. I appreaciate Sir Robinson's style when giving a presentation and I was happy to find this same style in the book. It was almost as if I was listening to him talking. His way of narrating and building a case gets through the book with the same intensity as in live presentations.

That said, the book presents a number of examples of people who managed to find their element. Yet, there is much more than that: I found myself thinking about great teachers I had in school, bad teachers, ranking of subjects (is math "better" than music?), the evolution of creativity, the role that one specific person has had and is plaing as a mentor for me...

At the very end of the book, Sir Robinson introduces two methods for quality control used in the catering business: the fast food approach and the Michelin guide approach - that description is sinply brilliant. If I had come to that point not liking the book (which is absolutely not the case), I would have considered giving the book 5 stars for that page alone!

This book was talked about on a tv program. Saying kids are being left behind in school, as some learn differently. My wife talked to me about it, as we have 5 boys, 2 of which do well in school. The other three boys are much smarter at other things but have really struggled in the formal classroom setting. My wife wondered if this book would help us as parents help our boys succeed even with all the odds stacked against us. I thought that we should try and told my wife that this would be worth it even if it just helped a little bit....Wow what an eye opener as we read this book an learned we had 9 senses instead of just 5 and read the stories of the great successes others have had even though they stuggled in school..... We learned lots that we are applying to are boys and to ourselves.

This was a well written informational book. It didn't feel like I was getting drilled with information, but more like I was getting useful incite about myself and others that Ken Robinson would talk about. A good book to see the same stuff in a different light!

While its not unusual to hear the advice to "follow your passion" as basic counsel for one's vocation...in his short book The Element, Sir Ken Robinson completely builds the case for multiple types of intellect and abilities, and more importantly how to personally deploy them. His approach is both filled with descriptions and examples. Its also constructed with humor and authenticity because Sir Ken openly acknowledges his own passions and shortcomings.

My only wish is that this philosophy for education and career choices could have reality as a policy in the USA instead of the ignorant and wasteful notions of "every kid should go to college" and "you go to college to get a good job".

I personally try to keep up with the offerings of this writer, he's the real deal and has plenty of thoughtful observations along with practical implications.

Sir Robinson's book should be read by every parent of this modern age. The book is well written and gives a very fresh and optimistic view of how we can improve our education systems and provide better opportunities for our children in this modern and changing world.

I liked this book because apart from being interesting it is also funny and very entertaining. It leaves you thinking, hopefully if many people read it all of us together will be able to make a change in how kids are educated, and will give them the freedom to continue being creative all their life.

Sir Ken Robinson does a superb job of explaing what we really should be doing in public education today and that is helping young people discover their passion so they pursue the right career and post secondary education experience.

This book was assigned as "summer reading" by our principal. Summer isn't even here and I have killed the book in just three days. I believe that "finding your passion" does change everything. And while there may be nothing groundbreaking here, it is well written and a solid reminder that it's worth the effort to be sure you are in your element.

Sir Ken Robinson is a gifted thinker and speaker. I learned of him through TEDx talks, and have been following him ever since. Extraordinary and revolutionary thinker, I fully agree with his view about the importance that education be rethought, and that the children and teachers must at the center of the stage. Teacher today are doing the work of families, church and school due to social changes that are here to stay, and this needs to be addressed.

This book is interesting, illuminating, and leaves you with a sense of optimism and opportunity. Any book that can accomplish all of these things gets five stars from me. Unfortunately, this is the only book that's gotten this rating from me so far. Oh well. Maybe Sir Robinson will write another . . .

Enjoyed the different chapters on creativity, intelligence, education, and so on.
I also learned about many important people around the world that have contributed deeply by giving thru their extraordinary work.
I highly recommend.

This, the second book by Ken Robinson is an inspiring insight into creativity and the world of possibility. Robinson's work should be a core text on the curricula of every teacher training college and all those involved in education. Robinson 's thesis is simple: focus on finding ones 'element' (talent) and from that creativity and well-being will flow. However, even if you are not professionally involved in education this book is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in the development of the whole person rather then just from 'the neck up'. Robinson's other book 'Out of our Minds' is equally brilliant and a must read. However, behind Robinson's humor there is a very serious critique of education and the way it devalues individual talents and rewards those who conform.

Everyone should read this book. If care about creativity, education, human nature, intelligence or simply happiness, read this book. For you or those whose education depend on you. Awesome ideas, really easy to read and with great stories about people who 'hacked' their education.