5 responses to “The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything”

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  Barbara Santorella March 15th, 2010 at 09:14

  I stopped reading it. It’s just saying the same things over and over. It was a “recommended” book when I purchased another book.
  Rating: 1 / 5

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  Rexxous March 15th, 2010 at 10:18

  This is such a silly book. Worse, its therapies are misguided.

  The author rails against traditional education that emphasizes reading, writing, and math. He also dislikes the standardized tests that students across the country must take.

  How misguided! To get a good job, one that is interesting and fulfulling, you must gain foundational skills in these three areas. It is absolutely imperative for most students. There are a few exceptions, but how many people have the superb native talent of a Mozart or an Einstein?

  Once you have these foundational skills, you build upon them in the field of study you enjoy. Then you can go anywhere, do anything. And probably get well paid for it. At least in America. But getting those foundational skills in the first place requires often boring routine study and some rote learning. That is a hard truth that many modern educators rebel against. But there doesn’t seem to be any shortcut around it.

  There is so much to disagree with in this book. For example, the author says once you are cast as a certain type in a corporation, you are stuck with that role. I disagree entirely. The author is British, and maybe that is true of corporations in the UK. But not in the USA. I have worked many years for several American corporations, both big and small, and almost without exception, they are open to advancement by their employees. They consider it win-win — the corporation wins and the employee wins.

  For example, if you are a ‘science’ type or a ‘financial’ type who wants to strike out into new territory, let’s say into advertising or sales, many corporations will welcome you. Here’s why: So few people in their advertising department have a clue about science, logic, and numbers, they welcome your background and expertise. In fact, you can often write your own ticket in such situations. You already know what the science side of the house is thinking, ie, their mentality and their approach to problem-solving. That can be very valuable in the right circles.

  But the point is you need (at least) a foundational education in reading, writing, and math. You can’t get around it. When you have that foundation, the sky’s the limit — you can pursue virtually any career, you can go wherever you like. Without that foundation, you will likely flounder around for the rest of your life, possibly become a burden to your family and to society — unless you are very exceptional.

  The author points to several exceptional talents, eg Paul McCartney, whose undiscovered talent was overlooked by his school system. McCartney is indeed an exceptional talent, and whose talent eventually shone through, as has the talent of countless songwriters in the past. Did Harold Arlen or Richard Rodgers, the creators of melodies at least as beautiful as any of McCartney’s, go to special schools or follow a special curriculum? Of course not. Is McCartney representative of most students, even a few students? Hardly. I suspect that the majority of students put into special programs, thinking they’re the next Paul McCartney, would end up being very disappointed. Worse, they may end up being a derelict with skills that are valued by nobody.

  You only have a few precious years to learn foundational skills. Let’s not waste them by following pie-in-the sky, unproven, and dangerous theories like this author’s.
  Rating: 1 / 5

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  Del Quippe March 15th, 2010 at 11:05

  The premise: Find success stories of those who were criticized early in life by those who did not recognize their talents. The plan: Work backwards and say, “Wow! They did it anyway.”

  What an obtuse bore. I saw this guy interviewed on Huckabee, too, and thought that the book would rate with a Malcolm Gladwell read. Not even close. There are few facts and longwinded observations that trek into the all too obvious. I’m 53 pages in and feel like I haven’t made it past the introduction. It’s a tedious read–one that would be assigned in an education class. Not as bad as “Hooked on Books,” but it belongs on the same shelf. It’s no surprise to me that the author is an educator.

  Blah. Blah. Blah.

  What a serious disappointment.
  Rating: 1 / 5

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  Bomber March 15th, 2010 at 14:03

  Some of these reviewers must be disingenuous. This is not the book that is suggested on the back cover. I am very interested in creativity and work in a creative field, so naturally I was drawn to this book. But as some others have noted, this is nothing more than a collection of abbreviated bios of the rich and famous and contains hardly a word about being more creative in our own work, or how to find this apparently illusive “element”. One star because it was not what it purported to be and that is fraud (but a creative way to sell a book, no doubt).
  Rating: 1 / 5

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  Allan Hunkin March 15th, 2010 at 16:26

  This book could well go down as one of the most important books of the 21st Century. Sir Ken Robinson is one of the formost thinkers of our time.

  Allan Hunkin, Author
  
  “Finding The Elegant Solution In Any Situation”
  Rating: 5 / 5