The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

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Overview

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 ...

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More About This Book

Overview

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 transform­ing education, business, and communities in the twenty-first century.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The element referred to in the title is the place where natural talent and personal passion converge. The author, a respected speaker on creativity and self-fulfillment, persuasively contends that identifying this sweet spot is not as difficult as it may sound. To prove his point, he tells the stories of creators as disparate as Paul McCartney, Paolo Coelho, and Vidal Sassoon. However, the author doesn't pretend that we can make it alone; he emphasizes the central role that mentors and creative communities can play in nurturing our talents. A refreshingly un-gimmicky approach to a cherished subject.
Publishers Weekly

Robinson (Out of Our Minds), renowned in the areas of creativity development, innovation and human resources, tackles the challenge of determining and pursuing work that is aligned with individual talents and passions to achieve well-being and success. The element is what he identifies as the point where the activities individuals enjoy and are naturally good at come together. Offering a wide range of stories about the creative journeys of different people with diverse paths to the element-including Paul McCartney, The Alchemist author Paulo Coelho, and Vidal Sassoon as well as lesser-known examples-he demonstrates a rich vision of human ability and creativity. Covering such topics as the power of creativity, circles of influence, and attitude and aptitude, the author emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent along with developing an understanding of how talent expresses itself differently in every individual. Robinson emphasizes the importance of mentors and reforming and transforming education, making a convincing argument bolstered by solid strategies for honing creativity. Motivating and persuasive, this entertaining and inspiring book will appeal to a wide audience. (Jan.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
Library Journal

Motivational speaker and educational consultant Robinson (Out of Our Minds: Learning To Be Creative) argues that modern educational methods from the time of the industrial revolution are stifling innovation and creativity when these are most needed. He calls for an end to specialization and recognition of the diversity of intelligence. For Robinson, the goal of education should be finding one's "Element," the meeting of one's individual passion and talent. When supported by people who nurture and encourage creativity, individuals are more likely to discover their Element, discern their life ambitions, and find ways of reaching them. It's never too late to reconsider roads not taken and change course, even if it means becoming an amateur, that is, one who finds fulfillment in something other than a job. This holistic view of human potential, educational reform, and self-realization is illustrated with stories of famous and everyday people who overcame obstacles to discover their Element. This is not a self-help book-Robinson's goal is "to illuminate...concepts that you might have sensed intuitively"-but it doesn't succeed at being something larger. Recommended for large public and academic libraries where there is interest, but not essential.
—Lucille M. Boone

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780670020478
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 1/8/2009
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 217,564
  • Product dimensions: 5.80 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

Ken Robinson, PHD, is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human resources. He has worked with national governments in Europe and Asia, international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, national and state education systems, nonprofit organizations, and some of the world's leading cultural organizations. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction xi

Chapter 1 The Element 1

Chapter 2 Think Differently 27

Chapter 3 Beyond Imagining 52

Chapter 4 In the Zone 83

Chapter 5 Finding Your Tribe 103

Chapter 6 What Will They Think? 132

Chapter 7 Do You Feel Lucky? 156

Chapter 8 Somebody Help Me 169

Chapter 9 Is It Too Late? 187

Chapter 10 For Love or Money 207

Chapter 11 Making the Grade 225

Afterword 251

Notes 261

Index 269

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 65 )

Rating Distribution

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(25)

4 Star

(9)

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(19)

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(5)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 29 Customer Reviews

  • Posted March 23, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    9780767928823 9780641967733 9780465009268 9781595230546

    TREMENDOUSLY INSPIRING WAS "THE ELEMENT" ! ! !

    I heard Dr. Ken Robinson discussing his book "The Element" on Huckabee, and immediately ordered it at B&N online. I awaited it anxiously and was very pleased that it arrived promptly! My anticipation was well founded! Dr. Robinson's book was a GREAT read!

    I am at a point in my life, having worked in the same field for over 25 years, that I have begun entertaining the idea of pursuing another line of work along some of my interests. "The Element" gave me a fresh and insightful perspective into what is likely to provide me with the greatest level of satisfaction and feeling of achievement.

    Dr. Robinson did an artful job of weaving the stories of real people, many of them celebrities or people of notoriety, into his thematic presentation. He adeptly utilized inspiring true life accounts of people who have found "the element" to illustrate his persuasive arguments in each chapter. He paints a very convincing picture of how people are happiest in life when their abilities or competencies intersect their passions or most gratifying pursuits. In short, he guides the reader through "I get it!"... "I love it!"... "I want it!"... "Where is it?!" Fortunately, or tragically (I'm still mulling this over!), about the time I was ready to charge out and begin a new career, Robinson allowed for the fact that a person can still feel very fulfilled through pursuing their passion as a hobby or outside interest and not just through making it their life's work.

    Reading "The Element" was undoubtably time well spent! I seriously hated putting it down and, when I had finished it, thought that it ended almost too soon. However, Dr. Robinson did a masterful job of making his point, and providing genuine inspiration, in an appropriate amount of time. The length is perfect... long enough to be convincing... brief enough to leave you wanting more. Nice job. Dr. Robinson is certainly in "the element". Pick up a copy soon and BUY it, don't borrow it, as you'll want to have it on your bookshelf for periodic review!

    8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 27, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    9781594481710

    A Must Read for Parents, Educators and Business People!

    Excellent book. All parents and educators should read this. Explains why we need to make changes to our educational system to allow for and develop creativity and right-brained thinking as we progress in the 21st Century. Many examples of people who did not fit into conventional/technical/math/science curriculum, but became highly successful and have made an impact in the world when they found their "Element." Reading this and Daniel Pink's "A Whole New Mind" will inspire you to want to make changes and to do away with all the technical testing required by Bush's No Child Left Behind law.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 31, 2009

    Inspiring!

    Robinson's insight into creativity is innovative and motivating. He inspires us all to uncover and follow our inner passions in our daily life and work. Using anecdotes as well as thoughtful reflection, Robinson's humorous tone keeps the pace fast without diluting his message. This is a must-read for anyone who feels victim to monotony.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 14, 2010

    Vignettes with vague guidance

    The premise that people all should do their element is pretty common knowledge. The vignettes were interesting, but for me not much different that a gathering of profiles that I have read in various magazines.

    I guess I was expecting a more "how to find your element" rather than just examples of people in their element.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 23, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Ken Robinson understands the personal desire for clairty in one's life. Find your Element today!

    At sixty years old, I now understandn why I have been very empty creativly most of my life. Thank you Mr. Robinson. What an answer to prayer.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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