In this, our first Spark Sessions, we kick off with the legendary Dr G.
Gihan Jayaweera is a Melbourne-based GP with a keen and special interest in the wellbeing of teachers, school leaders and (most of all) our students.
Gihan is also one of our Course Creators on EduSpark, and he has a hugely practical course available for Pro level subscribers called The Skill of Happiness. Rather than trying to be happy, Gihan teaches simple and easily applied habits that help you do happy.
In this conversation, EduSpark Founders Craig Kemp and Andrew Mowat explore Gihan's passion and motivations, play the Two Truths and a Lie game, and explore an impactful model from Gihan's thought leadership.
Links and Resources:
Atomic Wellbeing Website
Gihan's LinkedIn Profile
The Wellbeing Bucket Model
EduSpark World
Register for a free month of EduSpark Pro access
In this, our first Spark Sessions, we kick off with the legendary Dr G.
Gihan Jayaweera is a Melbourne-based GP with a keen and special interest in the wellbeing of teachers, school leaders and (most of all) our students.
Gihan is also one of our Course Creators on EduSpark, and he has a hugely practical course available for Pro level subscribers called The Skill of Happiness. Rather than trying to be happy, Gihan teaches simple and easily applied habits that help you do happy.
In this conversation, EduSpark Founders Craig Kemp and Andrew Mowat explore Gihan's passion and motivations, play the Two Truths and a Lie game, and explore an impactful model from Gihan's thought leadership.
Links and Resources:
Atomic Wellbeing Website
Gihan's LinkedIn Profile
The Wellbeing Bucket Model
EduSpark World
Register for a free month of EduSpark Pro access
So what I've got a check to see is where Um people start popping in If they do start popping in and if they don't uh, we've got eight people.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Yeah,
[andrew_mowat]:so uh, welcome to those who have joined us first. Uh, where with Doctor G. Gehan and Craig and uh willll start at the top of the hour, or just giving people a chance to to drop in and uh, uh, join us for the conversation, And uh, Khan. you're in Melbourne.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:absolutely, and and out of lockown finally,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, no longer locked down. Me, Wouldn say that that's absolutely brilliant. So,
[craig_kemp_]:They must feel Los.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:uh, yeah, it's uh. It's an interesting feeling. It's um. I think because of all this this work for atomic well being and edgy spark, I think I was so concernsumed by it almost like life sort of just kept going around me while I was very very mentally stimulated in doing this sort of stuff. So, but it is nice. it's nice to be able to see my parents and give them a big
[craig_kemp_]:Yeah, that's
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:hug. Legally, not be not be fine for it.
[andrew_mowat]:so what was the first thing you did? Uh, when you had that freedom to get out?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Parents came over. Yeah,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:very simple. Yeah, parents came over.
[craig_kemp_]:I love that. Let's really co.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Jefy, Chris seems to be workingful.
[craig_kemp_]:Aris could see guys.
[andrew_mowat]:yeah, yeah, Jen. great to see you. Hris. Jeans are joining us and she's a part of the team. Um, She's way over Uh in upstate New York. So welcome, Jen. and uh, yeah, it's good. Chris are Be great if you told us where you are dialling in from Craig and I in Singapore, And this makes it a. A. a global conversation. And uh, we're just about to kick off Ah Christmas. Well, that' thought was thought about. Of been nuchris so well then we've we've got a we got ever chat. so yeah're a good stuff. welcome, Chris. good to see you so very good. Well, we're going to kick off in a moment or two. and uh, we're going to learn art quite a bit more about you. Hopefully, um geha, to, We do have that noise popping in and out. I don't know if you're hearing that, Craig. It sort of drops in and out a bit, but that's okay. We can deal with that. Ha.
[craig_kemp_]:They're not fine on mine.
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, it might be a bit of um, noise reduction going on in the background, so Craig, probably worth you, might be doing this already. I can't keep a close eye on the Twitter feed, but uh, you might be pushing stuff out
[craig_kemp_]:Yeah, you.
[andrew_mowat]:already, but let's let's make us sorry You go.
[craig_kemp_]:sorry. Yeah, you'll see my eyes pop down in an in to see
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah,
[craig_kemp_]:the live fet, So not we. I'll keep engaged in that space than me,
[andrew_mowat]:perfect, perfect, good stuff. Well, let's make a start and welcome to everyone who's with us now, and welcome to those who are with us as synchronously. This will be re purposed in a few different ways, and this is the first of our conversations with course creators. We've got this marvellous air and just wonderful faculty of people who are building courses for us in Uh, Itgey, spark. And it's one of the things that I've loved most of all this year is the conversations I've been having with people who've got such value to bring to the world, And so we've got this concept of actually recording some of these live, and then uh later as recordings, um with some of our people in. Uh, this faculty of uh, wonderful people of creators, and the first is Doctor G. Gehan, who I've got to know. I feel like. Uh, you're an absolute mate and friend now A. and we only connected through Link in early this year with just the idea of Hey, have you had to look at this? Are so welcome to this first podcast And the first question. Few is how did you get here? I'm mean. Besides the invitation to have a look at Edgesb, had did you get where you are now? Have a
[craig_kemp_]:Ssssssssssssss.
[andrew_mowat]:bit of your background.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Yeah, so I think to summarize it, it's a bit of a sorry and a thank you. Um, I. So my background is as a g. P. But I have a massive, massive, massive soft spot for educators as you know, and the sorry part I think is as a kid, I was quite naive to the impact teachers had on my life, and only realiz, maybe like more than a decade later, And you know there's been some very influential teachers in my life, and I only really realized much later, And the thank you part is, I guess having learnt a lot since then about well being and happiness. Uh, I love the idea of being able to share that now, and essentially take a lot of my pain initially and then learnings that came after and then just share it.
[andrew_mowat]:So that the central idea that I love about your work which is much broader than happiness. I must brought a well baying space. But what I've learnt from and working with you is the whole idea of not being happy but learning how to do happy. Do you want to expand on that concept? Just a little.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:This concept changed my life, and I mean we know each other a little bit now, C. And you know I love ranting about this, So it's I. I struggle with the the, the classic definition of happiness. So if you look up happiness or well being, it's defined as an emotional state of positive emotional state or a feeling such as joy or contentment, or life satisfaction or fulfilment, And it's a great definition. I just don't find it useful. and the reason I don't find it useful is because feelings come and go. They're fleeting and I refuse to accept that something as important as happiness and
[craig_kemp_]:ssssssssssssss,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:well being can come and go as well. and the way we make it a constant is to start viewing it as a skill or a verb or an action or ultimately something that we do. So that's where the flip from trying to feel happy switched to doing happy. because I can't. I don't always feel happy. It's uh, there's so many things. Even the weather alone. You know it could be raining and I might not feel, as it's crazy to me. You can't. you can't link your happiness to something that you can't control, but you can always do happy, and that's what I strive to do. You know and I, I look at myself as working towards, sort of like, almost like a cross between a monk and an accountant. Like taking like the intangible ideas of like happiness and and well being, and then linking it to like real practical, systematized application, like an accountant, So thatus, that's where that whole journey started. It's it's completely transformed my life, and the more I teach it with my patience, and now the absolute privilege ofciding to do it with teachers and educators and school leaders. It's it's really really powerful.
[andrew_mowat]:Just the beautiful gym that's inside there, linking happiness to things we can't control how often we do that, and just a clarity that comes from understanding that mechanism so often in play in our lives. We going to look at one of your key models and actually looks like something that I haven't really looking for. But let's just get to know you a little bit better. We going to play this little game of two truth in A, which will reveal at the end, So want you to tell us three things about you, and it's up to the audience and is listening to try and work out which of these might not be true. So what's isn in this two truth in a lie game?
[craig_kemp_]:Ssssssssssssss,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:So number one I had. I used to don't let the hair loss full you. I. I have a glorious, glorious affro at schoolious aro, number one,
[andrew_mowat]:I think on the video Sorry to interrupt'ren, to have to overlay on the video the aroes that people can see Thatts over number two.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:number two. So my background is, I'm from Sri Lanka, so actually used to play. This is is a very proud moment for me. I used to play cricket for the under nineteen Sri Lank and cricket team, so I used to be good now, not too good, and number three, I am a pretty good hip hop dancer to the point where in med school I won the talent show three years in a row.
[andrew_mowat]:There you go. So we've got the afro. We've got under nineteen national cricket forish, Sri Lanka and hip hop champion for your university for a number of years. Love that will check back in at the end and those who were listening see if you can pick the right one. They' all very plausible. I must say, Craig's nodding. I know Craig's wanting the cricket one to to be true Men up overnight, watching the cricket something a little bit, about twenty, twenty, even twenty twenty. one. What's your hash tag or maybe your key learning in in a single word from the period of time we've been through in the last eighteen? twenty months or so?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:For me, it's hash tag opportunity and I know it's a interesting way to look at a pandemic, which is what comes to mind, but that's what I found and I think happens to us. We can view it as neutral and we can attach meaning to it, and the meaning I attached was opportunity. And and look at us now like
[craig_kemp_]:ssssssssssssss,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:you, you know, this is sort of manifested from nothing. You know. you just reached out over over Lincolton, Andrea. Now you know I, I
[andrew_mowat]:Hm.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:got the opportunity to meet both of you and got opportunity to make a course for edgy spark, which I think is phenomenal and what an opportunity that is, And that's just a slice.
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, I love the perspective frame on that one and we do have that choice and I think that's very powerfully linked to your work. How about a influential bookl or author or thought lead in that period of time?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I can't get out of my head. Atomic Habits by James Clear,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I love that guy and I love that book. That is,
[andrew_mowat]:H.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:it's it's It's so useful and it's actually really it doesn't. He comes at it from a business perspective, But it' super useful for your well being as well. because if you can learn how to take the what and the why of well being and implemented into your busy life through the the science of habits, that's really powerful andtentially life transforms has been. for me. It's a great book and he's clearly an expert in that field.
[andrew_mowat]:So that practicality is something that I've loved working with you on your course, as I've done some of the the video work with you, and that whole idea of being easy to implement these ideas, and often in this field of of emotions I see the same thing with empathy is abroad thing. We have a poor, definite definition of empathy and it's not an implementable thing walking in someone else's shoes. If you're a teacher of thirty kids, how can you walk in thirty pairs of shoes at one time? And so the definitions of poor on the implementations. Po. I really love that and that's what I love about the work and that you've done. You've brought the methodology from James clear into the field of well being hugely practical. Um, with that that's really.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:You need the mo and the accountant, Andrew. You need both
[craig_kemp_]:ssssssssssssss,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I love that and I can just see you as a monk and I'm starting to see you as an accountant. Are you actually now once say? I was going to say I was going to say you too much personality for an account, but we've probably got too many accountants who might uh, also laugh at. that's that's a light joke. I'll edit that one out of the recording just in case someone yells at me. Um, So what that does? Though? That gives us a nice little entree into the big. I just an idea that you want to share something of value that people can take away from the conversation, and this is where we start to play with the technology and go to screen sharing, so we will cross fingers and hope that works. And while I'll vamp a bit while you're bringing that up if you like, And so those who are listening to this as a podcast and will provide access to Um, the resources in the show Note, so you can actually see the visuals here as uh, Kehan is bringing this up. So any time you right to go with this a little teaching moy,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:what I might do, Andrew. I'll talk about the big W first, and then I'll share the the idea if that's okay
[andrew_mowat]:Absolutely brilliant. Yeah,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:cause I think set a useful context. So for me, I mean, having had quite a few conversations with teachers and school leaders a lot of the problems. There was a recurring theme. The number one thing that I found is a burn outut, and anecdotally and also the Sties show show that you know we had a big study in twenty twenty which where they looked at Australian principles based in Australia, and they showed that Principal had one point six times the level of Bern out than the general population, and that I would say flows on to the teachers as well be theman. S is so high and there's just that idea of like chronic workplace stress, And then the second biggest issue that I've found is time is that there's just not enough literally. not enough time in the day to complete. This has that I needed. It's like it's sometimes it's almost like an impossible task. It's like you're given a puzzle to solve and you don't have all the pieces. It's it's just so tricky. That's why I'm such a I can really empathize with with teachers, and I've had some, quite particularly recently, had some concerning discussions with teachers. One in particular, who was talking about leaving the profession, and that broke my heart because he, I know him. I've worked with him through atomic well being and he's a sensational sensational teacher. And when you initially said, I thought he was leaving the school, which is not great, but he was actually met leaving the profession, And the what bothers me is that teachers they're doing such a great job, but some it's coming at a cost, and I can relate to that as a doctor, like I, I saw it all the time in myself as well in the hospital, particularly where you're doing great work and you're making a difference, but it's coming at a cost. And what I'm passionate about is I think that you can have both. you can do the rewarding work and it can build you up instead of break you down. And so let me show you the model that,
[andrew_mowat]:just loving the chat there and
[screenshare_hd]:I, I, I
[andrew_mowat]:hide to Nick. If it's the nexti thing on'm, thinking of a fellow Tiger supporter Gra to haveav you on the line. If I'm wrong with everyone, the me gave it. I'd love to catch up. Well, I nec to see you how things are well up there in Sunny Coinland
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:so
[andrew_mowat]:To catch up
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:you can see that, Consider the yellow bucket,
[andrew_mowat]:now. I can see your Gras screen.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Ah, wrong, wrong place. Oh yes, I can see that now.
[screenshare_hd]:and Ands.
[andrew_mowat]:That's what I love about that is the reality of of home based learning and covered worlds. Just brilliant. Yeah,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Yes, yeah, second, what about now?
[andrew_mowat]:Yep, we've got the
[screenshare_hd#7b]:Ssssssssssssss,
[andrew_mowat]:the slide, but is not in full play mode. At this stage
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Let's see
[andrew_mowat]:we did try this braefly. There we gay. We're away and running.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:up. good, good, good, So so I look at this. This is sort of my model for the happiness or well being. bucket. Um, when it's empty we're feeling burnt out in all, relate to that, and when it's full and overflowing, we're on fire. and hopefully we can all relate to that as well. And there's an obvious element here in terms of our energy level and what the implications to our health and happiness are for this. But there is a financial cost as well, which I think is worth talking about. So when you burnt out, you're probably more likely at an individual level. Maybe you might need some time off, or in the case of my friend, you know, leaving the profession, which is an extreme example. and at the school or organizational level there's a cost as well, because there's issues with staff retention and and turnover, and then on the flip side there is also a positive financial gain as well. So if you're at an individual level, you're probably more likely to be promoted, Probably more likely to drive growth within your classroom and within the organization or school had a bigger picture, and and the same thing for a the big picture level. And what I find is that generally the well being discussion is about filling the bucket, which I think is fine, but often often there's a hole in the bottom and I mean I'm interested to start with. Maybe it's useful to think like, Have a think about where you, where you're at now. So if we use it as a scale, one being burnt out and and ten being on fire. where would you sit
[screenshare_hd#7b]:Ssssssssssssss.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:And Philfre to put it in the chap,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, love that. so other are in the chest. Just reframe that question again. Ga hands. so people got a chance to
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:so on, on a scale of one to ten, one being burnt out, and ten being absolutely on fire. And just to clarify, Onfi as a good thing in Australia, is there is a global conversation, so unfies a good thing. So where would you sit and if you're a school leader, you can do the same for your team. If you look at the team as having their own bucket. Where would they sit? Then it becomes a question of how can you fill your bucket, And it comes down to resources. so which can be internal or external. So our internal resources essenti is essentially the crux of that, my, a you spark course, the skill of happiness. So I look at how we can take responsibility for our own well being in happiness, and in particular, look at the intersection between the what, which is what you can do to be healthier and happier. The y, which is like the evidence based behind it, and in the howl, which is like, How can you take the what and the y, such as a gratitude practice or an exercise practice and implement it into a busy life, Because we know there's a practicality here, Like we know that teachers and school principals, they don't have much time and we, it needs to fit into that busy schedule, So these are our internal resources, and then we have our external resources, which is the people and the resources and tools that we can use to fill. Our bucket, so that can look like professional development coaching,
[craig_kemp_]:ssssssssssssss.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:mentoring, Uh, linking up with your own professional networks of like minded people, And then this is the part I think needs just as much, or sometimes at the start more attention, which is the
[screenshare_hd#7b]:Ssssssssssssss.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:demands, and I and I call it the The hole in the bottom of our bucket, And we all have one and again, it can be internal or external, So internal demands are. I think doctors can relate very closely at it, teachers and educators, because we all have very high expectations of ourselves, and most of us, a lot of us are perfectionist and that can be helpful until it's not, and sometimes that could be a big leak in your happiness and well being bucket. And then there's the external demands. So we have so many people and organizations that are vying for our time, energy, and sometimes our money. So, at a school level you know the full school community of your colleagues, your team, the students themselves, the parents and caregivers, and then at a bigger picture level with you know government level, you know the board, Um, there's so many things and people and organizations that are vying for our time, energy, and sometimes money, and sometimes it's more effective or more efficient to seal the hole in the bottom, And that may not look like the classic well being conversation of a gratitude practice or an exercise practice. It could turn into a very much a productivity discussion, which is, for example, if we have so many things, lying, for your time, you know you using the work of leaders in the space, such as Stephen Coo, Who who had this really beautiful productivity framework, or more recently, someone like Rori Vaden, who talks about Idea of what can you eliminate? What can you automate? What can you delegate and then what's left You concentrate on that, and even with that, what do you need to do now, and what can you wait to do later and then. If it is a later, you
[screenshare_hd#7b]:issss.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:put it right back into the top of the finals. Like can eliminate. Can you deateut Ctera? So the game becomes, How can? not only how can you fill your bucket, but how can you actually reduce the demands as well as increase the resources? And if you can master this equation both within yourself and at the school level If you run, If you are sort of leading a team, I think it's a really powerful framework to look, and it's a very holistic framework to look at Um. Well being, because the reality is what we normally do might not be enough, and and often you need a sort of bigger picture of view to to really address these big big issues.
[andrew_mowat]:a love these systems a yga, Cri.
[craig_kemp_]:I'm loving the idea here, particularly, you know, repeating Nick thoughts in the cha, which is around the analogy of this bucket, and it's reallylevant I think for me, and for many educators, particularly because of the last eighteen months, know all through collectively both in our individual wills as well, and trying to figure out how do we you know become these. these, put at these bucket fillers, and identifying those bucket dippers as well, and making the most of both of thoses. And as you were shaing, sort of reading through the chat, we've got mixes of fours fives and sixes, and then we've got mixes of sevens, eight and nines as well. and to look at that as really, really evident to me, you know how we identify every day in our well being in and in our roles. You know, yesterday at a fantastic day, amazing that I had conversations with like schools in four different countries and creators in two other different countries, and that energizes me and today I've wken up exhausted because I stayed up until until in the morning watching new zealand. when the crickets see me final, And you know I'm just thinking to myself. I about twelve hours ahead of me you, so I guess where I'm going with. This is as an educator. How do we you know take that model implement to improve our, our, our practice and what we can do as well.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I love that and its. it's fascinating. I guess the nuance here which I haven't gone into is I talk about burn out and being on fire. And the tendency is to view that as a feeling or an emotional state, And what I would invite is to start looking at it as not just a feeling, but a certain thought process and a certain sort of series of actions. Because often what I find in my life you might be feeling or exhausted or feeling bad, But youre also thinking it, and also doing it. So The doing part for Youraig to put on this partot is is staying up late, And you know there is a. It's just a more useful framework because then you have control over what happens next.
[craig_kemp_]:Yeah,
[andrew_mowat]:We've got a great question to me that I just would love to call out and I'm not sure you. Your name's not coming through in the in the head of there and I'd love to know who this is cause. I think
[craig_kemp_]:Ssssssssssssss.
[andrew_mowat]:someone I know. But why do you think the ratio of responsibility lies in terms of filling the bucket? Know whose responsibility is at? Who has the the ownership of this space? It's a really good question.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I love this question so much so at an individual level, I think because the bucket is so important, we're talking about well being and happiness at an individual level. I think it's hundred per cent yours. and I know there are external resources and external demands, But I talk about this in the I ages By courses. How can you work within your circle of control and just being super aware of what you can control, and living there is really powerful, so Yes, you might not have all the external resources, But what can you do to maximize that? Yes, you have demands that are external. But what can you do to reduce that? And it really puts the owners of responsibility on yourself, Because we can't control what other people do at the end of the day? we can influence them. but we can't control it at a school level or at a you know leadership team sort of level. I think it's really powerful to be able to co crereate that responsibility. And If everyone one is working at a level where they are responsible for their bucket and the bucket of other people. that's a beautiful thing. And then it, then, it's still essentially still up to you. But if we're all working along those lines, it's It's just beautiful. because your, your, your, some one else's bucket. You're improving with the external resources and that's beautiful. Like everything just works nicely together.
[craig_kemp_]:Ssssssssssssss.
[andrew_mowat]:and what that model does for me, And the point that I wanted to call out is the first time I've seen a system of happiness. I add a that that's implementable at an organizational level, So that's the cellular um description, if you like of the system of me and my happiness. But as you say that compliments are and uh, you can use that to address both the resources and the demands areas. And for me, the question I had is a is a selfish level Was. I think there might be some one hundred Ny. Three flips, Um, where something that's a demand can turn into a resource, and for me, generosity if I'm not, if I'm focused on me and all of my issues. This is a classic response to depression in some ways with the research behind it. If I shift my focus on me in a depress, stateate to others, I can undo to some degree the state of depression, so I'm turning action into something that was a drained before into a resource. Any thoughts about it?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Absolutely kindness is is a superp. I think I think it helps three people. When you kind. it helps yourself feel feels amazing. It helps the person you helping. often. it inspires the person helping to pay it forward.
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:So it's an absolute super power. The only the only caveat I would. I would add to that is, I don't think the teacher, not very good at nurturing and caring and being generous. I think that's what attracts him to that field, and just have to be wary of that balance where it tips over into it, actually causing it's impacting beingcause. There can be a bit of a tipping point where you give too much of yourself and the bucket is sort of leaking a little bit, And you know you know, even the kindness that fills their bucket. There's still a bit
[craig_kemp_]:Sssssssssssssssssss.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:of a leak, so you just have to be very aware of that tipping point and something I talk about in the course is putting your oxygen mask on first. You know, On the plane the oxygen must come come down. They always tell us to put ours on first and then other people's and I think if you keep that rule Os first, then other people, it' really hard in practice, but it's it's very powerful. and although it's common sense, not necessarily common practice and I'm talking about myself this while I have to constantly remind myself.
[andrew_mowat]:so that's a beautiful point at which to sort of wrap this up, And what we got to do is just close off the conversation formally with getting the answer to your two truths in Li early, and for those who joined later, or'll get you to repeat them and then we'll go into about ten minutes of just hanging about to see if anyone wants to explore with q, and A. Now I'm not sure the riverside whether I can bring people online, but if you got questions that you want to ask in a bit of a q and a, and certainly pop those into the chat, and we can free form a bit after this, But if you could just repeat for people those three things that you position as two truths in a lie. What were they again? So people can choose and I love people to pop into the chat. Which one they think? Number one, two or three is the false one here.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Absolutely, so the number one I, you know, I'm losing my hair now, but I had a glorious glorious affro in school
[andrew_mowat]:Okay,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:number two. so being from a strilunkean background, one of my claim to fame for me was playing for the under nineteenth Sri Lankan cricket team and number three number three. My goodness, I' forgotten.
[andrew_mowat]:there is the rap dancing.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Ah, yes, yes, Yes, I, I. so I'm I'm a pretty good hip hop dancer. and I, I. I won the talent show at med school three years in a row. for for dancing
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, perfect. so just pop into the chat if you want to risk it. I. I was originally prevaricating between two and three, so I'd love to see what other people have got. Um. Chris is saying number two the cricket. Uh, thanks Chris. for that, Craig. what's your? E?
[craig_kemp_]:I'm really hoping the cricket is truecause. We just going to have many many conversationsh, but my, my guess is that number one is the line. I don't believe you about your effer.
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, now I don't know if it was strategic, but your hesitation leading me more towards the the hip hop side, So do you want to go ahead with the reveal?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Absolutely so I, I did have a glorious throw and I am a pretty good dancer. Unfortunately,
[andrew_mowat]:Number two.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:it's the cricket. I mean, if that were true, My goodness, what a life. Me,
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, fabulous stuff. So a quick few wrap up things. That's this is brilliant to love that you got me well and truly on that one. Um, so first of all, where can people find your work well, Papa Lincoln Into the chat here.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:so I'm pretty active on Lincton, under Ghaanjira, Doctor G. Also our website Atomic Well being dot com, and would obviously love working with educators and school leaders, so you are interested. Email me directly Athan g. h. A at Atomic Well being dot com, and just in the subject heading, If you don't mind putting edgey spark, let's dance. So I know where you're coming
[andrew_mowat]:I love it beautiful
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:from.
[andrew_mowat]:and you do do work with whole schools. Ah, you know this, so you have forg to uh, the addressing of teacherw being, but also how to implement student well being, which is Um, in the same area of importance, is't it Craig? It just as a quick wrap up for this and then willll go into q. and A that's there. Um. We've got an office so people can actually access Keyhans course. Keha has a pro course inside Edy Spark, so I just want to wrap up with that one.
[craig_kemp_]:Yeah, I'm just going
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, y Poppin said, Is a link there for a free month of proy
[craig_kemp_]:to to add the link here, too. That what you would like me to do here, Andrew, as I'm just adding, and, first of all, I'm going to share. Um, I've added in the link here, too. Guehan's uh website, have added the link to Gehan on Lincton, I've just added the link to Um to Gehan's course on Edju spark. Ah, which I'm super excited by, and have just started diving into a little bit deeper in between everything else. And then the last thing really is that we're super excited about these spark sessions. That were, we're really kicking off and starting with here to day with with Ghan, as well as our very first spark session are to share out to the world, and it's been really cool to to see the engagement in the chat. Ah, but also on social media, so this is going to be made available to many. Many people are after the time as well, and all of these will be re placed into a space on E. You spark you to come back too later. but as a thank you, we really want you to to not just jump in, Ah, to Gehan's course, which is a pro course, which's a part about paid part of it the Ijupark platform. And we want to say thank you for engaging, either live or after the day are by giving you a free month, Um in Idupark, and we're really excited about being able to offer. You know you too, right now. Use this link. We'll set up immediately Following this. We will set up Um, these push oututs to you, which will give you the opportunity to see everything in our platform. No cost. No need to add a credit card or pay anything, but just jump in and learn. Ah, and that's what we're excited about so you can go immediately, fiing that that goole dock, that a form that I've just shared with you and that will take you straight the opportunity to to edge your details. I and willll add
[andrew_mowat]:pervey. Thanks, Greatra, I do have a bidly version of that one too, if it's
[craig_kemp_]:that endn immediately, so I'll pass back to you andngrew.
[andrew_mowat]:helpful and might be a slightly smaller, uh length That takes us th straight through to the same one, but that's all cool too. So thanks very much. Um, I love the idea of Doctor G. but gehan, just to me is much more personal. Um, what's your? Is there anything that became an insight for you today, or a thought that submitted itself furthercause? Sometimes when we talk, we have little insights when we speak. Did that happen for you today?
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I think for me to be able to share this model and and really develop over the last few months, it's been helpful to realise the implications. not not just at the individual levelcause, It came about with my patience. I was trying to figure out why why people are doing all the right things, but they' still not winning like something was off,
[andrew_mowat]:Mhm,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:and I think that this model explains that, at least at least it starts to explain it, and the cool extra layer that I'm finding is that it has. it has implications at the team and organisational level as well, and I'm really big on systematising and happiness, which is intangible practical, and I think this this helps. This helps to work towards that
[andrew_mowat]:Yeah, I, I love that. I. actually, to be honest, I wasn't. I didn't know that you're going to share that new mol That Bos might have been something from the cause itself and I, I'm going to place this conversation in your course as a reference point. I think for people. if that's okay, Um, but it's just that system level and systems really interest me because change happens when things are systemized and implementable Cause. You get repeated behaviors that are consistent and you can scale them from the individual to ation, so that me, a really super exciting model. Just brilliant.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:as as my goodmate, Although he doesn't know his mate, James Clear says you don't you, don't you? don't you? Don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of his systems, and I think it's it's It's a very important to systematize itcause. It's left less up to chance that way.
[andrew_mowat]:So we, we have finished the formal part and we've got a few minutes left just checking on the chat. If there any questions. We've had a few during the session which I absolutely love And we've got some fabulous people here and it's great to see you and some of whom I will reach out and connect with over the coming days or so, and Nicko one that I need Davi.
[craig_kemp_]:I'm just going to go back Key hunt to a question that was shed a little bitly wrong around Neckce is asking about who the reference was for for the eliminate
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Yeah, so that came from Rori Raden, He, he has a Tedex talk or
[craig_kemp_]:automate delegate and concentrate.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:athtics talk called Multiplying your time, And he developed that framework. He sort of added an extra layer to Stephen Koby's, that cadrant of urgent, and important framework that he use. So those were the two. That those are the attributions. For that. it's a really elegant thing, but in practice it's can be really powerful and and very therapeutic. Just getting even that first one of elimination. That's very therapeutic just to get get rid of the fluff. and often we do have a lot of fluff. that may not.
[andrew_mowat]:So the order the lingth that you're referring to will post in the show notes. But how to multiply your
[craig_kemp_]:He
[andrew_mowat]:time by
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:H.
[andrew_mowat]:Rori Vaden and uh I. I, I'm not sure if I start this little video that I've got to get the link. It might play in the background, so I'll just leavey that more popt into the show notes afterwards As so. that's brilliant. Um, any other questions from the the audience? So far we, we have had quite a number of people through and popping in, and I have really appreciated this environment where I can see people and just popp in an in. Sail it to the chat. Um. there's uh, another opportunity I think for the people who want to reach out to both Craig and himself to either suggest people who could be also good creators. Um, like uh, we've got with with Keyhan, one of our things that we're seeking to do besides shifting the way professional learning is delivered in the world, particularly for educators is to ah, bring undiscovered and underrepresented voices to the foreign terms of the thought leaddership and the value that we uh, bring to the world, and we often get a bit of a suggestion of Hevi. You heard of this personal thought of that person and I, I'm far richer for the Gentle Ridge yet on, linked in just to Gehn earlier this year. and uh, it's that discoverability of people who add value to our own lives in the work that we do with them as well. So that's my thank you in gratitude to Y guiy and it's just been bring working with you. So, uh, looking forward to continuing to see how your work develops and that's value to the world.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:It's absolutely mutual, Andrew and Craigs, Like I said at last, this pandemic has been an opportunity. I even wonder whether if there was no pandemic, whether we would be
[andrew_mowat]:Hm,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:having this conversation.
[andrew_mowat]:hm,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:I might not have felt the need to switch to online.
[andrew_mowat]:mm, Mm,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:It's a beautiful thing, so I amper grateful to both of you. You guys are both inspiring for me.
[andrew_mowat]:I appreciate that, and uh, we'll have to stop the mutual backp. sort of, but yeah, I, Mine was genuine as well. it wasn't here. It's just a great place to be And that's what I love about meeting new people in these digital spaces. Um, Nick to come in from new, their ideas that have action to follow. Create great changes. Ah, so thanks Nick for your comments in your engagement and it's a. It's a lovely statement. probably with the time now. we're just that that the final ten minutes that we said would stick to. I'm really keen to try and keep this to a good time cadence. for all sorts of reasons. So Gehan, thank you so much for being our first, and thank you so much for taking the risk at a time when we didn't have anything to show in terms of what the edges Sp concept was, but felt to Greg and I like smoke and mirrors, but uh, you know you, just I just involved yourself in in such a fabulous way and you're adding so much value to people who come on connect, and we want that to continue, so thank you for your time and we will look forward to maybe a full o seesion to. See how this model is developing and and how you might be bringing extending the value to the world.
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Love it. Come, wait than you
[andrew_mowat]:Eh,
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:again.
[andrew_mowat]:thank you
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:Thank you every
[andrew_mowat]:ever for joining, and this will be available E
[craig_kemp_]:also some thsky hant ands anger. thanks everyone.
[andrew_mowat]:in a few places online. it'll be a podcast and it will be inside Ed your spark as well, so watch at. If you have missed the start of this, we will make sure you get access to it. Thank you, Ge. handn, Stay well, and I'm going tovnch. one of your lines stay awesome. Or is it stay legendary? Which one
[gihan_jayaweera___dr_g]:stay legend Harry, stay leen.
[andrew_mowat]:do you choose? That's the one. I got it wrong. But he could so thank Soram. We'll talk to you soon, Bale, so just stopped.