TurningĀ 38-years young… and still not acting my age. (Photo: Sir Garrett Camp)
38! I’ll turn a glorious 38 soon.
It’s going to be a great natal year–I can already feel it. Perhaps it will be good luck for you, too. In this post, I’m giving away a round-trip ticket anywhere in the world.
But back to that strange birthday gift…
Much to the chagrin of my momma-san, I’ve become difficult to buy presents for. Some friends even think I’m impossible to find presents for. Not so. I love handwritten letters, homemade brownies, and–most of all–when people do something nice.
You, dear readers, have a record of being nice and making it count. In fact, you’ve changed thousands of lives with small acts of kindness!
For my b-day in 2010, you all raised more than $100,000 for high-need public school classrooms in the US. More recently, you helped build libraries overseas (See the construction progress on Cambodia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka here, as well as the completed schools in Vietnam).
In lieu of gifts this year, my birthday wish is…
To create the FIRST elementary school in the world with exclusively stand-up desks!
Why?
This is a chance to be part of history. Ā
THE PROBLEM:
8-18-year olds spend ~85% of their waking hours sitting (Source:Ā Kaiser Family Foundation), and researchers like Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic nowĀ compare the health risks ofĀ extended sitting to those ofĀ smoking.
THE PROTOTYPE THAT COULD CHANGE THE FUTURE:
This is the pilot experiment that could change how schools worldwideĀ are designed. I’m joining forces with Kelly and Juliet Starrett, the brains behind this project and founders of StandUpKids. The goal is to get every public school student in the US at a standing desk within 10 years. This massive goal is achievable if the right snowballs are put in motion now, and this proof-of-concept school is the most important. Media coverage, national attention, political pressure/alliances, etc. can all stem from this. It’s super high leverage. Ā
Here’s what we’re doing, plus a few things to sweeten the pot:
- Join myĀ 38th birthday challengeĀ by clicking here. It’s worth clicking through just to check out the site;Ā Donorschoose.org is one of the most creative non-profits in the world. Ā This is also their most ambitiousĀ project ever.
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To get your engines started, and to put money where our mouths are: I’ve ready donated $10,000 of my own money, and Kelly and Juliet Starrett have done the same. We have lots of skin in the game.
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If the spirit moves you, please make a $38 tax-deductible donation (for my 38 years),Ā or whatever you can ($1, $35, $1,000, etc.).
4.Ā We hit $100K and outfitĀ a school that could affect the nation…or even the world! This isn’t hyperbole. This is precisely how movements are started.
So, to get this party started in force…
Sweetening the Pot…
- I’m giving away a free round-trip ticket anywhere in the world that Star Alliance flies, which is just about everywhere. There is no expiration date on the trip, so no rush on deciding where or when to go.
Here’s how to get it:
- Spread the word however you can. Send people to this post or to the Donorschoose.org page.
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Leave a comment below telling me what you did (Facebook, Twitter, blog post, e-mail blast, e-mail signature, encouraged employees/friends to do the same, company donation matching, etc.). Measurement of any type gets huge bonus points. This comment must be put up no later than 5pm PST on Friday, June 26th, 2015.
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Lastly, answer one question at the very top of your comment: “What does education mean to you?” Ā Put “#EducationMeans” at the very top, followed by your answer. Ā This is an IQ test in following directions, as we’ll skip entries without #EducationMeans at the top.
I’ll pick the winner (if clear), OR my team will pick the top 3-5Ā promoters, and you’ll vote on the winner of the round-trip. Ā As always: over 18 only, any taxes are your responsibility, void where prohibited, no minotaurs, etc.
Fun!
But the best reason of all…
Beyond the bribes, youāll feel awesome about yourself for doing real good.
Trust me. It feels great.
Will you pause for a moment and step up, even if for $1? It would mean the world to me. I’ll share updates as I get them.
Again, here is where you canĀ donate $38, $1, $1,000, or whatever you can. Ā Just click here.
Thank you for reading this post. You are all rock stars, and I continue to write on this blog purely because of you.
Pura vida,
Tim
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. Thatās how weāre gonna be ā cool. Critical is fine, but if youāre rude, weāll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
#EducationMeans helping my students become lifelong learners. (Btw, I just completed my 38th year of teaching.)
#EducationMeans getting the tools to help yourself and others.
I donated and shared the link via twitter to more than a thousand followers:
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In the past five minutes 16 followers have seen it.
Great opportunity to provide impact, however I wonder about the design of the desk selected and if it really meets the needs of today’s learners. As a classroom teacher and an administrator, I agree that all students need to move, and giving students the option of standing is important (and available in most schools). That is not the part in question. The element in question is the choice of desk. This desk was designed for yesterday’s learning style. Today’s classrooms are more dynamic places of learning. We want students to collaborate with others – so the design of the desk should lend itself to be easily reconfigured into small groups. We also have many schools that make technology available to students. Therefore the desktop needs to be flat and spacious enough to allow for effective use of a device as well as ancillary materials like a notebook or science experiment. Perhaps the desktop needs to be able to tilt, but should not be on a permanent tilt (imagine that chromebook or iPad sliding off the tilted desktop). This desk is truly “old school” design – it physically raises an old style of desk simply to allow standing. As currently designed, this desk does not meet the needs of today’s learners and we need to move beyond poorly designed furniture in order to provide flexible environments for student learning.
#EducationMeans The ability to discover and explore new horizons, both in the world and in one’s mind, to uncover and pursue one’s passions. Conversely, it is also the ability to understand and navigate the systems in our society (financial, legal, educational, cultural) to one’s benefit, instead of allowing these systems to act as mechanisms of coercion and oppression.
I blasted out to my 1k followers on Twitter and FB. Thanks Tim! We appreciate you being a force for good.
#educationmeans Education affords all of us the opportunity to live and share the fulfilling life we are born to live.
#EducationMeans – To me education is the best gift to other and to ourself. It is the gateway to the world. It’s being open to possibilities. It’s freedom. The best tool to grow.
And what I did to promote: I’ve put it on Facebook, I participated by giving you a birthday gift and did a donation š
#EducationMeans
In my opinion, education is the passion and drive to learn and do more. Whether it’s formalized or informal, anything that teaches a child or individlual something they can use to better themselves and/or the world, they are experiencing education in it’s finest and sometimes most refined form.
I immediately posted on Facebook and Twitter. In addition I added it to my work signature which exposes approximately 8,000 employees that work for me directly/indirectly to this amazing cause. I don’t know if this was necessarily allowed, but worst case I can ask for forgiveness later and break down HR’s moral authority frame.
#EducationMeans erasing barriers and divides. It’s being able to satisfy that inner curiosity and interest in the things that touch your mind, heart and spirit to become the person you are meant to be, regardless of class, wealth, color or gender.
Love that you do these “challenges” and am glad i was able to do my little bit. I posted a similar challenge to my 500 FB friends, 900 Twitter followers, 500+ LinkedIn connections and the dozen coworkers around my office. Surely, it won’t be the biggest numbers you see on here but if we all just hit our little circle,…
#Educationmeans changing each students life one at a time by whatever means possible. This would be by going outside the norm and teaching how each student learns!
I tweeted about this, shared on Facebook, liked the post, emailed to all of the staff at my school, emailed to my friends, and shared on instagram!
#EducationMeans becoming a well rounded person who gains the tools by which civilization is constructed.
I shared on twitter and Google+, between which I have over 300 followers.
#EducationMeans
Introducing others, not only to new information,ideas and skills, but also to methods of obtaining new information, ideas and skills. One other way to say it, learning how to learn.
Thanks for everything Tim!
Action: Posted to my facebook and twitter accounts
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#educationmeans a possession of a tool kit which can be deployed at any time and in any situation.
Tim, I’ve posted your DonorsChoose link on Young Entrepreneurs Society facebook page with over 2000 members as well as actively tweeting and retweeting the link 5 times to 240, or so, followers.
By the way Tim, turning 38 is a fantastic milestone. In my world “lifelong learning” is synonymous with “Tim Ferriss”, and I have a feeling that no matter what the world throws at you, you’ll never grow old!
Cheers and happy birthday!
Š ŠŠ½ŠµŠ¼ ŠŠ°ŃŠ¾Š“Š¶ŠµŠ½Š½Ń Š¢ŠøŠ¼Šµ!
Happy Birthday Tim! What a great project, I’ve donated and I’m spreading the word through FB, Linkedin, and with a Non-profit I volunteer at called Wolf Connection. They help at risk teens and rescue Wolf dogs, it’s an amazing group with some incredible people. You should check it out some time.
#EducationMeans to effective, intentional, and relevant learning for people of all age. The medium of education is very important. Education does not necessarily mean to me having kids stay sedentary for 8+ hours a day mindlessly learning irrelevant material that do not properly prepare them for their future.
I shared this page onto my facebook post with a passionate request to my network. I also included two photos of my own personal standing and treadmill desks to add oomph to the message.
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Thank you all and Tim! Let’s help these kids maximize their performance!
Best,
Evan
[Moderator: link removed]
#EducationMeans giving people all sides of the story and opening their minds to new ideas so they can determine their own future.
Posted the links to the social media of my startup Standing Desk online business here in Ireland. It’s a great cause that got me thinking. We need to do something like that here also. Thanks for the inspiration. Contributed to the cause also.
#EducationMeans
As a kindergarten teacher education means many things to me and the students I am blessed to teach. Education means life on life impact, so much more than just books. Education means loving my students like they are my own kids. It means shaping lives just as much as they are shaping mine, and it means creating a firm foundation for the future. Thank you for using your birthday as a way to make a difference in the lives of students! Happy birthday Tim.
I donated to the project and shared it on facebook. As a teacher, this birthday idea really resonates with me. Donors Choose is amazing and has made my classroom a different place. Keep up the amazing work!
#EducationMeans Dedication to the pursuit of Knowledge.
I will be promoting this just cause on my eCommerce website, by donating 5$ when anyone purchases a product.
Thank you Tim for letting me know about this opportunity to help,
Jay
#EducationMeans giving people the means to locate themselves in an identity greater than the one they were born in.
Iām South African. Specifically, white South African. Even more specifically, Iām 44 years old, which means I straddle both the old and new South Africa. Iāve watched this country struggle to achieve an economic liberation for the last fifteen years, despite achieving a political liberation. The primary reason for this failure is simple: the system of education was purposefully broken, and had never been repaired. That ensured that two generations of adults were barred from the tools they need to access their own society. Even now, though, as the current government dithers on the subject, generation after generation is consigned to menial employment, constrained by not having the building blocks with which to grapple with a systems-based economy. Worse, even if they do manage to reconstitute a variant of the standard education system, it wonāt help the 80% of the population who are effectively excluded from worthwhile participation. All it will do is provide the illusion of hope, while delivering a cargo-cult facsimile of āeducationā. It wonāt provide the conceptual vocabulary necessary for broken communities to leap from an agrarian world view to a technological or industrial world view. It wonāt give them command and it wonāt give them mastery. Itāll just give them literacy, without the utility of literacy.
I build business solutions. Essentially, I try to offer clarity of thought as a service. Pro bono, Iām working with a small software company, and a social entrepreneurship group, to pilot accelerated work readiness processes, focused on the BPO sector. Part of what Iāve brought to the architecture of the software is an embedded conceptual vocabulary.
Weāre trying to see where immersion in that vocabulary helps people raised without it to compensate for that lack. The underlying premise is that what are called Western economies operate in terms of subtle inherent ideas and tools, ideas and tools that are the mental landscape of people raised in Western culture. If this vocabulary is absent, you struggle to engage with a western āsystem of systemsā.
Weāre trying to embed such concepts and tools into vocational training, and if that shows results, we can find other ways of bootstrapping this principle of unconscious immersion into schools, communities and remedial training. Itās an experiment of sorts. And itās critical.
Iād really like to win your trip, but only if we can organise it for me to talk people thinking along these lines. I need to access as much discussion, brains and creativity as can be found, and Iāve found the best of that in the guests you talk to, and the people you know. Your circle, essentially. I donāt want their money. I want their thoughts.
I grew up here. I was privileged, of course. I also lived rough. But no matter how rough, education, and the excitement of learning was poured into me. I was never told to hold back. I was never constrained. My life has been a succession of acquiring tools. I see it as if I had been filled up. I want to pour it back out, into the structures in this country, and make the same paths available.
Education introduced me to my history, as a person, located in a greater stream of life than the town I grew up in. It placed me in a lineage that included Aristotle and Nagarjuna. It made me less limited, more creative under duress, and tougher. I want that for everyone.
Iāll be email bombing your donations page to my list, as well as donating what I can myself. But I donāt regard it as a gift. I regard it as an investment. I’ll help your community. The quid pro quo is you help me help mine.
Happy Birthday Tim!! Big fan of both you and Kelly Starrett and I love the collaboration here to do something important for children’s health. Just donated today and plan to tell many people about it!
After reading this I already reached out to my daughter’s school district in Richmond, VA to see how we can get a pilot program started at her school.
I actually just left the tax accounting profession to work full-time on my online business (I teach a free Travel Hacking 101 course; very curious if your free ticket on Star Alliance is through miles??), which I never would have done if I had not read the 4HWW years ago! My first purchase was a stand-up desk for my office, so this works perfectly with what I’m practicing in my own life.
#EducationMeans providing opportunities, no matter how small they may seem; outlets for creativity to flourish, and an environment that cultivates understanding so our world can better understood.
Happy Birthday Mr. Ferriss This is a fabulous initiative, something to be proud of! Thank you for constantly improving our society through your efforts. Shared and donated. I hope 38 brings you joy in everything you do!
One of my top 5 favs of what you have done – big high five on this one Tim!
I donated one for your 38th year and one for mine. I am spreading the word like wild fire — I have a stand up desk and absolutely love it! Go big – no fear – nice job.
Happy Birthday!
#EducationMeans being able to give true freedom to the minds of our world to think, be, and create whatever we want.
– Shared on Facebook.
– Donating to the cause; we pushed for standing desks at our office but were denied the request.
#EducationMeans to me a means for equality, a resource for creation, innovation. Development of opinion and question. #EducationMeans to me, freedom of choice and direction. Lastly, #EducationMeans understanding
Once every classroom in America has standing g desks, let’s work for a nation of standing desks.
Thank you Tim
I forgot to mention, I made a donation to our cause as well as shared the donorcause.org FB page on my FB with my network of 1000+ and will continue to do so.
Thanks again
Tim,
I have a couple of great ideas that will help the standing desk mission get shared across the world. Email me if you want to hear about them. I promise that I am smart, serious, and just the right amount of crazy.
Malorie
#EducationMeans not repeating the same mistakes. I love this idea. I have two sons about to start school and can’t imagine them sitting down all day long ( I don’t, so why would my kids). I donated to the donorschoose page.
I also happen to work for a very large furniture manufacturer that makes office and educational furniture with manufacturing in Michigan. I know Tim has one of our chairs. I work from a home office and have my own standing desk, of course.
Not only have I posted this to my Facebook and Twitter, but have started some discussions to explore interest inside the company to support this great work.
My metric will be whether or not I gather enough internal interest to set something up with our Education Team and Standup For Kids.
#EducationMeans #Freedom
I sent to friends and posted on Twitter/Facebook
Super idea!
#EducationMeans… using every day as an opportunity to both learn and teach, long after formal education has ceased continuing to develop new skills and learn from unexpected sources by remaining curious about the world and all inhabitants thereof.
Posted to Twitter @LynellDavis and Facebook… this is awesome! As an adult that played college sports and is now in a profession that requires extensive computer time… stand up desks are the best. Humans should not sit 10+ hours a day in my opinion š Love this idea! Happy Birthday!
I never got my bonuses from the last contest. But good luck though. And happy birthday. Keep up the good work on the podcast too, I love it.
#Education means a lifelong love of learning! Creating thinkers and doers
Sharing your awesome bday gift with email contacts
Stand up desks, the latest fad….If I was a student at this school, I’d be pissed :). (and endlessly fidgety). Surely what is required is in between bouts of sitting in class, more time spent outside running around, climbing trees and basically being kids WITHOUT the cotton wool wrapping we tend to put on them. Usain Bolt probably grew up sitting in a classroom, don’t think it’s affected his physical developement too much
#EducationMeans
For me Education means a lot of different possibilities,
anywhere from Formal education (Kinder-12th grade)
Higher education (University)
Informal education (Language, Culture, Manners)
Auto-didacticism(Self taught through books, or other forms) My personal Favorite **
and there are various others
At it’s essence, Education means the passing down of knowledge, skills, habits, etc. where the one being educated learns from that process and becomes enlightened.
P.S. What I did:
I was the first share of this particular post on Facebook
and I encouraged employees/friends to do the same by donating for a good cause wink emoticon
Hope to meet you in person Tim Ferriss
I’ll visit you where ever you are, I don’t mind paying my own flight
#EducationMeans inspiring those without knowledge to learn from those who have it. Be it through a book, a computer, a passed down story, a song or a verse it needs to inspire. Because its when we inspire those who woulnd’t normally receive an education to believe in what they’ve learned so they can in tern use what they have learned better themselves and those around them in – thats when #EducationMeans something. It’s then that movements start and we make a change for a better world even if it means one desk at a time.
Donated & Shared via my Facebook (5k), Twitter (1k) and Email Database (4k).
For me personally #EducationMeans teaching through music. Living in South Africa we are confronted by poverty everywhere. Some public schools don’t have enough desks for the number of kids in the classroom. So on the 29th/30th June we will be taking the kids out the classroom and starting a pilot music workshop, Lalela Live. The vision is to create learning opportunities, spark musical talents and create unity through teaching kids how to use their talents and skills when there is no desk to start with.
Should that flight prize fall to me , I promise to pick one school or youth NGO in every country that I stop at and teach the kids 1 song (same song in every country – #StandUpKids song š that they can sing completely acapella and compile a video of kids around the world, learning to stand together through Music – the religion that unites us all #StandUp
āŖ#āEducationMeansā¬ to me the chance to live a dream. I believe that knowledge creates confidence. Confidence creates possibility. Possibility creates hope. Hope creates desire. Desire creates urgency. Urgency creates action. Action creates change… and change is good.
Posted to FB.
#EducationMeans an opportunity to learn how to learn. It gives people a chance to develop skills so that they can be productive members of society with a meaningful life.
I contributed to this contest by writing a blog post:
[Moderator: link removed]
I placed that blog post in the GIVEAWAY category and it will automatically be emailed via MailChimp to 781 subscribers at 3pm tomorrow in my daily giveaway newsletter. It will also be included in the next general email newsletter to 1331 subscribers on Wednesday at 3pm.
Today it will be tweeted to over 7000 followers and shared on Facebook with almost 6000 fans. I will also schedule several posts to Facebook, Twitter, and Google + (900+ followers) over the next few days.
In addition, I am a member of several tribes of bloggers on Triberr and have a reach of 25 million. I expect that members of my tribes will also share this with their audiences thereby amplifying the message to many, many more.
#EducationMeans – more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic; its hopefully the start of good habits too: Physically, mentally, and socially.
Happy Birthday Tim! Great cause to rally behind. I’ve contributed and also shared the link across my social world (FB, LinkedIn, and twitter)
#EducationMeans – Presenting situations to encourage growth and change. “Which path do you intend to take, Nell?” said the Constable, sounding very interested. “Conformity or rebellion?” (TheDiamondAge, Neil Stephenson)
Neither one. Both ways are simple-mindedā they are only for people who cannot cope with contradiction and ambiguity.
Donated and posted on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook , work intranet bulletin boards , presented to SRCCares my company volunteer program, asked corporate to consider matching donations
tweet- https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/611296282108411906
#EducationMeans ā Education helps us to explore our own thoughts and ideas and makes it able to express it in different forms. So for me education is like a medium through which I can interact with different people and share our ideas. It is also the door to our destiny
#EducationMeans empowering kids/people to flourish in what ever endeavor they choose: profession, life, vocation, or spiritual. This absolutely means changing the culture and to be individual and tolerant in thought and action, while be respectful.
Promoted via Twitter
how are you picking the school? My wife is an elementary principal in San Jose!
#Educationmeans – Life long learning and gaining the skills that help us grow.
Happy Birthday Tim! What a great project, Iāve donated and Iām spreading the word through FB, Linkedin, and with a Non-profit I volunteer at called Wolf Connection. They help at risk teens and rescue Wolf dogs, itās an amazing group with some incredible people. You should check it out some time.
#EducationMeans providing not only knowledge but the tools to go beyond memorization and into actual understanding and, even more important, contribution to knowledge itself.
I shared this with all of my Facebook friends and I am proud to once again support a Tim Ferriss birthday project. Just a small karma payback for all of the inspiration & help (even though we have never met) that you have given me. Happy Birthday Tim TIm!
#EducationMeans that people are able to make decisions about their future on their own. That politics can’t buy votes with a few bucks, but with actions that people are able to analyze and measure. #EducationMeans freedom. —- I shared this post with my 1,785 Facebook friends, in a Public post so my 396 followers and others can see it too. — Happy 38th Birthday! Keep inspiring!
#EducationMeans My husband told me about this project through your blog. I’m a huge supporter of Standing desks (I have one at work) and walking desks (My husband built one for me at home). I donated $40 to the project and have posted your blog entry on FB. Education to me means Freedom. Freedom means education. The more you know – the more freedom a person has to pursue their passion(s). Happy Birthday and good luck on this challenge. I hope all schools have standing desks in the future. Veronica Toth, CANADA
#EducationMeans
Having the opportunity to be fascinated when you connect the dots of life.
I posted for my 1,329 facebook friends, and yelled off the rooftop of my sister’s flat in Hay’s Valley (approximate reach of 20 people)
#EducationMeans – Prepping the next generation with the knowledge to thrive in the world and make meaningful contributions that enrich humankind.
This is a fantastic idea, almost a no-brainer given all of the research done on how exercise improves a child’s concentration.
I shared the link on my facebook page as well as sent it to my friends.
#EducationMeans – Education is more than academic. Education is the entry way into the becoming the person you want to become. It provides the foundation in which knowledge and skills are transferred. Education gives opportunity to succeed in life and improves a person’s intellectual personal well-being.
I shared the donation link on facebook and also sent an email out to my friends. I love the idea of standing desk for children!
#educationmeans Ensuring all have a chance to experience the world they are a part of. Education is the fulfillment of a promise life doesn’t hand out. It’s giving others the chance to avoid chance and start betting on what’s really real, what’s true. Education comes along every day to those who have learned how to identify what there is TO learn. So we’ve gotta’ make sure learning is handed out to every one who is apart of this worldly experience we all inevitably share.
Just wanted to show you guys what a true answer is.
#EducationMeans creating opportunities
Tweeted it. Happy Birthday Man. Education means having more energy to look up the answer rather than just hoping you know it already. #EducationMeans
#EducationMeans I believe in education for every single person on Earth. I work very closely with an organization called New Life for Haiti. We have built 5 schools in a forgotten valley on the Southern peninsula of Haiti. While on a walk one day I met this girl named Fabie. All she could do was squawk, and because she was different she was considered a “dummy”. She broke my heart completely because if she was in the states, we would have known what was wrong with her by age 3. Since that day in February, 2014, Fabie has been diagnosed as deaf and is now in a school for deaf children and doing very well!! This is only 1 life that has been changed because of being able to get an education.
I have shared this link on my Facebook page and encourage all my friends to donate. This is a great cause! Standing would be so beneficial for the kids! And offices should start doing it too!!
And Happy Birthday Tim!! Keep up all the great stuff! Thanks so much!!!
#EducationMeans that anyone can learn about something that they interested in, and make a step towards making a big, positive change in this world.
I posted a link to donate on my facebook and twitter. I made my own standing desk that I’m using now, and wish I had one when I was in school. It helps so much.
Have you ever worked a ten hour shift at a cash register?
#EducationMeans waking up each day with a burning desire to better one’s self and those around them.
In honour of this I will post an article tomorrow 6/18 to my blog, entrepreyou, spreading the words to other young entrepreneurs.
I also donated $100 to a young girl in my neighborhood who was doing a bike race to help fund her battle with type 2 diabetes.
Regards,
David
#EducationMeans ā Flexibility to choose your own path and education is a vehicle for Renewal / Growth if you practice “lifelong learning.”
I’m 57 years young, newly retired and could certainly make good use of a free round-trip ticket to kick off my retirement!
I have shared Donorschoose.org with family and will share with FB and extended family and friends.
Thanks and Happy Birthday, Tim!
#EducationMeans the ability to achieve your dreams. After been through the Iraq war and seen so many kids in the dessert or in other war torn countries that doesn’t have the opportunity for even basic education, I’ve came to appreciate how precious education is for a large part of people in this world. While this project doesn’t help those in desperate needs directly, the hope will lies in our next future generation. This idea of stand up classroom can improve the health and engagement of the future generation and hopefully spread throughout the country as a model for success. Then we’ll have more future entrepreneurs and leaders to dream of big ideas to change the world.
I’m donating what I normally spent on a night out with friends in town and the same company match to go with it. Will also re-post thread once on my facebook every day until next Friday (6/26). It’s the least I can do after all the hours I’ve listened to the great podcast here. And happy birthday Tim!
#EducationMeans
Building up ourselves and the next generation to not lighten the load but broaden our shoulders.
Posted to (where/reach #):
https://www.facebook.com/natashka23 (1,217)
https://twitter.com/XXX(578)
https://www.facebook.com/XXX (88 influencers)
[Moderator: personal links removed]
Private Bulletproof Group (150 influencers)
Bulletproof co-workers via Skype (20)
Added to email signature until June 24th (~325)
I’m down the street from the school that will be receiving the desks so I plan to speak to the community as much as possible.
#EducationMeans – being able to read, understand and take action on the subject of your birthday request blog post Tim Ferriss. #EducationMeans – learning with understanding and through all our senses, absorbing information in all its forms. It’s that ah! moment when the training or wrote comes alive in each of us.
I did post a link to this page on my Facebook and Twitter and I think Standing Up for this cause is awesome Tim Ferriss! I will post it to my blog as well as well. Happy 38th Birthday! Make a donation I will.
#EducationMeans teaching and keeping our great resource healthy by example with a solid foundation in critical thinking.
A Very Happy Birthday to you, Tim. You are one of the best sources for badass info out there. And you’re wise enough to interview many of the rest. Keep up the great work! May this year be your best year to date!
I posted a link to the Vallecito StandUpKids Pilot Standing School Project to my FB page and on my twitter account. A great healthy idea for the youngsters. Best wishes raising the needed capital in short order. May you (and all of us) achieve enlightenment in this very lifetime!
You’ll be proud of Vallecito Elementary’s new initiative. They’ve ‘Nixed Sedentary Education With Standing Desks’
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/04/24/marin-county-elementary-school-adopts-standing-desks-students/
#EducationsMeans I believe that education is critical. A lot of our world’s problems could be solved by providing good education to all children, everywhere (& maybe their parents too). Not just the traditional 3Rs but also about health and wellness, emotional intelligence and other soft skills. Stand up desks are an interesting idea and if it begins to reverse some of the childhood obesity issues that we are seeing then I’m all for it! I’d also advocate more balance – more breaks to run around outside and absorb some sunshine and play too. š
Oh and to add to my previous comment – I’ve shared on FB & Twitter so far …
Hey Tim, love the idea. I’ve been actively working on the same topic, and came up with a solution that uses resources available in the school. While I see standing as just one option in a large variety of learning postures, I agree that it’s incredibly important to do something about the current school-sitting situation. [Moderator: link removed]
I would love to support your initiative in some way from over here in Germany if you guys are interested (sent you a Twitter comment on the respective post as well).
#EducationMeans OPPORTUNITY, CHOICE and FREEDOM š
I’ve donated and shared your message to almost 10,000 followers on social media. Here’s to a very Happy $100,000 birthday present, Tim!
#EducationMeans – learning by doing. Education is really a process where by new things are introduced into your life so a to expand your capabilities and horizons. That doesn’t mean sitting in front of a book for 18 years of your life, it means seeing and testing the implications of what you are doing for yourself. It means trying, not being afraid to fail, and discovering what you need as you go along. Education is the ability to be self diagnose your own need for knowledge, and the more you know the more you are aware of the that you have yet to learn. In that sense, receiving an education is really just the stimulation of an innate and never ending curiosity.
I’ve had the privilege to work on some social projects in education: one that replaced the national high school physics curriculum with 14 lab experiments, and one has replaced elementary school learning requirements with “experiential learning” modules where the kids are active and moving around at least 80% of the time while playing real life educational games! I hope the next generation will somehow survive school, the way I did, without loosing their curiosity, hope, and energy.
-I posted the link to you your blog post on my FB wall, the pages that I manage, and all of education related social enterprises that I have worked with.
#EducationMeans
freedom! It helps people leave their self-caused immaturity and use one’s intelligence without the guidance of another. If that sounds familiar to some: It’s Imanuel Kant (or at least based on him). I thought I’m allowed to do this as I am from Germany, the country of poets and thinkers as many of my Asian colleagues keep telling me:-)
What did I do?
I shared the cause to my facebook page, spread the word with friends and colleagues. I’m not sure if a donation at this point in time is a good idea due to currency effects. But more importantly, I am thinking about how to adopt the idea for my country – the problems we have with obesity are similar. I don’t have kids yet but I know about back problems myself (although I’m only 32 and have been an athlete half my life). Stand up desks were introduced at my workplace recently and I know it makes a big difference. I will get in touch with the founders of the charity, but still I’m in for the race for the roundtrip ticket (that would have to start on this side of the ocean then;-))
#EducationMeans keeping students curiosity and open mind to explore new things and question everything conventional.
Posted on Facebook and LinkedIn š
Great birthday idea. We promoted to our 17K Twitter followers @GymPosters
#EducationMeans
sheared the donorschooes.org on my face book page. Education should keep the people and kids engaged. I think that standing and moving helps do this.
#EducationMeans – Education is the legs upon which innovation walks. It’s corny but education, formally or not, gives a base that prompts new ideas physically and socially. The ability to question standards and widely accepted ideas in a safe environment at a young age builds confidence for future critical thinking towards big ideas.
Happy Birthday, Tim. This is an excellent cause and one I firmly believe in. I have followed K-Star and his methods for two years or so, and more recently, have learned about you. One thing you both have in common is the ability to convey information towards a varied demographic base. I work in an industry that is mostly rewarding for me intellectually while wrecking me physically by sitting at a desk all day. As a father of two, I want my children to understand the value of proper position. Obviously, standing is critical to this as one of Kelly’s archetypal positions.
___I will be generating a conversation on this topic with a friend today who is a principal of a local elementary school. I would be deeply appreciative if you could answer some questions that I have about getting this moving in the southeast US. Plane tickets are great, but I’m much more passionate about providing better opportunities and options for people. especially children.
Also, thank you.
#EducationMeans becoming the best version of yourself. Happy birthday Tim. Have spread the word by emailing my work colleagues (my whole firm – 400 people – have just moved to stand up work desks) and by sending your email on to a bunch of Alexander technique coaches I know (at least one who plans to pass it on via his blog).
#EducationMatters
Growing up the son of an educator, Iāve always felt that good schooling is the cornerstone to the success of a nation. I was lucky enough to finish school before āNo Child Left Behindā really took hold and got an education focused on actual learning rather than teaching to pass a test. To me that is the proper form of education, not just learning to pass an exam. Looking forward to seeing how this experimental school works out and I hope it challenges the norms in more than just the type of desk used. We need some serious education reform in the US and this sounds like a great way to start that process.
Iāve shared this blog post via twitter, Facebook, and Google+. I will include a link in my emails for the next few weeks as well. Iām new to my organization, so unsure if Iāll be able to get this to the right people here, but will try.
#EducationMeans : reading/watching/listening/observing/questioning/debating/refining your perspective
In addition to my $38 contribution (Happy Birthday Tim!), I shared this post to my Facebook account, tweeted it, and sent it to a few of my co-workers who would appreciate/understand it.
#EducationMeans :
Update: Almost 24 hours after sharing this post as described above, here are some stats:
Facebook: Sent to 170 friends (yep, I’m not that cool). 6 likes and 2 comments.
Twitter: No response. Granted, I have 22 followers and haven’t been active on Twitter. However, I found it interesting that I gained two new followers post-Tweet. Coincidence?
E-mail shared with co-workers: Sent to four members of our executive team, all with kids in/close to the 8-18 range. 1 response.
#EducationMeans opening up a whole world of amazing possibilities
I donated to this great cause and encouraged the fans of our facebook page to do the same!
#EducationMeans making this world a healthier and safer place for our children by providing them with the tools they need to grow not just mentally strong, but physically strong and sound.
I tweeted, Facebooked, and donated. Happy Birthday, Tim!
#EducationMeans developing awareness and encouraging exploration. When we are aware, (of self, others, environment) we increase our understanding, confidence, and love. If in our educatikn we can instill a confidence and desire to explore, the possibilities are endless, as students will take risks, learn more and find passion. As a result dreams will be pursued, leading to happy, full lives.
I have shared the link on Facebook and with friends encouraging to join.
I do not want to be entered into a raffle, but rather I would like to be considered to assist in the project.
This is a passion of mine, having been a teacher and coach for 9 years, the topic is very important to me. I understand standing desks are a great way to look at our sitting problem from a different lense, however there needs to be an even more systemic approach to how teachers set up and frame their lessons. There is no perfect posture: sitting or standing. The key is change, to continually change position. To accomplish this we need to help develop tools for the teachers to understand how to transition students. We need to help teachers get comfortable with different learning environments and set ups. Just as there is no one education model or theory, there is no one environment/set up that is ideal for the students. Let me help develop a robust system that not only addresses the physical landscape of the classroom, but also improves the teachers’ ability to listen to student’s bodies and using that information to better transition throughout lessons.
#EducationMeans the opportunity for people to become more than they thought they could be. Big fan of stand-up desks so it’s exciting to see this ambitious project. It’s awesome to see you play a big role in it. Happy Birthday Tim!
Shared the link on my FB and to my audience (email list and podcast).
#Education Means: A New Serenity! God grant me the education to change the things I’m told I can’t, the courage to change the things I know I can, and the wisdom to ignore the difference.
Education also means not limiting yourself to one definition of what education means! š
What I did – told my wife, kids, and coworkers. Donated $53 – $50 as donarschoose requested and $1 for each of my kids so that they would feel involved.
#EducationMeans improvement. Lifelong education bridges the gap between discrimination and acceptance. It creates open minds. Education celebrates differences and has intelligent conversations fueled by curiosity instead of negative emotion. I love learning!
I shared the Donors Choose page on:
Twitter – https://goo.gl/f6HnmV
Facebook – https://goo.gl/WWeLJl
Google+ – https://goo.gl/qHSwSv
Thanks for the opportunity Tim!
#EducationMeans empowering people to understand the world we share so we can make it a better place. I have shared the link on Facebook and Twitter.
#EducationMeans providing children (or adults) with the resources to learn and grow in hopes that they find a passion and make a positive meaningful impact in their lives and the lives of others.
I gladly posted these pilot projects to my Facebook and spread the word throughout my office in hopes of starting the discussion of how we address tremendously important and difficult issues like childhood obesity and deficiencies in our school systems.
#educationmeans the evolution of our species. Nothing is more important to our families, communities, cities, countries and the world than to evolve and continue to grow in love and wisdom. Through education all things are possible and there is no telling where humanity can go. Through education we can go from poverty to prosperity, war to peace and from fear to love. Change Heroes in which I helped build a school https://www.changeheroes.com/ knows the importance of this mission as well and focuses on building schools in disadvantaged countries. To promote this revolution I did the following.
1. Donated to the cause
2. Wrote a blog http://www.mattbelair.com/tim-ferris-giving-a-free-flight-to-anywhere-in-the-world-for-helping-him-start-a-revolution-with-kelly-starrett/
3. Posted on my personal Facebook page (1000+ friends)
4. Posted on my business Facebook page
5. Posted the blog to Linkedin (3306 Followers)
6. Posted to twitter x2 (24000 Followers)
7. Posted link to Tumblr
8. Posted link to StumbleUpon
9. Posted Link to Reddit
10. Shared with friends and family who would have the highest chance of donating or had a network to spread the awareness
11. Shared Link and photo on Instagram
12. Shared on Google +
13. Meditated and sent out some excellent “Chi” to the universe focusing on education, harmony and love š
P.S All links and number tracking available upon request. Happy birthday Tim and keep spreading love and knowledge!
P.P.S I used the Pavel Tsatsouline training method to go from deadlifting 225 lbs to 415lbs in 3.5 months. I trust your judgement and research š
– Matt
#EducationMeans…It should mean freedom, providing the necessary avenues to achieve your personal goals. It should mean that everyone has the right to the same levels of learning. It should mean that anything is possible. This is what I want education to mean and I hope with the help of dedicated people like you it will become reality. š
I shared this on Facebook and donated $38.00
Happy Birthday!
“#EducationMeans a better future and quality of life.
friends and family support Hey #timferriss My kid has adhd and could have used this when he was in primary school! He just graduated high school and it would have been a great help for him. Hope it takes off!!” Walnut Creek CA
#EducationMeans opportunity, growth, and empowerment.
I shared the link on my social networks, offered a gift to anyone in my network that donates and shares, emailed all of my contacts, and text some friends that aren’t online much. I will do some different things (such as stand in high heels for 8 hours straight) to raise awareness and hopefully donations.
Thanks for promoting something so great.
Happy Birthday Tim!
#EducationMeans learning how to interact with the world and solve problems
#EducationMeans a world that can one day reach its ultimate potential through connectivity, collaboration, creativity, & collective consciousness.
Shared Post & Donors Choose Link w/ FB & Twitter networks (2000+ ppl).
Thanks for sharing another great cause, Tim. Happy Early Birthday!!!
#EducationMeans learning the rules that need to be broken to make our lives, our world, and beyond more fucking awesome than it already is.
I shared this blog post on Facebook to my 821 friends, twitter to my 311 followers, just showed this to my five roommates and blew their minds, emailed it to two of my best friends that will actually love this, and lastly to my mom and dad because they will support any good cause. This shit will change the world and I can’t wait to help it happen.
#EducationMeans changing a life. A good education will guide future decisions, health, relationships and success. It isnāt about making someone feel good for a day, it is about the benefits they will experience for the rest of their lives and the lives they will impact.
Here are some facts and figures for the man who likes all things measurable. These are the outcomes of a wide and varied education on a teenage boy:
1. June 2013 – the start of an epic education for a 14 year old boy
2. Before – Bullied. Now – no longer bullied
3. Before – hated school (73% attendance level). Now – enjoys school, well as much as any teenager can (100% attendance), teachers love him
4. Before – average grade was a low C. Now – has the only A in his science class, is in the top 10 of his maths class, English class is at the level needed to attend university
5. Before – minimum 6 hours a day spent playing computer games. Now – Maximum 5 hrs a week
6. Before – only activity was 2 hours a week during school sport classes. Now – walks a minimum 2.5hrs per week. Attends 2 Zen Do Kai classes a week.
7. Before – no physical aspirations or achievements. Now – in 1 year has obtained an orange belt with a blue tip in karate. 2 weeks of snowboarding in Whistler – ended up rocking the black slopes and finding those sweet little jumps off the side of the runs, not to mention the tree runs
8. Before – high risk of type 2 diabetes (all males on his fatherās side have type 2). Now – Blood tests from 1 months ago – levels are perfect
9. Before – sullen, moody, hated talking to anyone, took everything personally and negatively. Now – he laughs, jokes, talks and is looking forward to going abseiling with me.
10. June 2015 – he just turned 16. The scholastic, emotional, physical and life education he has received in the past two years will help shape the man he is becoming. These lessons will impact the lives of countless others.
The catalyst for this? His mother died of chemo onset leukaemia and he came to live with me (his single, no kids aunt!). He has taught me more than I ever thought possible about the impact one person can have on another.
Happy birthday Tim. The Pilot Standing School has the potential to change the lives of generations to come – thank you.
I have shared your post amongst my LinkedIn network.
#EducationMeans – Tim & KStar, love this effort. I take this all to heart bc as a former public school teacher of 11 years and still working w/ athletes, I have put my heart & soul into trying to help the schools and it’s amazing how those in need still refuse any and all help, it breaks my heart!
What Education Means to me – a place to inspire kids to find their unique ability and to explore their inner genius. A place to motivate and inspire kids to go out in this world and be change makers, people who change the world for the good!
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When I was in high school, NO ONE believed in me minus a substitute teacher who filled in for my injured English teacher and the assistant wrestling coach.
A girl I train is 16 years old and entering senior year next year. I said, “Wow, that’s young for a senior.”
She replied, “I know, I skipped a grade when I was 7, I kept telling my parents how boring school was so they wrote a letter to the principal and they had me skip a grade.”
Last month, this same girl wrote a letter to the high school principal because she LOVES weightlifting.
She told me that coming to my gym is the best part of her day. At 130 lbs she deadlifted with PERFECT form / flat back, 350 lbs.
I don’t think any other girl in the country has done this, so, she wrote the principal asking if she could go to the weight room during “gym class” bc all they do is walk the track, play on scooters, etc – she is NOT challenged.
She wrote the letter and the principal declined her request to do something that was not challenging and not doing anything to satisfy her “educational needs”…..
I know you don’t have the time to watch my video but I have poured my efforts into trying to help students / schools / teams, etc who NEED help and get ZERO response.
I must be doing it all wrong and would love to start a non profit like K Star called STRONG Kids or STRONG Life where I use my methods to train teachers / coaches to properly run a strength program that builds MORE than strong bodies, but also confident, healthy kids who live a strong life!
[Moderator: link removed]
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Things I did:
– Shared on my social channels: facebook and twitter
– Donated $100
– In my video offered my e books in exchange for those who donate to Stand Up Kids
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Education is about empowering kids to be leaders, NOT followers, and, to believe in them so we empower kids to achieve their true potential and greatness.
Public schools refuse the help and the kids deserve more. It breaks my heart……
#EducationMeans …. The best education, in my eyes, would entail learning how to be healthy, financially secure, as well as passionate & happy in one’s work/professional activities.
For sharing this blog post, I made a post on my Facebook account utilizing the hashtags #StandUpKids & #Mobility. Additionally, I tagged both badass dudes Tim Ferriss & Kelly Starrett.
#EducationMeans the chance to be a productive member of society and of the world. If everyone in the world has a basic level of education about languages, math, history, and health, then most, if not all, of the problems we face today would be gone.
#EducationMeans fostering a lifelong curiosity and love of learning very early, that enables children to continue to become more, and have the ability to find things out on their own. As they get older, they are no longer dependent on someone else to teach them, but having the skills and curiosity to go learn for themselves.
Thanks Tim for being a part of the solution. Your philanthropy is a great example.
I posted a link to this post and asked my social media friends to contribute. I will write a post on my blog (as small as the readership is) and ask them to do the same.
Happy Birthday. Hope its the best.
#EducationMeans
Education means opening up your mind to new ideas, new experiences and new cultures.
I shared this on my Twitter account: @BeccaBandit
I’ll also be telling people by word of mouth.
I absolutely love this project! It’s a great idea! I use a standing desk and I absolutely love it. It feels so much better on my body. I think this is a wonderful initiative! I hope we have more standing desks in our culture and within the schools is a great place to start!
I wish you a happy birthday and all the best in this project! I have no doubt you will reach your fundraising goal!
#EducationMeans hope for humanity.
As for the contest, I donated 38 dollars; sent email on a wellbeing related alias at work (that has 135 people on it); went to my 6 year old son’s school and told all the parents and teachers about this initiative to inspire them all; promoted this post via both my Facebook and Twitter.
Happy birthday Tim!
Happy Birthday day! I pushed this to my personal and business facebook pages as well as the page off the box I train at.
As someone who hated school growing up due to my ADHD, and then kicked it into high gear my last semester of college, then again through graduate school, I think education means finding what you love, learning as much as you can of that thing then teaching and spreading what you’ve learned to whoever is interested and shares your passion as well, or even those that could benefit from you knowledge. So education is becoming as best expert as you can then giving back that knowledge to the world.
Happy Birthday, Tim
$50 for standup desks for kids
I am typing this from my standup desk in SLC!
John
#EducationMeans advancing the human population in hopes of a brighter future. In regards to your donation effort, it means FINALLY having a healthier generation coming up behind us. Now is the time to turn the issue of obesity around. Motion is lotion, baby!
I shared this with 716 Facebook friends and will tell 3 people about it every day for the rest of the month.
What a fantastic thing to be a part of. Happy birthday Tim!
#EducationMeans to me that the better leaders we can be the more impact we can have in the world I am dedicated to teaching volunteer leaders across the world. If I win this ticket I’m flying to Mongolia to train volunteer leaders make a difference.
I shared this post via my Google+ page (that is the main social media platform I use).
#EducationMeans increasing your ongoing value to society.
So I haven’t donated YET as all my credit cards are maxed out and both my checking accounts are negative but I did….
1. Send out an email to 47000+ subscribers
2. Create a post to 17000+ connection on LinkedIn
3. Create a post on my website which receives 45000 unique visits per month
4. posted to Twitter to a mere 6700 follower
5. posted to facebook to our 196,000+ fans.
Hope this helps the cause š Happy Birthday! (from a fellow 38 year old inspired by many of your actions)
[Moderator: personal links removed]
Let me know if you want some analytics in the next few days.