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 the FREEDOM to pursue what you want out of life. Education gives you the ability to create doors of opportunity for yourself when there are no opened doors available. People often say that “your eyes are your windows to the world,” which is true. But I think educated eyes will have a more knowledgeable/non-judgmental view of the world than uneducated ones ever could.
What have I done?
– Promoted the DonorsChoose link on all of my social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Snapchat, etc.)
– I also told my friends & family members about this wonderful cause so together we’d be able to contribute more.
– As a college student, my resources are limited, but I love to volunteer and help in any ways possible, so I donated $$$ as well.
Thank you Tim very much for everything you’ve done. Your “4-Hour Workweek” book changed my thinking for the better. Thanks a lot!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ya!
#EducationMeans As an administrative manager of a public school, I believe whole heartily in the impact of education; especially from the various experiences, opportunities and relationships established. I am blessed to see it every day.
I have actually hacked my desk to be able to work standing up and although some found it initially funny, preaching by example works and a trend has emerged. I believe this project to be genius, congrats Tim for inspiring by example and Bonne FĆŖte! I have shared the news on my Facebook account.
#EducationMeans progression. Every advance if human history has been directly linked with advances in in education. When we give up on education we have place the vehicle into reverse gear
This project could be a platform for great advances in education and everything that it brings with it.
I shared the project on Facebook and Twitter.
Tim –
First off, thanks for leading the way.
I’ll cut to the chase for why I’m reaching out – I plan to climb K2 within 1 year.
That said, I’ve just recently come across your ‘teachings’ and see how well they align with mine, but you are very, very much further along than me.
So, back to my original inquary – Can we talk about this ambition & how to acomplish it in my timeframe?
ā#EducationMeans – I think it is the key factor that can make society better and real changes in the world. It is like early stage “programming”, as values, aspirations, world views are largely formed at school.
I donated (nickname Darameja) and GooglePlused it and tweeted it. I do choose some place to donate as a monthly #givingback thing, so this was my choice. So no need to include me in airfare raffle – the value of your content is beyond that.
Happy B-day, Tim!
#EducationMeans to enable people to leave something behind what is loved.
I will explain this by the story how I shared standupkids.org. I used to be an electric engineer for underwater fossils exploration and military projects. And I was fond of it for several reasons so i started an education to get into teaching in dual education (Germany). When Tim shared this “S dnem razdenijem Tim!” (I am born in Russia) I did a week of standup teaching in my control engineering classes. We went through the standupkids.org websites to wake awareness (including information for the parents) and had a discussion about the benefits of moving, change working postions and so on… And then there was a shock!
One guy of my class had an idea: Why we don’t use what we learned in class to automate a table to move randomly into sitting and standing working positions randomly! This is not a new invention and products exist but its a breakthrough for a grown up. So we did it! I never experienced such a motivation and hunger for new knowledge to make this project work from the whole class. And this is exactly what #EducationMeans to me: give the abilities to create something new, something others love, something that is here to stay and you will be remembered for. A kind of living forever.
#Educationmeans active and engaged, and learning for life! We’re actually trialling stand-up workstations at work- and I thought the idea was a bit crazy!
Posted to facebook and LinkedIn. Cheers.
#EducationMeans an effort to understand. To understand the past in order to prepare your future. To understand yourself in order to become the best version of yourself. To understand others so that you can impact them in a positive way.
My father was a teacher, my mother was a teacher, my sister is a teacher, my aunt was a teacher, my cousins are teachers. I graduated with a Masters in Engineering, but even I’m a teacher.
I asked several teachers what #EducationMeans to them and here’s what a couple had to say:
“Education gave me a chance to know what I needed to do. What I wanted. It gave me choices in regards to freedom to choose.” – former P.E. Coach and Elementary Principal.
“Means teaching young minds right from wrong and how to be a successful citizen.” – current 1st Grade Teacher
In summary, here’s what I did:
1. Contacted several teachers and asked them what #EducationMeans. (see quotes above)
2. Made a post on a blog I manage that receives over 20,000 unique visitors per month. [Moderator: link removed]
3. Re-shared a video of my work setup and the stand-up desk I built, with information about StandUpKids. (628 Facebook Fans)
4. Shared on Facebook personal page. (604 Friends)
5. Wife shared on Facebook personal page. (522 Friends)
6. Shared #2 above on Instagram. (274 Followers)
7. Tweeted #2 above. (73 Followers)
8. Shared on Reddit /r/education [Moderator: link removed]
9. Asked my father, former HR director of Manatee County Schools to share this with his current and former school board friends.
10. Sent a broadcast about the cause. (136 subscribers)
11. Shared it with our Bible Study group. (1 of which teaches at the church)
12. Texted the link to 4 friends with kids in elementary school.
13. Last, but not least, donated to Vallecito StandUpKids Pilot Standing School
Total Stats
Facebook: 1,754 followers
Twitter: 73 followers
Instagram: 274 followers
Email: 136 subscribers
Influencers: 4 parents discussed with
Teachers: 4 teachers contacted
Blog: custom post and image for 600 unique daily visitors
Note: Any additional analytics can be sent at your request.
#EducationMeans our Schools = exam factories, where our students learn how to pass them all for a statistic or profit.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow so engrossed in my action plan, I almost forgot to share it with you……
After being in the system as a teacher now at 31 with inspiration from Tim’s 4HWW I am retiring from it. I will be living a self sustained life, doing my hobby MMA – maybe when the system has more freedom & completely changes, allowing the students to me more free, ask questions, be creative, real life scenarios, travel, have fun. I might consider coming back.
However that hasn’t stopped me during my time left still at School being whatever influence I can in nurturing my students. The system really failed me during 2014 when I was having an aggressive cancer treatment and still had to teach – it meant my students were my carers, I was unable to do the basics of my job, they really did have to be there for me. 6 months on since last chemo/surgeries/radio I am recovered and very strong now and we adopt a lot of philosophy in my lessons, including acts of kindness, how to be healthy, basically leaving an impression as much as I can of what I believe is important.
FUNNILY enough during May this year we did a 30 day stand up Challenge during lessons, it was more based on posture and squatting. But my students got so into it they were doing it at home, during meal times or while playing video games. I hadn’t quite come across looking into stand-up desks.
So when I first came across your blog and the stand-up kids campaign, ummm YESSSS LOVE… I showed my students and they loved it :).
The Action Plan.
Obviously shared it across the many social media’s – and still doing so.
I am English and work at a British School in the USA with over 30 sister Schools all round the world.
With my community action group I created at my School the students are very proactive and educated from my previous challenge. We have spread the word at School, created a newsletter that has now been distributed to ALL our Schools worldwide with the awareness and action detailed.
We then convinced the principal to adopt a sponsor stand up day at School at the end of June with the students donating to the cause.
The last act of kindness raised $1700, so we are predicting something similar. But ultimately action and awareness is the forefront of this campaign, it seems to be harder to convince fellow teachers, but they are starting to listen now and as it something I feel strongly about I don’t give up.
I have shared each action step of the journey on my twitter in hope to keep spreading the word. Still a few steps in our Action Plan left to do, but I am excited to see how far it goes.
I also have a very supportive family, friends and many contacts back home in the UK – I already spread the word previously during the 30 day May challenge, so they are caught up with knowledge and the awareness in a work place with office desks having long term negative effects of sitting. KEEP MOVING!!
Birthdays are just another day – but I think it is amazing to help in something that you know you can have an influence in and make a difference.
Been very busy this last week! My lovely students have really got into spreading the word – It is not always the easiest trying to convince other teachers (adults!!!!) the benefits of students keeping active and moving during long lessons that they have ALL day, they can often be set in their ways and unsure of the education and implications, the newsletter on my research I created did help. Not all warm to the idea of the sponsor day, but this is what drives our community action group at School and myself, to keep spreading awareness. The last finishing touches in addition to our newsletter is posters all round the School to spread the word and finally we will be creating a stamp/sticker they can wear for all the students participating in the sponsor stand up (THINK ON THEIR FEET DAY) where we ask them to donate dollars to participate. We will have lot’s of amazing photos to come. The day has been confirmed to 30th June. Not long š
Still spreading the donation page on social media and also got feedback to help our research from an ergonomics graduate which was great.
#educationmeans That the next generation can be more aware of the sociological implications of their actions and maximize benefit for the world!
I posted the donor page on a friends Facebook page. I posted this page on a friends Facebook page. I donated $20!
#EducationMeans progress. Reduce the knowledge gap and give equal opportunity to all.
Follow me on Twitter @dirktrips for all things tech, marketing, meditation, self learning and growth. #namaste
#EducationMeans teaching a person to teach themselves how to make the world around them a better place, how to solve the problems of not only our day to day lives but the problems our world and civilization as a whole are being challenged by. Education means leading by example, doing what needs to be done to raise not only yourself but the people around you to the very best that humanity can achieve. We do this not only by seeking to understand ourselves, we do this by seeking to understand how we can help others as well.
I have shared this post and the DonorsChoose website with all my ESL and teaching networks, friends, colleagues (teachers) and through my blog with a total of 16,876 people. I have all the evidence to prove it as well, screenshots, tags, blog etc. You did ask not to post url’s. I am working on donating $50, as the site would not accept a 4 digit zip code from South Africa I am setting up a paypal account to send the money through.
Whether I win this or not I have learnt to face some of my fears about sharing things I believe in and asking people for money for a good cause. This challenge has taken me one more step towards my goals and for that I am immeasurably thankful. Now that’s an education š
Happy Birthday TIm!!! You are an incredible human being! You’ve had a crazy year and your success is only just beginning. I wish you all the love, growth and success that you truly deserve.
#EducationMeans preparing ourselves and others for future freedom. I truly believe the saying you can never have too much education and the ones usually knocking people who go to college or continue to pursue new things are those who have decided to stop that pursuit. I shared the challenge through e-mail blast with family, friends and coworkers. Good luck everyone!
#EducationMeans entering a world of opportunity. Education provides the CEOs and World Leaders a chance to change the world now, while offering those less fortunate a chance to influence the leaders of today and become the leaders of tomorrow. It provides young people like myself the chance to view the world objectively while simultaneously learning from those around you to be able to form your own opinions and leave your influence on the world in the future. Everyone has a voice and they all deserve to be heard, and education is simply the volume of your voice.
I have posted the donorschoose link on my Facebook, in a mass email, on my twitter, and on my linked in page. While a trip would be amazing, I truly hope that this idea takes off and if in anyway in the future I could find a way to assist beyond monetary means I will! While the money helps the ideas flourish, it is the people like you who are out there making it happen and gives hope to everyone else in the world struggling.
I just recently built a stand up desk and have seen my own productivity levels, and love of learning, skyrocket. Here’s hoping that this will have the same influence on the one school you hope to have soon, and the many more that are hopefully driven by your soon to be great success!
Keep up the inspiration and thank you!
#EducationMeans menas an enlightening experience with the power to equalize all views in the court of reason and logic.
I had a VA write a blog post on this and then posted it on hackerspace (this page shows the number of views on the upper right, now 32 views, 25 unique). The article was then publicized on reddit on /r/education (where it pushed to the top) and /r/Fitness (made the first page and linked directly to your site).
Promoting this charity links:
[Moderator: link removed]
http://www.reddit.com/r/education/comments/3ann1o/the_most_radical_education_idea_ive_seen_is_it/
http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/3anv8g/crazy_or_workable_fitness_solution_standing_desk/
#EducationMeans Education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world.
Hi Tim,
loved the project! Thank you for the introduction.
I’ve just posted about your initiative on my blog (more than 500 page views per month).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! š
#EducationMeans…HOPE! Education gives children AND adults hope to empower their lives. If you teach a child to read they have a skill they can use their whole lives with confidence in whatever they do. If you teach an adult a new skill, language, etc. you also give them confidence and hope in their future. From age 8 to 88 we can all have HOPE through education!
I shared this post on my Facebook and Twitter accounts and will donate to this great cause. It has also inspired me to do something similar for my 36th birthday with the organization pencils of promise! Thanks Tim for the inspiration AND education!
#EducationMeans curiosity, understanding, expansion and unity – to explore the furthest limits of potential in every area of life and bring about cohesion.
Happy birthday, Tim. Thanks for your inspiration and supporting kickass causes.
#EducationMeans
In a word, legacy.
This is just that opportunity be part of the legacy of not just our own children, or the kids we know or maybe coach/teach; but of possibly ALL the children in the US and maybe world wide.
Nothing cooler than that in my book
Trackables: went to my email list this AM got 8 click to the page – will go to my facebook page tomorrow, and then a follow-up with an interview I did with KStar where he speaks about topic.
Happy 38th and onward to 100K for the kids
#EducationMeans- fostering creativity, awarding curiosity, and encouraging unconventional methods of teaching and learning.
I helped spread the word by posting to my boyfriends’ Facebook and tagging the Facebook page of our non-profit after school program, Tech Explorers, we have started to teach underprivileged children science and technology.
And Tim, I am the only one at my law firm who has created a standing desk!
#EducationMeans opening our minds to the possibilities of the world and giving us a greater opportunity to pursue our passions. No school test can measure this, only how we choose to live life.
For the past 2.5 years I’ve worked using a standing desk (not by choice in beginning due to back pain) and have come to realize that as someone who always felt constrained by desks anyway, this is a better way for me to work. I’ve posted to Facebook to help this great cause.
#EducationMeans challenging the status quo and learning from the result!!
I shared the link to the donation page on my Facebook profile. Great job Tim Ferriss! Good cause!
#EducationMeans That you have an opportunity to expand your thinking and thus having the opportunity to make more rounded decision as we dodge through life.
I encouraged my employees to donate and over half have confirmed donations!
#EducationMeansā¦
Education means us older generations (post-secondary) can help the younger one to resist picking up where weāve left off. Should they not learn from our mistakes? As human beings our history is rifled with screws up, though we do get some things right from time to time. Marie Curie got it right. Taguchi, Turing & Jobs got it right. Same with Shaq and Mia Hamm. Education is more than an institution–a building with walls and a ceiling. Education transforms people. Real learning does not come from teaching towards tests, rather, providing access to what knowledge we do have and sprinkling in some much needed guidance along the way. This is how you develop a burning desire for learning. Education is about helping kidsā shape their future, and our own in the process.
I find myself asking questions like this more frequently, now, than when I was in school. And thatās after an academic scholarship and dual majoring at Indiana U. (ā13). I too have become more involved in shaping education and learning, particularly STEM, in schools over the past year, ever since a friend told me about an afterschool program he started that combines sports-based video game competitions and a curricula about the gaming industry, game development, and now coding. This August, weāll be operating in 15 schools local to Indianapolis– heās quit his day job to launch Elite Gaming Live, and I hope to follow suit soon. Turns out these kids really eat this stuff up, and thereās social implications as well. Whoād have thought videogames would bring students and families together. Iāve donated what I can spare on my meager post-college budget. Iāve shared your post on Twitter, with my 3,000+ colleagues through our CRM, with my 900 friends and fans on Facebook. I hope you become one too. Though I have not traveled much outside a four-month study abroad in Hong Kong, I would take the opportunity to become immersed in a foreign culture- maybe South Africa, Brazil, or India.
-LB
P.S. Also Snapchatted myself wearing your brain helmet. That has to count for something.
#EducationMeans – opportunity, options, and the fostering of a growth-focused mindset, centered around life-long learning.
I mentioned and directed people to this blog post on my podcast with Tanner Agar (May 2015 Entrepreneur magazine cover). See yourneighborsmusings dot com > Starting with Schafer > episode 3.
I love this cause. Thanks Tim!
#EducationMeans that our kids escape the current “factory” model of education that has not fundamentally changed since the 1800’s and create educational environments, where we leverage technology to make learning a lifelong activity and where the schooling moves with the child (in time and space) rather than the other way around.
I posted your challenge on my DrTechniko Facebook page that has about 900 followers. DrTechniko is an initiative I started a few years ago to teach young kids (and their parents) about technology and computer science via stories, games, and my own free time teaching, because I believe a kid can learn such “high” knowledge and get their hands dirty with tech before they go to college. What better way to get other teachers and parents who follow me and love technology and education to get them “moving” than standing desk technology for kids in school?
So, happy Birthday, Tim. Keep up the excellent work, man. You’re an inspiration.
#EducationMeans- fostering creativity, supporting curiosity, and encouraging unconventional methods of learning and teaching.
I shared this post on my boyfriend’s Facebook timeline and tagged the Facebook page of the non-profit after school program we have started for underprivileged children to learn technology, computer and science skills- Tech Explorers.
And Tim, I am the only person in my law firm who uses a stand-up desk. Best thing I have done for my work environment!
#EducationMeans a safe environment for creative, collaborative, and inspired endeavors that promotes growth and has a product. A product could mean a piece of art, an equation, a discovery, a research paper based on an original thesis, a science-fair project or even mastery of a subject as demonstrated on a skills-based test. I donated to the Donorschoose.org page and encouraged my friends to do the same by sharing on Facebook. As a side note about the stand-up desks. I think this is a fantastic idea! Would you consider revising it to include stand-up tables for 4 – 6 students? Table space encourages more collaboration and the exchange of ideas promotes growth and creativity. I would incorporate stand-up tables in my own classroom (I teach high-school chemistry) immediately. Good luck!
#EducationMeans
For me, education is the refination of the art of learning. That’s the reason I really don’t consider traditional schools as education sources and I look up to people that make an effort to make useful and important knowledge available for everyone, and that includes you, Tim. Happy birthday, and wish you the very best!
Now for my contribution I tweeted to cause promotal organizations and standing-desk defenders accounts for a total of 524k Followers, which all responded positively and promised to support and share the cause. Hope this gets done and we all start re-evaluating the most common paradigms of education.
Big hug from Chihuahua, MĆ©xico š
#EducationMeans prosperity. It is in my eyes the highest human right and should be free to anyone of any age and background looking to learn. It enables people to better themselves and achieve their goals and dreams as well as learn about all the wonderful things, people, places and ideas in the world.
I`ve shared your blog on my Facebook page, albeit only to my meager 200 friends. But I will endeavor to spread the word of this great idea to as many people as possible this weekend at Glastonbury festival, i`ll update you if I manage anything on a large scale!
#EducationMeans
Gaining knowledge via lecture, reading, listening, watching, experience, questioning, etc. No matter how you go about it, the end result is you know more than you once did after whatever means you took to gain the knowledge.
I shared your post and the donation page on Twitter and Facebook by publishing a blog post packed with info about StandupKids.org and your challenge. My blog’s name is Going Dad, but since I want to be cool like Fonzie, I am not providing my URL. [Moderator: email address removed]
Thanks and I won’t stop helping to spread the word!!
#EducationMeans having options. I used to tell my students that they don’t have to use it if they choose not to, but they can’t choose to use it if they don’t have it; having more education simple means having more options.
I posted to facebook and twitter, and though my 364 friends and followers do not appear an impressive number, they are used to me touting my favorite donorschose.org projects and often match my contributions. I also requested re-tweets from some of my favorite celebs. I have added information to my e-mail signature and have been talking up the project at work (where I am a know proponent of stand-up desks).
Thanks for bringing this project to light, Tim. If we can make stand-up desks the “new normal” it will have a positive effect on the health of millions of people.
#EducationMeans
…ensuring that our world is filled in the future with open minded, positive and imaginative people who avoid the need to make decisions or judge others based on ignorance or fear.
To help the cause in addition to my donation I’ve shared the post on Twitter (1,700 followers, at least some of whom should check out the blog post at the very least) and asked all of my friends and family to donate. I’ve also started spreading the word about the benefits of standing desks to anyone who will listen (even to those who give that funny look when you suggest anything new…).
As an extra birthday present for Tim I also tried to get Derren Brown on the podcast via Twitter (@paul7cope) and will happily sit outside Derren’s house in England until he agrees to do it if I can have the round the world ticket in return(!). My wife and I are in the process of leaving our work in the corporate world to travel the world (inspired by 4HWW), so the ticket couldn’t be better timed.
Regardless of winning the ticket, I’d just like to say thanks to Tim for all of the guidance and inspiration he has provided from afar since quitting my job at a corporate law firm and setting up my own business 6 years ago. His books, blog and podcasts have been much needed companions during the dark times that are inevitable when running your own business.
Keep up the fantastic work.
Paul
#EducationMeans
->Progress! (If used/applied in the right way)
Sharing this Projekt on Facebook and via E-Mail right now, finally a movement to realize such an important improvement on a classroom Situation.
Cheers from Germany, and Happy Birthday to the man who does not need a Dr.Title infront of his Name to be known as the Genius among all guinnipigs.
Hopefully we get to experience 64 more birthdays of your’s(at least ;D)
L.M.
#EducationMeans – a fulfilled life. We have no idea, and no promise of anything other than the life we have. And an educated person has much better shot at a life fulfilled, a life of service to self and community, and a life of continued learning. The faster one gets started on learning the sooner that have the opportunity to realize how little they know!
I have posted to my Facebook page and challenged my followers to get engaged and make a donation.
#educationmeans giving everyone the possibility and knowledge how to experience life with joy, love and happiness and with trust in himself/herself.
I posted the vallecito link on my facebook page and connected it with the funny song: ā« Stand up (for the champions) by Right Said Fred ā« Maybe you also know the song š Thanks for all of your posts, blogs and inspiration.
#EducationMeans that everyone at every age should consider themselves a student in some fashion. Never stop learning and being curious.
I forwarded your email to friends.
Hey Ferriss…
1) please thank your mom for calling you about that book way back when. Years later (ie, 2015) your work got me out of a funk. I guess I can thank you too. Thanks.
2) Happy Bday
3) I have a stand up desk at my corporate job made out of copier paper boxes. It looks so cheap but I love it. I think this is a rad idea you have for the kids.
#EducationMeans life long learning!
Donated $38 and posted a tweet [Moderator: link removed]
#EducationMeans limitless possibilities. Education opens doors that were previously invisible to us and allows us to design the futures we want. It gives us the tools to hack our lives.
I’ve shared this project with my 485 friends on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and added it to my email signature (I send roughly 35 emails a day). I also will be spreading awareness via word of mouth.
I have recently discovered your work, Tim. I think what you’re doing in this world is great and am excited to use the tools you outline to create the future I want (I just quit my job of 8 years to go on a 2 month bike trip along the Pacific Coast Highway!). Thank you for allowing all of us to be part of what you do.
Best wishes,
Michael
#EducationMeans
Education, to me, is the teaching of skills or knowledge as well as the guidance that leads to measurable and repeatable improvements that serve common interests.
Here’s the short version of what I did to drive traffic to this post (click on my name for more details):
I hired a VA on upwork.com (formerly oDesk) and asked her to read this blog post and then drive traffic to it, all in a measurable way. Her response was a spreadsheet full of what appears to be a bunch of backlinks to different media channels (pintrest, tumblr, Google+, [fill-in-the-blank]…)
Would anyone here know if there’s a way to measure my impact, i.e. how much traffic was driven to Tim’s blog post as a result of her posting these backlinks (or whatever you want to call them)? Any ideas, Tim š ?
#EducationMeans changing lives! I am a Physical Education teacher, my students successes are my life’s work! Schools and PE need to collaborate together and with progressive voices like yours to make a real difference.
Posted to my Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. Happy to spread the cause!
#EducationMeans Giving kids the tools to be lifelong learners. Education doesn’t just mean the classroom. Keeping kids active and energized and physically fit along with teaching them the basics. Teaching them to love learning!
I donated myself and then shared it with my twitter followers and facebook followers. I also shared this with two of my online communities for Paleo people (who I think should know about this and are very likely to support this cause – in fact they’re already responding seconds after!).
I sooo want to go back in time and have a standing desk as a kid so that I don’t have to try so hard to undo all that damage so I can do a proper resting squat with the heels down!
#EducationMeans awakening and nourishing the slumbering awe and potential in each of us.
Shared link via Facebook and email.
thanks
#EducationMeans – developing skills to make the world better place – cleaner, happier, safer, kinder, healthier.
ā#EducationMeans questioning everything. Institutions are rigid and intrinsically inhibit change. Creating a foundation of change within all institutions will ensure that stasis is prevented, thus creating a forward-moving basis for what our kids need: education that is dynamic.
I posted the salient details of the fundraiser to my FB page that represents the about-to-go-live skincare company based on the Four Hour Workweek (thanks Tim!) Our tagline is “Be the Face of Change.” We support tree planting, Green Schools and other save-the-planet charities. I boosted the post, so will deliver stats within the next 3 days.
Thanks for the chance to participate in this event!
#EducationMeans – Empowerment. Not just empowerment for the person(s) being educated, but for the people they interact with. Education is a chain reaction that empowers all of us. Until recently, I never wanted to have children. I felt it wasnāt fair to bring a child into this world that I felt was on a steady decline. But, projects like StandUpKids have helped me see that we are getting better as a society, not worse. Our children do have a bright future. Are children in my future? Perhaps. At least now I know theyāll have a fighting chance at a great life.
After donating, I shared this project on Facebook and encouraged my boyfriend to donate. Happy Birthday Tim!
#EducationMeans
āEducation means elevating people to higher, more profound states of being. Education is a means of enlightening people with new and valuable information. It is a way to improve the lives of students and everyone the studentsā lives touch. Education is societyās innovation machine. It has the power to move humanity forward endlessly.ā – Joel Cherrico
āEducation means having the knowledge and skills to actively participate and keep up with the changing ways of the world.ā – Melissa Vang, Communications Major, Senior at the College of St. Benedict/St. Johnās University
Happy B-day Tim! Hereās what Melissa (hired as this summerās student Marketing Intern) and I did to spread the world about StandUpKids.
We sent one tweet with a quote from Ms. Grey and a link to her article/donation page on donorschoose.org.
I sent a message to Ms. Greyās students about the value of standing for health and productivity.
We created a standing desk workstation in our office, and I set up a standing desk at home.
Melissaās daily timesheet was adapted, requiring her to record one hour (30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon) to stand while working eight hour shifts. Your blog post got me standing during two to four hours of computer work daily, but I wanted to give Melissa small wins to get her excited about standing. Adapting her timesheet provides accountability.
We donated $38 to StandUpKids. Although this is a tiny contribution towards their needs, this is a significant donation for us, as our business is not yet profitable and I live on less than minimum wage. Regardless of financial struggles, our goal is to consistently donate 5-10% of all annual revenue to good causes. Your challenge is helping us achieve that goal.
Coincidentally, Iām reading, āGive and Takeā by Adam Grant. This book is helping me avoid falling into a ātakerā mindset. Grantās writing is helping me focus on giving sensibly, to create āwin-winā situations for everyone in life and business.
#EducationMeans – opportunity. The chance to influence and change your future. If you can learn to learn you can always grow and improve. This is why we need to support and encourage children and make learning fun!
Whilst I am not the most influential in terms of friends/followers I have tweeted asking for RTs and donations from:
Ikea USA
Ikea Canada (Ikea do a great stand up desk!)
San Rafael Parks/Rec
San Rafael Chamber
San Rafael Pacifics
San Rafael Public Library
Dominican University – (future students?)
I have also asked for them to mention my twitter handle @curiousali on the donors page (so that will be the real test of how successful this strategy is!) I have said if I can get $5k in donations under my name I will hold a super fun learning day for the kids in my town – fingers crossed!
Happy birthday and thank you for all your insight and knowledge
Alison š
#EducationMeansā freedom and the ability to spark in children a zest for expanding their world and experiences! Happy Birthday Tim! This is a totally cool project (I did donate and have for your previous birthdays as well)
I have spread the word in lots of ways. I have tweeted to my 2875 followers three times, I have posted on my FB Business page to 2470 people to like the page and to my personal FB friends (3444 people). It was sent out to my 8300 newsletter list this week and posted on the newsletter page of my website (www.joeann.com). I also have talked it up IRL with lots of friends! I’ll be excited to follow the reactions and results of the project as a wonderful prototype for other schools! Thanks for your dedication to make a difference in the world!
#EducationMeans – opportunity. The chance to influence and change your future. If you can learn to learn you can always grow and improve. This is why we need to support and encourage children and make learning fun!
[Hmmm – I did post before but not sure if it worked #internettroubles, anyway at least I have an update…]
Whilst I am not the most influential in terms of friends/followers I have tweeted asking for RTs and donations from:
Ikea USA
Ikea Canada (Ikea do a great stand up desk!)
San Rafael Parks/Rec
San Rafael Chamber – UPDATE – Have favourited and replied, email addresses exchanged, will of course pass on any correspondence to Ms Grey
San Rafael Pacifics
San Rafael Public Library
Dominican University – (future students?)
I have also asked for them to mention my twitter handle @curiousali on the donors page (so that will be the real test of how successful this strategy is!) I have said if I can get $5k in donations under my name I will hold a super fun learning day for the kids in my town – fingers crossed!
Happy birthday and thank you for all your insight and knowledge
Alison š
#EducationMeans doing. It is the process of doing that allows us to learn, create, and be. I decided to be an example of this and therefore I did stuff that allowed me to learn new tricks and experiment with the little time I do have to “do” (its the last week of class and I had to get my little turkeys ready for the summer and say a few goodbyes!)
Basically I tried Wix dot com for the first time and made a website http://movechild.wix.com/movingchild that I could send friends.
I also created images in an attempt to catch the attention of friends on Facebook. The theme I used is “I’m a Potato.” I was inspired by a student I work with who often calls me a “couch potato” and regularly chants “I’m a potato.” I found that it perfectly summed up what is happening to our children – we really are just creating a generation of potatoes. The pictures and other methods I used can be viewed by following this link http://movechild.wix.com/movingchild#!blank/cb3k
Lastly, I also learned how to make a fancy email message for gmail, which I sent to individuals I believed could pass it along to many people. I also learned how to turn a webpage into an image (which is really cool!). You can view the email on this page http://movechild.wix.com/movingchild#!blank/cb3k
Anywho, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! and thank you for sharing this wonderful cause with us. I often incorporate various forms of movement in the work that I do with children with Autism and I have witnessed huge gains – basically movement is life!
Thank you!
#EducationMeans life ā an exultation in the richness, breadth, and depth. It is excitement and novelty and a sense of empowered exploration. I was home-schooled until high school; education for me wasnāt compartmentalized by topic or time, it was a continual process of guided discovery, with no facet of life divorced from the pleasure of finding things out.
My brother and I (co-founders at our startup) promoted the charity in two major ways:
1. The Internet: We didnāt want this drive to get lost in the buzzing drone of social media, full of charity drives aplenty, so we decided to spread the word amongst those who had already demonstrated interest. We did this by researching the top blogs and articles discussing standing desks and the recent Bended study, and posting a comment first adding to the discussion (usually linking to additional research) and then mentioning the charity drive. We also reached out to many of the authors directly and asked them to help spread the word.
2. In Person: We took our standing desks outside to the beautiful Dupont Circle in Washington DC, working on our laptops from mid-afternoon through the post-work rush. We adorned our desk with a poster describing the charity, as well as a trackable link (using a URL shortener) to the donation site.
The whole day was great fun, as our standing workstation attracted all kinds of folks and led to many interesting conversations about health and education. Many of the people who stopped by were teachers who expressed great enthusiasm for the project. A few went away with the intention of talking to their own administrations about acquiring standing desks. One girlās mother managed a network of schools- the girl took a picture of our poster+setup and sent it off to her right there.
For a pic of our ghetto standing desk setup: https://twitter.com/avishanessaiver/status/613824947996205056
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Happy Birthday Tim!
Thanks for promoting this charity. Hereās to hoping standing desks spread to schools everywhere.
#Educationmeans constantly growing and learning real life skills, especially critical thinking. It is learning the norm and being able to question it. It is the ability to think critically and form one’s own opinions and beliefs. It is taking what others have done and building on it. Education is not acquiring knowledge, but being able to take what you know and applying it to make the world a better place. Because knowledge is power, but without action and application education is pointless. If there is one thing that can be taken from your podcast is that the power is in everybody, however most people won’t be successful because they don’t take action. Without action, education means nothing, with it, education is the greatest tool for progress.
I shared this on my twitter and facebook accounts.
Happy birthday Tim, you’re an inspiration to many and I wish you the best!
#EducationMeans providing students with ample opportunities to discover what they love, promote critical thinking skills, and guide them to creating their own paths and future. This also means that as an educator, it is my job to know my students so well that I am able to help guide them down a path of lifelong learning.
John Dewey said, āthe purpose of education is to become more educatedā, and I agree and live this statement. Education is never ending, we are always seeking new opportunities to learn and grow and THAT is the purpose of education.
I was a teacher in US public schools for 5 years before moving abroad where I now teach in South Korea. When I taught in the US, I made sure that every student of mine had access to working in the best way for THEM. Each kid was different. Some students sat at a desk with their heads hunkered down, some worked at āstanding desksā (music stands stolen from the auditorium), others worked on the floor, while some moved around the room. Kids will be kids, and tried to use this flexibility as a time waster, but after explicit training they all discovered where it was that they worked best. I think that stand up desks are a great way to promote physical activity and increase health benefits. I also think it’s important to know each student and what helps them learn best. After all, creating that mindset for lifelong learning is the ultimate goal.
#EducationMeans providing students with ample opportunities to discover what they love, promote critical thinking skills, and guide them to creating their own paths and future. This also means that as an educator, it is my job to know my students so well that I am able to help guide them down a path of lifelong learning.
John Dewey said, āthe purpose of education is to become more educatedā, and I agree and live this statement. Education is never ending, we are always seeking new opportunities to learn and grow and THAT is the purpose of education.
I was a teacher in US public schools for 5 years before moving abroad where I now teach in South Korea. When I taught in the US, I made sure that every student of mine had access to working in the best way for THEM. Each kid was different. Some students sat at a desk with their heads hunkered down, some worked at āstanding desksā (music stands stolen from the auditorium), others worked on the floor, while some moved around the room. Kids will be kids, and tried to use this flexibility as a time waster, but after explicit training they all discovered where it was that they worked best. I think that stand up desks are a great way to promote physical activity and increase health benefits. I also think it’s important to know each student and what helps them learn best. After all, creating that mindset for lifelong learning is the ultimate goal.
Along with donating, I shared on my blog’s facebook page, tweeted and am now inspired to write a post on education around the world and how it does or does not promote healthy lifestyles!
Cheers, and Happy Birthday!
-Katie
#educationmeans a possibility to gain knowledge about something new and get the opportunity to explore whatever your spirit and mind wants to.
And it could also mean shit. I often see people educate themselves in shit that leads in little knowledge compared to what time they put in(4,5 years to become a P.E teacher,come on?!) and in school they don’t teach you about how to manage your finance etc.
It could also mean YOU MADE IT BRAH! This is when you start educating yourself and the other ones around you,and they start to think you’re a little crazy, but you’re convinced you are right and your inner hollowed space have filled up with what was missing.
This Is What educationmeans for me. I will post on fb and send out messages to outer space.
Sincerely, William Jebril medical student and Brazilian jiu-jitsu brownbelt and taekwondo blackbelt!
#EducationMeans opportunities for a better life for everyone.
As I am writing this I am visiting a school in Cambodia, where I had a chance to teach the local kids English. The children enjoyed it very much and it was a great experience for me as well.
[Moderator: link removed]
I started my working career as a teenager and never got a chance to go to college. I value education so highly that (now as an adult) I will be starting at UC Berkeley this fall. Exciting. š
If I am chosen as a winner for this ticket, I’d like to use it to visit the Room to Read Libraries in Sri Lanka or Nepal and read for some kids there as well.
Today I promoted the Donors Choose site to my over 15 000 followers on Facebook and to over 10 300 followers on Twitter.
Happy Birthday!!
#EducationMeans
(I cried when I wrote this, so bear with me, I promise it’ll make sense in the end š )
It’s hard for me to say what #EducationMeans in so few words. Ever since I can remember, getting an education was the sole driver of my being, the promise of something more.
I am a first generation college student from a low income, single-parented household. My father was transient for the majority of my life, and left us for good when I was 14. I hardly saw my mother because she worked night and day to make things work, so I was predominately raised by my Grandmother. The light that guided my life was getting an education.
When I was four years old, I tugged on my mother’s pant leg and told her I would go to school at U.C. Davis. She always cries when she recounts this— the flood of emotion of the pride of a parent and the worry of finding the money that would allow this to happen. Before my father left, he had stolen the little she was able to put away for my university fund, so she let me know right away that it wasn’t going to be easy, but it was going to be possible. It was my chance to escape the cycle of poverty that I was born into, and actually have a chance. I was going to have to start working hard, now, in order to get into college. We moved from Los Angeles into a smaller suburb for its superior school district and shared a one-room house in someone’s backyard because that’s what we could afford. In high school, we shared a bunkbed and my mother had to choose between food in the fridge and paying my A.P. (advanced placement) test fees. A few nights going hungry paled in comparison to a lifetime of struggle; there was nothing more important than giving me the best chance possible. If I got the grades, I got the university entrance, and if I graduated university I had a way out– I had a future. I woke up at 5:45am every morning and didn’t crawl in bed until 11pm because I was determined to get grades competitive enough for scholarships and grants. If my weekends weren’t spent studying or competing with my marching band, they were spent volunteering or researching the college application process. Thankfully, I was able to secure 75% funding of my university costs from a number of scholarships, though because they were so competitive I was obligated to keep my high grades to maintain them. I knew, too, that because I had received these scholarships, it meant that someone else didn’t. When I started university, not only did I make the commitment to myself to be the best I could be, but I owed it to those who didn’t have this opportunity so I could. Despite the sheer lack of knowledge of how to to be a university student, there was no room for failure. In my first two years in college I dropped 30 lbs paying for books and school supplies instead of food. I lived in a garage and my Friday nights were spent writing scholarship/grant applications and notes of sincerest gratitude to donors, even though no amount of words could ever frame how much their generosity meant to me. Five years later I graduated with two degrees from UC Davis. Currently, I am living abroad and have discovered what I may have been born to do– not surprisingly, teach! I’m currently paying off a student loan as well, and though the hours are long and sometimes frustrating, I love what I do. I may not have the financial ability to give back as much as I’d like to just yet, but the best I could be doing with my time is making accessible the very education that allowed me a chance higher than the initial roll of my die.
This Donors Choose project is revolutionary– the fact that children spend 85% of waking hours being sedentary is unjust. Education and health are arguably on the same level of the priorities list, and it’s not right that students sacrifice one for the other. Often health is linked to education– the ability to know is the ability to be aware and take care of oneself. I myself have a few reoccurring health problems from staying inside studying on the weekends instead of playing outside with the other neighborhood kids, but that was a choice that I needed to make. It was either my grades–my future– or my health as a child. No one should have to make that choice, and the completion of this project will make that possible.
I’ve been through a lot to make it where I am now, to grasp my right to an education that wasn’t necessarily guaranteed to me. My time in university was “unconventional”– I sacrificed parties and a social life to maintain my ability to remain in school. Though I sometimes wish I had had time for both, I would NEVER give up the education I worked so hard for. Without my determination to keep my grades competitive, I would have never had the chance to accept a scholarship to study abroad in New Zealand for a year, a place I had dreamed of moving to since I was 11 years old. Going to school made it possible for me to gain the skills required to allow me to immigrate and teach the rural students I do today. Without those experiences, I would have never been able to give back as I do every day, showing students that just because they come from a rough background doesn’t mean they are any less capable than anyone else. I feel that, because of my history, I am in the best position to show them that. This is my first year teaching, and having students tell me I’ve inspired them to take their education (and themselves) seriously feels like an accomplishment to last a lifetime. I am so, so grateful that I am able to do for them what my mentors did for me.
So, what does #EducationMean to me? It means a lot of things, and when you’ve grown up like I have, it means EVERYTHING.
#EducationMeans recognizing that you may have been dealt poor cards, but that doesn’t stop you from playing the game with everything you got.
#EducationMeans working harder than you’ve ever worked in your life because you KNOW deep down, in the very fibre of your being that you were made for MORE than this.
#EducationMeans thinking thoughts you’ve never thought before, and learning things you never knew existed.
#EducationMeans realizing there is far more to everything than what we immediately see.
#EducationMeans recognizing what you want, committing to it, and stopping at NOTHING to get it.
#EducationMeans proving to your conservative hometown that your worth is more than the color of your skin, the rhythm of your speech, and your mother’s income.
#EducationMeans realizing there is more for you than eviction notices and bankruptcies.
#EducationMeans learning there is more for you than the cycle of debt, poverty, and addiction.
#EducationMeans saying no to “traditional” family values of getting married and starting a family early, and instead living a life of wonder and encouraging others to do the same.
#EducationMeans facing riot police firing rubber bullets because you cannot tolerate fee hikes that will undo everything you worked for and systematically exclude your already oppressed demographic from walking the path you worked so hard to pave for them.
#EducationMeans looking forward, but never forgetting where you came from.
#EducationMeans seeing your mother cry the happiest tears of her life at your university graduation, because not only are you done with it all, but you are now able to live the life you deserve.
#EducationMeans setting an example for every poor, Chicana, single-parented kid around and showing them that they can do ANYTHING they EVER set their mind to.
To me, #EducationMeans, and has always meant, hope.
———-
I spread this post via Facebook, Google Plus, my work facebook group, Twitter, Instagram, my university activists’ facebook group, and encouraged others to do the same via word of mouth and email š Happy birthday, Tim!
#EducationMeans
the process of learning how to connect with oneself, and by doing so, connect with the world at large.
Education is, then, the process of posing and seeking the answer to the question: What is my unique gift in life, and how am I going to develop it over the course of my lifetime?
That process consists of discovering, individually or in a group, how to connect with meaning in life; it’s more than just learning a description of the world until one is able to repeat back the description they’ve learned. Sure, education will involve describing things that people have discovered and recorded over the course of history, but moreover it requires thoughtful reflection on connection and meaning, on how we come to know what we think we know, and the assessment of whether thoughts and opinions are one’s own, or merely repetitions of the descriptions of others. Thoughts and ideas — both original and repeated — are constantly assessed as to their validity and value, in consideration of changing perceptions over time and place. An idea that served a particular purpose in the past may have lost its value, as it has been superceded by better ideas over time, or by exposure to different ideas offered by people from a different place. Conversely, an idea once considered obsolete may eventually be re-discovered or re-purposed within a broader context as presented by a subsequent situation, and thereby experience a resurgence in value and/or validity. Finally, education must lead to a mechanism whereby those patterns of thought, speech, and action that are deemed to be of limited or negative value can be changed or replaced in favor of more valuable ways of thinking, speaking, and behaving.
We humans must strive for such a comprehensive, malleable notion of education in order for individuals to realize themselves as human beings, and for society at large to evolve along a path of meaning.
I have helped spread the word by posting the Donors Choose link, along with a few words of encouragement, on my facebook profile for sharing with my 4450 friends. The posting appears to have been received favorably by several of my friends.
#Educationmeans students are engaged, learning, AND fighting back against adolescent obesity. It means our children can learn because they’re not sick and our future is bright because we’ve vowed to teach them well in the present. As a non-profit elementary school teacher in a low income area, it pains me to see childhood obesity take a toll on my students every day, in one form or another. I am ecstatic that this movement is bubbling up in my Bay Area backyard and I can’t wait to see it come to fruition!
I have shared this post on my facebook, twitter, and told my friends and family before following up with the donorschoose link via e-mail for specifics and donations.
Happy birthday Tim and congratulations!
#EducationMeans equal pay and equal opportunities for men and women (particularly important in tech and the sciences). Educating girls results in a society of educated women, and the entire community, country, and world will be lifted by that investment. “All boats are lifted with a rising tide!”
I’ve shared this post with my email list and my work colleagues (where half of them use standing desks or exercise ball chairs!)
Thank you for gifting others on your birthday!
#Educationmeans Creating safe, creative, environmentally rich environments that encourages the growth and cognitive development of our society. Education means fostering a passion for a life long enthusiaum for learning and discovery. It is freedom from the monotonous and the mondaine and the challenge to continue to grow on a daily basis, and itās just fun to learn and do something that youāve never done before.
I own a small CrossFit Box in NH and we have also joined the #Standupkids fight. Our goal is to get our local Plymouth Elementary school outfitted. We are starting with a teacher that comes to the box. Iāve donated youāre $38 Tim, Iād greatly appreciate you donating $38 to our cause: If you get it in today and use the promo code SPARK at checkout your money will be instantly doubled up to $100. Even if you give $10 it instantly doubles.
(http://www.donorschoose.org/project/life-movesone-desk-at-a-time/1586411/?utm_content=isTaxDeductibleAndShowEmployeeMatching×tamp=1435269232928&challengeid=20569623&utm_source=dc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=givingcart_receipt)
We will be going from room to room until we get every class room outfitted in the school. We will then move onto the next school and the next school. With our goal being NH. Thanks for what you do Tim!
#EducationMeans developing and expanding human minds and capabilities in healthy, creative ways!
Happy Birthday Tim! I donated to this wonderful cause and wrote a StandUpKids song that I posted on Facebook to be shared. Please check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gW7vYDtlrs&feature=share
and feel free to share it for the mission!
#EducationMeans Instilling a lifelong love of learning and never ending improvement.
I sent out an email to the aquatic club that I coach which has 300+ members in an affluent area. (I was later reprimanded for doing this and not asking…classic)
I blasted Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with some info and links to the donation page.
I got some of my Olympic swimmer friends to tweet the link and I created the hashtag #StandUpSwimmers to rally the swimming community together for this cause.
I then reached out to some swimming media sites and got them to retweet it. These accounts each have 50k+ followers. @swimswamnews and @swimmerproblems
I then wrote a short article explaining the problem and some info from StandUpKids.org and had this article posted onto a major swimming news website called swimswam.com
I reached out to Pat Flynn to see if he would do a company match on the fund raising but I don’t think he has got to the email yet.
I had my sister post in her school districts Facebook group to get the support of some teachers as well.
It feels great to be a small part of a great cause.
#EducationMeans
ā¦Freedom. Iāve dove thousands of feet in the ocean, rappelled from helicopters, and started businesses. None of it would have been possible without knowledge. Iām also the first person in my family to earn a college degree, let alone a masterās degree. Iāve done this simply in the pursuit of knowledge, personal accomplishment, and to set an example for my children. Both degrees were earned in my āspareā time, in between 2 jobs, a wife, and 3 kids (18 years, 2 years, and 1 week old).
During the past week, this has been my magnificent obsession. Attention was a challenge for me in school. My mind would constantly wander. Along with the physical benefits of standing, as opposed to sitting, there is the added benefit of increased focus, which could make a significant impact on the lives of kids.
Iām extremely proud to say that starting with a personal network of only about 120 people, I went on to reach 43,463 over the course of one week.
This is how I did it.
I knew that because of the size of my personal network, I had to get creative. I was at the hospital for a few days following the birth of my son, so I had some time to think. I asked myself āwhat would Tim do?ā I had zero experience trying to get traffic online, but I had read and heard enough to come up with a plan.
In order to keep this comment short, Iāll just give a summary. All metrics are verifiable, and if requested, I can send a link to a page describing exactly what I did.
Donated $38 to Donors Choose
Created a Topic Specific Facebook page ā 13 likes, 6 shares
Facebook Ad Campaign ā 27,168 impressioins, 350 clicks, 82 likes, 12 shares, 12 comments (all positive)
Personal Tweets ā 663 Impressions for 9 tweets, 43 engagements, 12 clicks, 6 favorites, 2 retweets
Promoted Tweets (ad campaign) ā 14, 795 impressions, 348 engagements, 202 clicks
Targeted SEO (hired freelancer for help) ā 368 clicks to date
Posted to subreddit Standing Desks (education states āno fundraising’) ā 14 clicks, 1 upvote
Posted to Ideapod ā 5 favorites, 1 response, unknown click-through
Estimated time invested ā 50 hours
Total cost – $383.95
Total Reach ā 43,463
Total Link Clicks ā 874
Lessons Learned ā Priceless
Thanks for this opportunity to do some good. I think itās a great cause. Also, thanks for considering me for the contest. I hope I was able to make a significant impact.
I don’t know why it says my comment was posted at 6:30pm. The current time is 3:35pm PST, on June 26, 2015.
*Update – Even though it doesn’t count toward the contest, as of now the total link clicks is up to 1,171 unique visitors, and still going…
*Update 2 – I had left out the link detailing everything I have done, It looks like other people have been able to post similar links though, so:
http://www.helpstandupkids.org/jason
*Update 3 – Click-through is now up to 3,497 unique visitors…
#EducationMeansā¦ or #Education(Should)Mean whole-child engagement. It is the great-equalizer for kids. It steps in where parents cannot. It introduces children to the workings of society. It exposes them to friendship, ambitions and expectations, weaknesses and strengths. It shows them how to struggle, how to overcome. Itās not perfect, and almost always needs to do betterā¦ yet every program remains invaluable.
(I already posted but have an irrational fear that it will not be allowed because I inserted a link to an article I wrote as part of my efforts to promote this… so this is the same post sans link)
I donated $38.18. The $38 is for your birthday, and the 18 cents is for good luck (putting Jewish tradition on your side).
I published an article on the Huffington Post about this specific initiative and the importance of standing desks in schools. It was published on June 24th and was profiled on the main āHuffpost Educationā page. Search for “Taking a Stand (Literally) for Health in Schools” and I will be the first google news result.
At the time that Iām leaving this comment, the article had received 115 likes on Facebook, 34 Facebook posts, and 73 Tweets. The article includes a link to the donorschoose.org page for Vallecito
Personal Actions:
-I emailed the article to about 200 close friends, colleagues, peers, and mentors who I thought would help spread the word. 10% of them wrote back expressing their strong support. One responded with a picture of himself working at his own standing desk.
-I tweeted the Huffpost article and was re-tweeted by users with a combined following of around 17.7K.
-I directly tweeted the article to 6 people who are involved with health in education.
-I posted the article on Facebook and received 44 likes.
-I posted the donation page for donorschoose.org on Facebook and Twitter
Disclaimer:
There are a couple annoying errors in the article I wrote (my autocorrect changed James Levineās name to James Devine and āletā should be ālegā in one paragraph). I have contacted Huffpost but they have yet to fix them yet. Please donāt let it ruin your reading experience!
#EducationMeans being able to THINK critically and THINK creatively and being able to manifest those thoughts into reality and into brilliant solutions. Our schools need to shift from their current paradigm of limiting education to merely following direction, or memorizing large amounts of information, or following standardized thinking processes to a new paradigm that emphasizes thinking and transforming thoughts into solutions. Eliciting change through transforming the physical environment of the classroom is an important part of improving education , transforming the health of children, and the health of our communities.
As a physician that integrated weight loss medicine into my practice, after I lost 30 pounds myself (Thanks in part to the 4 Hour Body, along with a Fitness Transformation Camp by Bill Phillips) , I felt very passionate about promoting this cause and engaging people in this conversation and possible solution. To engage people more thoroughly in this conversation, I opted for a video strategy in addition to the post that I wrote up on the topic, and email blasted our database of patients ( about 2500). We then tracked the email campaign using an email tracker. The email blog was opened by approximately 900 people on last count, and about 200 decided to opt to watch the more detailed video series. We also tracked the URLs linking to the donation page using a tracker on that link, and nearly 20 people went on to the donations page. Furthermore, to encourage tracking we had asked people that were contributing to mention our post ( Dr. Rouzati) in the donation page comments section, and noticed that several had done that. This is the link to my short video seminar on the topic [Moderator: link removed] This is the link to our email blast post [Moderator: link removed].
Additionally to the email blast , the video and post were shared with my personal and clinic Facebook Page, and Linked In, which added another 1000 people to the distribution and created good feedback in comments and private messages (particularly from parents of children) We also initiated engaging influencers such as teachers which I thought would have strong and useful opinions on this topic by asking the Local School Board to share this with their large membership on social media ( approximately 5000- That effort was not yet successful at the time of this write up, i.e. they had not agreed to share this as of yet ) .
Lastly, Happy Birthday Tim :), Your books changed my life for the better and I am “paying it forwardā and continuing to learn in the journey.
Tim , please note that the blog is stamping comments with eastern time, and not PST , please note that my comment was posted 6:41 pm eastern, 3:41 pacific to get in before the 5 pm Pacific deadline which you indicated in your post and competition. Cheers and happy birthday,
your books changed my life journey for the better and I am paying it forward š
#EducationMeans THE BEST INVESTMENT. ROI is freedom and opportunity (at least it was for me)
Happy BDay, Tim!!! I always try to follow your blogs and podcasts and am a huge fan of your open-minded creative thinking against the mainstream. It’s fun!!!
As for promoting the cause, the answer is friends, colleages, FB, and email… did my best.
You rock, man!!!
#Education Means awakening and protecting what Rachel Carson termed a “sense of wonder” from within a young person in a way that leaves a strong enough impression to persist throughout her lifetime. Whether or not this sense of wonder results in a form of genius or not is much less important than the fact that it be a constant and ready source of realizing her connection to the ground she walks, the stars she sees and everything in between.
What I did to promote this super cool project:
1. Send mass email to my personal network and communities
2. WOM to friends and neighbors.
3. Sat for a 35 min meditation holding a vision of active and thriving youngsters, in and out of school.
Happy Bday!
Alles Gute und Liebe zum Geburtstag Tim!
May all of your wishes come true.
I love that you use your birthdays to make a change in the world and I’m happy to be a small part of these amazing group donations.
Cheers to you!
Further info related to my original comment: FB post with boost. 2107 people reached, 60 likes and one share.
Keep up the good work.
Excellent way to get great fundings. Do keep us posted.
Have a great 38th š
I am sharing this with all of my Facebook friends!! I hope by the time I have kids this is the norm and not the exception!
Happy Birthday Tim!
#EducationMeans to me, as a parent and personal trainer, taking the time to observe yourself and others objectively and placing effort in our weak areas in order to grow better and stronger. Practicing and teaching this to others is a growing art for me that has already paid itself back!
I am truly inspired by Tim Ferriss and Kelly Starrett and am so ecstatic that this has been put together! I’ve had a vision of creating a standing desk that is also adjustable so it can be used in various primal sitting positions on the floor, so people (especially kids in school) can get the most benefit throughout the day.
Re Audible, if already a member one does not qualify for a free copy of Vagabonding or The Graveyard Book. New members only…
#EducationMeans –
Giving our children and young adults an atmosphere to explore and find their passions. This environment should be a warm place that encourages cooperation and nourishes proper physical / mental health. A place where the tools and support provided inspires students to change the world!
I will share this on all my social media platforms (twitter, facebook, instagram), as well as promote it during my personal training sessions and cooperate wellness talks.
Thanks Tim, this post made my day.
#educationmeans learning real life lessons to help in the real world.
I love the standup school idea and am donating and telling friends! High five on the 38! I’ll be donating 38 dollars. I’ll also be spreading the word on my sites that are mostly all thanks to you.
Keep drumming.
Sebastian Tye
Š” Š“Š½ŠµŠ¼ ŃŠ¾Š¶Š“ŠµŠ½ŠøŃ Š¢ŠøŠ¼. ŠŠ°Šŗ Ń Š½Š°Ń Š³Š¾Š²Š¾ŃŃŃ, Š»ŃŃŃŠµ ŠæŠ¾Š·Š“Š½Š¾ ŃŠµŠ¼ Š½ŠøŠŗŠ¾Š³Š“Š°.
#EducationMeans
Creative Exploration, in all its forms.
I promoted your blog post through facebook, and word of mouth. Best of luck with your birthday goals tim!
Happy belated birthday Tim. I turn 50 next year, so I just gave $50. Such a great cause!
#EducationMeans — the tools to unlock one’s self and move forward in one’s direction of choice, whatever that may be. That said… COME-ON, TIM. YOU’RE BETTER THAN THIS! You are an ardent supporter of entrepreneurship. Why not a Conscious Capitalism or Newman’s Own …or Tom’s One-for-One approach? We have to get away from donating to support education and find ways for education to thrive through entrepreneurship. I went to the Standup Kids website to BUY a couple of those desks for my kiddos, but couldn’t. Why don’t you work with Kelly and Juliet and either partner with the existing company (Safco Products?), OR help them design and launch a new and better stand-up desk. Then partner with others… say Blake Mycoskie and do a One-for-One. That way Standup Kids DOUBLES their impact (as kids would now standing-up at home doing their homework, too) AND (with your support) they begin to build a viable business. (Oh, and Happy Birthday!)
#EducationMeans a thriving community.
We donated, posted to our twitter & fb pages. Great campaign!
Who won?
#EducationMeans kids have the power to create a tomorrow better than our today.
I am well aware it’s far past this deadline, but I was really inspired by this post and found a way to influence a lot of people that would find this relevant.
I produce a comedy web series that’s marketed directly at the furniture design industry (watchlunchandlearn.com). It’s targeted to the niche of interior designers and manufacturers who would find StandUpKids’ mission 100% relevant, and gets up to 40,000 views per episode on Facebook where we release them.
The most trafficked event for this industry is NeoCon (http://www.neocon.com/press-room/fast-facts/), which happens annually in Chicago and sees an attendance of 50,000 people. I created an episode based on this event, and will be emailing a private mailing list of those 50,000 people a link to an episode titled “Sitting is the New Smoking” that will feature a shout out to StandUp Kids both baked in to the video, and on all our advertising for the episode.
***
Effectively, I’ll have sent 50,000 people content they desperately want to watch, that features exactly StandUp Kid’s mission along with an ad for them.
***
Happy Birthday, and nice playa shot! )'( š
“Can i do that soon”…… 22,000.00 Package”?.
Education means empowering with the knowledge and tools to create the opportunities that they desire. In a world where everybody is treated equal and where we treat each other with the respect we deserve.
Great post Tim and keep it up, you are an inspiration to many!
These parents actually put standing desks in their kids’ school:
https://www.fatherly.com/why-kids-should-use-standing-desks-in-school-1159079141.html .
” … we are quite confident that we’ll be the first all-standing elementary school in the United States.”
Hi Tim! Congratulations on the Vallecito StandUpKids project getting funded! That’s definitely way better than any birthday present i’ve received.
Did you ever decide on a winner for your contest?
Happy Birthday Tim!!!! Wishing you the best on this day and in the years to come. Thank you for your help to others, thank for doing the unusual experiments you do for science and thank you for living with the grand heart that you have. Thank you for all that you do.
I posted this on my facebook page.
#EducationMeans; continuing to learn no matter what age you are, however the basic education begins in childhood. Children are the Future (it may be time for there to be a Tim Ferris Jr out there, as becoming a parent is a way to add more to the human species ),and as a parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, helping this child to have the resources to learn is essential in becoming an adult to help others in the world. Education is vital so that the progress of humanity is done by those of a noble heart, that seek to help one another, versus fighting with one another.
Tim, Your example of contributing and bringing to light issues that are overlooked by the media is admirable. Please continue to do so.