Bravery is a Moonshot!
I typically do not write 'advice' or 'self-help' type of post, because they are fairly worthless, at least I feel that way. So I promise this is no self-help post. I am typically incapable of helping myself or my kids, so there is absolutely no way I can possibly provide any meaningful advice to you which can be useful :)
Alright with that disclaimer out of the way, let get on with it. No, this ain't a book review either. They are cliche, nobody reads them, especially at hive. Why would they? There is goodreads and facebook. So no, I am not going there. But that said, this book somehow landed on my lap. This is typically not the type of book I read, but there was a discussion and I was preparing a talk for a conference, and this came up...
Bravery is a moonshot! I really like that statement. Throughout my childhood, I have heard my friends complaining that their parents asked them to 'do something', all the time! Notice, I didn't say my parents! I am very fortunate that way. I was considered a lost case :) Very early on! I am so glad for that! Unfortunately, my older brother was not that lucky! Anyways, let us stay on point. Parents always have some expectations. All for good reasons, I am a parent, trust me I know! Trouble is, asking a kid to 'be brave' is easy! But doing that is not some much. I just chose bravery as an example, you can choose your poison.
Trouble is, when we try and fail, something serious happens to our self-confidence. Again, this is neither constant nor predictable. For some people, its no big deal, but for others it can totally ruin their life!
It that book Reshma talked about running for US Congress. That was a brave thing to do, especially at her age and background. Trouble is that she failed, and when she did everyone did what they typically do; they did: "I told you so".
However, instead of falling apart in her loss and feeling like a failure, she didn’t let that get to her. She started a completely different thing. A non-profit organization called Girls who Code, with its famous mission statement
Girls Who Code is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does.
Now, I must say, computer science has never been a very popular thing among girls. However, I had no idea that it is declining. This is sad to know for me.
I have heard, right here in this community, that girls can't code, or not good enough.
Bullshit, I say!
You know very well what will happen if you say that to my face, I will rip you apart :) But that's me, likely you will get away with it in front of most people. And the funny thing is you could even be right, because that is what that chart is showing, which is alarming. That is what Girls who Code is trying to address and fight back by doing school events, classes and not just about coding but about bravery, sisterhood and activism.
In American Football, there is a thing called "hail mary pass". It is basically a last ditch effort by the offense to score a touchdown by throwing a very long pass by the quarterback, hoping a receiver might catch it at the end zone. That's a moonshot. Thinking Hive will be $10 is a moonshot. There are romance to that play, or that thought. However, daily life for most common people or most good football team is not about the 'moonshot'. It is about consistentcy, self-reliance and confidence. That's all that I am saying.