ATTN: Pro. Dan.

Preparing the Self

The disciplined mind: The ability to delve deep that is associated with expertise in a certain field of scholarship or the professions.

· I would have to say that the disciplined mind would be one of my strongest areas. Not by my own choice, but due to my profession. I am a United States Army Logistics Officer. During each phase of my progression as an officer I am required to attend a school or work in a certain job which will qualify me for future promotions.

The synthesizing mind: The ability to pick and choose among an array of information from several disciplines so that the resulting explanation makes sense.

· Honestly, not one of my strong areas. It takes me a considerable amount of time to digest intense amounts of data to get to a plausible solution. To challenge myself in this area, I have sought to seek difficult, complex tasks and time myself on the amount of data I can actually consume without becoming overwhelmed. I have been able to increase my ability to synthesize information, albeit still a little slow.

The creating mind: The ability to go beyond existing knowledge to forge new ground, "pose new questions, offer new solutions" (Gardner, 2006, p. 156).

· I would like to think that I am very creative. I tend excel in creating better solutions in areas I have extreme interest, i.e. developing supply and distribution alternatives when an obstacle arises preventing me from supplying my Soldiers.

The respectful mind: The ability to appreciate and welcome all forms of diversity.

· I have been fortunate to be raised by mother. She taught me to respect people, animals, and the environment. She also taught to embrace the differences in others, especially when it comes to sexual orientation and religion. And of course, by serving in the military, I have enjoyed having the opportunity to interact with other cultures and people. At the end of the day we are all the same, trust me.

The ethical mind: The ability to seek both good work and good citizenship.

· I decided at a very young age to serve a greater common good than myself. When President Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”, I took it to heart. And now I live by an ethical code higher than most. It requires me to, if need be, sacrifice my life. I take it very seriously, and wouldn’t change a thing.

Gardner, H. (2008). The Five Minds for the Future. Schools: Studies In Education, 5(1/2), 17-24