If what we teach doesn’t connect to what learners feel they need for their future, they won’t care.

That’s the brutal truth. 

And why should they?

This hit me hard when I worked with Liam, a student who flat-out refused to study history. No matter how much I hyped the importance of historical events, he wasn’t buying it.

So, I stopped selling. Instead, I asked:

👉 “What do you want to do in five years?”

He hesitated, then said: “I want to be a game designer, but I’m not sure I can get there.”

💡 That was the moment everything changed.

We reframed history through the lens of game design. Together, we explored how understanding human conflicts, motivations, and events could create deeper, more compelling characters and plots. Suddenly, Liam wasn’t just interested—he was hungry for more.

🎯 The key takeaway? Learning sticks when students see how it unlocks their goals. The process isn’t about compliance; it’s about empowerment.

🚀 Imagine a world where every student says: “Now I get why this matters for my future.”

No more resistance. No more “Why do I have to learn this?” Just curiosity, excitement, and ownership of the learning journey.

Shouldn’t we restructure our approach to allow this to happen more often?

___________________________________________________________

P.s.: I’m trying to keep my posts short this week because I’m finishing an exciting program I’m offering starting next month. Need all my time there. Hope you still like my posts?