Julie recently wrote a blog on the house system we have introduced at IFS this year. I agree that the house system has stood the test of time and is a great way to create a sense of belonging amongst children at college.
To be open, I was fairly uncomfortable when the announcement was made that a house had been named after me. The work I did in the college’s formative stages pales into insignificance compared to the work undertaken by Paul, Laura and Julie. That said, it is an honour and very humbling to have the blue Spindler House as part of the college.
I believe it is important that each house has core values that it stands for – values that can be instilled in the children who represent that house. After much reflection I have worked out the most important of my core values that I have learned from my journey through life so far.
Value #1 – Self belief
The ability to believe in yourself is a habit I would love to teach every child that wears the blue of Spindler House. With some apprehension, I would like to publicly share part of my story for the first time, in the hope it will show the children of Spindler House that if they believe in themselves, they can achieve anything they wish for in life.
My entry into this world was a little unusual and I was born with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects movement, muscle control, coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. There is no known cure and it currently affects one in every 500 people worldwide.
I was lucky enough that my pediatrician detected my cerebral palsy when I was one day old and started treatment that lasted into my teens. Without this early detection I don’t know that I would function as I now do. Through early diagnosis and treatment I eventually wired my brain to be able to function at a ‘normal’ physical level.
There are many things I was told I would most likely never be able to do, however I never gave up believing I could do whatever I wanted to in life. For the record, the major turning point for me came at the age of five when a local soccer team accepted me and I felt just like a ‘normal’ kid – this is a pretty big clue as to why I’m in love with our wonderful game!
Through childhood I also battled with a form of epilepsy that caused me to have convulsions and stop breathing for short periods after I took a knock or fell over. There was one instance, in my toddler years, where I didn’t start breathing again and needed to be resuscitated. Again, because of this condition, there were many things that “Matt shouldn’t do” including any activity that involved impact – like soccer. With the support of my family though, I never quit on myself and believed that if I put my mind to it, there was no obstacle too high. My last experience with these convulsions was when I was seven. I believe that my attitude that I could beat the condition is the biggest factor in why I haven’t experienced another episode in almost 30 years – and I’ve given myself some fair knocks in that time!
Just to be certain that I would never stop believing in myself, the universe threw me another curve ball when at 20 years of age I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. T1D is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. There is no known cure for T1D and diagnosis means a lifetime of injecting insulin daily (up to four needles a day), constant blood sugar monitoring and an increased risk of numerous life-shortening complications.
Again, I was told by endocrinologists, doctors and dietitians that my life would be restricted by the condition. I refused to give up on my dreams and believed I would find a way to live life on my terms. I have constantly sought ways to minimise the impact T1D has on my life and I have made a lot of progress. With a leap of faith, and support from Brad and Andre, I have recently made dietary changes that have now made T1D a mere background thought, with very little impact on my life.
There have been many times in my life when I could have quit on myself. Some may even say it would be “understandable” and honestly, there were times I felt like giving up, but a little spark of belief in myself never went out. I have achieved everything I have set out for myself, including building numerous businesses, getting married, having two incredible children and giving back to the beautiful game of football through coaching children.
My advice to every child in Spindler House is that self-belief creates a special type of magic and that magic creates the life you dream of.
Dream. Believe. Achieve.
Value #2 – Teamwork
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from or what you have achieved – no one in this life can do it all alone. Every person has been helped by others along the way. Whether that help has come from family, friends, colleagues or complete strangers – we all get a helping hand through life.
When individuals come together and work towards a united goal, the synergy created ensures that the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts.
I sometimes have a ‘lone-wolf’ tendency and like to do things on my own. After many hard lessons I have learned that I am only as good as the people I surround myself with and I achieve far more by working in team environments.
My advice to the children of Spindler House is that by working collaboratively, with a shared vision, you will achieve greater results, in less time and build unstoppable momentum. Set those team goals to make a difference in the world and watch the magic unfold.
Value #3 – Celebrate your strengths
Unfortunately we live in a world where people like to point out other people’s weaknesses. We see this in classrooms, football fields, work places, in the media and in general public.
I see so much wasted energy from this focus on weakness, when that energy could be spent on putting our strengths on show.
We are typically born with these strengths and they form part of each individual’s unique gift to the world. They can be personality traits, physical skills, mental abilities or even things that cannot be tangibly defined.
I challenge every child in Spindler House to reflect on your own strengths and when you find them, put them on show and celebrate them.
Your strengths will be things you have always been good at, without really trying. Your strengths shine through from a young age, so your parents might be able to shed some light on the traits you showed when you were little.
You can always work on your weaknesses if you like, or you can surround yourself with the people whose strengths are your weaknesses (see team work, above) and focus on shining your light on the world.
Value #4 – The only person you have to beat is the person you were yesterday
There will always be plenty of debate and opinions on whether competition is healthy or not. I’m not here to debate one way or the other. All I can tell the children of Spindler House is that I have lived at both ends of the spectrum.
Over time and through life experience I have learned that the only person I have to beat, is the person I was yesterday.
If I’m learning a new skill, I just need to be a bit better than I was yesterday. If I am building a business, I just need to take one more step today to be just one step further than I was yesterday.
Any other form of competition is wasted energy. Don’t compare yourself to others, that is a recipe for an unfulfilling, unhappy life.
Every night before you go to bed ask yourself, “Am I a little bit better than I was yesterday?” If the answer is yes, you are winning.
Value #5 – Everybody can make a difference
The most important lesson I have learned in life is that every person is born with the ability to make a positive difference in the world. This difference doesn’t have to earn you fame, fortune or accolades. This difference occurs in the little things in everyday life.
You never know the difference that a smile, word of encouragement, advice, compassion, forgiveness, kind act or offer to help can have on someone else’s life. Think of the person battling with depression, believing no one cares about them, receiving a smile from you as you walk past them in the street. That smile, could change their belief; “Wow, that person smiled at me. Maybe people really do care.” Imagine that one smile lifting someone from the depths of depression to a happier life.
Now imagine that person, feeling better after your smile, sees someone who can’t afford their next meal and decides to give them $20 to buy something to eat, because they are feeling so much better about themselves. It’s called the ripple effect and it can continue on indefinitely. All from one smile. Now that’s real magic.
We are all guilty of getting caught up in our own lives, our own ‘problems’ and getting drawn in by that incessant voice in our head. I would love the children of Spindler House to learn how to step away from that, even once a day, to consciously decide to make a difference in someone’s life. That’s what I mean when I say “lets paint the world blue”.
A closing word
If you made it this far, I thank you for taking the time out of your life to read what’s important to me. I hope it makes a difference in your life too. I will do my best to teach the children of Spindler House these values, so they can live life with a smile on their face, peace in their heart and go out and paint the world blue!
Wow, Matt, what a great blog. Sam is in your house – I will be reading this blog with him shortly. In particular, Value 1 is a real challenge with Sam – so thank you for reinforcing it’s importance.
A fantastic blog. My son is not in Spindler however I’m sure all the students would benefit from reading this. Thank you. i have been wondering where Spindler fit in the world of IFS and now I know.
What a great Blog. Thanks for sharing your journey Matt.Bailey ‘ s not in your house but I’m sure he will enjoy reading your blog. Such great advise.
What a legacy it is for you and your family to have Spindler House at IFS. With you at the helm and my brother Todd by your side Spindler House is going to go crazy with pride after reading your blog. Luke cant wait to wear Blue.