In the book, The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life, Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander show us the 12 things we can do to go on a journey of possibility, rather than living a life full of hurdles and constraints of our own making.

These are some of my favorite concepts and takeaways from reading the book.

The Ninth Practice: Lighting a Spark

In this chapter, Roz and Ben discuss the concept of Enrollment. They offer the following observations and recommendations for us to think about:

“Enrollment is not about forcing, cajoling, tricking, bargaining, pressuring, or guilt-tripping someone into doing something your way. Enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share.”

We need sparks to light a fire that can propel us toward a universe of possibilities. Fortunately, our universe is alive with sparks. We have an infinite capacity to light a spark of possibility at our fingertips. Our passion, instead of fear, is the igniting force. Abundance, instead of scarcity, is the context.

The practice of Enrollment is about giving ourselves as a possibility to others and being ready, in turn, to catch their sparks. Roz and Ben offer the following steps to the practice are:

1. Imagine that people are an invitation for Enrollment.
2. Stand ready to participate, willing to be moved and inspired.
3. Offer that which lights us up.
4. Have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark.

Roz and Ben offer another way to think about Enrollment.

“The life force for humankind is, perhaps, nothing more or less than the passionate energy to connect, express, and communicate. Enrollment is that life force at work, lighting sparks from person to person, scattering light in all directions. Sometimes the sparks ignite a blaze; sometimes they pass quietly, magically, almost imperceptibly, from one to another to another.”

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