Words matter.
They shape our beliefs, guide our choices, and clarify who we want to become.
For years, people have asked me why my blog is called The Compelled Educator, and why compelled became the word I chose to build my work, my writing, and my leadership around. It’s a strong word. A directional word. A word that points you toward action.
And the story behind it goes all the way back to the softball field.
Where It Started: A Coaching Lesson I Never Forgot
Before I was a principal, a speaker, or a character coach, I was a high school teacher and softball coach. I loved the years of coaching. The strategy, the competition, the laughter, the team bonding, and the chance to help young women grow not just as athletes, but as people.
At a coaching clinic I attended early in my career, I got to hear Jeff Janssen speak about his framework called the Commitment Continuum. Jeff Janssen is the author of several books, including Championship Team Building, Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches, and the Team Captain's Leadership Manual. While Championship Team Building and Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches were written over 20 years ago, their message is timeless and still applicable today!
In The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual, he describes the framework as a tool to help captains, coaches, and leaders recognize the range of mindsets and levels of commitment present on any team, because you can’t lead people well if you don’t first understand where they are.
Janssen explained that on every team, in every organization, and honestly in every school, people fall at different places along the continuum. Some are resistant. Some are reluctant. Others are simply existing, going through the motions. Some are compliant because they know what’s expected, and others are genuinely committed to the work.
But then there’s another level entirely: compelled.
As a coach, I knew exactly who those athletes were. They were the ones who didn’t need constant reminders or external motivation. They practiced hard when no one was watching. They encouraged teammates naturally. They brought energy into the dugout instead of waiting for someone else to create it. Their effort wasn’t driven by pressure, rules, or fear of consequences. It came from somewhere deeper inside them.
And I remember thinking at the time, That’s different. That’s the kind of mindset that changes teams.
The Word That Stuck With Me
Over the years, I started seeing that same quality everywhere. I saw it in teachers who showed up every day with passion and purpose, even when the work was hard. I saw it in school leaders who poured themselves into building positive cultures because they genuinely believed students deserved it. I saw it in colleagues, mentors, and eventually in the schools and leadership teams I’ve had the privilege to support through the Hope Institute. The people who made the greatest impact were rarely the loudest or most recognized. They were simply people who felt deeply connected to the work they had been called to do.
That idea stayed with me for a long time, and when I eventually started writing publicly, I realized that the word compelled perfectly captured the kind of educator and leader I hoped to become.
What It Means to Be Compelled
To me, being compelled has never meant being perfect or having unlimited energy. It doesn’t mean always getting it right. It means being guided by purpose and conviction. It means caring enough to step forward, even when it’s difficult. It means leading from the inside out, not because someone told you to, but because something in your heart tells you the work matters.
That belief has shaped my leadership, my writing, and the way I approach education. It’s why relationships matter so much to me. It’s why culture matters. It’s why character matters. Because the educators and leaders who change lives are rarely the ones operating out of obligation alone. They are the ones who are compelled to serve, to grow, to encourage, and to make things better for the people around them.
And that’s the heartbeat behind everything I share here at The Compelled Educator.
Still Compelled After All These Years
It’s been many years since I stood on a softball field carrying a bucket of balls and a practice plan, but the lessons I learned during those seasons of coaching have never really left me. In many ways, they continue to shape how I lead, how I encourage others, and how I approach this work every single day.
That idea of being compelled, of being driven by something deeper than obligation or recognition, still guides me. It shows up in every blog post I write, every workshop I lead, every podcast conversation I’m privileged to have, and every coaching session where I get to walk alongside educators and leaders who are doing meaningful work in challenging times. It even shows up in the quiet moments of transition and uncertainty, when purpose matters more than position.
The longer I spend in education and leadership spaces, the more convinced I become that our schools and communities desperately need compelled leaders. We need people who are grounded in purpose, who lead with integrity and compassion, and who are willing to keep showing up for others even when the work feels difficult. We need leaders who don’t simply react to the moment, but who rise to meet it with courage, empathy, and hope.
That belief is at the center of why I continue to write and share here. It’s why I coach. It’s why I speak. It’s why I remain so passionate about leadership, culture, and character.
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