Abraham Lincoln had less than one year of formal schooling. He walked miles through the woods to borrow—and return—the books he devoured. Lincoln loved to learn.
One Bay Area school is borrowing videos, not books. The clips are the hook to build core abilities. From there, the real learning begins:
Research.
Critical thinking.
Writing.
Reflection.
Public speaking.
The video is not the lesson. It is the beginning of the lesson.
Self-Learning Builds Power and Creativity
Captured attention opens the door.
Students watch a short clip. They think critically about its meaning. They research the person or moment. They connect the lesson to their own lives, put their ideas into writing and share what they learned with others.
Students become participants in learning and walk the woods themselves.
The Short Clips One School Is Borrowing
The collection includes short videos designed to tap into student passion while teaching:
Leadership
Mental toughness
Work ethic
Character
Perspective
No feature-length movies. No passive screen time.
Each clip becomes the starting point for deeper learning and practical action.
How to Use the Collection
During downtime:
Watch one clip.
Research the person or moment when additional context is needed.
Write a one-page reflection using the four prompts below.
Turn the reflection into a three-minute presentation.
Teach the lesson to a family member, teammate or classmate.
When young people teach what they have learned, they organize their thinking, strengthen their communication and drive the lesson deeper.
They stop being consumers. They become engaged learners—and teachers.
The Four Reflection Prompts
1. Who am I learning from?
Introduce the person, team or moment.
2. What is their significance?
Explain why the person or event matters. This may require research.
3. What was the message?
Identify and explain the central lesson.
4. How do I apply this to my life?
Connect the lesson to specific actions as a student, athlete, teammate and person.
Expand your thinking. Write in your voice. Discover meaning in the seemingly mundane.
20 Clips. Pick One.
Success, Adversity and Perspective
John Wooden — Definition of Success
Character over results |
▶ Watch clipMichael Jordan — Failure
Use failure as fuel |
▶ Watch clipKobe Bryant — Job’s Not Finished
Stay hungry after success |
▶ Watch clipNick Saban — The Process
Focus on today’s job |
▶ Watch clipDerek Redmond — 1992 Olympics
Finish what you start |
▶ Watch clipJim Valvano — ESPYs Speech
Perspective and gratitude |
▶ Watch clipJackie Robinson — Historical Interviews
Courage and composure |
▶ Watch clip
Baseball Intelligence and Preparation
Cal Ripken Jr. — Work Ethic
Consistency and showing up |
▶ Watch clipTony Gwynn — Hitting Approach
Preparation and discipline |
▶ Watch clipTed Williams — Hitting Instruction
Master the fundamentals |
▶ Watch clip
Standards, Practice and Mental Toughness
Kobe Bryant — Mamba Mentality
Love the work |
▶ Watch clipMichael Jordan — Practice
Take practice seriously |
▶ Watch clipTom Brady — Preparation
Details matter |
▶ Watch clipStephen Curry — Training
Repetition creates confidence |
▶ Watch clipTim Duncan — Leadership
Team first |
▶ Watch clip
Mastering the Craft
Tony Gwynn — Batting Practice
Quality over quantity |
▶ Watch clipBarry Bonds — Hitting Preparation
Routine and repetition |
▶ Watch clipKen Griffey Jr. — Swing and Approach
Athleticism plus fundamentals |
▶ Watch clipIchiro Suzuki — Practice
Precision and discipline |
▶ Watch clipShohei Ohtani — Daily Routine
Consistency and preparation |
▶ Watch clip
The Final Step: Become the Teacher
The one-page reflection becomes the outline for a three-minute presentation.
The student stands before others and teaches the central lesson, explains its significance and describes how it can be applied.
Teaching requires students to clarify thinking, organize ideas and communicate with confidence.
It transforms a short video from something consumed into something understood and usable.
Watch. Think. Write. Apply. Teach to make short clips deep learning.
The Class Begins Wednesday
A free weekly class to help student-athletes win in college—and life.
This Wednesday, we kick off The Class, a 10-week experience built around a simple idea:
The skills that help you become a better athlete are the same skills that help you become better in life.
Each week, we will bring together high performers to explore mindset, preparation, leadership, and personal development.
Week 1: A Fresh Approach to Learning
Our first special guest has built his career at the intersection of baseball and education.
Jon Norfolk is a former D1 catcher and college coach. Entering his 10th year at De La Salle High School, he combines his experience as an educator and certified mental performance coach to stimulate growth on the field, in the classroom and beyond.
Tomorrow night, we will talk about how student-athletes take ownership of their development.
Wednesday, August 26
6:00 p.m. PT | 9:00 p.m. ET
Players, parents and coaches are welcome.
The Class is free and open to everyone. Come learn with us.
Less scrolling. More living.
On the Adventure,
Greg Moore
About ThriveWare
ThriveWare transforms athletes, students and employees through whole-person training and technology.
We are building what the world needs: a new category of technology focused on human development.
Instead of creating apps that compete for attention, we build systems that help people think more clearly, develop better habits and grow over time.
Whether serving athletes, students, educators, coaches or professionals, our platform delivers short, meaningful daily learning experiences designed to create long-term transformation.
Our technology powers a growing family of learning platforms—including Trosky 365, Crossbar 365, Just Start 365, True Mindsets 365 and Four AB’s 365. Each is built on the same enterprise platform, allowing world-class experts to coach, teach and inspire their communities every day.
Grounded in behavioral science and more than 1.5 million learning interactions, ThriveWare is proving that small daily decisions can produce remarkable long-term outcomes.
Less scrolling. More living.