Inspiring the Invisible: The Pursuit of Unrealized Potential

The middle photo in the image above is one of my favorites teachers and first mentors Craig Lindvahl, or as his students knew him best Mr. L. It’s an image of him doing something he did a lot:?

Observing. Taking it all in.?

In this case, he was looking at how to set up a shot.?

But this world class videographer, teacher, and musician didn’t just look for opportunities to create. He was also in the habit of looking for something far more powerful:?

Potential.?

Mr. L had a gift for seeing potential in people even - and perhaps more importantly - when they couldn’t see it in themselves.?

I’ll never forget the first time he placed camera equipment in my hands in high school and told me something that would change my life.?

“You can do this. You have the power to tell stories that matter. ”?

I was in multimedia class with this man who I respected and whose opinion I deeply valued. Even though I didn’t know it yet, I needed someone who believed in my ability to achieve what I was dreaming about.?

Something I wasn’t so sure I could achieve myself.?

Then, Mr. L said those words to me. Little did he know that that would set me on the path to becoming a filmmaker and storyteller for years after. His unwavering belief in me (and his subsequent mentorship in the film and production space) were a powerful force in my own development and life trajectory.?

And his mentorship and role in my life were, ultimately, what led me back to the CEO program years later - to do my best to continue Mr. L’s legacy and cultivate the potential of young people across the nation who could benefit from the same belief in their own potential that so powerfully shaped me.?

Craig’s practice of looking for the potential in people is now the bedrock of our CEO philosophy. And that spirit doesn’t just trickle down into each community…

It is shaping the future of our world.?

When I started at the Midland Institute, Mr. L had already been telling the stories of a handful of alumni whose communities and leaders had invested in their potential. With his blessing, this tradition of storytelling has continued, evolving into a handful of alumni vignettes each year.?

These stories began with Craig. They continue because they are not only a testament to his continuing impact, but to CEO’s enduring transformation.?

It’s all possible because Craig saw what was possible not just in me but in nearly everyone he came in contact with.?

When we talk about CEO, we often talk about potential. We acknowledge the potential within our communities and particularly in our young people.?

However, the key lies in recognizing potential at an individual level.

Nobody did this better than Mr. L.?

His mentorship went beyond guidance; it was an unwavering belief in each student's capabilities. He skillfully uncovered hidden talents, leading his students to achievements that astounded them and only validated his conviction in their untapped and oftentimes unrecognized abilities.

Mr L’s legacy lives on through the stories we tell. In a subsequent article, I will go deeper into how Mr. L’s mentorship effectively nurtured potential.?

For now, I hope we can simply consider what is possible when we look for the potential in those around us in the same way he did.?

Perhaps take a moment to reflect on the profound possibilities that emerge when we, too, adopt his approach—when we actively seek and foster the potential in each individual we encounter.

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To learn more about how the CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) Program nurtures the potential of young people across the country by powering on their entrepreneurial spirit, visit: DiscoverCEO.com

CEO programs across the country are supported by the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, the standard for entrepreneurship education in the United States.