Printed or not Printed? Electives to chose or not?

As one who had been there, seen that, one of very few who did chose a Printed Path at the very beginning, Presentation Mastery, one of the 5 path available as Printed Material, I always try to dissuade all as much as possible "do not chose it, because the choices are taken away from you".

It means, all the electives chosen, and you can not see any others, nor read or print the others.
But lately, I come to cases, in the Pathways Discussion Forum, where those are the only choice, and was asked "how to find out which 5 are those?"

So here are the 5 available Printed Paths: Presentation Mastery, Dynamic Leadership, Leadership Development, Strategic Relationships and Team Collaboration. Between all those, 2 are also available in many other languages: Dynamic Leadership and Presentation Mastery.

Rewind now. In my case, I did not have a printer and my family had to print for me all I wanted to read far from my computer. At some time, I felt (fast) it was too much to ask from them. That was the main reason I chose to Pay a printed path, 20 + 25.

Once I did only, did I find out the followings.

1. I will not get them at once but in 3 shipments (included in price) :

• Level 1 and Level 2
• Level 3 and Mentoring
• Level 4 and Level 5

2. Aside for my own problem, that because a misunderstanding I had to wait a long time for getting the first shipment, I did not know either, then in the Manual I got, there will be places telling me : "now look at the video", "here, answer the Quiz", "now look at project x or y". And none of those will be available for me: it is not Printed AND Web based Path! It is Printed OR Web based. Disappointing, unless you know from the let go.

3. In pathways, from Level 3 you have one Required Project, or two, plus many yummy Elective Projects, from which we can chose. What a pleasure! We can read any of those! Save all or only a few. Print any we want, and not only those we chose for this time in this path. I did buy my printer!

As you can see, there are 13 Elective Projects at Level 3 (in any Path I think) and from them we are Required to complete 2. Before choosing which ones, I could read, save, print, any I wanted. Well, not only before, also after. Of course, you can if you wish complete: study and deliver more then the minimum number, and at my first path I did 3 (it was noted, but 2 or 3 or more count the same.) Of course, more I read, more I liked and learned. 

Leave some of them for the next path! Of course, at the next path, we can also repeat those we have already chosen: better probably at each time, as the understanding deepens.

Here are some of the Level 3 "electives" from which, at this time, I have chosen "Connect with your audience" and "Inspire your audience". For another, first path, I have chosen "Connect with Storytelling" and "Understanding Voice Variety" going well together. At my last path, I have done, and today I told about it shortly, "Focus on the Positive". 

Each more interesting then the other.

At Level 4 the Electives, from which we have to chose a minimum 1 are a lot longer to prepare, more to work on them. A month of blogging, half hour of podcast during some time also, managing a 20 minutes minimum online meeting with its preparing, and so on. Very useful and interesting choices.

For Level 5, the projects take a lot more time and effort and knowledge gained before are used. It is how I discovered Moderating Panels and being a Panel member! Prepare to Speak Professionally, ask for a 20 minutes speech or longer. And the HPL project is similar to the one known already in the previous Education Program. Similar to the DTM Project but this later does not ask for a committee. 

So you see? In the Printed material, there are 2 electives chosen for you at level 3 and one elective chosen at Level 4 and one for Level 5. All the others, are not options you can read, save, print or try.

I did understand that in some occasions, there is not possibility to go online at all and no one to help. Then, yes one has to go "printed material" but otherwise, avoid it because you loose a lot from the wonderful Pathways Experience of choices. 

It is still pity, that it was decided that we should not be allowed to read all those Projects when we buy or get a Path, only those at the Level we are at. But that is true only for the First Path. As soon, as you got through one, as the electives vary vary little, often not at all, you can get back any time and know what will come at the next level, all but for the Required Project. 

There is so much and so different things, "competencies" and so on to learn!

As I just finished the Focus on Positive so now I see the glass half full : "If I would not have chosen a Printed Path, I would not be able to appreciate the difference nor speak about it and write about."