My New Definition of Success (It’s Not What You Think)
Three eggs. Arugula. Half an avocado. Sparkling water. 11am.
That’s my breakfast.
But it’s also my ritual reset.
Because I don’t clock in to chaos. I clock in to Do School Different.
And that starts with a question:
What if success isn’t what you were taught to chase?
I used to think success meant:
A padded resume.
A six-figure salary.
A fancy title and a district that finally respected me.
These days?
Success looks more like:
Finishing breakfast without checking email.
Taking a hike with Alba 🐶
Working from anywhere, as long as there's Wi-Fi and purpose.
Having enough margin to be generous—with time, money, and attention.
That’s a different kind of success. One that doesn’t burn you out. One that builds the kind of school your students can’t wait to show up to.
🧠 This is what most PD gets wrong.
It pushes hustle and compliance. It teaches “how to survive the system” instead of how to outgrow it.
But the Ruckus Maker path? That’s built differently.
We believe:
A clear mind makes better decisions than a full calendar.
Leading with love is strategy, not soft.
Your school should run on purpose, not just policies.
So yeah, I crack eggs at 11am. Because I’ve earned that space. And because I built this life on purpose—not by accident.
If you're a Ruckus Maker too, maybe what you need isn’t another checklist...
Maybe what you need is clarity.
Clarity to say no.
Clarity to lead different.
Clarity to define success on your terms.
🥄 So here’s your spoonful of rebellion:
Don’t just “run a school.”
Build a legacy that makes people feel something.
Start with breakfast.
🏫 What This Looks Like for a Ruckus Maker Running a School
You might be thinking:
“That’s nice, Danny. But I’m unlocking my building at 7:15am and juggling a dozen fires by 8.”
Totally. The 11am eggs aren't about breakfast. They’re about building a life—and a school—that runs on intention, not inertia.
For campus-based Ruckus Makers, that looks like:
🍎 FROM “Coverage” → TO “Connection”
Old Way: Every classroom has a warm body and a lesson plan.
New Way: Every classroom has a sense of purpose, a relationship-first culture, and learning that sparks curiosity.
📋 FROM “PD as Compliance” → TO “PD as Co-Creation”
Old Way: Sit-and-get. One-size-fits-all. Presented by someone who hasn’t led a school in years.
New Way: Personalized, teacher-led learning experiences driven by real problems and real-time feedback.
🕰️ FROM “Bell-to-Bell Instruction” → TO “Block Time for Breakthroughs”
Old Way: Maximize every instructional minute with worksheets, test prep, and filler tasks.
New Way: Protect time for interdisciplinary projects, student-led inquiry, and deep thinking.
🧱 FROM “Doing What We've Always Done” → TO “Building What Comes Next”
Old Way: Copy/paste from last year’s playbook.
New Way: Rethink systems, schedules, and roles to actually serve today’s kids—and tomorrow’s world.
👨🏫 FROM “Principal as Firefighter” → TO “Principal as Designer”
Old Way: React to problems all day, every day.
New Way: Design your week with intention, delegate operational noise, and focus your energy on long-term transformation.
This isn’t hypothetical.
These are the exact shifts bold leaders are making right now—in real schools, with real results.
You still show up early. You still answer the radio. You still care deeply.
But now you lead like it matters — because it does.
Because you’re not running a school the way it’s always been done.
You’re reimagining it.
This is what it means to Do School Different.
And maybe… your version of “11am eggs” is walking into a classroom at 9am and hearing a student say:
“This feels different. I actually want to be here.”
That’s the moment you know: You’re not just cracking eggs. You’re Making a Ruckus.
🚀 Ready to Do School Different?
You weren’t called to Play It Safe.
You weren’t called to copy last year’s schedule, enforce broken policies, or keep the wheels spinning.
You were called to Reimagine Education.
To build a campus experience so meaningful…
Students don’t want to miss it.
Teachers feel alive again.
And you remember why you started.
That’s the work we do inside The Ruckus Maker Mastermind
✅ Weekly mentorship from people doing this work
Get real-time coaching from current school leaders so you can make bold moves with confidence (without feeling alone or second-guessing your every step).
✅ Battle-tested tools to drive real change
Plug-and-play frameworks and strategies built by Ruckus Makers for Ruckus Makers (so you spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time creating breakthroughs).
✅ A private community that always has your back
You’ll be surrounded by innovative leaders who actually get it (so you’re never stuck, never siloed, and never settling for the status quo again).
Because success isn't found in the handbook. It’s built with intention, in community, by leaders who refuse to settle.
If you're ready to Do School Different and leave a legacy your students will never forget …