The Canter and the Can
Author: Selby Evans

Scene: the Head Office. The Vulcan and the Engineer sit at small desks. The Canter and the Shudoff sit properly erect in straight-backed chairs. Others lounge in comfortable chairs.

Networker: We were talking about people with options.
Vulcan: And about people making choices.
Canter: After they decide, they will probably realize they can't do it.
Engineer: They will have to plan. If they plan, they know what they can do.
Canter: And what they can't do.
Storyborder: And what they may be able to do as their powers grow.
Shudoff: The should not count on their powers growing.
Un: Counting does not grow powers.
Canter: Nothing to be done. We can't think of any way to grow powers.
Un: Thinking does not grow powers.
Vulcan: Except the powers of thinking.
Engineer: Doing grows the powers of doing.
Canter: But if you can't do, you fail.
Networker: You can't fail if you learn.
Hunter: Whatever doesn't work is a trial run.
Explorer: A trial run is how you discover your powers.
Engineer: A trial run is how you grow your powers.
Canter: A trial run is how you know what you can't do.
Un: A trial run is how you know what you can do.
Canter: A trial run is how you fail.
Un: If you always succeed you are overqualified for your job.
Empath: A trial run is how people build self-confidence.
Canter: You can't build self-confidence out of failure.
Engineer: The Canters can't. The Engineers can.
Empath: The Engineers know the bounce-back routine.
Un: You do not build self-confidence out of failing. You build self-confidence out of bouncing back.
Engineer: Bounce-back is one of your powers.
Explorer: Only if you know you have it.
Engineer: Only if you know how to call on it.
Un: Only if you have experience with it.
Engineer: Failure is an opportunity to develop your bounce-back powers.
Empath: Failure is an opportunity to know your bounce-back powers.
Canter: You can’t call failure an opportunity. Failure is just failure.
Un: Only to the Canters.
Empath: Everyone has their Canters.
Vulcan: Everyone hears their Canters.
Un: Not everyone listens to their Canters.
Engineer: Everyone has an Engineers. Sometimes people hear their Engineers.
Hunter: Everyone has a Hunter. Sometimes people unleash their Hunters.
Vulcan: It is a choice. The Canter or the Hunter.
Canter: You can’t follow both at once.
Empath: You may not notice the choice.
Vulcan: Unless you are developing self-awareness.
Un: Unless you have learned to hear your head.
Vulcan: Then you will hear them all. You will have to choose.
Un: People will choose anyway. Whether they know it or not.
Vulcan: They can make a better choice if their know what they are choosing.
Un: They will know what they are choosing if they have learned to hear their heads.
Empath: That would be a kind of growth. And something anyone can do.
Un: But some can do better.
Canter: And some can’t do very well.
Empath: Everyone can hear their Canters. That is a skill learned by children.
Canter: And practiced by adults.
Hunter: But ignored by teenagers. They listen to their Hunters.
Shudoff: We should tell people what voices they should listen to.
Un: We do not have that authority. We will tell people how to hear their heads.
Engineer: They can start by clearing their heads.
Un: They can learn to hear the sounds of silence.
Empath: They can hear the many parts of their heads.
Shudoff: We should tell them which ones to listen to.
Vulcan: They will have to choose.
Un: When they are ready.
Organ Music. Voice over: Next month the Un and the Engineer get together on how to hear your head.






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Selby Evans was formerly Professor of Psychology at Texas Christian University and an independent consultant in behavioral research. He retired some years ago. Not yet having attained the age of senility, he now provides consulting to the Applied Cognitive Research Lab at Texas Christian University and maintains a website, thinkerer.org, intended to disseminate the findings of applied cognitive research to people interested in self-improvement, self-growth, and self-direction. He also maintains a blog at thinkerer.blogspot.com

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