A New Chapter for The Art of Learning Project
Change is in the air at The JW Foundation/Art of Learning Project. After a period of deep reflection, it is clear to us that the organization has run its natural course and it is time to move on. Though the choice to close the nonprofit was not an easy one to make, we know that this is simply the end of a chapter. Much of the story is still to be written.
Thank you!
It has been a privilege to share in so many of your learning journeys. As you have grown and discovered your own paths toward excellence, so have we. Your experiences with The Art of Learning Project have taught us a great deal and we deeply appreciate your openness to collaborating with us throughout. Through your generous donations, deep engagement, and thoughtful feedback we have been able to grow and learn together and positively impact the lives of students, educators, coaches, and athletes around the world. Many of the resources on the TAOLP website will be archived and remain available for download through the links below.
Resources for Educators
Resources for Parents
What’s next?
Josh has spent the past several years in an exciting and dynamic exploration of his own learning and training. Much has evolved in this time and he is actively developing the next chapter of this story. If Josh’s work has resonated with you in the past, we are confident it will continue to do so moving forward. If you would like to stay abreast of Josh’s next chapter, be sure to join his mailing list. If you would like to remain in contact with Katy and stay informed of her next educational venture, sign up for her mailing list here.
Thank you to each and every one of you for doing the incredible work you do, for your passion and dedication, and for including us in your journey. On a personal note, I have learned immensely from each of you and I am enormously grateful for the opportunities you’ve given me to collaborate with you.
Best,
Katy Wells
A Note from Josh
When I began the foundation 15 years ago, I was fresh off writing TAOL and embarking on the next leg of my learning journey through the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I was excited to work within the educational space and support young minds by cultivating a thematic path for their self-actualization. In the decade since, my life has continued to unfold in the most beautiful ways. I became a BJJ black belt, broke my back, drowned, did some soul searching, healed, moved into the jungle, and am now the father of two brilliant souls. I’ve dedicated myself to a new breed of ocean arts I am incredibly passionate about: big wave tow foiling and stand up paddle foiling. I’ve also been immersed in the cultivation of the art of training elite mental and physical performers.
Reflecting on my own evolution in this period of time, I feel like I’ve been deeply humbled by life. I’ve confronted my mortality, am learning to be a father and husband, and am embracing the lessons that keep emerging. The will to learn and explore has only expanded and I am committed to living day to day on my dynamic bleeding edge. I have been training intensely in my latest endeavors while being increasingly present to the complex problems of our world. Humanity is in a perilous place and I have been devoting much of my attention to how we can train ourselves to be well equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.
I feel it is the right time for me to shift my focus back to my internal work. I have been building a creative reserve that is expressing itself as a new writing project and am very excited about it. I hope to share it with the world in the very near future. The material you have familiarized yourself with over the years is the foundation from which this new work springs, and I hope you will enjoy where this next leap takes us.
I am so inspired and encouraged by the wonderful projects that have emerged and been guided through the foundation. It brings me so much happiness to see how you have all internalized TAOL through all your various disciplines and mediums. It has been a beautiful endeavor that I hope has helped your communities creatively thrive. I have such gratitude and love for everything you have invested with us over the years, and I am so appreciative of Katy for her dedication to nurturing, curating, and sharing your efforts.
Thank you so much for joining us on this journey.
Sincerely,
Josh Waitzkin