Winged Post: What motivates you in life?

John Docherty: Lots of little things, but I think a big picture motivation might be a pursuit of excellence. Doing everything that I do to the best of my ability, the best I possibly can. Professionally, the idea of being an excellent teacher, being there for my students, for my advisees. Personally, being there for my friends and family. I suppose living by example.

WP: And on that bent, what is the core fear that drives you?

JD: I suppose a fear of failure, falling short of the mark I’ve set for myself personally and professionally. It’s more the internal targets. I can’t say I don’t care about the [outside expectations], but they’re certainly less important.

WP: How did you end up getting into teaching?

JD: I’ve always been a teacher. I knew from the end of the first semester in undergraduate school that was what I was going to do. I didn’t think I was going to be a high school teachers. Everything was kind of gearing me towards teaching in college, and I kind of fell into teaching in high school when I was in Maryland. I taught the tertiary level in Texas. I also taught at university in England, going through the graduate program in Birmingham. But when I fell into it, I haven’t looked back. It’s been a great fit. I love what I do.

WP: Why would you say it’s such a great fit?

JD: I’m making a big difference. I’m making a bigger difference in high school than I would do in college I think. It’s a simple answer.

WP: You say you’ve always been a teacher; can you elaborate on that? Did you take a mentoring role with your peers when you were younger?

JD: A little bit. I played soccer in Texas, and I remember one of the things we had to do during the summer, outside of staying in shape, was running summer camps. They were usually week-long summer camps where the varsity soccer players would serve as coaches for the younger kids. And at the end of those week-long camps, we had to give presentations on the kids. And I used to be very nervous in public speaking, and I probably still have that to a degree as part of my personality, but I found it very easy to go up there and talk to the parents of the kids I’d coached for a week, and I remember being approached by other players who weren’t teacher-oriented about how they could structure their presentations at the end of the week.

WP: Would you say you’re happy?

JD: Absolutely.

WP: As a happy person, how does one become happy? What is it about your life and your day and your place in those things that makes you say with such certainty, absolutely I am happy?

JD: You’ve got to be contented with where you are. I think being contented is different from being complacent; it’s always important to have targets. So I think I’m happy from the standpoint that I’ve got a nice balance of those two things. On the one hand, I’m not complacent. I’m always looking to improve, to hone, to sharpen. But I’m also comfortable and happy with where I am in that context. You’ve got to turn into yourself. You’ve got to know where you are, which is probably more important than knowing where you’re going. I’ve got a vague sense of where I’m going, but I absolutely know where I am.

WP: Where do you think you’re going?

JD: I’m improving. It’s kind of a generally statement. I really do feel like I’m improving. I’m not perfect. That’s where the improvement comes from.

WP: As a teacher, and as a teacher in life, and just as a person who’s happy, if you had to give one piece of advice to the student body of Harker, what would it be.

JD: I’ve got a couple of things that come to mind. Travel. I think that’s so important. Say yes to opportunities to travel. And the second thing, this is a privileged environment. Some of you may realize how fortunate you really are. Look for opportunities to give back. I think that’s so important. Those who have advantages need to give back. Engage how fortunate you really are, and reach out to those who are really less fortunate. Contribute, do something, just be aware of that.