About this Course

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This course is an interdisciplinary look at how we can make each day the best day of our lives by examining the question, “How can you be your most brilliant, passionate self?” You will be joined on this journey by our animated host, Lewis!
You will envision your “perfect day” and then slowly deconstruct the elements of that day to better understand key elements such as finding your purpose, defining success, mental and physical health, the importance of community, and navigating risks and challenges. In addition, you  will hear stories from a diverse array of individuals, including students, doctors, teachers, professional storytellers, professional athletes, coaches, and others sharing their own journeys, communities, and sources of inspiration.

Finally, you will participate in the What’s Your Purpose? Project, utilizing storytelling techniques to share your own purpose and inspire other members of this global learning community to pursue theirs.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

No prerequisites needed!

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Reflect on the best moments of your life and describe connections between those moments.
Describe the personal qualities that represent your best self
Articulate what growth mindset and mindful compassion are and how they support self-improvement
Create a life purpose statement based on your best self and values

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

No prerequisites needed!

Approx. 19 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.63/5 (83 Ratings)

Brilliant and Passionate Experts

University of Michigan

32,211 Learners

6 Courses

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(5,090 ratings)

Week

1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

The Best Day of My Life

2 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 24 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

6 videos

The Brilliant, Passionate You2m

The Best Day of My Life1m

Becoming Your Brilliant Passionate Self9m

My Best Day, with Dr. Okanlami4m

My Best Day, with Professor Sankaran2m

Being the Best Version of Yourself, with Aaron Gougis3m

6 readings

Course Overview5m

Help us learn more about you!10m

Imagine10m

"Picturing the Best Day of Your Life" - A Letter from Lewis5m

Welcome to Week 1, Lesson 21m

A Brief Introduction to the Gamut Workbook10m

Week

2

Week 2

5 hours to complete

What Do You Want to Be Known for on Earth?

5 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 95 min), 10 readings, 2 quizzes

15 videos

What Do You Want to Be Known for on Earth?1m

Purpose: Find Your Why2m

Who Am I?2m

What Do I Value?3m

7 Questions Exercise Introduction3m

Three Questions about Purpose10m

Feeding Your Soul5m

Defining Yourself and Finding Success4m

The Odyssey Plan Activity4m

On Street Interviews - What is Success?1m

What is Success?23m

What is a Growth Mindset and How Can it Help You Succeed?14m

Mindful Self-Compassion 6m

Creating a Personalized Action Plan - Overview1m

Creating Your Action Plan9m

10 readings

You and Your Purpose5m

"Reflecting on your Purpose" - A Letter from Lewis1m

Welcome to Week 2, Lesson 22m

Disclaimer for Feeding Your Soul Video10m

How Have You Redefined Your Life's Purpose Over Time? 2m

Odyssey Plan Handout10m

Welcome to Week 2, Lesson 32m

Introducing the Personalized Action Plan2m

Crafting an Action Plan - A Letter From Lewis30m

"What’s My Purpose?" - A Letter from Lewis5m

1 practice exercise

Module 2, Lesson 1 Quiz5m

Week

3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Feeling Your Best Self

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 66 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

11 videos

Feeling Your Best Self1m

The Importance of Physical Fitness and Adaptive Sports6m

Start with Om4m

Gratitude Journals4m

The Epidemic of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation6m

Two-Process Sleep Model7m

Sleep Duration1m

Keep Going and Slow Down by Managing Your Energy3m

Vignettes on Sleep Deprivation1m

Balancing Work, Play, and Love14m

Take Each Day as Something Special14m

7 readings

Getting Back to Basics2m

"Reflecting on Intent" - A Letter from Lewis2m

Reflecting on Sleep - A Letter from Lewis2m

Energy Audit Activity10m

How has physical and mental health impacted the quality of your life?2m

Disclaimer for Take Each Day As Something Special Video10m

The Schema Exercise10m

Week

4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Building a Brilliant, Passionate Community

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 49 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

9 videos

Building a Brilliant, Passionate Community1m

If You Want to Go Far, Go Together10m

Thinking About Communities: An Interview with Dr. McCray 9m

Culture: It matters more than ever 3m

Introducing the GIVE Model5m

Introducing Strength Spotting4m

Look for helper feelings in your culture 4m

Learning from Your Community4m

See yourself through the eyes of others5m

7 readings

Introduction to Communities3m

How Do We Create Positive Cultures? - A Letter from Lewis2m

A Deeper Dive into the GIVE Model10m

Welcome to Module 4, Lesson 21m

Reflecting on Helper Feelings - A Letter from Lewis2m

What’s important in a community? 2m

What’s the Best Day of Your Life? - A Letter from Lewis10m

Reviews

4.6

58 reviews

5 stars
72.27%
4 stars
21.28%
3 stars
3.96%
2 stars
1.48%
1 star
0.99%

TOP REVIEWS FROM BRILLIANT, PASSIONATE YOU

by LVDec 4, 2020

The best course I ever had in year, woow I love it!

by JLMar 5, 2022

It was great! I hope to use the videos I emailed myself with my students and also for presentations I will give duringduringy education journey.

by ABJan 5, 2021

Really good course. I would recommend taking it at age 16, 18, in your twenties, again in your 30s, 40s, and 50s! :-)

by SHSep 20, 2022

I enjoyed this course so much. The videos were so imformative and I learned a lot about myself.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Brilliant, Passionate You