“The Odyssey’s” epic tale of productive struggle

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is being hailed as the biggest film event of the summer, proving that the story still resonates nearly 3,000 years after Homer first told it. For over a millennium, audiences have been captivated by legendary monsters, impossible obstacles, and the long journey of a hero determined to find his way home.

At Rosie Riveters, we see something more.

Beneath the mythical creatures and heroic feats is a timeless lesson in how we as humans learn, grow and become capable of accomplishing things we once thought were impossible.

In other words, “The Odyssey” may be one of history’s earliest lessons in productive struggle.

Odysseus didn’t simply overcome obstacles because he was naturally gifted or always knew the answers. He isn’t remembered because things went well. He’s remembered because they didn’t, and he figured it out anyway. He made mistakes. His plans failed. He got lost.

But by the time he finally made it home, he wasn’t just someone who survived an extraordinary journey. He was someone who had been changed by it. And that may be the story’s greatest message: growth doesn’t happen after struggle. It happens through it.

Sound familiar?

Productive struggle is the whole point

At Rosie Riveters, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience that kind of growth, and we see it every day through hands-on STEM learning programs that have reached over 60,000 learners.

A robot doesn’t move on the first try. A circuit doesn’t work. A solution that seemed perfect turns out to need another attempt. Those moments are frustrating, but they’re also where the deepest learning happens.

It’s not failure for its own sake. It’s not challenge without support. It’s the experience of encountering something hard, sticking with it, and finding a way through. Because actually doing the cognitive work of struggling through something difficult builds those skills that can’t be automated or replaced.

Critical thinking. Problem-solving. Confidence. Adaptability.

The reason we root our programs in productive struggle isn’t philosophical. It’s practical. Curiosity isn’t something children either have or don’t. It’s a muscle, and it needs resistance to grow.

Hands-on STEM experiences build the conditions for curiosity to become a habit. A child who learns to sit with uncertainty and say “I may not know, but I can figure it out” is learning something that will serve them in any field, in any decade, in a landscape that’s still being defined.

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Kids today are growing up in a world where the most powerful tools humanity has ever built are at their fingertips, and whether they use them to expand their thinking or replace it depends entirely on how they’ve learned to approach a challenge.

Students who’ve practiced productive struggle have the judgment, confidence and curiosity to be collaborators rather than just consumers. Those who haven’t learned to outsource their thinking and tools can only take you as far as your thinking goes.

Exploring Odysseus’s journey

Again and again, Odysseus encounters situations where there isn’t an obvious answer, and he must adapt and get creative to figure them out. Each challenge prepares him for the next, each setback makes him more resourceful, and each mistake shapes the leader he becomes — determined, humble, reflective, empathetic.

Five things you can do

This summer, audiences will undoubtedly leave theaters buzzing about the breathtaking adventures of one of literature’s greatest heroes.

Here are five things to help youth and their families reflect on the message at the heart of the story as they recount the action scenes:

1. Be curious together. Odysseus didn’t have all the answers, but he had ideas. Show kids that adults don’t have all the answers either. When something sparks your curiosity, say, “I wonder…” out loud and invite them to investigate with you.
2. Talk about challenges instead of hiding them. Odysseus didn’t sugarcoat the risks. When something feels difficult, encourage kids to name the obstacle, talk through what makes it hard and understand that struggle is how we grow. Like Odysseus, they don’t need to have every answer right away. They just need the confidence to begin figuring it out.
3. Break big problems into smaller steps. Odysseus kept his goals in mind as he solved each challenge, one at a time. Help kids identify one small action they can take when something feels overwhelming, whether it’s asking a question, trying again or even just taking a break.
4. Treat setbacks as part of the journey. Odysseus’s path home was filled with wrong turns, failed plans and unexpected obstacles. But those moments didn’t mean his journey was over! Instead, they helped him become more resourceful and prepared for what came next. Encourage kids to see mistakes and failures as information, not as reasons to give up. When something doesn’t work, help them ask: “What did I learn?” “What can I try differently?” or “What’s my next step?”
5. Never go it alone. Odysseus relied on others throughout his adventure. Encourage kids to seek out teachers, coaches, mentors, family members and peers who can offer guidance, encouragement and new perspectives when challenges arise.

The lasting power of “The Odyssey” isn’t that heroes conquer every obstacle, but that heroism emerges from our response to obstacles. Recognize moments when kids show persistence, creativity and courage, even if the result isn’t perfect.

Productive struggle helps young people become the kind of person who knows they can face a challenge where the outcome isn’t known or certain.

Students don’t build confidence because we remove every obstacle from their path. They build it because parents, educators, mentors, volunteers and communities create environments where it’s safe to get things wrong before getting them right. The reverse is also true. Students can face so many obstacles that they can’t see a path. It’s our job, then, to illuminate them.

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Brittany Greer is the founder and executive director of Rosie Riveters, a nonprofit organization committed to closing STEM workforce gaps by empowering kids aged 4–14 through hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences. With a global perspective, shaped by early leadership in UK political strategy and international energy communications, Greer has led transformative initiatives at the intersection of workforce development, industry innovation and education.