hi all right hi everybody how are you guys doing today good all right so I
guys doing today good all right so I
guys doing today good all right so I want you guys to be comfortable as you
want you guys to be comfortable as you
want you guys to be comfortable as you can see I’m comfortable too going
can see I’m comfortable too going
can see I’m comfortable too going barefoot atlas I was wearing heels so
barefoot atlas I was wearing heels so
barefoot atlas I was wearing heels so now I’m more comfortable in seventh
now I’m more comfortable in seventh
now I’m more comfortable in seventh grade I didn’t want to go to college at
grade I didn’t want to go to college at
grade I didn’t want to go to college at all when I came to high school I was
all when I came to high school I was
all when I came to high school I was surrounded by people striving to go to
surrounded by people striving to go to
surrounded by people striving to go to Ivy League schools and I immediately
Ivy League schools and I immediately
Ivy League schools and I immediately felt intimidated I started to believe
felt intimidated I started to believe
felt intimidated I started to believe that I had to live up to a standard I
that I had to live up to a standard I
that I had to live up to a standard I began to grow dark circles around my
began to grow dark circles around my
began to grow dark circles around my eyes and they let the need to eat I I
eyes and they let the need to eat I I
eyes and they let the need to eat I I believe school is the one and only thing
believe school is the one and only thing
believe school is the one and only thing I need to focus on i prioritized it over
I need to focus on i prioritized it over
I need to focus on i prioritized it over my health my friends and my family when
my health my friends and my family when
my health my friends and my family when I didn’t see perfect grades i would feel
I didn’t see perfect grades i would feel
I didn’t see perfect grades i would feel completely insignificant compared to
completely insignificant compared to
completely insignificant compared to others whom strived who easily achieved
others whom strived who easily achieved
others whom strived who easily achieved what I worked us really for but as I
what I worked us really for but as I
what I worked us really for but as I further thought about my personal motive
further thought about my personal motive
further thought about my personal motive for success I asked myself is this
for success I asked myself is this
for success I asked myself is this really what I want to do I saw people
really what I want to do I saw people
really what I want to do I saw people around me sacrificing their sleep and
around me sacrificing their sleep and
around me sacrificing their sleep and overall health to obtain a four-point-oh
overall health to obtain a four-point-oh
overall health to obtain a four-point-oh friends of mine are dealing with anxiety
friends of mine are dealing with anxiety
friends of mine are dealing with anxiety and depression caused by stress and
and depression caused by stress and
and depression caused by stress and insecurity and when I asked them why
insecurity and when I asked them why
insecurity and when I asked them why they make these sacrifices they aren’t
they make these sacrifices they aren’t
they make these sacrifices they aren’t quite sure why or they respond with an
quite sure why or they respond with an
quite sure why or they respond with an answer that doesn’t involve their
answer that doesn’t involve their
answer that doesn’t involve their personal motive for working hard up to
personal motive for working hard up to
personal motive for working hard up to the point where they don’t know what
the point where they don’t know what
the point where they don’t know what sleep is anymore it seems as if many
sleep is anymore it seems as if many
sleep is anymore it seems as if many people are blindly climbing the ladder
people are blindly climbing the ladder
people are blindly climbing the ladder of supposed success without any real
of supposed success without any real
of supposed success without any real vision for themselves without vision
vision for themselves without vision
vision for themselves without vision there’s a lack of passion it really
there’s a lack of passion it really
there’s a lack of passion it really works to spend time cultivating your
works to spend time cultivating your
works to spend time cultivating your interests around your work even if your
interests around your work even if your
interests around your work even if your passion is abstract from your daily task
passion is abstract from your daily task
passion is abstract from your daily task incorporate it in a way that can fulfill
incorporate it in a way that can fulfill
incorporate it in a way that can fulfill you my friend Darcy wants to become a
you my friend Darcy wants to become a
you my friend Darcy wants to become a fashion designer and he hadn’t drawn any
fashion designer and he hadn’t drawn any
fashion designer and he hadn’t drawn any sketches in months he felt as if the day
sketches in months he felt as if the day
sketches in months he felt as if the day by day grind in school wasn’t leading
by day grind in school wasn’t leading
by day grind in school wasn’t leading him to his personal success I told him
him to his personal success I told him
him to his personal success I told him that we cannot avoid the schoolwork but
that we cannot avoid the schoolwork but
that we cannot avoid the schoolwork but we can make sure we pursue our passion
we can make sure we pursue our passion
we can make sure we pursue our passion alongside our education by making a
alongside our education by making a
alongside our education by making a priority now when he gets home he spends
priority now when he gets home he spends
priority now when he gets home he spends 30 minutes sketching before doing any
30 minutes sketching before doing any
30 minutes sketching before doing any homework this is his time to unwind and
homework this is his time to unwind and
homework this is his time to unwind and remember why he’s working hard after
remember why he’s working hard after
remember why he’s working hard after just 30 minutes of doing what he loves
just 30 minutes of doing what he loves
just 30 minutes of doing what he loves he gets through his homework encouraged
he gets through his homework encouraged
he gets through his homework encouraged to finish and start a new sketch
to finish and start a new sketch
to finish and start a new sketch focusing on growing as an individual
focusing on growing as an individual
focusing on growing as an individual candy struck competition lowering our
candy struck competition lowering our
candy struck competition lowering our obsessive need to climb the ladder of
obsessive need to climb the ladder of
obsessive need to climb the ladder of supposed success we have the power to
supposed success we have the power to
supposed success we have the power to modify what we’re working towards in our
modify what we’re working towards in our
modify what we’re working towards in our motive for reaching hard in high school
motive for reaching hard in high school
motive for reaching hard in high school getting into college has many obstacles
getting into college has many obstacles
getting into college has many obstacles that are impulse and that are impossible
that are impulse and that are impossible
that are impulse and that are impossible but it isn’t a short checklist when you
but it isn’t a short checklist when you
but it isn’t a short checklist when you have your list and submit it acceptance
have your list and submit it acceptance
have your list and submit it acceptance can feel like a lottery facing rejection
can feel like a lottery facing rejection
can feel like a lottery facing rejection and any circumstance rather be a job or
and any circumstance rather be a job or
and any circumstance rather be a job or specific social circle can affect your
specific social circle can affect your
specific social circle can affect your tenacity to try again at this point in
tenacity to try again at this point in
tenacity to try again at this point in our lives we will face many mountains
our lives we will face many mountains
our lives we will face many mountains finding and pursuing your passion
finding and pursuing your passion
finding and pursuing your passion alongside will make competition with
alongside will make competition with
alongside will make competition with other things significant staying true to
other things significant staying true to
other things significant staying true to yourself with will remove you from the
yourself with will remove you from the
yourself with will remove you from the ladder of supposed success and start a
ladder of supposed success and start a
ladder of supposed success and start a new one that contains purpose that only
new one that contains purpose that only
new one that contains purpose that only includes you as a kid my parents let me
includes you as a kid my parents let me
includes you as a kid my parents let me pursue new hobbies and interest often I
pursue new hobbies and interest often I
pursue new hobbies and interest often I explored soccer modeling guitar and many
explored soccer modeling guitar and many
explored soccer modeling guitar and many more I would constantly keep trying new
more I would constantly keep trying new
more I would constantly keep trying new things and I never conformed to one
things and I never conformed to one
things and I never conformed to one hobby so when I was trying to fill out a
hobby so when I was trying to fill out a
hobby so when I was trying to fill out a resume I didn’t know what to put other
resume I didn’t know what to put other
resume I didn’t know what to put other kids were forced to keep their hobbies
kids were forced to keep their hobbies
kids were forced to keep their hobbies and now they were highly skilled in
and now they were highly skilled in
and now they were highly skilled in anger I asked my mom why didn’t you
anger I asked my mom why didn’t you
anger I asked my mom why didn’t you force me to stick with a hobby but I
force me to stick with a hobby but I
force me to stick with a hobby but I realized that was beside the point I
realized that was beside the point I
realized that was beside the point I wanted to live for myself not for the
wanted to live for myself not for the
wanted to live for myself not for the resume when I asked a friend who are you
resume when I asked a friend who are you
resume when I asked a friend who are you they replied by stating their occupation
they replied by stating their occupation
they replied by stating their occupation and their accomplishments I asked again
and their accomplishments I asked again
and their accomplishments I asked again no but who are you really despite the
no but who are you really despite the
no but who are you really despite the fact I didn’t have a defined hobby or a
fact I didn’t have a defined hobby or a
fact I didn’t have a defined hobby or a specific College of mine I knew who I
specific College of mine I knew who I
specific College of mine I knew who I was I knew through my eagerness to try
was I knew through my eagerness to try
was I knew through my eagerness to try new things that I was curious sometimes
new things that I was curious sometimes
new things that I was curious sometimes it feels as if people value what you do
it feels as if people value what you do
it feels as if people value what you do rather than who you are as high
rather than who you are as high
rather than who you are as high schoolers we are at a time in our lives
schoolers we are at a time in our lives
schoolers we are at a time in our lives when we have to define ourselves which
when we have to define ourselves which
when we have to define ourselves which what type of people are we how have we
what type of people are we how have we
what type of people are we how have we give them back to our community and what
give them back to our community and what
give them back to our community and what matters to us frankly these are the
matters to us frankly these are the
matters to us frankly these are the things they’re going to ask you on
things they’re going to ask you on
things they’re going to ask you on college applications your transcript is
college applications your transcript is
college applications your transcript is one thing but the personal essay section
one thing but the personal essay section
one thing but the personal essay section is all you I’ve come to believe that we
is all you I’ve come to believe that we
is all you I’ve come to believe that we cannot let our achievements be what
cannot let our achievements be what
cannot let our achievements be what defines us when somebody meets you for
defines us when somebody meets you for
defines us when somebody meets you for this first time that’s more likely to
this first time that’s more likely to
this first time that’s more likely to remember how you may
remember how you may
remember how you may Phil rather than what you said they’re
Phil rather than what you said they’re
Phil rather than what you said they’re going to remember the first impression
going to remember the first impression
going to remember the first impression you’ve made I got hired in a workplace
you’ve made I got hired in a workplace
you’ve made I got hired in a workplace commonly offered to college students but
commonly offered to college students but
commonly offered to college students but at the age of 15 I was allowed this
at the age of 15 I was allowed this
at the age of 15 I was allowed this opportunity because of experience hard
opportunity because of experience hard
opportunity because of experience hard work and dedication and that’s not
work and dedication and that’s not
work and dedication and that’s not something I learned from a textbook or
something I learned from a textbook or
something I learned from a textbook or from years of practice it’s been from
from years of practice it’s been from
from years of practice it’s been from trial and error and putting myself out
trial and error and putting myself out
trial and error and putting myself out of my comfort zone from being willing to
of my comfort zone from being willing to
of my comfort zone from being willing to try a bunch of new sports from
try a bunch of new sports from
try a bunch of new sports from reflecting after each hobby I tried and
reflecting after each hobby I tried and
reflecting after each hobby I tried and seeing the opportunity to grow of course
seeing the opportunity to grow of course
seeing the opportunity to grow of course i didn’t get everything right the first
i didn’t get everything right the first
i didn’t get everything right the first time but i walked away with optimism and
time but i walked away with optimism and
time but i walked away with optimism and confidence to keep exploring new things
confidence to keep exploring new things
confidence to keep exploring new things for fun not for the resume when you fall
for fun not for the resume when you fall
for fun not for the resume when you fall into the trap of defining yourself but
into the trap of defining yourself but
into the trap of defining yourself but what you do instead of who you are the
what you do instead of who you are the
what you do instead of who you are the experience failure in a more painful way
experience failure in a more painful way
experience failure in a more painful way you are not a failure because you have
you are not a failure because you have
you are not a failure because you have failed in life you’re a failure because
failed in life you’re a failure because
failed in life you’re a failure because of choosing to keep going who you are is
of choosing to keep going who you are is
of choosing to keep going who you are is one of the most important things to seek
one of the most important things to seek
one of the most important things to seek it will determine what you choose to
it will determine what you choose to
it will determine what you choose to pursue and how you handle the feet if
pursue and how you handle the feet if
pursue and how you handle the feet if you have failed in life and have seen
you have failed in life and have seen
you have failed in life and have seen the ways to grow from defeat you will
the ways to grow from defeat you will
the ways to grow from defeat you will realize failing is a part of finding
realize failing is a part of finding
realize failing is a part of finding what you’re made of I learned this
what you’re made of I learned this
what you’re made of I learned this lesson quite young as I pursued my dream
lesson quite young as I pursued my dream
lesson quite young as I pursued my dream of becoming a supermodel I remember
of becoming a supermodel I remember
of becoming a supermodel I remember countless auditions practicing my
countless auditions practicing my
countless auditions practicing my catwalk in my living room and waiting
catwalk in my living room and waiting
catwalk in my living room and waiting hear back from agencies when I was 12 I
hear back from agencies when I was 12 I
hear back from agencies when I was 12 I entered a pageant adds several rounds of
entered a pageant adds several rounds of
entered a pageant adds several rounds of competition starting with regionals to
competition starting with regionals to
competition starting with regionals to statewide in the nationwide when the
statewide in the nationwide when the
statewide in the nationwide when the state pageant came I had given it my all
state pageant came I had given it my all
state pageant came I had given it my all my whole family was there to support me
my whole family was there to support me
my whole family was there to support me and unfortunately I didn’t make it to
and unfortunately I didn’t make it to
and unfortunately I didn’t make it to the national pageant from this moment in
the national pageant from this moment in
the national pageant from this moment in time I learned that when facing failure
time I learned that when facing failure
time I learned that when facing failure it’s not the end I could have become
it’s not the end I could have become
it’s not the end I could have become insecure and doubting myself instead I
insecure and doubting myself instead I
insecure and doubting myself instead I thought what’s next this is not failure
thought what’s next this is not failure
thought what’s next this is not failure this is a growing moment so when you
this is a growing moment so when you
this is a growing moment so when you feel discouraged by a step back and
feel discouraged by a step back and
feel discouraged by a step back and begin to doubt your own capabilities you
begin to doubt your own capabilities you
begin to doubt your own capabilities you get up and say what’s next then you take
get up and say what’s next then you take
get up and say what’s next then you take time to reflect and set a game plan for
time to reflect and set a game plan for
time to reflect and set a game plan for what you can do to excel a majority of
what you can do to excel a majority of
what you can do to excel a majority of it was hard work repetition and balance
it was hard work repetition and balance
it was hard work repetition and balance everything was was everything else was
everything was was everything else was
everything was was everything else was believing and knowing that it was at the
believing and knowing that it was at the
believing and knowing that it was at the end that there are always more and more
end that there are always more and more
end that there are always more and more ways to grow as long as I was willing to
ways to grow as long as I was willing to
ways to grow as long as I was willing to instead of being so hard on myself I
instead of being so hard on myself I
instead of being so hard on myself I step back to get a better perspective
step back to get a better perspective
step back to get a better perspective if I could have gone in so many
if I could have gone in so many
if I could have gone in so many different directions and reacted
different directions and reacted
different directions and reacted negatively but I choose to be positive I
negatively but I choose to be positive I
negatively but I choose to be positive I often remind myself and others around me
often remind myself and others around me
often remind myself and others around me that we have the ability to choose how
that we have the ability to choose how
that we have the ability to choose how we react attitude and failure makes a
we react attitude and failure makes a
we react attitude and failure makes a huge difference you could let the
huge difference you could let the
huge difference you could let the pressure get to you and become easily
pressure get to you and become easily
pressure get to you and become easily overwhelmed by mistake but life’s full
overwhelmed by mistake but life’s full
overwhelmed by mistake but life’s full of mistakes is important now to realize
of mistakes is important now to realize
of mistakes is important now to realize our wrongs and nobody could always come
our wrongs and nobody could always come
our wrongs and nobody could always come back from them we could always grow from
back from them we could always grow from
back from them we could always grow from that standpoint from that standpoint
that standpoint from that standpoint
that standpoint from that standpoint Oprah Winfrey survived through a
Oprah Winfrey survived through a
Oprah Winfrey survived through a childhood of severe abuse and poverty
childhood of severe abuse and poverty
childhood of severe abuse and poverty and was also fired from her position as
and was also fired from her position as
and was also fired from her position as co-anchor from CBS Nashville but
co-anchor from CBS Nashville but
co-anchor from CBS Nashville but eventually she created her own network
eventually she created her own network
eventually she created her own network channel talk show and magazine in high
channel talk show and magazine in high
channel talk show and magazine in high school Michael Jordan was cut from the
school Michael Jordan was cut from the
school Michael Jordan was cut from the varsity basketball team from that point
varsity basketball team from that point
varsity basketball team from that point forward he imagined the list without his
forward he imagined the list without his
forward he imagined the list without his name on it and it motivated him to train
name on it and it motivated him to train
name on it and it motivated him to train harder on the top of the basketball I
harder on the top of the basketball I
harder on the top of the basketball I want to define a vocabulary word in
want to define a vocabulary word in
want to define a vocabulary word in basketball and assist is attributed to a
basketball and assist is attributed to a
basketball and assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to teammate
player who passes the ball to teammate
player who passes the ball to teammate in a way that leads to a shot mean I he
in a way that leads to a shot mean I he
in a way that leads to a shot mean I he or she was assisting in the basket let
or she was assisting in the basket let
or she was assisting in the basket let us assist each other towards our common
us assist each other towards our common
us assist each other towards our common goals these goals can be passing high
goals these goals can be passing high
goals these goals can be passing high school pursuing your dreams or leaving
school pursuing your dreams or leaving
school pursuing your dreams or leaving your mark by working on ways we can grow
your mark by working on ways we can grow
your mark by working on ways we can grow together we can achieve these goals and
together we can achieve these goals and
together we can achieve these goals and strengthen our communication skills in
strengthen our communication skills in
strengthen our communication skills in the future you will be able to look back
the future you will be able to look back
the future you will be able to look back on all the people who support you and
on all the people who support you and
on all the people who support you and open your perspective one of my favorite
open your perspective one of my favorite
open your perspective one of my favorite quotes by author Paulo Coelho says when
quotes by author Paulo Coelho says when
quotes by author Paulo Coelho says when we strive to be better than we are
we strive to be better than we are
we strive to be better than we are everything around us becomes better too
everything around us becomes better too
everything around us becomes better too this brings me to my conclusion and this
this brings me to my conclusion and this
this brings me to my conclusion and this is what I want you to take home the
is what I want you to take home the
is what I want you to take home the importance of nourishing your personal
importance of nourishing your personal
importance of nourishing your personal motive despite the status quo this
motive despite the status quo this
motive despite the status quo this starts with staying true to yourself I
starts with staying true to yourself I
starts with staying true to yourself I challenge you to reflect on who you are
challenge you to reflect on who you are
challenge you to reflect on who you are what you love and think about what it
what you love and think about what it
what you love and think about what it might look like to use your character
might look like to use your character
might look like to use your character and your gifts to help other people
and your gifts to help other people
and your gifts to help other people thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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