[Music] [Applause]
believe it or not up till a few moments
believe it or not up till a few moments when I walked on this stage I wasn’t
when I walked on this stage I wasn’t
when I walked on this stage I wasn’t 100% sure that I’d go through this talk
100% sure that I’d go through this talk
100% sure that I’d go through this talk to anybody who knows me they tell you
to anybody who knows me they tell you
to anybody who knows me they tell you that I’m quiet shy and introvert
that I’m quiet shy and introvert
that I’m quiet shy and introvert yet Here I am on stage talking to all of
yet Here I am on stage talking to all of
yet Here I am on stage talking to all of you but I’m also searching for what the
you but I’m also searching for what the
you but I’m also searching for what the same thing that each and every person on
same thing that each and every person on
same thing that each and every person on this entire planet is searching for
this entire planet is searching for
this entire planet is searching for purpose why did this or that happen is
purpose why did this or that happen is
purpose why did this or that happen is there some kind of grand cosmic plan to
there some kind of grand cosmic plan to
there some kind of grand cosmic plan to everything and if so what is my role in
everything and if so what is my role in
everything and if so what is my role in it do the things that happen in our life
it do the things that happen in our life
it do the things that happen in our life happen for a reason or are they just a
happen for a reason or are they just a
happen for a reason or are they just a random string of events that we
random string of events that we
random string of events that we experience as we live our lives
experience as we live our lives
experience as we live our lives is there a reason to everything to you
is there a reason to everything to you
is there a reason to everything to you to you to me for all of us being here
to you to me for all of us being here
to you to me for all of us being here some find their answers in religion
some find their answers in religion
some find their answers in religion which is great for those who can but for
which is great for those who can but for
which is great for those who can but for me it’s something I’ve always struggled
me it’s something I’ve always struggled
me it’s something I’ve always struggled with so what I decided to do was set out
with so what I decided to do was set out
with so what I decided to do was set out and search in search of my purpose it’s
and search in search of my purpose it’s
and search in search of my purpose it’s heavy stuff I know and I quickly
heavy stuff I know and I quickly
heavy stuff I know and I quickly realized that I needed to formulate some
realized that I needed to formulate some
realized that I needed to formulate some sort of plan if I was going to be able
sort of plan if I was going to be able
sort of plan if I was going to be able to do this also since it’s such a
to do this also since it’s such a
to do this also since it’s such a complex topic I decided to break it down
complex topic I decided to break it down
complex topic I decided to break it down into a few basic steps and that’s what
into a few basic steps and that’s what
into a few basic steps and that’s what I’d like to share with all of you today
I’d like to share with all of you today
I’d like to share with all of you today first let’s start by defining purpose
first let’s start by defining purpose
first let’s start by defining purpose Webster’s defines purpose as a result to
Webster’s defines purpose as a result to
Webster’s defines purpose as a result to perform or to accomplish
perform or to accomplish
perform or to accomplish so based on that definition alone we
so based on that definition alone we
so based on that definition alone we will always always have a purpose also
will always always have a purpose also
will always always have a purpose also we can see that it doesn’t need to be
we can see that it doesn’t need to be
we can see that it doesn’t need to be some singular destiny in fact any role
some singular destiny in fact any role
some singular destiny in fact any role that we choose to fulfill my definition
that we choose to fulfill my definition
that we choose to fulfill my definition gives us purpose next you need to ask
gives us purpose next you need to ask
gives us purpose next you need to ask yourself well how do I serve in that
yourself well how do I serve in that
yourself well how do I serve in that role and more than likely you have more
role and more than likely you have more
role and more than likely you have more than one role which to serve in fact
than one role which to serve in fact
than one role which to serve in fact most do although one point when I was
most do although one point when I was
most do although one point when I was younger I believed that I only had one
younger I believed that I only had one
younger I believed that I only had one purpose but as I got older I realized
purpose but as I got older I realized
purpose but as I got older I realized that wasn’t the case if you think the
that wasn’t the case if you think the
that wasn’t the case if you think the roles in your 20s and how different they
roles in your 20s and how different they
roles in your 20s and how different they were when you were in your 30s or from
were when you were in your 30s or from
were when you were in your 30s or from your 30s to your 40s as time goes on our
your 30s to your 40s as time goes on our
your 30s to your 40s as time goes on our purpose changes and anybody who’s a
purpose changes and anybody who’s a
purpose changes and anybody who’s a parent you most of all know that after
parent you most of all know that after
parent you most of all know that after having kids your rules will definitely
having kids your rules will definitely
having kids your rules will definitely definitely change so we need to be
definitely change so we need to be
definitely change so we need to be flexible because what you thought to be
flexible because what you thought to be
flexible because what you thought to be your role your purpose it will change a
your role your purpose it will change a
your role your purpose it will change a prime example of this is when I was
prime example of this is when I was
prime example of this is when I was younger I thought as I said I only have
younger I thought as I said I only have
younger I thought as I said I only have one role in life just the one that was
one role in life just the one that was
one role in life just the one that was the military by joining the Marine Corps
the military by joining the Marine Corps
the military by joining the Marine Corps I would have a clear-cut role my sole
I would have a clear-cut role my sole
I would have a clear-cut role my sole purpose would be the very best marine
purpose would be the very best marine
purpose would be the very best marine that I could possibly be that’s it
that I could possibly be that’s it
that I could possibly be that’s it nothing more nothing less but as we all
nothing more nothing less but as we all
nothing more nothing less but as we all know life takes unexpected turns and for
know life takes unexpected turns and for
know life takes unexpected turns and for me was receiving a sentence of life in
me was receiving a sentence of life in
me was receiving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole
prison without the possibility of parole
prison without the possibility of parole and just weeks after my 19th birthday so
and just weeks after my 19th birthday so
and just weeks after my 19th birthday so obviously I had some major major changes
obviously I had some major major changes
obviously I had some major major changes to adjust you good bye Camp Pendleton
to adjust you good bye Camp Pendleton
to adjust you good bye Camp Pendleton hello California Department of
hello California Department of
hello California Department of Corrections
Corrections
Corrections I basically spent the first few years of
I basically spent the first few years of
I basically spent the first few years of my incarceration adrift I thought what
my incarceration adrift I thought what
my incarceration adrift I thought what purpose can somebody have while serving
purpose can somebody have while serving
purpose can somebody have while serving life in prison but as years went on I
life in prison but as years went on I
life in prison but as years went on I got tired of asking myself that question
got tired of asking myself that question
got tired of asking myself that question and decided to once again start my
and decided to once again start my
and decided to once again start my search to find my purpose I did so by
search to find my purpose I did so by
search to find my purpose I did so by serving many different roles I worked
serving many different roles I worked
serving many different roles I worked out educating myself then tutored others
out educating myself then tutored others
out educating myself then tutored others who were working on their own education
who were working on their own education
who were working on their own education I taught yoga meditation classes I
I taught yoga meditation classes I
I taught yoga meditation classes I worked with the DARE program and an
worked with the DARE program and an
worked with the DARE program and an attempt to get kids to change their way
attempt to get kids to change their way
attempt to get kids to change their way of thinking before they make some of the
of thinking before they make some of the
of thinking before they make some of the same tragic decisions that I made which
same tragic decisions that I made which
same tragic decisions that I made which resulted in me serving life in prison
I’ve read who knows how many self-help
I’ve read who knows how many self-help books taking self-development classes
books taking self-development classes
books taking self-development classes all in an attempt to become a better
all in an attempt to become a better
all in an attempt to become a better person so I could therefore be a better
person so I could therefore be a better
person so I could therefore be a better friend a better sibling a better son a
friend a better sibling a better son a
friend a better sibling a better son a better husband a better human being
better husband a better human being
better husband a better human being which brings me to challenges challenges
which brings me to challenges challenges
which brings me to challenges challenges are those things that come up in our
are those things that come up in our
are those things that come up in our life that we often choose not to tackle
life that we often choose not to tackle
life that we often choose not to tackle because they’re too difficult they take
because they’re too difficult they take
because they’re too difficult they take too much time too boring whatever or as
too much time too boring whatever or as
too much time too boring whatever or as the idea of giving up on this stage in
the idea of giving up on this stage in
the idea of giving up on this stage in front of so many people was for me just
front of so many people was for me just
front of so many people was for me just simply terrifying so why should we
simply terrifying so why should we
simply terrifying so why should we accept these challenges well for me so
accept these challenges well for me so
accept these challenges well for me so that I’m engaging and seizing my life
that I’m engaging and seizing my life
that I’m engaging and seizing my life I’m making it my own I’m not just
I’m making it my own I’m not just
I’m making it my own I’m not just sitting on the sidelines watching Life
sitting on the sidelines watching Life
sitting on the sidelines watching Life go by nothing more than a spectator to
go by nothing more than a spectator to
go by nothing more than a spectator to my own life secondly for those who know
my own life secondly for those who know
my own life secondly for those who know me know my struggle with severe
me know my struggle with severe
me know my struggle with severe depression so by accepting my challenges
depression so by accepting my challenges
depression so by accepting my challenges it’s just another way to keep up my
it’s just another way to keep up my
it’s just another way to keep up my mental health
mental health
mental health it’s been shown enrichment of
it’s been shown enrichment of
it’s been shown enrichment of environment improves our health both
environment improves our health both
environment improves our health both body and mind
body and mind
body and mind so as we seek purpose and accept our
so as we seek purpose and accept our
so as we seek purpose and accept our life’s challenges we’re doing just that
we’re enriching ourselves with each new
we’re enriching ourselves with each new experience that comes into our life
speaking of challenges when I challenge
speaking of challenges when I challenge all of you to do is to take a few
all of you to do is to take a few
all of you to do is to take a few minutes today explore and examine your
minutes today explore and examine your
minutes today explore and examine your life are you accepting your life’s
life are you accepting your life’s
life are you accepting your life’s challenges or you want on the sidelines
challenges or you want on the sidelines
challenges or you want on the sidelines if today was your very last day how many
if today was your very last day how many
if today was your very last day how many regrets would you have of all those
regrets would you have of all those
regrets would you have of all those life’s challenges that you never
life’s challenges that you never
life’s challenges that you never accepted now of course we won’t fulfill
accepted now of course we won’t fulfill
accepted now of course we won’t fulfill our dreams but our purpose that’s
our dreams but our purpose that’s
our dreams but our purpose that’s another story and as for me being
another story and as for me being
another story and as for me being confined within these walls there are so
confined within these walls there are so
confined within these walls there are so so many things that are beyond my reach
so many things that are beyond my reach
so many things that are beyond my reach but that’s just my point I still am and
but that’s just my point I still am and
but that’s just my point I still am and always will be finding purpose despite
always will be finding purpose despite
always will be finding purpose despite my challenges
my challenges
my challenges so you see seeking purpose means that we
so you see seeking purpose means that we
so you see seeking purpose means that we are not that bystander we are not that
are not that bystander we are not that
are not that bystander we are not that side liner but we’re engaging taking
side liner but we’re engaging taking
side liner but we’re engaging taking ownership of our lives because after all
ownership of our lives because after all
ownership of our lives because after all it is your life thank
you
you [Music]
”
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