it’s 3:00 a.m. and I am sitting straight up in bed I’m my mind is racing I’m
up in bed I’m my mind is racing I’m
up in bed I’m my mind is racing I’m totally stressed my husband wakes and
totally stressed my husband wakes and
totally stressed my husband wakes and asked what’s wrong and I say Who am I
asked what’s wrong and I say Who am I
asked what’s wrong and I say Who am I and what is my purpose in life you know
and what is my purpose in life you know
and what is my purpose in life you know what he said perfect
what he said perfect
what he said perfect he said I’ll go back to sleep and that’s
he said I’ll go back to sleep and that’s
he said I’ll go back to sleep and that’s when I realized that whether you’re a
when I realized that whether you’re a
when I realized that whether you’re a realist like my husband or a dreamer
realist like my husband or a dreamer
realist like my husband or a dreamer like me you will ask that question of
like me you will ask that question of
like me you will ask that question of yourself sometime during your life now
yourself sometime during your life now
yourself sometime during your life now that evening I realize that I’d been
that evening I realize that I’d been
that evening I realize that I’d been floating through life you know I was
floating through life you know I was
floating through life you know I was working hard having fun and making
working hard having fun and making
working hard having fun and making choices to please others then life got
choices to please others then life got
choices to please others then life got complicated
complicated
complicated I floated into some leadership positions
I floated into some leadership positions
I floated into some leadership positions and I realized no matter how hard I
and I realized no matter how hard I
and I realized no matter how hard I tried I could not please everyone yeah
tried I could not please everyone yeah
tried I could not please everyone yeah that was a turning point I realized that
that was a turning point I realized that
that was a turning point I realized that I had to change and what’s worse is in
I had to change and what’s worse is in
I had to change and what’s worse is in the back of my mind there was a little
the back of my mind there was a little
the back of my mind there was a little voice that kept saying when you work for
voice that kept saying when you work for
voice that kept saying when you work for the applause of others you put your life
the applause of others you put your life
the applause of others you put your life in the hands of another now that’s scary
in the hands of another now that’s scary
in the hands of another now that’s scary so I decided I had to make choices that
so I decided I had to make choices that
so I decided I had to make choices that night and the first choice was easy I
night and the first choice was easy I
night and the first choice was easy I was not going back to sleep the second
was not going back to sleep the second
was not going back to sleep the second choice was tougher I wanted to answer
choice was tougher I wanted to answer
choice was tougher I wanted to answer those darn questions that woke me up
those darn questions that woke me up
those darn questions that woke me up that night the first one was Who am I
that night the first one was Who am I
that night the first one was Who am I have you ever tried to write that it was
have you ever tried to write that it was
have you ever tried to write that it was impossible so I skipped it I went on to
impossible so I skipped it I went on to
impossible so I skipped it I went on to the next question what is my purpose in
the next question what is my purpose in
the next question what is my purpose in life and I realized I could dream there
life and I realized I could dream there
life and I realized I could dream there because you know I had known good
because you know I had known good
because you know I had known good leaders and their impact and I’ve seen
leaders and their impact and I’ve seen
leaders and their impact and I’ve seen not-so-good leaders and their impact
not-so-good leaders and their impact
not-so-good leaders and their impact I knew that my purpose in life was to be
I knew that my purpose in life was to be
I knew that my purpose in life was to be the best leader that I could be so I
the best leader that I could be so I
the best leader that I could be so I decided I was going to come and speak
decided I was going to come and speak
decided I was going to come and speak here now I don’t think I’d have the
here now I don’t think I’d have the
here now I don’t think I’d have the courage to speak with you about my life
courage to speak with you about my life
courage to speak with you about my life except I know that every one of you will
except I know that every one of you will
except I know that every one of you will take that journey within to find your
take that journey within to find your
take that journey within to find your leadership and I hope that something I
leadership and I hope that something I
leadership and I hope that something I share here will be a value to you one of
share here will be a value to you one of
share here will be a value to you one of my biggest lessons was you must be
my biggest lessons was you must be
my biggest lessons was you must be courageous now there are many aspects of
courageous now there are many aspects of
courageous now there are many aspects of leadership courage I’ll share two of
leadership courage I’ll share two of
leadership courage I’ll share two of them with you to be courageous
them with you to be courageous
them with you to be courageous you must choose courageously you know
you must choose courageously you know
you must choose courageously you know that your first choice your second
that your first choice your second
that your first choice your second courageous choice is not going to turn
courageous choice is not going to turn
courageous choice is not going to turn you in to the outstanding leader you
you in to the outstanding leader you
you in to the outstanding leader you could be in fact mistakes will be made
could be in fact mistakes will be made
could be in fact mistakes will be made and that’s the scary part
and that’s the scary part
and that’s the scary part your choices could either lead to
your choices could either lead to
your choices could either lead to success or failure so I discovered that
success or failure so I discovered that
success or failure so I discovered that it reduces a stress when I think of each
it reduces a stress when I think of each
it reduces a stress when I think of each choice as a practice and regardless of
choice as a practice and regardless of
choice as a practice and regardless of what the results are I know I’m going to
what the results are I know I’m going to
what the results are I know I’m going to learn then I’ve discovered the secret
learn then I’ve discovered the secret
learn then I’ve discovered the secret question there’s only one question you
question there’s only one question you
question there’s only one question you asked when you practice making choices
asked when you practice making choices
asked when you practice making choices and that is what am I to learn from this
and that is what am I to learn from this
and that is what am I to learn from this or what am I to learn from this mess
or what am I to learn from this mess
or what am I to learn from this mess usually right so when you ask that
usually right so when you ask that
usually right so when you ask that question
question
question you cannot lose because you always learn
you cannot lose because you always learn
you cannot lose because you always learn much more that way and your energies
much more that way and your energies
much more that way and your energies focus on how I can apply what I learned
focus on how I can apply what I learned
focus on how I can apply what I learned to the next steps in my journey the
to the next steps in my journey the
to the next steps in my journey the second aspect of courageous choice
second aspect of courageous choice
second aspect of courageous choice choices is caring courageously you know
choices is caring courageously you know
choices is caring courageously you know I thought great leaders were always calm
I thought great leaders were always calm
I thought great leaders were always calm logical always strong until the day a
logical always strong until the day a
logical always strong until the day a young man walked into my office and told
young man walked into my office and told
young man walked into my office and told me his child had an incurable
me his child had an incurable
me his child had an incurable I had no words logic failed me we sat
I had no words logic failed me we sat
I had no words logic failed me we sat together and I shared his pain and his
together and I shared his pain and his
together and I shared his pain and his sadness and we cried together years
sadness and we cried together years
sadness and we cried together years later he told me how much that minute
later he told me how much that minute
later he told me how much that minute meant to him you see
meant to him you see
meant to him you see caring courageously means showing your
caring courageously means showing your
caring courageously means showing your heart having the compassion and empathy
heart having the compassion and empathy
heart having the compassion and empathy for others so authentic leaders know
for others so authentic leaders know
for others so authentic leaders know they must have the courage to show their
they must have the courage to show their
they must have the courage to show their true heart well as I practiced all these
true heart well as I practiced all these
true heart well as I practiced all these courageous things I realized I was
courageous things I realized I was
courageous things I realized I was learning more about myself but it was
learning more about myself but it was
learning more about myself but it was still hard to organize my thoughts until
still hard to organize my thoughts until
still hard to organize my thoughts until I realized that I could describe what my
I realized that I could describe what my
I realized that I could describe what my values what my strengths and what my
values what my strengths and what my
values what my strengths and what my passions were and they helped me feel
passions were and they helped me feel
passions were and they helped me feel very comfortable with myself and the
very comfortable with myself and the
very comfortable with myself and the more comfortable I felt about myself the
more comfortable I felt about myself the
more comfortable I felt about myself the more ready I was to learn about others
more ready I was to learn about others
more ready I was to learn about others and learn about their passions their
and learn about their passions their
and learn about their passions their strengths their values and when I did
strengths their values and when I did
strengths their values and when I did you know it opened up amazing new worlds
you know it opened up amazing new worlds
you know it opened up amazing new worlds to me because I was empathizing and
to me because I was empathizing and
to me because I was empathizing and being with others you know when I
being with others you know when I
being with others you know when I realized that that’s how I would know
realized that that’s how I would know
realized that that’s how I would know more about myself I had this crazy urge
more about myself I had this crazy urge
more about myself I had this crazy urge to start sharing what I learned now you
to start sharing what I learned now you
to start sharing what I learned now you know those are just simple truths I just
know those are just simple truths I just
know those are just simple truths I just shared with you but still kind of helped
shared with you but still kind of helped
shared with you but still kind of helped somebody and luckily right in the middle
somebody and luckily right in the middle
somebody and luckily right in the middle of my journey was an opportunity there
of my journey was an opportunity there
of my journey was an opportunity there was a group of people who put together a
was a group of people who put together a
was a group of people who put together a leadership program for the community I
leadership program for the community I
leadership program for the community I joined I was so excited to share
joined I was so excited to share
joined I was so excited to share everything I learned with them until to
everything I learned with them until to
everything I learned with them until to my humble surprise they taught me even
my humble surprise they taught me even
my humble surprise they taught me even more so Maria she was in the first class
more so Maria she was in the first class
more so Maria she was in the first class and she was already a supervisor
and she was already a supervisor
and she was already a supervisor and she wasn’t sure she was really a
and she wasn’t sure she was really a
and she wasn’t sure she was really a leader until she discovered her values
leader until she discovered her values
leader until she discovered her values and her top value was doing the right
and her top value was doing the right
and her top value was doing the right thing for those people who she led and
thing for those people who she led and
thing for those people who she led and she that doesn’t mean doing the nicest
she that doesn’t mean doing the nicest
she that doesn’t mean doing the nicest thing doing the popular thing or doing
thing doing the popular thing or doing
thing doing the popular thing or doing the easiest thing it really meant doing
the easiest thing it really meant doing
the easiest thing it really meant doing the right thing for each person’s
the right thing for each person’s
the right thing for each person’s journey she courageously made tough
journey she courageously made tough
journey she courageously made tough decisions she resisted pressure she knew
decisions she resisted pressure she knew
decisions she resisted pressure she knew what she had to do for each person she
what she had to do for each person she
what she had to do for each person she focused on that and as she proceeded in
focused on that and as she proceeded in
focused on that and as she proceeded in that way she became more and more sure
that way she became more and more sure
that way she became more and more sure that she was an authentic leader Maria
that she was an authentic leader Maria
that she was an authentic leader Maria has been promoted moved up in her career
has been promoted moved up in her career
has been promoted moved up in her career and yet even now seven years later when
and yet even now seven years later when
and yet even now seven years later when I meet someone who knew Maria they tell
I meet someone who knew Maria they tell
I meet someone who knew Maria they tell me about the time she did the right
me about the time she did the right
me about the time she did the right thing for them and I always think about
thing for them and I always think about
thing for them and I always think about Clark when I think about strengths Clark
Clark when I think about strengths Clark
Clark when I think about strengths Clark was a self-avowed geek I wonder how many
was a self-avowed geek I wonder how many
was a self-avowed geek I wonder how many of you were out there like that he was
of you were out there like that he was
of you were out there like that he was very proud of his talents there and he
very proud of his talents there and he
very proud of his talents there and he went through life logically until he
went through life logically until he
went through life logically until he joined our Leadership Program and he
joined our Leadership Program and he
joined our Leadership Program and he discovered a strengthen stuck inside
discovered a strengthen stuck inside
discovered a strengthen stuck inside himself he never imagined he learned
himself he never imagined he learned
himself he never imagined he learned that he was good with people like you he
that he was good with people like you he
that he was good with people like you he was good with people and he could build
was good with people and he could build
was good with people and he could build strong relationships it changed how he
strong relationships it changed how he
strong relationships it changed how he looked at his home his work in his
looked at his home his work in his
looked at his home his work in his community life in fact you know about
community life in fact you know about
community life in fact you know about quality time his quality time was with
quality time his quality time was with
quality time his quality time was with anybody that he met and he worked with
anybody that he met and he worked with
anybody that he met and he worked with so he was promoted to an IT group to
so he was promoted to an IT group to
so he was promoted to an IT group to manage an IT group and he also won the
manage an IT group and he also won the
manage an IT group and he also won the ordinary extraordinary man award in our
ordinary extraordinary man award in our
ordinary extraordinary man award in our community when I think of people who
community when I think of people who
community when I think of people who taught me about passion
taught me about passion
taught me about passion that would be Manny Manny taught me that
that would be Manny Manny taught me that
that would be Manny Manny taught me that it doesn’t matter what age
it doesn’t matter what age
it doesn’t matter what age you can find your passion you see Manny
you can find your passion you see Manny
you can find your passion you see Manny grew up in a loving but poor family
grew up in a loving but poor family
grew up in a loving but poor family and sometimes at the end of the month
and sometimes at the end of the month
and sometimes at the end of the month there was not enough to eat when he was
there was not enough to eat when he was
there was not enough to eat when he was in high school history teacher said
in high school history teacher said
in high school history teacher said we’re going to have a pop quiz contest
we’re going to have a pop quiz contest
we’re going to have a pop quiz contest and the person who makes the best score
and the person who makes the best score
and the person who makes the best score in that month is going to get free
in that month is going to get free
in that month is going to get free pizzas you know Manny went from a C
pizzas you know Manny went from a C
pizzas you know Manny went from a C student to an A student and he took home
student to an A student and he took home
student to an A student and he took home those pizzas but he took home something
those pizzas but he took home something
those pizzas but he took home something much more important which was he could
much more important which was he could
much more important which was he could choose and act so he could improve his
choose and act so he could improve his
choose and act so he could improve his life or the life of others
life or the life of others
life or the life of others Manny grew up to be a leader in our
Manny grew up to be a leader in our
Manny grew up to be a leader in our community but he developed a passion for
community but he developed a passion for
community but he developed a passion for helping at-risk kids and when he joined
helping at-risk kids and when he joined
helping at-risk kids and when he joined our leadership program his goal was to
our leadership program his goal was to
our leadership program his goal was to develop a leadership program for at-risk
develop a leadership program for at-risk
develop a leadership program for at-risk kids within a year of when he completed
kids within a year of when he completed
kids within a year of when he completed the program he’d found enough sponsors
the program he’d found enough sponsors
the program he’d found enough sponsors to make his dream a reality you know I
to make his dream a reality you know I
to make his dream a reality you know I learned so much from those three people
learned so much from those three people
learned so much from those three people and the other leaders that I realize it
and the other leaders that I realize it
and the other leaders that I realize it is for all of us
is for all of us
is for all of us critical to understand our values our
critical to understand our values our
critical to understand our values our passions and our strengths in order to
passions and our strengths in order to
passions and our strengths in order to take that journey and be able to answer
take that journey and be able to answer
take that journey and be able to answer our own tough questions before they wake
our own tough questions before they wake
our own tough questions before they wake you up in the middle of the night as for
you up in the middle of the night as for
you up in the middle of the night as for me my original purpose which was to be
me my original purpose which was to be
me my original purpose which was to be the best leader that I could be it’s
the best leader that I could be it’s
the best leader that I could be it’s bloomed into helping others be the best
bloomed into helping others be the best
bloomed into helping others be the best leader that they can be and I hope when
leader that they can be and I hope when
leader that they can be and I hope when you start your journey
you start your journey
you start your journey move along your journey to find that
move along your journey to find that
move along your journey to find that leader within you that you will agree
leader within you that you will agree
leader within you that you will agree with Picasso the brilliant artist who
with Picasso the brilliant artist who
with Picasso the brilliant artist who said the meaning of life is to find your
said the meaning of life is to find your
said the meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give
gift and the purpose of life is to give
gift and the purpose of life is to give it away
”
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