Be A Zero | Patrick Wallace | TEDxLindenwoodU

good evening my name is Pat Wallace and

good evening my name is Pat Wallace and I’m the principal at Wright City West

I’m the principal at Wright City West

I’m the principal at Wright City West elementary school on the right City

elementary school on the right City

elementary school on the right City School District I’m also a proud

School District I’m also a proud

School District I’m also a proud Lindenwood alumni and I just want to

Lindenwood alumni and I just want to

Lindenwood alumni and I just want to start by taking a second to thank you

start by taking a second to thank you

start by taking a second to thank you I’ve really enjoyed participating in

I’ve really enjoyed participating in

I’ve really enjoyed participating in this great event and as I look out into

this great event and as I look out into

this great event and as I look out into the audience and I see all the other

the audience and I see all the other

the audience and I see all the other great speakers and presenters I just

great speakers and presenters I just

great speakers and presenters I just think to myself wow look at all these

think to myself wow look at all these

think to myself wow look at all these zeros oops

zeros oops

zeros oops uh-huh you see this is my first TEDx

uh-huh you see this is my first TEDx

uh-huh you see this is my first TEDx talk and the biggest piece of advice I

talk and the biggest piece of advice I

talk and the biggest piece of advice I got as I was preparing was whatever you

got as I was preparing was whatever you

got as I was preparing was whatever you do don’t insult your audience so let me

do don’t insult your audience so let me

do don’t insult your audience so let me try that again

try that again

try that again what I meant to say was you all have the

what I meant to say was you all have the

what I meant to say was you all have the potential to be zeros there that’s a

potential to be zeros there that’s a

potential to be zeros there that’s a little better okay let me explain you

little better okay let me explain you

little better okay let me explain you see in our society today there’s a

see in our society today there’s a

see in our society today there’s a negative connotation around the

negative connotation around the

negative connotation around the expression your zero currently it holds

expression your zero currently it holds

expression your zero currently it holds the meaning that you’re nothing a loser

the meaning that you’re nothing a loser

the meaning that you’re nothing a loser worthless or worse even in the

worthless or worse even in the

worthless or worse even in the merriam-webster dictionary the fourth

merriam-webster dictionary the fourth

merriam-webster dictionary the fourth definition of zero is listed as an

definition of zero is listed as an

definition of zero is listed as an insignificant person or a thing however

insignificant person or a thing however

insignificant person or a thing however I’m here to tell you today that that’s

I’m here to tell you today that that’s

I’m here to tell you today that that’s incorrect I am a zero and I’m proud of

incorrect I am a zero and I’m proud of

incorrect I am a zero and I’m proud of it and when I stated earlier you all had

it and when I stated earlier you all had

it and when I stated earlier you all had the potential to be zeroes I meant it

the potential to be zeroes I meant it

the potential to be zeroes I meant it and you should strive to be one so

and you should strive to be one so

and you should strive to be one so here’s how you can be being a zero is

here’s how you can be being a zero is

here’s how you can be being a zero is simple there’s only one question you

simple there’s only one question you

simple there’s only one question you must pass on the test and remember I’m

must pass on the test and remember I’m

must pass on the test and remember I’m an educator we love our assessments that

an educator we love our assessments that

an educator we love our assessments that question though is the one question you

question though is the one question you

question though is the one question you must answer every single day when you

must answer every single day when you

must answer every single day when you wake up in the morning and it is how

wake up in the morning and it is how

wake up in the morning and it is how many people can I live with not helping

many people can I live with not helping

many people can I live with not helping today let me repeat that how many people

today let me repeat that how many people

today let me repeat that how many people can I live with not helping today all

can I live with not helping today all

can I live with not helping today all you have to do is answer that question

you have to do is answer that question

you have to do is answer that question with zero that’s it

with zero that’s it

with zero that’s it then you’re a zero and I can guarantee

then you’re a zero and I can guarantee

then you’re a zero and I can guarantee the dictionary has it wrong and you will

the dictionary has it wrong and you will

the dictionary has it wrong and you will not be an insignificant person or thing

not be an insignificant person or thing

not be an insignificant person or thing I have proof

I have proof

I have proof you see I’m standing here before you

you see I’m standing here before you

you see I’m standing here before you today as the product of many zeroes

today as the product of many zeroes

today as the product of many zeroes impact I grew up in a lower-income home

impact I grew up in a lower-income home

impact I grew up in a lower-income home my father walked out on my family when I

my father walked out on my family when I

my father walked out on my family when I was very

was very

was very has not been around since my mother

has not been around since my mother

has not been around since my mother worked a minimum of two jobs many times

worked a minimum of two jobs many times

worked a minimum of two jobs many times three to help provide for my family

three to help provide for my family

three to help provide for my family faced with much adversity I was blessed

faced with much adversity I was blessed

faced with much adversity I was blessed to have so many zeroes enter my life

to have so many zeroes enter my life

to have so many zeroes enter my life many of my male teachers and coaches who

many of my male teachers and coaches who

many of my male teachers and coaches who became my role models were zeros and

became my role models were zeros and

became my role models were zeros and they went above and beyond to provide

they went above and beyond to provide

they went above and beyond to provide support and guidance to me they are the

support and guidance to me they are the

support and guidance to me they are the reason I got into education in the first

reason I got into education in the first

reason I got into education in the first place because I knew I was lucky that I

place because I knew I was lucky that I

place because I knew I was lucky that I had these heroes in my life however not

had these heroes in my life however not

had these heroes in my life however not every child or person is lucky enough to

every child or person is lucky enough to

every child or person is lucky enough to have zeros in there’s the negative

have zeros in there’s the negative

have zeros in there’s the negative statistics we hear about children coming

statistics we hear about children coming

statistics we hear about children coming from broken homes and poverty still

from broken homes and poverty still

from broken homes and poverty still exist and I wanted to do something about

exist and I wanted to do something about

exist and I wanted to do something about it I didn’t want it to be left up to

it I didn’t want it to be left up to

it I didn’t want it to be left up to luck if children had people in their

luck if children had people in their

luck if children had people in their lives that would help them I knew I

lives that would help them I knew I

lives that would help them I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to being

wanted to dedicate my life to being

wanted to dedicate my life to being somebody else’s zero now let’s imagine

somebody else’s zero now let’s imagine

somebody else’s zero now let’s imagine those same people we’re number one

those same people we’re number one

those same people we’re number one what if instead of answering the

what if instead of answering the

what if instead of answering the question of how many people can I live

question of how many people can I live

question of how many people can I live with not helping today with zero

with not helping today with zero

with not helping today with zero they said one they could have thought to

they said one they could have thought to

they said one they could have thought to themselves I can live with not helping

themselves I can live with not helping

themselves I can live with not helping one person that’s not so many

one person that’s not so many

one person that’s not so many but what if I was that one how many ones

but what if I was that one how many ones

but what if I was that one how many ones do you think comprise those terrible

do you think comprise those terrible

do you think comprise those terrible statistics how many people missed out on

statistics how many people missed out on

statistics how many people missed out on a chance to be something because they

a chance to be something because they

a chance to be something because they didn’t have a zero in their lives then

didn’t have a zero in their lives then

didn’t have a zero in their lives then think what if people answer that

think what if people answer that

think what if people answer that question with two three or four what is

question with two three or four what is

question with two three or four what is that number for you how many people can

that number for you how many people can

that number for you how many people can you really live with not helping in any

you really live with not helping in any

you really live with not helping in any given day ask yourself in my view

given day ask yourself in my view

given day ask yourself in my view there’s only one acceptable answer to

there’s only one acceptable answer to

there’s only one acceptable answer to that question zero so that’s why I’m

that question zero so that’s why I’m

that question zero so that’s why I’m here it’s simple I want to convince you

here it’s simple I want to convince you

here it’s simple I want to convince you all to be zeros because it is my

all to be zeros because it is my

all to be zeros because it is my contention that it isn’t being a zero

contention that it isn’t being a zero

contention that it isn’t being a zero that makes you an insignificant person

that makes you an insignificant person

that makes you an insignificant person or thing it’s not being one one final

or thing it’s not being one one final

or thing it’s not being one one final note in addition to defining zero as an

note in addition to defining zero as an

note in addition to defining zero as an insignificant person or thing the very

insignificant person or thing the very

insignificant person or thing the very first definition the dictionary gives

first definition the dictionary gives

first definition the dictionary gives zero is the absence of all magnitude or

zero is the absence of all magnitude or

zero is the absence of all magnitude or quantity however is my belief that if

quantity however is my belief that if

quantity however is my belief that if each of us becomes zeros we can make a

each of us becomes zeros we can make a

each of us becomes zeros we can make a difference in this world whose magnitude

difference in this world whose magnitude

difference in this world whose magnitude and quantity is not absent but is

and quantity is not absent but is

and quantity is not absent but is instead

instead

instead profoundly immeasurable so I challenge

profoundly immeasurable so I challenge

profoundly immeasurable so I challenge you each of you be zeros and maybe just

you each of you be zeros and maybe just

you each of you be zeros and maybe just maybe like this events great theme we

maybe like this events great theme we

maybe like this events great theme we can truly rise up and change the world

can truly rise up and change the world

can truly rise up and change the world thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]