[Music] I am really bad at directions so bad
I am really bad at directions so bad
I am really bad at directions so bad that even top-notch navigation apps
that even top-notch navigation apps
that even top-notch navigation apps cannot save me from complete and utter
cannot save me from complete and utter
cannot save me from complete and utter disaster
disaster
disaster I find myself continually frustrated
I find myself continually frustrated
I find myself continually frustrated because these apps are not as precise as
because these apps are not as precise as
because these apps are not as precise as I need them to be
I need them to be
I need them to be while the warning feature of 200 meters
while the warning feature of 200 meters
while the warning feature of 200 meters may be fine for everyone else unless
may be fine for everyone else unless
may be fine for everyone else unless you’d like to witness an accident I need
you’d like to witness an accident I need
you’d like to witness an accident I need at least 700 meters of warning before
at least 700 meters of warning before
at least 700 meters of warning before making a turn especially a sudden left
making a turn especially a sudden left
making a turn especially a sudden left turn like my diagnosis of Crohn’s
turn like my diagnosis of Crohn’s
turn like my diagnosis of Crohn’s disease it often feels like my gut is
disease it often feels like my gut is
disease it often feels like my gut is twisting inside out like I’m drowning
twisting inside out like I’m drowning
twisting inside out like I’m drowning and spit waiting to vomit but the
and spit waiting to vomit but the
and spit waiting to vomit but the trapdoor in my throat will never open
trapdoor in my throat will never open
trapdoor in my throat will never open like the fighter pilot in my stomach has
like the fighter pilot in my stomach has
like the fighter pilot in my stomach has decided to do an airshow and no one can
decided to do an airshow and no one can
decided to do an airshow and no one can see that I’m in pain
see that I’m in pain
see that I’m in pain except for me with 25% of the Millennial
except for me with 25% of the Millennial
except for me with 25% of the Millennial Generation suffering from two or more
Generation suffering from two or more
Generation suffering from two or more chronic illnesses my story is not unique
chronic illnesses my story is not unique
chronic illnesses my story is not unique but what is unique is what I have done
but what is unique is what I have done
but what is unique is what I have done to find success since my diagnosis
to find success since my diagnosis
to find success since my diagnosis following other people’s maps is just
following other people’s maps is just
following other people’s maps is just something I was never really meant to do
something I was never really meant to do
something I was never really meant to do when you think of the best way to get
when you think of the best way to get
when you think of the best way to get from point A to point B it’s often a
from point A to point B it’s often a
from point A to point B it’s often a straight line
straight line
straight line we’re told that success starts with
we’re told that success starts with
we’re told that success starts with graduating high school and then with a
graduating high school and then with a
graduating high school and then with a white picket fence two point four kids
white picket fence two point four kids
white picket fence two point four kids and a partner of the opposite sex but I
and a partner of the opposite sex but I
and a partner of the opposite sex but I want to tell you is that the world
want to tell you is that the world
want to tell you is that the world offers us one narrative one pathway to
offers us one narrative one pathway to
offers us one narrative one pathway to success that I would have most
success that I would have most
success that I would have most definitely failed had I have tried to
definitely failed had I have tried to
definitely failed had I have tried to follow it further even if I had followed
follow it further even if I had followed
follow it further even if I had followed the straight and narrow and became
the straight and narrow and became
the straight and narrow and became successful in the way that’s been sold
successful in the way that’s been sold
successful in the way that’s been sold to us I might not be happy and maybe
to us I might not be happy and maybe
to us I might not be happy and maybe neither would you
neither would you
neither would you do not be fooled I’m still sick and it
do not be fooled I’m still sick and it
do not be fooled I’m still sick and it is still difficult for me to say that I
is still difficult for me to say that I
is still difficult for me to say that I am sick out loud
am sick out loud
am sick out loud but now I have found ways to no longer
but now I have found ways to no longer
but now I have found ways to no longer compare myself to others instead I’ve
compare myself to others instead I’ve
compare myself to others instead I’ve decided to learn cartography and draw my
decided to learn cartography and draw my
decided to learn cartography and draw my own routes to success most of the times
own routes to success most of the times
own routes to success most of the times my professors teachers and employers
my professors teachers and employers
my professors teachers and employers have been more impressed about my
have been more impressed about my
have been more impressed about my ability to adapt then they are
ability to adapt then they are
ability to adapt then they are frustrated that I’m not following their
frustrated that I’m not following their
frustrated that I’m not following their routes to success sometimes no matter
routes to success sometimes no matter
routes to success sometimes no matter how hard we try to design our Maps
how hard we try to design our Maps
how hard we try to design our Maps perfectly there will always be potholes
perfectly there will always be potholes
perfectly there will always be potholes u-turns obstructions and even dead ends
u-turns obstructions and even dead ends
u-turns obstructions and even dead ends I know this because while I was
I know this because while I was
I know this because while I was following other people’s Maps I tried to
following other people’s Maps I tried to
following other people’s Maps I tried to drop out of high school more times than
drop out of high school more times than
drop out of high school more times than not I failed far too many university
not I failed far too many university
not I failed far too many university courses and I never really took care of
courses and I never really took care of
courses and I never really took care of myself I was nine years old when I was
myself I was nine years old when I was
myself I was nine years old when I was chosen to be a mediator on the school
chosen to be a mediator on the school
chosen to be a mediator on the school playground after a weekend of training
playground after a weekend of training
playground after a weekend of training in conflict resolution I was set out on
in conflict resolution I was set out on
in conflict resolution I was set out on the playground and ready to go the first
the playground and ready to go the first
the playground and ready to go the first time I stopped a bully from picking on
time I stopped a bully from picking on
time I stopped a bully from picking on another student I was so proud and
another student I was so proud and
another student I was so proud and excited about my new role that’s when I
excited about my new role that’s when I
excited about my new role that’s when I knew I wanted to stop the world’s
knew I wanted to stop the world’s
knew I wanted to stop the world’s biggest bullies and become a foreign
biggest bullies and become a foreign
biggest bullies and become a foreign service agent but once I was diagnosed
service agent but once I was diagnosed
service agent but once I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease
with Crohn’s disease
with Crohn’s disease I needed to draw my map a different
I needed to draw my map a different
I needed to draw my map a different colour my treatments require me to be
colour my treatments require me to be
colour my treatments require me to be tethered to IV poles every six weeks I
tethered to IV poles every six weeks I
tethered to IV poles every six weeks I need to be near cities with hospitals
need to be near cities with hospitals
need to be near cities with hospitals and I need a few days off after to
and I need a few days off after to
and I need a few days off after to recover sadly this Justin isn’t a normal
recover sadly this Justin isn’t a normal
recover sadly this Justin isn’t a normal work scenario and the type of role I had
work scenario and the type of role I had
work scenario and the type of role I had dreamed of with the Foreign Service
dreamed of with the Foreign Service
dreamed of with the Foreign Service so my direction changed I thought long
so my direction changed I thought long
so my direction changed I thought long and hard about what I wanted and what I
and hard about what I wanted and what I
and hard about what I wanted and what I needed out of my life I want a job that
needed out of my life I want a job that
needed out of my life I want a job that challenges me and helps my country I
challenges me and helps my country I
challenges me and helps my country I still need to know where the closest
still need to know where the closest
still need to know where the closest bathrooms are because the fighter pilots
bathrooms are because the fighter pilots
bathrooms are because the fighter pilots in my stomach give air shows daily now I
in my stomach give air shows daily now I
in my stomach give air shows daily now I want to work as a strategist with the
want to work as a strategist with the
want to work as a strategist with the Department of National Defence a job
Department of National Defence a job
Department of National Defence a job that challenges me and helps my
that challenges me and helps my
that challenges me and helps my country immensely and a job in a city
country immensely and a job in a city
country immensely and a job in a city where I can get treatment and find
where I can get treatment and find
where I can get treatment and find bathrooms at every corner I’ve been able
bathrooms at every corner I’ve been able
bathrooms at every corner I’ve been able to connect what I want with what I need
while I was following other people’s
while I was following other people’s maps and even before I became good at
maps and even before I became good at
maps and even before I became good at creating my own maps I was in and out of
creating my own maps I was in and out of
creating my own maps I was in and out of hospital constantly I was on the
hospital constantly I was on the
hospital constantly I was on the heaviest of medications to be considered
heaviest of medications to be considered
heaviest of medications to be considered normal or whatever that looks like and I
normal or whatever that looks like and I
normal or whatever that looks like and I almost didn’t make it to University
almost didn’t make it to University
almost didn’t make it to University today because of my cartography skills I
today because of my cartography skills I
today because of my cartography skills I am no longer on steroids
am no longer on steroids
am no longer on steroids I went from 10 inches to six inches of
I went from 10 inches to six inches of
I went from 10 inches to six inches of diseased bowel and I am seven years 8
diseased bowel and I am seven years 8
diseased bowel and I am seven years 8 months surgery free since my diagnosis
months surgery free since my diagnosis
months surgery free since my diagnosis I’m also a published author I have won
I’m also a published author I have won
I’m also a published author I have won national awards in debate and I run a
national awards in debate and I run a
national awards in debate and I run a successful non for profit while you may
successful non for profit while you may
successful non for profit while you may be impressed by my map what I want to
be impressed by my map what I want to
be impressed by my map what I want to tell you is to create your own Maps keys
tell you is to create your own Maps keys
tell you is to create your own Maps keys and legends because I have planned my
and legends because I have planned my
and legends because I have planned my own route and I am ready for detours I
own route and I am ready for detours I
own route and I am ready for detours I am successful in the areas that I focus
am successful in the areas that I focus
am successful in the areas that I focus on so what I leave you with is a key
on so what I leave you with is a key
on so what I leave you with is a key question why is it that we enforce
question why is it that we enforce
question why is it that we enforce societal norms on everyone even when we
societal norms on everyone even when we
societal norms on everyone even when we cannot or do not follow them ourselves I
cannot or do not follow them ourselves I
cannot or do not follow them ourselves I would tell you that it is because it is
would tell you that it is because it is
would tell you that it is because it is easier to follow a predetermined route
easier to follow a predetermined route
easier to follow a predetermined route than to resist others expectations and
than to resist others expectations and
than to resist others expectations and follow your own map but there will
follow your own map but there will
follow your own map but there will always be potholes obstructions u-turns
always be potholes obstructions u-turns
always be potholes obstructions u-turns and even dead ends so learn cartography
and even dead ends so learn cartography
and even dead ends so learn cartography make your own map thank you
make your own map thank you
make your own map thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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