CHALLENGE YOURSELF – Best Study Motivation
I’ll tell you the one thing that will
build confidence you need to actually
put yourself out there in this school
year is letting go of what other people
think and living your version of life
because too many students are living a
watered-down version of someone else
they’re living a watered-down version of
their friends how their friends want
them to be they’re living a watered-down
version of what their family pushes them
to be or what society suggests them to
be as opposed to being their own person
so going on you whatever that may mean
what excites you what what pushes you
because our biggest problem I believe is
that we compare our behind the scenes to
everyone else’s highlight reel we
compare our failures to everyone else’s
highest points of confidence to everyone
else’s successes we compare our
insecurities to everyone else’s highest
points of confidence that we feel like
we’re not enough so going in on you
whatever that may mean the one thing
that I don’t enjoy about my job is that
I come to a school and when I was a
student in going in to college I didn’t
see myself as someone who could really
make an impact I didn’t see myself as
someone who could really contribute it
was only until I started putting myself
out there sharing my ideas putting
myself in uncomfortable situations that
forced me to grow that I became a beach
that contributed to what made my school
better because I was a part of it
realize that you have the ability to
make an impact you have an opportunity
to change that story in your head put
yourself out there because when you do
amazing things happen this school needs
your leadership they need your influence
they need your impact it is time to show
up we’re all carrying things in our pack
all of us are carrying these stories
that are imposed by other people by
friends by family by society by
Instagram and what happens is when we
are faced with a challenging situation
we approach it with all of that stuff
some of you believe the stories that
you’ve made up in your own head
the story of I’m not good enough
the story of I’m not academically
inclined the story of I’m not a morning
person the story of I can’t really make
new friends the story of I can’t really
have an impact on the people around me
and now listen I want to be abundantly
clear I’m not the guy that gonna come in
here and tell you what stories to tell
yourself but I want you to get back to
the place where you can start telling
yourself better stories stories that you
are enough that you are charismatic
enough that you’re courageous enough
that you aren’t like them and that’s
okay because you are like you I believe
when we stop believing the stories that
we tell ourselves in our own heads and
start telling ourselves news stories
stories that are actually aligned with
who we are and who we would like to
become that is when we were able to
change ourselves and change the people
around us
but I want you to raise the question
within yourself of defining the snake in
your life that thing that keeps on
coming up that it is time to face
because here’s what I know every single
person in this room student and faculty
has something that comes up that tries
to get in their way make them want to
quit and turn around and walk away and
what I know to be true is defining that
thing for you is the only way to be able
to overcome it we talk a lot about
leadership going into a new school how
do you show up as a leader in this
school in the community around it true
leadership is leaning into the things
you are afraid of true leadership has
consistently choosing courage instead of
fear true leadership having the courage
the audacity to take on challenges
things that don’t make you feel good
while inspiring other people to do the
same it takes courage to make a new
friend it takes courage to stand up for
that person that you see on campuses
isn’t being done right it takes courage
to wake up a little earlier instead of
late to join that student group to put
yourself out there more than you thought
that you could it takes courage to live
a great life
so make the decision today of what
courageous act are you going to make for
yourself and the people at the school it
starts by taking on the things that you
can actually affect that you can control
and that you can impact because I see
way too many students coming into
college and university that allow
themselves to be defined by what
happened yesterday they allow themselves
to be defined by what happened last week
some of you in this room think because
of one failed test that you are a
failure when the reality is those are
moments not characteristics and my
personal belief is that we need to start
seeing those moments for what they are
moments
[Music]
