PRESIDENTIAL STATE OF MIND

By Travis Hardin
An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

As Barack Hussein Obama is sworn in as president today for his second term, I can’t help but to think about the mindset of our youth who do not even know the power of potential that lies within each and every one of them.

I spoke to a young man from a local high school last week and he was comfortable saying he had failed 2 classes in the first semester. I told him that was unacceptable and shared reasons why it was unacceptable. His demeanor became defensive as he questioned why I cared. I told him he has everything inside of him needed to become anything he wanted. I told him he needed to push himself harder and strive for A’s and not simply settling for C’s, D’s, and F’s.

Once we discussed his future plans, family, and dreams he told me no one has ever taken the time to explain the consequences of bad grades in the future. He then started asking me questions about my career and family. I told him he needs to have a “Presidential state of mind.” As long as he could think it, the possibility of it coming true was within reach. He could be president of a company, an organization or of these United States. If we do not think it we will never be able to do it.

For every young person reading this post, I hope you not only watched the inauguration of President Obama, but you saw yourself being sworn into a top position in a field of your desire. It doesn’t start when you get older; it starts right now while you are in school and learning what it means to separate yourself from the rest. You must stand out and do the things now, which no one else in your class and/or school is doing. I dare you to start by looking in the mirror and ask if you are doing ALL you can to be the best.

For all the dysfunction that our country is exhibiting at the moment, Dr. King reminds us that the time is always ripe to do right. We should never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person is at stake.

"Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." ~ Tavis Smiley

Pay it forward

Travis Hardin

TERRIBLE ROLE MODELS...WHAT WE'VE TAUGHT OUR YOUTH

By Jody McPhearson

An Inspirational Speaker @ The Re-De-Fined Project

 



Over the last few month's I have spoken with young adults who would be voting for the very first time in their lives in this past election. I must admit, many were not excited. I asked why and begin to get typical 18 year old answers such as, "I don't really know any of these people", "My vote won't matter", and my favorite, "Who cares?".
I began to wonder if what were the underlying reasons. I would continue to speak to these young people, pressing upon them the importance of voting. I also began to really focus on the election, listening to the candidates, watching campaign commercials, and listening to many very opinionated supporters.
I began to realize that these young people felt negatively about voting because of the way we behave. We are worst than over enthusiastic, drunken, belligerent sports fans cheering for our team versus our archenemies. We not only support "our" candidate, we root for death, (in many cases literally death), of the opponent. Is this how to engage young people in politics?
If that were not bad enough, after the election is over, just like in sports, we start in with all of the excuses as to why our team lost, then we blame others, then we began to tear down the other team, and belittle their victory. The biggest difference between the sports fan and the political supporter is that the sports fan eventually moves on to the next game or the next team whilst the political supporter began to spew hateful language and set traps and roadblocks to ensure failure of the opposed candidate. This is the most asinine action that I can think of! If the leader of our country fails, we all fail! If our candidate had the answers and lost, if our candidate is the man/woman that we believed in, one with integrity, honor, and a desire to get our country back on track, I would expect to see such candidate sitting at the table and helping to create and implement solutions. That means that he/she will not function like John McCain and Sarah Palin and continue to spew venom and attempt to undermine the presidential office.
I never intended for this blog to be a rant, however, I am disgusted with the behavior of many of my fellow Americans both pre and post election. And so are our young people!

STOP BEING SUCH A TERRIBLE ROLE MODEL!

Photo Courtesy of MileyCyrus.com