M.A.D. Chronicles – Entry #1 (A Speaker Is Born)
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Welcome to M.A.D. Chronicles!
M.A.D. (which stands for Making A Difference) is simply a time where I get to highlight someone for the difference that they have been making or how a difference was made. I’ll be sending this out once a week to share with you that people just like you are out there Making A Difference!
Since I have been speaking for the last 9 years, I have had the greatest opportunity to hear stories from different students who have shared with me what they wanted to become in their life. Whether it is a Teacher, Actor/Actress, Model even my girl Jill told me she wanted to become a Chef (Watch out Jill!).
This M.A.D. chronicle is on someone who I met a few years ago and I have seen him grow over the years into this amazing Man. His name is Austin Walker. I met him at a Youth Leadership Seminar initially. Our 1st year knowing each other was not so strong until we met the following year and he then became a member of the staff the following year. What I do know is he is one of the coolest people I have met and I literally trust him with my life. Yeah it’s like that. A few years ago Austin approached me and he let me know that he wanted to become a speaker. He was the 1st student ever who said they wanted to do what I did. I cannot express how honored I was to take him up on his offer. After taking him on and working with him, he wrote me this letter. To this day it still moves me to tears.
Three years ago, as a sophomore in high school, I was selected to attend a leadership seminar in Chicago. Leadership was the last thing on my mind at the time. I was very popular at my high school, but unfortunately, I often took advantage of my status and cut others down. By bringing others down, I was building myself up, or at least I thought I was. I didn’t dare tell my friends that my counselor actually saw leadership potential in me. I was so embarrassed, but my football coach refused to let me out of it. He said it would be good for me. I reluctantly packed my bags and signed up to flush three days of my life away.
When I arrived at the seminar, I was met by some of the craziest people I had ever seen in my life. They had scuba goggles, flippers, pirate bandanas, and that was just the beginning. They even made me do goofy cheers. I had never been more uncomfortable in my entire life. This is what I signed up for? Hanging out with crazy “leaders” who couldn’t control themselves was not high on my priority list.
Shortly after I arrived, I was directed into an auditorium, along with the rest of the 200 leaders. That’s when our first keynote speaker was introduced, A’ric Jackson. The music started, and out of nowhere came the most enthusiastic man I had ever seen. He was all over the place! He was excited about something, but I wasn’t sure what it was.
After his introduction, A’ric posed a question I had never really thought about before. Who was I? A’ric told us not to be “scccured” to be ourselves. I thought about who I was for a minute and realized I didn’t really know. I was a football player, yes. I was a sophomore, yes. I was a leader… maybe. How could I be myself if I didn’t know who I was? A’ric also reminded us that each and every person in that room was selected to come to the seminar for a reason, and we usually got more out of something if we put more effort into it. Maybe I was there to find out who Austin Walker really was.
I quickly changed my attitude, and decided to be more positive for the rest of the weekend. As I began to open up, a funny thing happened. Slowly but surely, I started to feel better about myself. I followed A’ric’s advice, and refused to let what was “cool” or “popular” stop me from being me. Even though the people in my group were very different from me, I refused to judge them. I wanted them to accept me, and I saw no reason why I shouldn’t accept them. By the end of the weekend, I had grown closer to the eleven strangers in my group than most of my friends back home. I didn’t want to leave, but I knew that just because I wasn’t at the seminar didn’t mean I had to pretend to be something I wasn’t. This was the beginning of my new life, and it all started with A’ric Jackson.
A’ric’s impact on my life didn’t stop there. Since that seminar, I have seen A’ric speak seven times (including at his book release in Chicago), and have read both of his books. Each time I hear A’ric, I get something different out of his speeches, none of them are ever the same. I have personally had A’ric speak at my high school once, and my student council district meetings twice. Everyone loves his comedic, motivational presentations and they keep coming back for more.
One year ago, while I was with some of my friends who I had met at the seminar, I revealed my dream of one day becoming a motivational speaker. I didn’t think anything would come out of it, but my friends pushed me and encouraged me to do it. They told me I would be great, and they were behind me 110%. Motivated by their support, I texted A’ric and told him about my dream to one day touch the lives of students, just like him. He could have blown me off, he could have ignored me, or he could have given me the thumbs up and sent me on my way. Instead, A’ric took me under his wing and gave me person advice on how to get started, critiqued my outline, and even challenged me to expand my message to all of humanity. He became my mentor.
Last weekend, I was at a Servant Leadership training session. The program is designed to teach juniors and seniors in high school how to become better Servant Leaders. Most of the training is done one Saturday per month, at a four hour session at my college. I am the student assistant for the program, and I am responsible for helping our director in any way I can. When I was told to find a way to fill 30 minutes at the last second, I knew what I had to do. With all of the adults out of the room, I got on stage and spoke to 50 juniors in high school about what a servant leader was. I told them that they had a big responsibility next year as seniors, but I had confidence in them, and I knew they would do a great job as the leaders of the organization. Just as A’ric had reminded me three years ago, I reminded them that they usually got more out of something if they put more effort into it. Before I knew it, our director walked in the room and thanked me for filling in for her. The students gave me a round of applause and I walked off stage. I had done it. I had given my first speech. I was so excited, but I wasn’t sure if I connected with them. While I was driving home, my director called me and asked what I told them. Kidding around, I told her it was a secret, but I asked why. She told me that on the evaluation forms, 43 out of the 50 juniors wrote in “Austin’s motivational speech” as their favorite part of the four hour session. I hung up the phone as the happiest man in the world. I had really made a difference in the lives of students.
A’ric Jackson is 100% committed to influencing the lives of young people all over the world. He touched my life in ways that are almost impossible to put into words. Not only did he allow me to become comfortable in my own skin, he inspired me to live my dream by motivating others. As an author, a speaker, a dream achiever, and a mentor, he is second to none. My life would not be the same without A’ric Jackson in it, and I know hundreds of other leaders who feel exactly the same way.
Austin Walker
Can you see why I am so moved by this letter?
To this day, Austin is a close friend and he has been there for me in so many ways. The funny thing is, yes I still work with him and coach him around speaking, however, the beauty of it, one of my biggest breakthroughs in my speaking career was through him.
Austin! This One Is For You Man! You are an Inspiration to Those Who Inspire! Keep being great and amazing! I look forward to you taking your career to the next level!
Love you man!
A’ric Jackson
The Dream Achiever