It Starts With One Decision: Lessons from Jonesboro Middle School

When we stepped into Jonesboro Middle School, it was more than just another school visit. This was the first stop of our Next Level School Takeover in Atlanta, and the energy in that building set the tone for everything that followed.

From the moment we walked in, you could feel it. The anticipation. The curiosity. The potential. Students filled the gym, not fully realizing that what they were about to hear could shift the way they see themselves and their future.

Because at the end of the day, that is what this is really about. It is not just a talk. It is not just a moment. It is about planting a seed.

There comes a point in every student’s life where they have to make a decision. Not based on what people expect from them. Not based on where they come from. Not even based on what they have experienced so far. They have to decide who they are going to become.

And the reality is, many of them are waiting.

Waiting for someone to tell them they are good enough. Waiting for the right opportunity. Waiting for their circumstances to change. But what we shared with the students at Jonesboro Middle School is the same truth I want every young person to understand. You cannot wait for permission to become who you are called to be.

Nobody is coming to tap you on the shoulder and tell you it is your time. Growth does not work like that. Elevation does not work like that. If you wait until everything is perfect, you will stay exactly where you are.

Too many students allow their environment to define their expectations. They look around and see limitations, and over time they start to believe those limitations are real. They hear opinions from people who have never walked in their shoes or seen their vision, and those opinions begin to shape their confidence.

But what we told them in that room is simple. What is inside of you is bigger than what is around you.

Some of those students have been playing small without even realizing it. Shrinking their goals. Holding back their voice. Trying to fit into spaces that were never designed for their growth. But you were not created to blend in. You were created to make an impact.

And impact requires courage.

It takes courage to believe in yourself when nobody else does. It takes courage to show up when you feel unprepared. It takes courage to keep going when the results are not immediate. But the difference between those who dream and those who actually step into their purpose is simple. The ones who move forward do it anyway.

You cannot wait until you feel ready. You become ready by moving.

Every level of your life is going to require a different version of you. The mindset that got you here will not be the same mindset that takes you to the next level. That means you have to be willing to grow. To stretch. To let go of the version of yourself that no longer serves your future.

That is not loss. That is transformation.

So the question we left with the students at Jonesboro Middle School is the same question I will leave with you.

Are you going to keep waiting, or are you going to decide?

Are you going to allow your current situation to define you, or are you going to define it?

Because you already have everything you need to get started. The discipline. The consistency. The belief. That is what is going to carry you forward.

This is your moment!

Educators, please take a moment to share this video with your students.