What Kind of Human Are You Going to Be?
What kind of human are you going to be when you’re 25? What kind of human are you going to be when you’re 30? And more importantly, what kind of impact are you going to make in this world? That question matters more than most people realize. Because life is not only about getting older. It is about growing into the kind of person who knows their value, who refuses to settle, and who chooses to make a difference. I need you to hear me clearly: there is no excuse for you to be average. None. Not because life will be easy, but because your story does not disqualify you from greatness.
I know what it feels like to have every reason to quit. I grew up without my biological father. I battled through years of pain, poor choices, failure in school, and repeated arrests. My past could have become my excuse. It could have become the reason I stayed stuck. But I made a decision that my pain would not be the end of my story. Because I didn’t quit, I’ve had the opportunity to help put 40 kids through college in South Africa. Because I didn’t quit, we’ve been able to feed thousands of children who would have otherwise gone to school hungry. That is not because I’m superhuman. That is because I finally realized I am valuable, I am called, and I have something to give. And the same is true for you.
Some of you have been hurt in ways that changed how you see yourself. Some people took advantage of you. Some people talked about you, betrayed you, or failed to protect you when they should have. Maybe you feel like what happened to you stole something from you. But I need you to know this: nothing that has happened to you can take away your worth. Nothing can take away your value. Your pain may be real, but it does not get the final say over your identity. You are still worthy. You are still needed. You still have purpose.
And if you are in a dark place right now, please hear me. Get the help you need. Talk to somebody. There is strength in being honest about what you feel. There is power in finding a safe space to process your emotions, your pain, and your thoughts. I believe in counseling. I believe in therapy. I believe healing is part of growth. You deserve support. You deserve peace. You deserve the chance to become the best version of yourself.
And to the educators reading this, I want to speak to you for a moment. Please keep reminding your students that who they are becoming matters just as much as what they achieve. Keep speaking life into the kid who is struggling silently. Keep encouraging the student who feels unseen. Keep challenging them to dream bigger than their current circumstances. Sometimes the words you speak, the grace you give, and the belief you show can be the very thing that helps a young person keep going. Your voice matters more than you know. Your consistency matters more than you know. And your willingness to see the potential in a student before they see it in themselves can help change the trajectory of their life.
If you are an educator, administrator, counselor, or leader who believes in helping students see their worth and potential, I encourage you to share this message with your students. Show them this video. Use it as a conversation starter in your classroom, at your assembly, during advisory, or in small group discussions. Let it be a reminder that their past does not define them, their pain does not disqualify them, and their future is still full of purpose. Sometimes one message, one moment, and one honest conversation can be the spark that helps a student keep going. Your students need to hear that they matter, that they are valuable, and that this world needs the best version of who they were created to be.
So I’ll leave you with this. Don’t quit. Keep fighting. Keep showing up. Value education, yes, but more importantly, value yourself. Because this world does not need a watered down version of you. This world needs the real you. The healed you. The focused you. The courageous you. The version of you that knows exactly who you are and refuses to settle for average.