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Speaker 1: Welcome to the
Growing Our Future podcast.

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In this show, the Texas FFA
Foundation will take on a

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journey of exploration into
agricultural science, education,

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leadership development and
insights from subject matter

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experts and sponsors who provide
the fuel to make dreams come

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true.

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Here's your host, Aaron
Alejandro.

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Speaker 2: Well, good morning,
good afternoon, good evening or

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whenever you may be tuning in to
the Growing Our Future podcast,

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listen number one.

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We appreciate the opportunity
to have this technology platform

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to be able to bring incredible
guests on to share insights,

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experiences, expertise.

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You know, I tell people if
agriculture has taught me

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anything, if agriculture has
taught me one thing, it's that

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if you want to know what the
future is, grow it.

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Well, how do you grow it?

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You got to plant the right
seeds.

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That's why guests are so
important, because they share

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things with us that could become
the seeds of greatness.

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So with that, george, I'm going
to tell you where I met George

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here in just a second.

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But, george, would you just
bring us a quick introduction of

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who you are, and then we're
going to start talking about

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what we're here to talk about.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and thanks,
aaron.

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When we met you were one of the
most positive people I've ever

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met in my life and so I was like
, when you asked me, I'm like,

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of course I'm gonna do this for
you, so I'm glad to to be on

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here.

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Uh, my name is George Kroos.

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I'm originally from a very
small town in Canada and I think

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about that quite a lot because
I was in a very small community.

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I actually had to call last
week for vaccination records,

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which is not easy to get because
we're basically going through

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the immigration process here in
the United States and it was

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like a good reminder of like how
important community is, because

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they're like we know your dad
and it was like just kind of a

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beautiful thing.

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It's really shaped a lot of my
views on education is how

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important it is really to build
community.

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I know you had Dr Terry on here
recently and I know that's he's

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a huge advocate for that as
well and building.

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You know really incredible
things there in forney isd with

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the community.

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But you know I actually trained
to become kindergarten teacher.

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It's the only grade I've never
taught taught grade one to 12,

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vice principal, principal,
worked central office and then

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I've written several books.

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Uh, the one obviously most well
known is probably the

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innovators mindset, and texas
specifically, really, uh,

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gravitated toward it, and not
because it was really good I

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don't want that credit but just
because they started doing

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districts of innovation at the
same time.

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The innovation mindset came out
and it shows you how much

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timing really matters, because I
think a lot of them are like

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let's just read this guy's book.

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So I've done a lot of work in
Texas over the years, but I've

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had the privilege to you know,
write several books and, yeah,

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and just connect with incredible
educators all over the world.

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And, like yourself, and that
that, to me, is really when you

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talked about the importance of
growth, it's not something that

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I think we have to reserve only
for our students, but do we do

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that ourselves?

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And even before we got on here
you said you know you've watched

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my interviews, you've seen my
development over time and I

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pride myself on.

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I am an avid learner and that
is my number one focus in the

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realm of education.

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I don't tell anyone how to
teach, but I really focus on how

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do I learn and what are some of
the lessons I can share through

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that process with others.

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Speaker 2: Number one.

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All this is great.

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I think everybody sees quickly
why I wanted to interview George

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.

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So here's the funny thing.

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I mean, I've had the pleasure
of speaking coast to coast.

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The only state I've not been in
is Alaska, but everywhere you

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go it's kind of funny because I
remember one time I sat by

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myself in a room of 4,000 at a
table up front and these two

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twins walked by and they said oh
look, there's the keynote

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speaker.

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And they looked at me and they
said I hope you're good and I

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said I hope so too.

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Well, I come into an event I'm
at this event with Dr Terry,

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this Designing the Future of
Public Education at the OC in

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Forney and I just come in and
find a seat at the table.

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Little did I know I was sitting
down next to the keynote

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speaker, and so I get to talk
into George and I'm just

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intrigued, as we started talking
about AI and applications of

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information and how we channel
that through educators and the

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importance of that to students
and to communities, and so I

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just wanted to share the
backstory of how we found George

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and his wisdom and, through our
common friend, dr Terry, and I

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think you're going to see as we
go through this, why I was so

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intrigued by what he had to say.

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But, george, I start every
podcast off.

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Every one starts off the same
way and you get the same

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question that everybody else
gets, and that is today, george,

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what are you grateful for?

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What are you grateful for today
, grateful for?

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Speaker 3: What are you grateful
for today?

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Well, you know, I'm really
grateful for, honestly, the

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health that I have, and it's
been a journey for me because, I

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was probably pretty unhealthy.

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And then COVID happened and then
, weirdly enough, I basically

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got my health in check during
that time and even though right

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before I talked to you, I, you
know, was sweating profusely on

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a Stairmaster and I always ask
why am I even doing this while

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I'm doing it?

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But then I just go back the
next day, and I think the reason

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why I say that specifically is
because the precipice for me

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really getting my health in
order and I think for years I

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wanted to do it, but I was like
I just want to look better.

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I was like that didn't really
pull me, but I really realized

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how important it was that my
kids had a dad as long as

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possible.

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And so I think about that, how
grateful I am that I got my

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health in order, because it's
not only that I get more time

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with my kids, I feel like I get
better time with them Because,

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honestly, if you know anything
about me, my kids are my

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everything.

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So that is really the driver.

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And I think the reason why I
shared that specifically is

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because I think a lot of times
when we take time for ourselves,

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we see it as a selfish act,
whereas I think it can be a

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really selfless act if you're
focused on why you're doing in

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the first place.

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So that was really kind of the.

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The push for me was I want my
kids not only to like have a dad

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as long as possible, but also a
dad that's totally engaged as

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much as possible, but also be a
good model for them too, cause I

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know how important you know
health and wellness is.

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You can't really do great stuff
unless you you do have that in

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check.

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Speaker 2: Well, number one, I
just want to say I commend you.

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I agree with you, my youngest
now.

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I've got two grandchildren.

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I've got four kids.

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My youngest just graduated
Friday and I guess something

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that you just said that was
really special to me is you know

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, I lost my dad when I was 10
years old and I got into a lot

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of trouble and I got sent to a
boy's ranch and I was lucky.

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I got a second chance at life
Most recently this last

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Thanksgiving.

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I was 58 years old and I
remember I looked at my kids and

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we're blessing the food and I
said look around.

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And they're like what I said I
just want you all to look around

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.

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And they're like what are we
looking at, dad?

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I said just look around.

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And so they looked around and I
said you've got a family.

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I said I'm 58 years old and I
said I cannot remember a single

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Thanksgiving because we were too
poor.

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I can't remember a time that
our families got together

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because we didn't have the means
and I said I want y'all to look

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around and look at the blessing
that you have, because you have

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something that sometimes I
don't ever want you to take it

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for granted.

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I want you to appreciate it and
the fact that you're that aware

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of how intentional you are
about being a father,

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congratulations.

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And your kids are lucky.

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And, uh, I don't know if they
tell you that every day, but you

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are.

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They are in your planting seeds
of greatness.

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Trust me, you're planting seeds
of greatness that are going to

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be harvested.

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Okay, so we're at this seminar
and I'm a note taker Anybody

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that knows me, I'm old school,
right, I'm still pen and paper

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and I'm sitting there and George
says something and I just start

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writing it down.

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I said I got to write this down
, genius.

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He said somebody somewhere is
doing the same thing that you

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say can't, you can't do.

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I said I've got to write that
down.

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That is classic.

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So the point is, here's a
gentleman who was an educator,

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an administrator, and now he's
pouring into others and I really

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want to kind of unpack that,
george, and talk a little bit

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about that.

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I want to talk about why it's
important and why you attack it

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with this innovation and passion
that you do, if you don't mind.

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So kind of walk us through that
.

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You gave us a little brief
overview, but kind of walk us

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through.

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You know, why did you choose to
become an educator.

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And then why did you make that
next step to the administrative

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side?

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And then, what led you to want
to take on this role of

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consulting and encouraging at a
higher level?

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Speaker 3: Well, yeah, and
interestingly enough, I think a

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lot of times when you have
someone in the field of

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education who's as passionate as
I am about it and the people

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that I work with, they'll have a
story of basically, you know,

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when they were kids, they knew
they wanted to be a teacher,

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right, like something.

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That is not my story at all.

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I went to university my parents
are both immigrants to Canada,

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from Greece and they said you
have to go to university, like

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there was that was it?

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There was no discussion and I
didn't know what I wanted to do

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and so I went and, you know,
spent a lot of money, you know,

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on a degree that never
materialized.

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And then I actually said, you
know, I might as well go into

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teaching, like it was never a
passion for me.

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And weirdly weirdly enough, I
remember it was probably my

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second job my principal who
hired me said, you know, because

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they were like it was such a
different time, they were

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fighting for teachers, like it
was really hard for them to get

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there, which is the opposite of
what's going on right now.

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But he said to me he goes.

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I kind of feel you're more
passionate about coaching

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basketball than you are teaching
.

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I'm like you're not wrong, like
that was.

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I was like that was just a good
way to get into coaching and so

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I probably, you know, like I
was okay as a teacher, you know,

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at the beginning of my career.

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I feel I'm very comfortable
speaking in front of people.

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Kids relate to me very well, so
I feel like I kind of had that

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going for me and I I knew about
probably about seven years in I

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don't know if I want to do this
anymore and I basically left one

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school, went to another school,
had an incredible principal who

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totally changed my viewpoint on
education and her name was

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Kelly Wilkins.

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I think about her all the time
and think that I I always feel

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really special because it's like
she brought something out of me

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and you feel like I'm the only
one she ever did that to.

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But she did that to so many
people and so many people went

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on to really great opportunities
because of her leadership and

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that really inspired me to
really rethink how I you know my

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passion for education, what I
wanted to do, and it shows you

234
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how much a great leader you know
can have an impact, and it

235
00:10:45,539 --> 00:10:46,663
shows you how much a great
leader you know can have an

236
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impact.

237
00:10:46,822 --> 00:10:48,666
So I think one of the things
that is really important to me

238
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is I do what Kelly did for me
for as many people as possible,

239
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and so that's not just students
but it's staff as well.

240
00:10:55,265 --> 00:10:57,561
And you'll see, like, when I
was there and one of the things

241
00:10:57,581 --> 00:11:01,394
I kept talking about is really
kind of focusing on learners not

242
00:11:01,394 --> 00:11:03,783
students, but learners, anybody
willing to grow in an

243
00:11:03,823 --> 00:11:06,653
organization because I think a
lot of times we focus really

244
00:11:06,692 --> 00:11:08,720
what on the students need, but
you got to focus on the adults,

245
00:11:09,081 --> 00:11:11,370
because if you get the adults of
the need, they're way better

246
00:11:11,611 --> 00:11:13,399
equipped to help the students.

247
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I think that's kind of why it
shaped into what I was and she

248
00:11:18,231 --> 00:11:21,801
really, you know, she gave us
you know, not just myself but

249
00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,407
all the teachers on staff like a
lot of ownership over that

250
00:11:24,447 --> 00:11:27,474
school and it was a huge
responsibility.

251
00:11:27,474 --> 00:11:30,480
But then you also wanted to do
really well, because your

252
00:11:30,561 --> 00:11:34,769
fingerprints are all over the
solutions, so I know that she

253
00:11:34,850 --> 00:11:36,854
knew that was really important.

254
00:11:36,899 --> 00:11:37,542
She hired me.

255
00:11:38,163 --> 00:11:40,048
When she hired me which is
really interesting because it's

256
00:11:40,067 --> 00:11:44,485
not a normal practice they they
put a job application for a

257
00:11:44,527 --> 00:11:48,224
middle school teacher, not for a
grade seven science teacher,

258
00:11:48,625 --> 00:11:51,090
not for a grade nine, you know,
math teacher.

259
00:11:51,270 --> 00:11:55,929
It just said middle school and
her mentality was let's find the

260
00:11:55,929 --> 00:12:00,722
best person we can, and then we
can shuffle things around, not

261
00:12:00,743 --> 00:12:03,068
just look for a very specific
role to fill, because we could

262
00:12:03,089 --> 00:12:05,663
probably move somebody in the
school already who might want to

263
00:12:05,663 --> 00:12:06,245
do the role.

264
00:12:06,245 --> 00:12:09,041
And so that was her mentality
of how she hired she always

265
00:12:09,061 --> 00:12:11,967
looked for the best person
possible and then she would

266
00:12:12,048 --> 00:12:15,844
shape roles around them, and so
that was basically her.

267
00:12:15,844 --> 00:12:19,711
She saw something in me, she
saw a need for the school and

268
00:12:19,751 --> 00:12:22,884
she saw how I fit it and then
basically we just kind of said,

269
00:12:22,926 --> 00:12:24,750
okay, okay, what are you going
to teach?

270
00:12:24,750 --> 00:12:26,802
Was the after the fact.

271
00:12:26,802 --> 00:12:30,331
So it was really interesting,
cause I think a lot of times we

272
00:12:30,530 --> 00:12:33,746
maybe push away some really
great people because we're so

273
00:12:33,807 --> 00:12:35,941
very specific when it really
just takes, you know, a little

274
00:12:36,381 --> 00:12:38,688
adjusting to, and that that was
really, you know, that's

275
00:12:38,708 --> 00:12:39,840
something that really kind of
stuck with me.

276
00:12:40,461 --> 00:12:41,841
Speaker 2: Let me tell you
something you just said another

277
00:12:41,902 --> 00:12:41,981
one.

278
00:12:41,981 --> 00:12:43,503
See, I knew we were going to
connect, george.

279
00:12:43,503 --> 00:12:45,744
I've got a real simple
philosophy, and everybody that

280
00:12:45,764 --> 00:12:48,046
knows me knows it goes like this
If you want to be the best,

281
00:12:48,086 --> 00:12:52,149
train with the best, so find the
best people that you can and

282
00:12:52,208 --> 00:12:55,750
hang out with those people when,
whatever it may be, because

283
00:12:56,051 --> 00:12:57,952
you're going to pick something
you don't possess.

284
00:12:57,952 --> 00:13:06,241
And the reason that we focus on
I'm going to tell you about

285
00:13:06,283 --> 00:13:08,509
something that we do with our
teachers the reason we focus in

286
00:13:08,580 --> 00:13:12,227
on our teachers is because of
that very thing If we can give

287
00:13:12,347 --> 00:13:15,000
them something that they can
share with us.

288
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,748
You know, I tell people to R2A2
everything.

289
00:13:17,748 --> 00:13:19,111
I don't know if you've ever
heard that before.

290
00:13:19,111 --> 00:13:20,400
I tell them to R2A2.

291
00:13:20,441 --> 00:13:22,202
So when I was sitting there
listening to you the other day

292
00:13:22,243 --> 00:13:23,163
speaking, guess what I had?

293
00:13:23,163 --> 00:13:25,265
I had my paper down there and I
was R2A2.

294
00:13:25,265 --> 00:13:28,729
And here it is Recognize,
relate, assimilate and apply.

295
00:13:28,729 --> 00:13:33,453
So listen and recognize what
they say, relate to it.

296
00:13:33,453 --> 00:13:35,855
How does that relate to who I
am, where I'm at?

297
00:13:35,855 --> 00:13:39,201
Can I take part of that in and
make it part of myself?

298
00:13:39,201 --> 00:13:41,245
And then can I apply that?

299
00:13:41,764 --> 00:13:44,490
And I think that's the beauty of
what you're doing is, you know

300
00:13:44,549 --> 00:13:47,815
you are stretching teachers and
administrators' minds.

301
00:13:47,815 --> 00:13:51,565
You're challenging them, and
I'm glad you are, because if we

302
00:13:51,684 --> 00:13:54,912
don't, we're liable to get stuck
in a rut, and we know what a

303
00:13:54,951 --> 00:13:57,147
rut is, what's a grave with the
ends kicked out.

304
00:13:57,147 --> 00:14:00,840
The bottom line is is we've got
to compete for the future, our

305
00:14:00,899 --> 00:14:01,201
kids.

306
00:14:01,201 --> 00:14:02,542
We've got to compete for minds.

307
00:14:02,542 --> 00:14:05,666
That's another thing that I'm
real big about, administrators

308
00:14:05,706 --> 00:14:08,649
and educators, is if you're not
willing to compete, then don't

309
00:14:08,688 --> 00:14:10,230
be upset when somebody else wins
.

310
00:14:10,230 --> 00:14:13,734
You either compete for minds or
somebody else will and you may

311
00:14:13,774 --> 00:14:15,316
not like what game they're
playing.

312
00:14:20,159 --> 00:14:21,450
So when you talk about Ms Wilkes
and Kelly and being the best

313
00:14:21,471 --> 00:14:22,620
and making sure, you know it's
kind of like good to great.

314
00:14:22,620 --> 00:14:25,344
Get the right people on the bus
and then get them in the right

315
00:14:25,384 --> 00:14:29,511
seats and then empower them,
encourage them, equip them.

316
00:14:29,511 --> 00:14:32,725
You know I picked up on it the
other day and I just want to

317
00:14:32,765 --> 00:14:33,548
share this with you.

318
00:14:33,548 --> 00:14:36,683
I thought one of the most
encouraging things that you said

319
00:14:36,683 --> 00:14:40,192
throughout your message was the
importance of creating a

320
00:14:40,292 --> 00:14:43,389
positive, engaging and learning
culture.

321
00:14:43,389 --> 00:14:48,166
Yeah, and I don't know if that
is specific to what you talk

322
00:14:48,206 --> 00:14:48,426
about.

323
00:14:48,426 --> 00:14:51,063
I'm just telling you that was a
major takeaway for me.

324
00:14:52,115 --> 00:14:54,825
Speaker 3: Yeah, that is
something that I really focus on

325
00:14:54,825 --> 00:14:59,566
and I think a lot of times
people when they hear positive

326
00:14:59,846 --> 00:15:02,958
or engaging, they don't
necessarily think that it's

327
00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:08,438
difficult or strenuous, or you
know, like I said this morning,

328
00:15:09,140 --> 00:15:12,639
i'm'm hating what I'm doing, but
I know the benefits of it too.

329
00:15:13,081 --> 00:15:15,812
But I I know the I know the
results of it too, like, I'll

330
00:15:15,831 --> 00:15:16,615
give you an example.

331
00:15:16,615 --> 00:15:17,937
This is why I really focus on
learners.

332
00:15:17,937 --> 00:15:21,206
Last, I think it was about a
year and a half ago, uh, my

333
00:15:21,294 --> 00:15:25,323
daughter kalia, I think she just
turned uh six or seven around

334
00:15:25,364 --> 00:15:29,429
that age, and I wanted her to
play the piano and I knew she'd

335
00:15:29,450 --> 00:15:29,832
be interested.

336
00:15:29,832 --> 00:15:31,037
I knew she really liked music.

337
00:15:31,037 --> 00:15:35,924
But to get her going, I wanted
to learn it myself.

338
00:15:35,924 --> 00:15:39,636
And so I'm 49 when I'm learning
it.

339
00:15:39,636 --> 00:15:42,004
She's seven, so we're going
through the same things.

340
00:15:42,004 --> 00:15:47,221
And I remember I took piano for
about three months as a kid and

341
00:15:47,221 --> 00:15:47,741
I hated it.

342
00:15:47,741 --> 00:15:51,197
And the reason I hated it was
because I grew up with two older

343
00:15:51,197 --> 00:15:56,268
brothers and I listened to the
police depeche mode, like really

344
00:15:56,268 --> 00:15:59,721
, you know 80s quintessential
rock bands love it and.

345
00:16:00,423 --> 00:16:02,975
But I'm going to piano learning
how to play mary had a little

346
00:16:03,014 --> 00:16:03,255
land.

347
00:16:03,255 --> 00:16:04,798
It's not cutting it for me,
right?

348
00:16:04,798 --> 00:16:06,182
I'm not into kids music.

349
00:16:06,182 --> 00:16:07,947
I'm into what my brothers
listen to.

350
00:16:07,947 --> 00:16:13,318
So, knowing this, we are really
big into like musicals, la la

351
00:16:13,359 --> 00:16:15,845
land you know barbie movie
things like this.

352
00:16:15,845 --> 00:16:19,802
So I'm learning these little
riffs from the movie and then

353
00:16:19,822 --> 00:16:23,715
I'm teaching her and she's all
excited about it and she sees

354
00:16:23,815 --> 00:16:25,517
kind of the long term and she'll
it's.

355
00:16:25,517 --> 00:16:27,620
You know I'm not teaching her
the most complex riffs of it,

356
00:16:28,321 --> 00:16:31,706
but she sees that how
interesting it is because that's

357
00:16:31,706 --> 00:16:36,217
what she likes that she's more
willing to do the hard stuff,

358
00:16:36,258 --> 00:16:38,283
the practice, the theory behind
it.

359
00:16:38,724 --> 00:16:41,216
But if you just start doing the
practice in theory but you don't

360
00:16:41,216 --> 00:16:44,485
see the long-term results, so I
think a lot of times we get

361
00:16:44,504 --> 00:16:47,784
this mixed up that the
engagement is all about kids

362
00:16:47,804 --> 00:16:50,879
just having fun and no, it's
actually kids seeing the purpose

363
00:16:50,879 --> 00:16:53,631
, seeing the purpose long term,
that they're willing to do the

364
00:16:53,672 --> 00:16:55,299
stuff that's really really hard
to get to.

365
00:16:55,299 --> 00:16:56,062
The stuff is really good.

366
00:16:56,062 --> 00:16:59,355
Our family model is you do not
get the good stuff unless you're

367
00:16:59,355 --> 00:17:00,318
willing to do the hard stuff.

368
00:17:00,318 --> 00:17:02,543
That is what I say to my kids
all the time it is.

369
00:17:02,543 --> 00:17:05,818
You know, like I said, some
days they're not really happy

370
00:17:05,858 --> 00:17:06,740
about me as their dad.

371
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,047
But they know, know, long-term
right, that's a benefit because

372
00:17:10,346 --> 00:17:11,348
that's how you do it.

373
00:17:11,348 --> 00:17:14,443
But they have to see, they have
to get glimpses of the good

374
00:17:14,463 --> 00:17:14,744
stuff.

375
00:17:14,744 --> 00:17:17,501
We can't just like promise this
as it doesn't exist.

376
00:17:17,501 --> 00:17:20,679
You know, like learning to that
I think that's really kind of

377
00:17:20,719 --> 00:17:23,465
shamey, because I'm way more in
the piano now because I can, you

378
00:17:23,465 --> 00:17:25,686
know, I can learn all the songs
I wanted to learn as a kid,

379
00:17:25,708 --> 00:17:28,348
because I'll just go into
YouTube and someone's teaching

380
00:17:28,368 --> 00:17:31,009
you how to play and I'll pick it
up too, right, and so she's

381
00:17:31,049 --> 00:17:31,711
more willing to do that.

382
00:17:31,711 --> 00:17:35,092
And every single morning I go
in the routine, I get up before

383
00:17:35,152 --> 00:17:37,737
everyone in the family and they
wake up to me practicing the

384
00:17:37,757 --> 00:17:38,037
piano.

385
00:17:38,198 --> 00:17:40,944
That's what I do every single
day and it's good for me because

386
00:17:40,944 --> 00:17:43,439
it shows me like, hey,
repetition is really good you

387
00:17:43,459 --> 00:17:46,646
know, routine is really good and
so as much as I talk about

388
00:17:46,686 --> 00:17:50,896
innovation, the innovation comes
out of being so good at your

389
00:17:50,936 --> 00:17:53,683
stuff that you can actually,
kind of you know, maneuver it

390
00:17:53,884 --> 00:17:55,296
and and do different things with
it.

391
00:17:55,296 --> 00:17:59,545
You can't, like you don't,
become a a great improvisational

392
00:17:59,545 --> 00:18:02,458
jazz musician until you know
the basics inside out.

393
00:18:02,458 --> 00:18:04,041
But that's where the innovation
comes.

394
00:18:04,041 --> 00:18:06,536
Later is when you know the
stuff so well that you can

395
00:18:06,596 --> 00:18:08,259
actually start to riff in
different ways.

396
00:18:08,881 --> 00:18:11,988
Speaker 2: Well, number one I
love the piano and I don't play

397
00:18:12,008 --> 00:18:15,104
the piano, but I'm a big Bruce
Springsteen in the E Street band

398
00:18:15,104 --> 00:18:16,617
, professor Roy Benton.

399
00:18:16,617 --> 00:18:19,325
When you see Roy Benton play
the piano you're like that's

400
00:18:19,405 --> 00:18:22,103
rock and roll, you got to have a
little piano, it's rock and

401
00:18:22,123 --> 00:18:23,917
roll Application.

402
00:18:23,958 --> 00:18:25,644
You said something there with
application.

403
00:18:25,644 --> 00:18:31,299
You know one of the things our
organization gives 2.3 million

404
00:18:31,319 --> 00:18:32,603
in scholarships every year in
the state of Texas.

405
00:18:32,603 --> 00:18:35,436
Somebody said that we give more
scholarships in Texas than UIL.

406
00:18:35,436 --> 00:18:39,526
But you said something that I
have found that our sponsors

407
00:18:39,586 --> 00:18:43,820
really gravitate to, and I
remember one time a sponsor

408
00:18:43,921 --> 00:18:44,221
asked me.

409
00:18:44,221 --> 00:18:46,355
He said Aaron, he goes, what is
it that you think y'all do

410
00:18:46,375 --> 00:18:47,680
that's different than everybody
else?

411
00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,446
He said doesn't fine arts teach
speech and debate?

412
00:18:50,446 --> 00:18:53,884
Doesn't band and choir teach
ensemble?

413
00:18:53,884 --> 00:18:56,344
He said doesn't sports teach
teamwork?

414
00:18:56,344 --> 00:18:59,305
He said what is it you think
y'all do that nobody else does.

415
00:18:59,305 --> 00:19:02,635
And you're probably like me, I
like good questions, and that

416
00:19:02,655 --> 00:19:03,460
was a good question.

417
00:19:03,460 --> 00:19:04,815
And I told him.

418
00:19:04,815 --> 00:19:05,836
I said well, I think there's a
couple of things.

419
00:19:05,836 --> 00:19:07,357
And I told him I said well, I
think there's a couple of things

420
00:19:07,357 --> 00:19:07,357
.

421
00:19:07,377 --> 00:19:09,579
I said you know, there's a lot
of people that argue we need to

422
00:19:09,599 --> 00:19:12,383
get back to the basics the three
R's, reading, writing,

423
00:19:12,442 --> 00:19:13,303
arithmetic.

424
00:19:13,303 --> 00:19:16,286
If we get back to the basics,
we put this country back on

425
00:19:16,326 --> 00:19:16,506
track.

426
00:19:16,506 --> 00:19:20,269
Well, okay, before I took my
job that I'm in now, I used to

427
00:19:20,329 --> 00:19:23,976
work with truant offenders, boot
camp kids, and I worked in a

428
00:19:23,996 --> 00:19:24,115
prison.

429
00:19:24,115 --> 00:19:26,622
Everybody that I worked with
could read, write and do math at

430
00:19:26,622 --> 00:19:27,584
some functional level.

431
00:19:27,584 --> 00:19:30,009
But I tell people you're right
about the three R's.

432
00:19:30,009 --> 00:19:33,096
It's not reading, writing,
arithmetic, I would argue, it's

433
00:19:33,196 --> 00:19:35,782
respect, responsibility and
resiliency.

434
00:19:35,782 --> 00:19:38,576
If we could teach a kid to
respect themselves, their fellow

435
00:19:38,576 --> 00:19:41,242
man, be responsible for
themselves, their families,

436
00:19:41,282 --> 00:19:43,915
their communities, and learn to
get up when you've been knocked

437
00:19:43,955 --> 00:19:46,719
down, because not everybody's
going to get a trophy.

438
00:19:46,719 --> 00:19:49,041
And I said I think we do that
pretty good.

439
00:19:49,041 --> 00:19:51,243
I said, but here's what I think
separates us from everybody

440
00:19:51,263 --> 00:19:51,384
else.

441
00:19:51,384 --> 00:19:52,506
And you just said it.

442
00:19:53,006 --> 00:19:56,450
I said you know, I remember
there was a blizzard blowing in

443
00:19:56,490 --> 00:20:00,036
on the Texas panhandle and I
remember my dorm parent handing

444
00:20:00,056 --> 00:20:03,944
me a sledgehammer and asking me
to drive five miles to bust the

445
00:20:03,984 --> 00:20:04,266
water.

446
00:20:04,266 --> 00:20:07,498
Trough for the horses, and just
like your kids, george, I

447
00:20:07,518 --> 00:20:08,259
didn't want to do it.

448
00:20:08,259 --> 00:20:09,942
And trough for the horses, and
just like your kids, george, I

449
00:20:09,961 --> 00:20:10,502
didn't want to do it.

450
00:20:10,502 --> 00:20:11,585
And I said I don't want to.

451
00:20:11,585 --> 00:20:12,145
Mr Chandler, it's a blizzard.

452
00:20:12,145 --> 00:20:12,465
I got lost.

453
00:20:12,465 --> 00:20:19,135
It feels like a razor cut in
your skin and I'll never forget

454
00:20:19,175 --> 00:20:19,215
it.

455
00:20:19,236 --> 00:20:20,738
He said darling, do you get
thirsty when those horses, like

456
00:20:20,758 --> 00:20:21,679
those horses when it's cold?

457
00:20:21,679 --> 00:20:22,760
I said, yes, sir, I get thirsty
when it's cold.

458
00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,763
And he said you think those
horses might get thirsty too?

459
00:20:24,763 --> 00:20:28,028
I said, yes, sir, I drove five
miles that day and I busted the

460
00:20:28,067 --> 00:20:29,871
water trough for the horses.

461
00:20:29,871 --> 00:20:33,883
But I look at donors and I tell
them I'll tell you what

462
00:20:33,923 --> 00:20:35,606
separates our kids from
everybody else.

463
00:20:35,606 --> 00:20:38,924
Because in our world if we
don't do our job, something dies

464
00:20:38,924 --> 00:20:38,924
.

465
00:20:38,924 --> 00:20:45,326
Now, when you talk about that,
application of success begets

466
00:20:45,385 --> 00:20:45,907
success.

467
00:20:45,907 --> 00:20:49,862
And if we can give that young
person the tools to be

468
00:20:49,902 --> 00:20:52,567
encouraged, equipped and
empowered to have a moment of

469
00:20:52,627 --> 00:20:56,521
success and train that learning
tool where they want to keep

470
00:20:56,602 --> 00:21:00,896
exploring, that because success
begets success, you've got to

471
00:21:00,916 --> 00:21:04,484
believe you're planting some
seeds of greatness there that

472
00:21:04,625 --> 00:21:10,192
others can grow from that others
can grow from.

473
00:21:11,954 --> 00:21:13,088
Speaker 3: Yeah, that is a big
thing for me, and the work that

474
00:21:13,108 --> 00:21:16,338
I'm doing with Forney and with
schools all over the world is,

475
00:21:16,599 --> 00:21:20,964
first of all, a lot of times
when we discuss success in

476
00:21:21,005 --> 00:21:26,019
schools, we have defined it for
our students, and you could say

477
00:21:26,039 --> 00:21:26,662
you're successful.

478
00:21:26,935 --> 00:21:29,935
I could say I'm successful, but
we might have totally different

479
00:21:29,955 --> 00:21:30,457
definitions.

480
00:21:30,457 --> 00:21:35,067
So we know, as adults, success
is different to everybody what

481
00:21:35,087 --> 00:21:36,597
that looks like, what that means
.

482
00:21:36,597 --> 00:21:40,067
Some people it's money, some
people it's jobs, some people

483
00:21:40,146 --> 00:21:44,701
it's like family, some it's like
a variation of all those things

484
00:21:44,701 --> 00:21:44,701
.

485
00:21:44,701 --> 00:21:50,528
So I think part of the role of
education is to actually help

486
00:21:50,628 --> 00:21:54,401
kids determine what does success
look like to them and what

487
00:21:54,441 --> 00:21:55,163
would that be Like?

488
00:21:55,163 --> 00:21:56,385
Where do you find that purpose?

489
00:21:56,385 --> 00:22:00,303
And then helping them define
that path for themselves and

490
00:22:00,343 --> 00:22:02,576
then figure out what are the
things there too, because you

491
00:22:02,596 --> 00:22:07,026
know I'm not really interested
in someone else's definition of

492
00:22:07,066 --> 00:22:10,963
success for me, and so why would
a kid be interested in that too

493
00:22:10,963 --> 00:22:11,223
, right?

494
00:22:11,223 --> 00:22:15,076
So if I can help define it, you
know, going back to Kelly, if I

495
00:22:15,076 --> 00:22:19,180
see my fingerprints on the
endpoints, I'm more likely to do

496
00:22:19,180 --> 00:22:21,099
the hard work, and that's
something that you know is

497
00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,451
really important to me, not as a
dad, but, you know, as an

498
00:22:23,510 --> 00:22:26,503
education, and again, not just
students.

499
00:22:26,815 --> 00:22:28,338
That should be community as well
, right?

500
00:22:28,338 --> 00:22:29,821
What does that actually look
like?

501
00:22:29,821 --> 00:22:30,723
How do we get to this point?

502
00:22:30,723 --> 00:22:31,787
How do we define that success?

503
00:22:31,787 --> 00:22:35,144
One of the things I really
appreciate about Forney is a lot

504
00:22:35,144 --> 00:22:39,743
of the solutions they have
created to really make community

505
00:22:39,743 --> 00:22:41,097
want to be there is.

506
00:22:41,097 --> 00:22:43,842
They ask the community what
would make you want to be there?

507
00:22:43,842 --> 00:22:46,020
And then they created it.

508
00:22:46,020 --> 00:22:49,317
And so you know who the biggest
advocates are for schools in

509
00:22:49,376 --> 00:22:53,284
Forney the community, because
they see they're not going to

510
00:22:53,664 --> 00:22:55,107
advocate against something they
built.

511
00:22:55,588 --> 00:23:19,498
Speaker 2: Sure, no-transcript
space from florida.

512
00:23:19,738 --> 00:23:22,284
So you know, back when they did
the teacher in space program,

513
00:23:22,885 --> 00:23:26,096
every state got to pick a
teacher and the lady that was

514
00:23:26,116 --> 00:23:27,718
from florida was ag science
teacher.

515
00:23:28,137 --> 00:23:31,599
Her name was Susan Forte and
Susan was actually Krista

516
00:23:31,619 --> 00:23:34,742
McCullough's partner in the
Space Shuttle program.

517
00:23:34,742 --> 00:23:38,085
And one of my favorite quotes
from Krista was she said I touch

518
00:23:38,085 --> 00:23:42,647
the future, I teach, trying to
do, and then I think about what

519
00:23:42,667 --> 00:23:55,075
we do through our program and we
like to say around, we have a

520
00:23:55,236 --> 00:23:56,878
program, a leadership program
for the kids, and we say the

521
00:23:56,898 --> 00:23:58,982
essence of leadership is to
plant trees under whose shade

522
00:23:59,002 --> 00:23:59,344
you may never sit.

523
00:23:59,344 --> 00:24:03,238
And we want people to be very
purposeful in trying to find

524
00:24:03,317 --> 00:24:06,586
ways to plant seeds in their
community, in their homes, in

525
00:24:06,605 --> 00:24:11,778
their organization, wherever it
may be, to grow strong trees

526
00:24:11,859 --> 00:24:14,626
that someday somebody gets to
sit under the shade and enjoy.

527
00:24:14,626 --> 00:24:18,750
And I hear you doing that not
only in your home, by the way,

528
00:24:18,810 --> 00:24:19,092
george.

529
00:24:19,092 --> 00:24:22,223
I hear you doing that when
you're very passionate about it.

530
00:24:22,223 --> 00:24:25,623
When you look at what Kelly did
for you you're very intentional

531
00:24:25,623 --> 00:24:29,480
about that of how you're
approaching your consulting jobs

532
00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:30,865
or speaking jobs.

533
00:24:30,865 --> 00:24:35,045
I think you see the value on
the other end of this if it's

534
00:24:35,105 --> 00:24:35,646
done right.

535
00:24:37,035 --> 00:24:38,617
Speaker 3: Yeah, and the
interesting thing about me is

536
00:24:38,657 --> 00:24:41,723
that I think a lot of people
that do the work that I do and I

537
00:24:41,723 --> 00:24:44,828
shouldn't say you know like I
guess I shouldn't say a lot you

538
00:24:44,868 --> 00:24:45,210
know some.

539
00:24:45,210 --> 00:24:49,683
Their process is how do we
create something where you're

540
00:24:49,703 --> 00:24:52,959
going to continuously need me to
come in and help you?

541
00:24:53,279 --> 00:24:57,228
mine is how do I actually get
you to realize how much you

542
00:24:57,248 --> 00:25:02,569
don't need me and kind of like,
move away from this because the

543
00:25:02,711 --> 00:25:03,713
emphasis on education?

544
00:25:03,713 --> 00:25:06,663
I remember like I talked a
little bit about ai and you know

545
00:25:06,663 --> 00:25:07,746
things are happening.

546
00:25:07,746 --> 00:25:13,661
My focus is not teaching kids
and schools how to deal with AI.

547
00:25:13,661 --> 00:25:17,788
My focus is how do you teach
communities to figure out?

548
00:25:17,788 --> 00:25:20,583
No matter what comes your way,
you'll be able to figure it out.

549
00:25:20,583 --> 00:25:23,238
That's the process, right, and
that's my mentality.

550
00:25:23,238 --> 00:25:23,558
I'm not.

551
00:25:23,558 --> 00:25:23,880
I'm not.

552
00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,056
A lot of people ask me like
what do you see as the future of

553
00:25:26,056 --> 00:25:26,516
education?

554
00:25:26,516 --> 00:25:28,299
Like what's going to be in the
next five, ten years?

555
00:25:28,299 --> 00:25:31,866
And my answer is the same today
as it was 10 years ago, as

556
00:25:31,906 --> 00:25:32,628
it'll be 10 years from now.

557
00:25:32,628 --> 00:25:34,358
I have no clue, and neither do
you.

558
00:25:34,820 --> 00:25:38,169
Nobody knows, right what I do
know is, no matter what comes

559
00:25:38,210 --> 00:25:40,461
our way, I'll be able to figure
it out, and that's what I'm

560
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,355
trying to instill in kids and
try and still and staff that you

561
00:25:43,355 --> 00:25:45,660
will be able to figure out your
own solutions.

562
00:25:45,660 --> 00:25:48,705
That's really about that
empowerment in what you're doing

563
00:25:48,705 --> 00:25:52,573
, because long term I can't tell
my kids, hey, 10 years from now

564
00:25:52,573 --> 00:25:53,795
, this is what you have to
consider.

565
00:25:53,795 --> 00:25:56,688
What I can't teach my kids, you
need to be able to learn right

566
00:25:56,728 --> 00:25:58,916
now, because if you do that,
anything that comes your way

567
00:25:58,936 --> 00:25:59,699
you'll be able to figure it out.

568
00:25:59,699 --> 00:26:01,042
That's the process, right?

569
00:26:01,403 --> 00:26:05,902
There's things I teach my kids
right now about, like finances,

570
00:26:06,323 --> 00:26:09,669
stocks, investing that my
parents never had a conversation

571
00:26:09,669 --> 00:26:11,144
with me, not because they
didn't think it was important,

572
00:26:11,163 --> 00:26:12,694
but because they didn't know,
because they didn't have access

573
00:26:12,815 --> 00:26:13,779
to the information that we do.

574
00:26:14,335 --> 00:26:16,438
And so a lot of times my kids
are just like why are you

575
00:26:16,458 --> 00:26:17,040
telling us this?

576
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:18,119
I'm like you'll figure it out.

577
00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,115
You'll understand why I'm
telling you this now, but

578
00:26:21,135 --> 00:26:23,263
they're getting more and more
interested because it's like hey

579
00:26:23,263 --> 00:26:26,026
, here of this stuff, here's how
you figure out some of these

580
00:26:26,046 --> 00:26:29,567
things, because I probably won't
be around to see how well they

581
00:26:29,607 --> 00:26:31,288
do with it, you know at some
point.

582
00:26:31,288 --> 00:26:34,170
But my gift is and I think this
is really what my parents

583
00:26:34,230 --> 00:26:37,251
instilled in me you know, my dad
passed away a little over a

584
00:26:37,291 --> 00:26:41,119
decade ago my parents instilled
in me a work ethic and a

585
00:26:41,161 --> 00:26:43,767
willingness to deal with no
change, no matter what comes my

586
00:26:43,807 --> 00:26:43,926
way.

587
00:26:43,926 --> 00:26:46,140
And that's that's what I'm
trying to teach because, like

588
00:26:46,441 --> 00:26:49,007
you know, you think about some
of the things we complain about

589
00:26:49,027 --> 00:26:53,317
with technology my parents would
have loved to have, and they

590
00:26:53,337 --> 00:26:57,666
dealt with change in such an
admirable way that it's not that

591
00:26:57,666 --> 00:27:00,480
difficult for me, because I saw
what my family did for me to be

592
00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,326
able to have the opportunities
I do have today.

593
00:27:03,914 --> 00:27:06,343
Speaker 2: Has your past ever
crossed with a guy named Dale

594
00:27:06,403 --> 00:27:06,944
Alexander?

595
00:27:07,654 --> 00:27:09,742
Speaker 3: No, I don't know who
that is, so you're going to love

596
00:27:09,742 --> 00:27:10,056
this one.

597
00:27:10,096 --> 00:27:11,540
Speaker 2: I tell you he's been
on the podcast.

598
00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:13,977
As a matter of fact, he's the
only guest I've ever had that we

599
00:27:13,977 --> 00:27:15,359
had to do two podcasts.

600
00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:19,067
Dale Alexander he wrote a book
for his daughter.

601
00:27:19,067 --> 00:27:20,458
His daughter told him he'd
write the book.

602
00:27:20,458 --> 00:27:24,557
It's called the Talk About
Money, and the state of Georgia

603
00:27:24,777 --> 00:27:28,127
actually purchases his book and
gives it to every graduating

604
00:27:28,188 --> 00:27:28,528
senior.

605
00:27:29,050 --> 00:27:32,880
And it's a very simple
philosophy of how you, from your

606
00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,548
very first paycheck, how to
manage your finances, and it's

607
00:27:36,875 --> 00:27:37,897
an incredible story.

608
00:27:37,897 --> 00:27:41,144
But anyway, for another day
sitting here, you reminded me

609
00:27:41,204 --> 00:27:43,057
too, especially when COVID hit.

610
00:27:43,057 --> 00:27:47,066
You know, we're big Zig Ziglar
fans around our shop and I love

611
00:27:47,086 --> 00:27:50,635
a lot of Zig's philosophies and
one of those was, he said,

612
00:27:50,695 --> 00:27:54,705
expect the best, prepare for the
worst and then capitalize on

613
00:27:54,766 --> 00:27:55,268
what comes.

614
00:27:55,268 --> 00:27:58,582
And the reason I think that's a
great philosophy is exactly

615
00:27:58,622 --> 00:27:59,345
what you just said.

616
00:27:59,404 --> 00:28:02,121
I don't think anybody saw COVID
coming, but guess what?

617
00:28:02,121 --> 00:28:02,982
What do we have to do?

618
00:28:02,982 --> 00:28:03,945
We all had to pivot.

619
00:28:03,945 --> 00:28:05,356
I love that word pivot, don't
you?

620
00:28:05,356 --> 00:28:09,707
We had to pivot, we had to
adjust, we had to make changes

621
00:28:09,866 --> 00:28:13,863
in our routines and our habits
and our behaviors to accommodate

622
00:28:13,863 --> 00:28:14,704
a point in time.

623
00:28:14,704 --> 00:28:18,222
And, to your point, we don't
know what the geopolitical

624
00:28:18,303 --> 00:28:21,414
landscape is going to look like,
what the domestic economics is

625
00:28:21,455 --> 00:28:24,123
going to look like, what the
current state of education, what

626
00:28:24,123 --> 00:28:25,446
technology is going to do to
that.

627
00:28:25,446 --> 00:28:29,003
The bottom line is we've got to
train our kids to be aware, to

628
00:28:29,044 --> 00:28:32,540
be adaptable and, like you said
I mean you've said it time and

629
00:28:32,582 --> 00:28:36,968
again just be a learner, just be
willing to be coachable.

630
00:28:38,914 --> 00:28:39,395
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's funny.

631
00:28:39,395 --> 00:28:44,558
When COVID happened, I remember
it was like I was all I was

632
00:28:44,578 --> 00:28:46,601
doing was traveling, speaking
before Right.

633
00:28:46,601 --> 00:28:53,685
And then I remember one day, uh
event is canceled and then

634
00:28:54,326 --> 00:28:58,048
cancel, cancel, cancel, cancel.

635
00:28:58,048 --> 00:29:01,651
First day thinking, oh my God,
what am I going to do?

636
00:29:02,070 --> 00:29:11,356
And then I remember the next day
thinking listen, if I can't

637
00:29:11,376 --> 00:29:13,064
figure this out and I'm the
innovation guy, then what does

638
00:29:13,104 --> 00:29:13,505
that say about me?

639
00:29:13,505 --> 00:29:15,092
So then I just totally shifted
the way I thought about stuff

640
00:29:15,172 --> 00:29:16,695
and a lot of the things that I
started doing.

641
00:29:16,695 --> 00:29:21,142
Then I continue on in in what
I'm doing and, like I said, it

642
00:29:21,162 --> 00:29:21,482
took me.

643
00:29:21,482 --> 00:29:24,586
It took me a little while, like
, hey, you know, um, I realized,

644
00:29:24,586 --> 00:29:27,471
as I mentioned before, a lot of
the travel kind of caused some

645
00:29:27,490 --> 00:29:29,660
of the health issues because of
how I was traveling.

646
00:29:29,660 --> 00:29:33,257
I'm like, hey, I gotta like, if
I ever go back out, I gotta

647
00:29:33,277 --> 00:29:35,486
have some new routines and think
about things differently.

648
00:29:35,486 --> 00:29:40,078
And I always say that COVID
really it impacted everybody in

649
00:29:40,138 --> 00:29:42,623
totally different ways and lot
of people went through different

650
00:29:42,623 --> 00:29:43,163
things.

651
00:29:43,163 --> 00:29:46,569
I looked at some of the
hardships that we went through,

652
00:29:46,654 --> 00:29:49,633
but I also looked at some of the
things that have reshifted my

653
00:29:49,673 --> 00:29:51,501
thinking and how do I bring that
forward?

654
00:29:51,501 --> 00:29:56,276
Because every situation is an
opportunity for growth, whether

655
00:29:56,316 --> 00:29:58,143
it's a good situation or a bad
situation.

656
00:29:58,394 --> 00:30:01,017
One of the things I always get
concerned about is that people

657
00:30:01,157 --> 00:30:05,426
who find success become
comfortable because they're like

658
00:30:05,426 --> 00:30:06,288
hey, this worked.

659
00:30:06,288 --> 00:30:09,885
Like you know, they basically
blockbuster themselves right,

660
00:30:09,974 --> 00:30:12,996
like, hey, what worked yesterday
will work tomorrow, and it's

661
00:30:13,017 --> 00:30:15,577
like, no, you've got to
continuously reevaluate and so

662
00:30:16,161 --> 00:30:18,674
you can learn from failure as
much as you can from success.

663
00:30:18,674 --> 00:30:20,643
And what do you do kind of
moving forward.

664
00:30:20,643 --> 00:30:31,117
So I think that's a really
important aspect is, how do you

665
00:30:31,137 --> 00:30:32,942
instill that in your kids that,
hey I was just saying this to my

666
00:30:32,942 --> 00:30:35,046
wife I don't ever get caught up
in criticism and I don't ever

667
00:30:35,066 --> 00:30:36,909
get caught up in praise, because
you can't say, hey, ignore the

668
00:30:36,954 --> 00:30:38,881
haters, but just listen to
people who love you.

669
00:30:38,881 --> 00:30:43,385
It's right, you have to be able
to evaluate yourself and figure

670
00:30:43,385 --> 00:30:43,721
out your own pathway forward.

671
00:30:43,721 --> 00:30:43,894
Don't get caught up on either
side.

672
00:30:43,894 --> 00:30:44,263
Right, you have to be able to
evaluate yourself and figure out

673
00:30:44,263 --> 00:30:44,945
your own pathway forward.

674
00:30:44,945 --> 00:30:46,708
Don't get caught up on either
side of it.

675
00:30:46,708 --> 00:30:50,880
You have to that you are always
stuck with you and you have to

676
00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:52,984
figure out how do you
continuously get better and

677
00:30:53,045 --> 00:30:53,385
improve.

678
00:30:53,566 --> 00:30:56,842
So that's something I really try
to model, especially like I

679
00:30:56,902 --> 00:31:00,279
actually was listening to a
marathon runner on a run and she

680
00:31:00,279 --> 00:31:02,366
basically said like she's one
of the most competitive,

681
00:31:02,890 --> 00:31:07,280
successful marathoners in us
history and she's like look, I

682
00:31:07,361 --> 00:31:09,746
never competed against anyone
else.

683
00:31:09,746 --> 00:31:11,195
I always looked at myself.

684
00:31:11,195 --> 00:31:13,422
I never got caught up in what
else someone else is doing,

685
00:31:13,522 --> 00:31:16,839
because I would say, like, how
do I push myself to basically

686
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:17,320
the break.

687
00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:18,763
And that's how she found
success.

688
00:31:18,763 --> 00:31:21,898
She was never caught up in what
others were saying or doing.

689
00:31:21,898 --> 00:31:23,724
She, she did what she knew.

690
00:31:23,724 --> 00:31:25,237
She had the capabilities to do
it.

691
00:31:25,237 --> 00:31:27,000
So it was beautiful.

692
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,994
And as I'm like dying in the
Florida heat on a run she's

693
00:31:30,015 --> 00:31:31,579
saying this, I'm like I better
pick it up.

694
00:31:31,901 --> 00:31:33,605
Speaker 2: Well, I mean, that's
it, though we're always in

695
00:31:33,714 --> 00:31:37,599
competition with our own best
self, and I love that analogy.

696
00:31:37,599 --> 00:31:40,765
Irving Berlin you know, I love
what Irving Berlin said.

697
00:31:40,765 --> 00:31:43,669
He said the toughest thing
about success is that you got to

698
00:31:43,669 --> 00:31:44,830
keep on being a success.

699
00:31:44,830 --> 00:31:48,444
And you know, you've got to be
intentional about that.

700
00:31:48,444 --> 00:31:50,862
And then another guy I don't
know if your paths have ever

701
00:31:50,902 --> 00:31:53,962
crossed, but I hope that they
will is a guy named Dan Owolabi.

702
00:31:53,962 --> 00:31:57,703
Dan Owolabi is out of Worcester
Ohio and he's probably got one

703
00:31:57,723 --> 00:32:00,982
of the most powerful educational
testimonies that I've ever

704
00:32:01,023 --> 00:32:01,243
heard.

705
00:32:04,815 --> 00:32:06,900
But you know, he always says if
you live by the praise of those

706
00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:09,704
around you, then you'll die by
the critics around you.

707
00:32:09,704 --> 00:32:11,588
You know, and that's.

708
00:32:11,588 --> 00:32:13,763
It's like you're saying, my job
.

709
00:32:13,763 --> 00:32:16,515
I mean, I'm mostly yes, I'm
blessed to work with students,

710
00:32:16,615 --> 00:32:18,538
I'm blessed to work with
educators, but my role is a

711
00:32:18,557 --> 00:32:19,459
development officer.

712
00:32:19,459 --> 00:32:22,583
So I'm working with a lot of
the corporate folks and I tell

713
00:32:22,623 --> 00:32:25,487
the young people and I tell the
teachers, if I've ever taken

714
00:32:25,528 --> 00:32:28,035
away one word from all the
corporate people I work with,

715
00:32:28,076 --> 00:32:29,117
that word is next.

716
00:32:30,019 --> 00:32:32,445
It doesn't matter if they have a
success, what's next.

717
00:32:32,445 --> 00:32:35,460
It doesn't matter if they have
a setback, it's what's next.

718
00:32:35,460 --> 00:32:40,817
Their whole focus is forward,
it's not backward and like John

719
00:32:40,877 --> 00:32:43,484
Maxwell said he said, if you
have a success, do an autopsy on

720
00:32:43,484 --> 00:32:44,007
it and move on.

721
00:32:44,007 --> 00:32:49,837
Find out why it was a success,
but then move on Because the

722
00:32:49,998 --> 00:32:54,498
opportunities are what lie ahead
, and I love that that is a

723
00:32:54,598 --> 00:32:59,567
consistency in your messaging is
that encouragement to always be

724
00:32:59,567 --> 00:33:00,469
forward looking?

725
00:33:00,469 --> 00:33:04,102
The other thing that you said,
george and, by the way, this is

726
00:33:04,143 --> 00:33:07,241
why I love this podcast I tell
people just listen to what they

727
00:33:07,363 --> 00:33:10,604
say, bring people on and just
listen to what they say.

728
00:33:10,604 --> 00:33:13,855
You've said two things that are
really important.

729
00:33:13,855 --> 00:33:21,008
Number one you have been very
clear to be in the present, to

730
00:33:21,067 --> 00:33:21,890
be in the moment.

731
00:33:21,890 --> 00:33:26,459
You've never not acknowledged
that importance, but at the same

732
00:33:26,459 --> 00:33:31,035
time you said be a learner so
you can be ready for what's next

733
00:33:31,035 --> 00:33:31,035
.

734
00:33:33,779 --> 00:33:36,645
Speaker 3: Yeah, that to me is
probably the biggest lesson I've

735
00:33:36,645 --> 00:33:37,528
had over the last few years.

736
00:33:37,528 --> 00:33:41,864
Is that you really want, if you
put your best effort into what

737
00:33:41,903 --> 00:33:45,219
you're doing, whatever that is,
that pays off in the future

738
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:49,488
right but if you are and this is
advice I give to people right,

739
00:33:49,647 --> 00:33:50,900
so someone is.

740
00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,873
I remember when I was an
assistant principal I did not

741
00:33:53,913 --> 00:33:54,836
want to go in school leadership.

742
00:33:54,836 --> 00:33:58,041
It was not my interest and I
got an assistant principalship,

743
00:33:58,963 --> 00:34:03,701
like basically on a, on a whim,
I applied for a job and I don't

744
00:34:03,721 --> 00:34:06,178
think anyone else applied for it
because it was in July and all

745
00:34:06,218 --> 00:34:09,646
the good people were taken, so I
so I don't think they had many

746
00:34:09,755 --> 00:34:14,284
applicants, so they just took me
and basically within two days

747
00:34:14,565 --> 00:34:17,018
I'm like I want to be a
principal one day and I was

748
00:34:17,079 --> 00:34:17,378
blessed.

749
00:34:17,378 --> 00:34:18,864
I had a really great principal.

750
00:34:18,864 --> 00:34:23,684
His name is Archie Lilico and
his mentality was that he wasn't

751
00:34:23,684 --> 00:34:26,119
trying to make you the best
sense of principle, he was

752
00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:31,036
training you to eventually lead
a school on your own and he knew

753
00:34:31,036 --> 00:34:33,983
that was something, and so he
put me in positions that I was

754
00:34:34,023 --> 00:34:36,056
probably not ready for in my
mind.

755
00:34:36,056 --> 00:34:41,467
But he knew he'd have to help
level me up and I remember a

756
00:34:41,527 --> 00:34:43,219
principal position came up and I
didn't.

757
00:34:43,219 --> 00:34:44,005
I really wanted the job, but I
didn't.

758
00:34:44,005 --> 00:34:46,398
I really wanted the job, but I
didn't want to go to the place

759
00:34:46,539 --> 00:34:51,697
that I was asked being going and
he said to me like what is the

760
00:34:51,797 --> 00:34:54,563
worst thing that would happen if
you didn't take that job?

761
00:34:54,563 --> 00:34:58,737
You'd actually end up being
here at the school you love as

762
00:34:58,759 --> 00:34:59,340
an assistant principal.

763
00:34:59,340 --> 00:34:59,862
It's not the worst thing.

764
00:34:59,902 --> 00:35:01,487
And I remember thinking about
that because I was like what if

765
00:35:01,507 --> 00:35:01,929
I don't take this job?

766
00:35:01,929 --> 00:35:02,429
It's not the worst thing.

767
00:35:02,429 --> 00:35:04,998
And I remember thinking about
that because I was like what if

768
00:35:05,038 --> 00:35:05,900
I don't take this job?

769
00:35:05,900 --> 00:35:08,286
It's going to like every
opportunity is going to.

770
00:35:08,286 --> 00:35:10,539
You know, I'm going to lose all
these opportunities in the

771
00:35:10,579 --> 00:35:10,860
future.

772
00:35:10,860 --> 00:35:16,940
And so I turned it down and I
said my focus is, if I do the

773
00:35:17,019 --> 00:35:21,367
best at being an assistant
principal right now and I really

774
00:35:21,367 --> 00:35:24,597
focus on nailing this, the
principal opportunity will come.

775
00:35:24,597 --> 00:35:27,166
There's no way they wouldn't
actually hire me.

776
00:35:27,166 --> 00:35:30,278
But if I'm so focused on
becoming a principal that I

777
00:35:30,338 --> 00:35:33,733
forget the people that I'm
caring for here, that's when I

778
00:35:33,753 --> 00:35:34,637
start losing opportunities.

779
00:35:34,637 --> 00:35:37,952
And that's always my, my advice
to people you know looking for

780
00:35:37,972 --> 00:35:41,143
leadership roles just be where
you are, do the best that you

781
00:35:41,184 --> 00:35:44,657
can, and if you really take care
of the people that are in front

782
00:35:44,657 --> 00:35:46,967
of you, the opportunities will
come your way.

783
00:35:46,967 --> 00:35:47,710
That's me.

784
00:35:47,710 --> 00:35:51,079
But if you're so focused on the
future that you don't pay

785
00:35:51,121 --> 00:35:52,043
attention to the present.

786
00:35:52,043 --> 00:35:54,387
That's where you lose
opportunities.

787
00:35:55,614 --> 00:35:58,286
Speaker 2: Man, there again
you're bringing back some Zig.

788
00:35:58,286 --> 00:35:59,811
What did Zig always say?

789
00:35:59,811 --> 00:36:02,456
If you help enough other people
get what they want, you'll get

790
00:36:02,516 --> 00:36:03,135
what you want.

791
00:36:03,135 --> 00:36:08,179
You've shared a lot here and
we're going to start kind of

792
00:36:08,199 --> 00:36:10,500
winding this down because, again
, we try to keep these within a

793
00:36:10,539 --> 00:36:11,561
classroom structure.

794
00:36:11,561 --> 00:36:15,362
But one of the things that I
think I like to share with young

795
00:36:15,362 --> 00:36:18,985
people is I always ask them I
said, how many high schools are

796
00:36:19,045 --> 00:36:19,525
in Texas?

797
00:36:19,525 --> 00:36:22,827
And they always, you know,
somebody will yell out a lot and

798
00:36:22,827 --> 00:36:23,927
I'm like, yeah, there's a lot.

799
00:36:23,927 --> 00:36:26,768
I said there's actually over
3,000 high schools in the state

800
00:36:26,809 --> 00:36:27,208
of Texas.

801
00:36:27,750 --> 00:36:29,530
I said how many of those high
schools this year are going to

802
00:36:29,550 --> 00:36:30,791
have a graduating class?

803
00:36:30,791 --> 00:36:33,132
And they're like, well, I guess
all of them.

804
00:36:33,132 --> 00:36:34,452
I said that's right, think
about that.

805
00:36:34,452 --> 00:36:39,956
Every one of them are going to
be out looking for a job, a

806
00:36:39,978 --> 00:36:40,739
scholarship or an opportunity.

807
00:36:40,739 --> 00:36:42,119
And so I ask the kids what's
your competitive edge?

808
00:36:42,119 --> 00:36:45,224
What is it that separates you
from your peers that when you

809
00:36:45,264 --> 00:36:47,909
start looking for a job, a
scholarship or an opportunity,

810
00:36:48,188 --> 00:36:49,570
that kind of sets you apart.

811
00:36:49,570 --> 00:36:53,298
And I think that when teachers
have an opportunity to hear your

812
00:36:53,298 --> 00:36:56,844
presentations, when you have
that opportunity to recognize,

813
00:36:56,884 --> 00:37:00,909
relate, assimilate and apply
information, you begin to create

814
00:37:00,909 --> 00:37:02,110
a competitive edge.

815
00:37:02,110 --> 00:37:05,918
Information, you begin to
create a competitive edge.

816
00:37:05,918 --> 00:37:07,262
And so, when I think about what
you do for students and

817
00:37:07,302 --> 00:37:09,670
educators, my question to you is
this if you could give those

818
00:37:09,771 --> 00:37:14,119
folks three competitive edges,
three skill sets, what would you

819
00:37:14,119 --> 00:37:14,561
tell them?

820
00:37:14,561 --> 00:37:16,224
Hey, try these.

821
00:37:17,967 --> 00:37:20,755
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, the first
one that you kind of alluded to

822
00:37:20,755 --> 00:37:23,038
is what I call the sponge
factor, right?

823
00:37:23,038 --> 00:37:27,442
So when I looked at hiring
teachers I know this is like

824
00:37:28,643 --> 00:37:32,887
kind of a strange way to look at
it I would look at if you had a

825
00:37:32,887 --> 00:37:37,990
teacher who their ability was
above and beyond anyone else's,

826
00:37:41,605 --> 00:37:42,429
I wouldn't necessarily take them
.

827
00:37:42,429 --> 00:37:44,898
I would only take them if I
knew they had a willingness to

828
00:37:44,918 --> 00:37:45,318
still learn and grow.

829
00:37:45,318 --> 00:37:47,505
Because if I had someone who is
at a little bit lower level,

830
00:37:47,646 --> 00:37:52,083
who is like craving learning,
craving mentorship, eventually

831
00:37:52,123 --> 00:37:53,467
they would surpass that person.

832
00:37:53,467 --> 00:37:55,922
Plus, they are modeling to
their kids what they're

833
00:37:55,942 --> 00:37:57,690
expecting of them to
continuously learn.

834
00:37:57,690 --> 00:38:01,400
So I'm always looking for that
sponge factor, that willingness

835
00:38:01,460 --> 00:38:04,228
to learn, and I take that into.

836
00:38:04,414 --> 00:38:08,445
I used to ref basketball at a
really high level and the kind

837
00:38:08,485 --> 00:38:08,545
of.

838
00:38:08,545 --> 00:38:13,561
The second point is do you
actually take action on feedback

839
00:38:13,561 --> 00:38:13,561
?

840
00:38:13,561 --> 00:38:14,844
Do you do something with it?

841
00:38:14,844 --> 00:38:16,815
So when I used to ref, they
would.

842
00:38:16,815 --> 00:38:19,523
When you do college games,
you'd have someone sitting in

843
00:38:19,543 --> 00:38:24,043
the stands watching you, so
you'd get evaluated and

844
00:38:24,646 --> 00:38:27,164
basically they bring you in at
halftime very short 10 minutes

845
00:38:27,887 --> 00:38:30,557
and they would rip you to pieces
, not because they hated you,

846
00:38:31,018 --> 00:38:32,704
because they only have 10
minutes they're not going to

847
00:38:32,744 --> 00:38:34,217
make you feel good about
yourself.

848
00:38:34,217 --> 00:38:35,681
They're like we need you to fix
this.

849
00:38:35,681 --> 00:38:36,864
Do this, do this different?

850
00:38:36,864 --> 00:38:40,539
Whatever, the ones that
actually moved up the quickest

851
00:38:41,422 --> 00:38:44,608
in the ranks of refereeing are
the ones who tried what was

852
00:38:44,655 --> 00:38:46,039
suggested in the second half.

853
00:38:46,039 --> 00:38:46,960
They didn't like.

854
00:38:47,041 --> 00:38:51,199
Sit and think about it and it
doesn't mean that you did that

855
00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:53,503
forever, but at least you tried
to see.

856
00:38:53,503 --> 00:38:54,405
Does this work for me?

857
00:38:54,405 --> 00:38:55,168
Does this actually work?

858
00:38:55,168 --> 00:38:58,445
So a lot of times when you're
like, if you're looking at this,

859
00:38:58,445 --> 00:39:03,900
most of my accomplishments
aren't from overthinking,

860
00:39:04,242 --> 00:39:05,284
they're from under thinking.

861
00:39:05,284 --> 00:39:08,920
When I mean by that, it is I
implement action right away and

862
00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:10,364
I figure it out along the way.

863
00:39:10,364 --> 00:39:13,201
And I think a lot of times that
people think too much about

864
00:39:13,260 --> 00:39:15,833
stuff that they talk themselves
out of really great ideas,

865
00:39:16,134 --> 00:39:19,061
whereas, like, start the idea
and make it great, that

866
00:39:19,101 --> 00:39:22,420
willingness to be a sponge, to
take action from feedback.

867
00:39:23,005 --> 00:39:25,599
But I think, especially in a
time with technology, it is that

868
00:39:25,599 --> 00:39:27,744
personal connection is the most
thing.

869
00:39:27,744 --> 00:39:29,246
You are you relatable, right?

870
00:39:29,246 --> 00:39:29,608
Like I?

871
00:39:29,608 --> 00:39:33,545
I look at everything like that
I pay for.

872
00:39:33,545 --> 00:39:37,735
You know, in services and I
know this is more of a medical

873
00:39:37,875 --> 00:39:40,639
term is is bedside manner, right
?

874
00:39:40,639 --> 00:39:43,666
Do you do I feel like I'm
listened to?

875
00:39:43,666 --> 00:39:46,137
Do I feel like you're listening
to what I'm saying?

876
00:39:46,137 --> 00:39:49,570
Do you make me feel appreciated
as someone in this space and

877
00:39:50,193 --> 00:39:53,483
when you're having all the
content, all the information in

878
00:39:53,503 --> 00:39:57,835
the world, being the smartest
person that no one can relate to

879
00:39:57,835 --> 00:40:00,387
doesn't necessarily bring out
any great ideas.

880
00:40:00,487 --> 00:40:02,155
It is that connection that
really, really matters.

881
00:40:02,155 --> 00:40:04,105
So, like I know, when you saw
me here and I probably talked a

882
00:40:04,125 --> 00:40:06,677
little bit of my kids, talk a
little bit about my family, and

883
00:40:06,737 --> 00:40:10,204
you kind of mentioned this
earlier what you're trying to do

884
00:40:10,204 --> 00:40:13,079
is get people to see themselves
in your story, right, but it's

885
00:40:13,119 --> 00:40:16,036
also I'm trying to build rapport
with people like, hey, I'm not,

886
00:40:16,036 --> 00:40:20,503
I'm not some brilliant academic
, I'm a, I'm a dad trying to

887
00:40:20,543 --> 00:40:21,224
figure stuff out.

888
00:40:21,224 --> 00:40:23,409
Because a lot of people are
like you know what I'm, I don't

889
00:40:23,449 --> 00:40:25,753
really know what I'm doing
either sometimes, so they start

890
00:40:25,793 --> 00:40:28,001
seeing themselves in the picture
, right, I think that

891
00:40:28,041 --> 00:40:32,456
relatability really can separate
you in a totally different way

892
00:40:33,016 --> 00:40:36,123
and it's in everything that you
do, right, like one of the

893
00:40:36,143 --> 00:40:41,679
things I tell my kids, doing a
task is not good enough for me.

894
00:40:41,679 --> 00:40:45,427
It is your attitude when you do
the task.

895
00:40:45,427 --> 00:40:48,684
If you are grumbling the entire
time, I've asked you to do

896
00:40:48,744 --> 00:40:49,126
something.

897
00:40:49,126 --> 00:40:51,581
Do you think I would want to
work with you?

898
00:40:51,581 --> 00:40:54,543
Right, it is like you put your
best foot forward.

899
00:40:54,543 --> 00:40:57,920
You really make that connection
and those opportunities will

900
00:40:57,940 --> 00:40:58,119
come.

901
00:40:58,255 --> 00:41:01,798
Like everything that I do,
whether I hate it or not, I try

902
00:41:01,818 --> 00:41:03,795
to treat everyone around me as
best as possible.

903
00:41:03,795 --> 00:41:08,724
One of my own personal mantras
is the best interaction every

904
00:41:08,784 --> 00:41:10,829
person you interact with has in
that day.

905
00:41:10,829 --> 00:41:14,297
Now I fail more than I succeed,
but that is something that's

906
00:41:14,317 --> 00:41:16,643
like hey, if I have like a
one-minute interaction with

907
00:41:16,663 --> 00:41:19,697
somebody that I've never met
before, my hope is that it was

908
00:41:19,798 --> 00:41:21,565
so good they remember it the
rest of the day.

909
00:41:21,565 --> 00:41:24,182
It leads them to something and
if you can do that no matter

910
00:41:24,242 --> 00:41:27,726
your role, no matter if you're
doing a job or not that really

911
00:41:27,847 --> 00:41:30,371
you know we'll get you to stick
out to people in a totally

912
00:41:30,391 --> 00:41:30,771
different way.

913
00:41:32,016 --> 00:41:35,563
Speaker 2: So I'm a big believer
in um R and D.

914
00:41:35,563 --> 00:41:37,248
You know what R and D is, I'm
sure.

915
00:41:38,014 --> 00:41:40,621
Speaker 3: I know, I know you
got different definitions.

916
00:41:40,641 --> 00:41:43,387
Speaker 2: Yeah, most people
call it research and development

917
00:41:43,387 --> 00:41:43,387
.

918
00:41:43,387 --> 00:41:46,724
I sometimes refer to it as rip
off and duplicate.

919
00:41:46,724 --> 00:41:51,864
So I just want you to know that
was absolutely, george,

920
00:41:52,045 --> 00:41:52,606
brilliant.

921
00:41:52,606 --> 00:41:53,487
I love that.

922
00:41:53,487 --> 00:41:54,920
I'm going to tell you that
right there.

923
00:41:54,920 --> 00:42:02,268
All three sponge factor take
action, personal connection,

924
00:42:02,367 --> 00:42:03,230
relatability.

925
00:42:03,230 --> 00:42:08,478
But what a genuine and
incredible comment to say let me

926
00:42:08,478 --> 00:42:12,983
be that person that person is
encouraged by for the rest of

927
00:42:13,005 --> 00:42:13,284
the day.

928
00:42:13,284 --> 00:42:15,699
Wow, that is powerful.

929
00:42:15,699 --> 00:42:17,304
Thank you so much for sharing
that.

930
00:42:19,739 --> 00:42:20,440
Speaker 3: I try that.

931
00:42:20,541 --> 00:42:21,384
Speaker 2: I'm telling you.

932
00:42:21,804 --> 00:42:23,148
Speaker 3: I try that as much as
possible.

933
00:42:23,148 --> 00:42:26,105
I feel more than I really think
about.

934
00:42:26,215 --> 00:42:28,940
Speaker 2: Yeah, really good,
all right, well, listen, I

935
00:42:29,181 --> 00:42:31,286
really appreciate your time
again.

936
00:42:31,286 --> 00:42:34,440
We try to package these
podcasts so that they can be

937
00:42:34,579 --> 00:42:39,074
used in a classroom and I think
we try to do it in a way where

938
00:42:39,096 --> 00:42:42,621
both the educator and the
student can find some value in

939
00:42:42,661 --> 00:42:43,862
the time that we spend together.

940
00:42:43,862 --> 00:42:48,188
But every guest gets one last
fun question, so you get one

941
00:42:48,248 --> 00:42:49,190
last fun question.

942
00:42:49,190 --> 00:42:53,405
Here it is Tell me what is the
best concert you've ever been to

943
00:42:53,405 --> 00:42:53,405
.

944
00:42:55,074 --> 00:42:57,360
Speaker 3: Oh, the best concert.

945
00:42:57,360 --> 00:42:59,123
Well, I've been to several.

946
00:42:59,123 --> 00:43:00,445
I am probably.

947
00:43:00,445 --> 00:43:03,445
It's kind of interesting
because they're so different.

948
00:43:03,445 --> 00:43:06,981
Probably one of my favorite
concerts ever was Coldplay and

949
00:43:07,402 --> 00:43:12,014
Coldplay, yeah, gigantic,
unbelievable arena show.

950
00:43:12,014 --> 00:43:14,523
I know they don't even do
arenas, they're too big.

951
00:43:14,523 --> 00:43:16,010
Now they do stadiums.

952
00:43:16,010 --> 00:43:19,862
It's just like an amazing thing
and it felt so personal and

953
00:43:20,222 --> 00:43:21,626
like I actually talked about
this.

954
00:43:21,626 --> 00:43:24,795
And then probably my other one
is the avid brothers.

955
00:43:24,795 --> 00:43:27,420
They're like uh, kind of,
they're not as well known,

956
00:43:28,001 --> 00:43:31,295
probably one of my favorite
bands ever but they do smaller

957
00:43:31,356 --> 00:43:35,286
venues and it's actually like
just interesting to think about

958
00:43:35,306 --> 00:43:37,717
the contrast of how different
those concerts are.

959
00:43:37,717 --> 00:43:40,764
One feels so intimate and
personal.

960
00:43:40,764 --> 00:43:43,898
The other one is so over the
top and it kind of reminds you

961
00:43:44,539 --> 00:43:46,978
whatever you have in front of
you, just make the best out of

962
00:43:47,079 --> 00:43:51,076
it, because Coldplay does these
incredible stadiums, ava

963
00:43:51,096 --> 00:43:55,059
Brothers do these small concerts
and they just seem to be the

964
00:43:55,119 --> 00:43:58,039
perfect fit in each one and it
just gives me energy every time

965
00:43:58,079 --> 00:43:59,103
I see both of these bands.

966
00:44:00,505 --> 00:44:03,882
Speaker 2: Love it and, by the
way you can imagine, with almost

967
00:44:03,882 --> 00:44:06,960
80 episodes I've heard the
spectrum of concerts.

968
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:09,949
Anyway, thanks so much for
sharing.

969
00:44:09,949 --> 00:44:12,215
Hey, everybody, thank you for
stopping by.

970
00:44:12,215 --> 00:44:14,663
I mean, we always talk about
the fact that the only thing you

971
00:44:14,663 --> 00:44:15,987
can do with time is spend it.

972
00:44:15,987 --> 00:44:19,768
So the fact that you shared
some of your time with us, the

973
00:44:19,809 --> 00:44:22,456
fact that we brought on an
incredible guest who shared some

974
00:44:22,456 --> 00:44:26,465
seeds of greatness that we can
plant and put in place not only

975
00:44:26,525 --> 00:44:29,981
in our lives, in our families'
lives, in our classrooms, in our

976
00:44:29,981 --> 00:44:33,572
communities, in our state and
country, that's a win for

977
00:44:33,634 --> 00:44:34,556
everybody involved.

978
00:44:35,259 --> 00:44:38,628
The fact that we've now been
challenged I love it to be that

979
00:44:39,210 --> 00:44:42,400
voice of encouragement today
that the people that we

980
00:44:42,460 --> 00:44:45,940
encounter take it away and say
I'm glad I ran into George today

981
00:44:45,940 --> 00:44:48,005
, my day is going to be better
because of it.

982
00:44:48,005 --> 00:44:53,523
Until we meet again, if you
will do me a favor, go out and

983
00:44:53,563 --> 00:44:55,208
do something great for somebody
else.

984
00:44:55,208 --> 00:44:57,018
You're going to feel good about
it.

985
00:44:57,018 --> 00:44:59,474
You're going to make this world
a better place to live, work

986
00:44:59,514 --> 00:45:00,436
and raise our families.

987
00:45:00,436 --> 00:45:03,942
So, until our next episode of
the Growing Our Future podcast,

988
00:45:04,083 --> 00:45:06,786
we'll see you down the road and
remember if you want to know

989
00:45:06,827 --> 00:45:09,010
what the future is, grow it.

990
00:45:09,010 --> 00:45:10,960
Thanks so much for joining us.

991
00:45:15,655 --> 00:45:17,641
Speaker 1: We hope you've
enjoyed this episode of the

992
00:45:17,681 --> 00:45:19,246
Growing Our Future podcast.

993
00:45:19,246 --> 00:45:23,610
This show is sponsored by the
Texas FFA Foundation, whose

994
00:45:23,690 --> 00:45:26,679
mission is to strengthen
agricultural science education

995
00:45:27,081 --> 00:45:29,967
so students can develop their
potential for personal growth,

996
00:45:30,394 --> 00:45:33,541
career success and leadership in
a global marketplace.

997
00:45:33,541 --> 00:45:35,907
Learn more at mytexasffaorg.