Eric Thomas- Get to another level

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4cBVUPkmUQ

I can  I will I must.

Get up at 4:30 am. 

One day waking up, despite everything that is going on, I have to get to another level. I had a desire to take the educational system to another level. 

Help drop out, but they had these barriers. I know I can turn education around. I must be honest. I had the passion, but I didn't have the theory. I had the passion, but I didn't necessarily have the effort. 

If I could find that individual that I could get inspiration for. I know I can make a difference, I know I can turn things around. Is there such a person? Does this person exist?

I had one perspective of what he was going to look like. tell me to read books and give me theories and give me tools to use. It was different. He inquired, do you really want this? Is this something you really think you can do? Absolutely! I can see it, I can see kids graduate from my school program. 

He said if you are serious, meet me tomorrow morning 4:30am at the beach. 

He had this look if you are serious, meet me tomorrow Eric. How iffy I felt, I felt empowered that I could do for youth what someone could do for me. I had someone when I was homeless, eating out of trash cans. I had the experience of someone speaking the right word at the right time. I had been in this movie before. I think I am mature enough to do for others as has been done for me. 

If 430am is going to do it, then get up at 430am. Go to bed early. Gotta have your clothes ready. Everything has to be prepared. I was at the spot. When I got to the spot. Mentor said, l

"I have a vision, I see myself being an educator. Forget about what happened in K to 12. Forget about that."

I don't see the connection to get in the water. If you want what you say you want, get in the water.  Don't question me. its 430am, if at any point you get uncomfortable. We didn't swim, swim. 

Something in my spirit said, this is right. Let's make this a reality. The water is cold. Hit my feet, water hit my knees. I was like what are you doing? He could drown you and nobody knows. You are here, I went further. Hit my waist, still cold. I thought my body would get used to the cold, nope its still cold. 

Then it hit my shoulders. I'm like this is too much. What I am risking for what I am already got, he's looking at me like you are already out here. 

You have people teaching kids they don't understand their experience. There's some that you know the experience but you are not in the water with them. I love you, appreciative for you. You are my super hero. Reality is, you are more intrusive. You are extremely important. You are all we have. You are there, you made the commitment you are in deep waters. Need to go the rest of the way. I thought I gotta turn around, you are out here in this water. Teach  5 years,  10 years. You are already in deep waters. The water is up to y our shoulders. You are already there, you are past the ankles, the feet, the chest. you are immersed in this thing called education. I just want to push you a little further. I want to get you past that 80%, 90%. it was too much, what I am giving versus what I am getting. 

Its not that I don't want to do it, I began to turn around the guru grabs by back of the neck and puts me under the water. Now I went from education to my life. As he presses my head further down the water. Now I'm holding my breath and 10 seconds go by, 20 seconds. I'm like he's playing he's gonna let me go. then 40 seconds go by, 50s my life flashes before me. I shouldn't have done this, I shouldn't have gone out into the water. 60seconds he pulls my head out of the water. Old man trying to kill me!

He said I didn't try to kill me. I told you I wanted to be a educator, I want to know the secret to success. I did exactly what I told you what I said I was going to do. Young man, when you were under water what were you thinking about? Where you thinking about the family, basketball, to be honest all I thought about was breathing. 

When you go back and do the GD program. that's it! You just said it, when you were underwater only thin you wanted to breathe.

When you wanted to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will successful in any area of your life. I didn't say eat. You could fast in 30 days. water, you can go 3 days. I said you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe. You only got a minute or so.  You don't need better skills, go from 70% to 170%. 

Nobody affirms me for doing well on SAT. Where you come from, education is not affirmed. You have to suppress it if you are a scholar.  Grandma is washed out so she only gives 50. Mom is tired, so she gives you 80. dad is not around. Are you giving 120 to the babies. because of what is going on between peers or principal. How bad do you want it?  Nothing to prove to anybody. 

Teachers, we put everyone first. The plane is crashing they are crushing theirs and they have yours. Take care of yourself. If you don't take care of yourself. If you burn out, we already lost.