Slide 1
My name is [John Maxwell Team Member] and [brief intro]…
Thank you for hosting me today. I am so happy to be here and share with you an important message about inner strength.
To help us get started, let me introduce you to two of my dear friends.
Slide 2
Have you ever heard of John Maxwell? Well Dr. Maxwell is my friend and mentor. He is considered one of the top leadership experts in the world. The author of over 80 books, John has been a New York Times Best Seller and a great influencer to many leaders around the world. As a member of his team, I’ve had the pleasure of learning from John personally. And let me tell you…there is nothing quite like learning from the best.
Because John is passionate about leadership and growing the leaders of today and tomorrow, he has made a personal commitment to growing young people. Today, you are participating in YouthMAX, John’s youth leadership development program. His special friend, Nick Vujicic is our YouthMAX Ambassador. Have you ever heard of Nick? Have you seen any of his Youtube videos? Nick was born without any limbs. Yes. That’s right. He doesn’t have any legs or any arms. And although he was born without limbs, Nick has challenged himself to live life to the fullest. He is a successful motivational speaker who shares his personal story and inspires young people to be their best.
That’s enough from me…let’s hear more about YouthMAX from Nick.
Slide 3
Show Nick’s Video
Slide 4 : Overview of YouthMAX content (read slide)
Slide 5
In this video, Nick will discuss the value of being your true self andhow his choice to live his authentic self, led him to a life filled with success and purpose. Be sure to pay attention to Nick’s message. We will need Nick’s comments to complete an exercise later in the session and at the end of the series. I proudly introduce to you, my friend Nick.
Slide 6
Nick shared a lot about the importance of our inner strength. Knowing who we are and just how strong we are, can allow us to do amazing things. Look at Nick. He has no arms, no legs, and he didn’t have many people believing in him. But he believed in himself. He was strong.
When we think of strength, many times we think of the image on the screen. We think of physical strength. But true strength is usually not seen. It is something within us.
What does strength look like to you?
[Take 5 minutes to discuss]
Slide 7
Growing up, we often find ourselves tempted by things that may give us a temporary excitement or comfort – but we know in our heart they are not right. Often times, we look to these things to fill a void in our lives because we simply have not committed to live our truths.
Saying no to temptations increases your strength. And when you are true to yourself and the things you know are right, you can say no to things that will keep you from living your truth.
Let’s take a few moments and consider Nick’s message. What were some of the main points he shared? How did that make you feel? What were some of the ideas or thoughts that Nick’s message brought to your mind?
Slide 8
Each of us can either live the life we are called to be or live a life based on what other people believe we should be living. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather live the life that I am called to live. I’d rather live a life filled with purpose and positivity. I’d rather make tough choices and not succumb to negative influences. I’d rather be my true self.
In order to live the life you are called to be, you must make these three choices!
Choice #1 –You are not defined by what people think of you
Choice #2 –Limitations do not define your success – not your situation, your environment, your limitation
Choice #3 –Choose to be your true self – not even success defines you.
Slide 9
Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest leaders for social justice, once said, “Be congruent, be authentic, be your true self.” Against all odds and in the face of people who disagreed with his beliefs, Mahatma Gandhi was his true self. Who is the true you?
Honestly, this question is something that you will be asking yourself and answering for the rest of your life. Who am I? Don’t be overwhelmed by that. It’s natural. Over time, you will change and experiences may mold and shape who you become. But the core of who we are, rarely changes.
Nick’s story of personal development began with the question, “Who am I?” Once he answered the question, he began to find purpose in and for his life. He no longer was living to die. Even as a young person, he knew that he was placed on earth to change people’s lives. He stopped focusing on what he didn’t have and reminded himself to be grateful for what he did have. He didn’t have arms and legs, but he had his little “chicken wing.”
Many times along his journey, he found himself alone. He didn’t have many friends and no one but him believed in his dream to be a motivational speaker. But Nick didn’t allow his aloneness to overwhelm him. He didn’t allow his aloneness to be loneliness. Nick found that his aloneness didn’t define him. Similarly your level of popularity doesn’t define your success. The true you – who you are – defines your success and who you are and will become.
Let’s dig a little deeper. Using the worksheet provided and working independently, I want you to take a few minutes and write down your answers to the questions.
[Take 5 minutes]
Would anyone like to share their answers?
Slide 10: Read Slide
End the session and thank the group for participating.