A Keynote Speech to Black Pre-Law Students

I am proud of all that I’ve accomplished both in academics and professionally, and I could list the companies, the NBA, Walmart, FedEx, Nike, Adidas, BDA Sports, that I’ve worked with. But, the most important thing I stress when I speak to young people is not what I’ve done, but the path that allowed me to do it. The most important thing I want you to take away from me is that the most foundational steps to maturity in my life took place in the furtherance of education and learning. Because, I knew it would forever arm me, myself, my future family, and anyone within my sphere of influence, with the tools, relationships and wisdom needed to change the world around me. I am proud to say this primarily took place here on the campus of the University of Arkansas. 

One of the most important things that college taught me is to liberate the mind. I think this take away is especially important for where yall are in your lives. A place where there is often confusion that plagues the mind as you look to the future and young adulthood. 

When I say liberate the mind I mean liberate yourself from the restrictions that we all have imposed on us. Whether you choose to move forward and attend law school or not, liberate your mind and be ambitious. Seek out those that provide that unconscious permission that we all need to move confidently in the direction of our own dreams. One of the most important things I’ve written for my growth, I now share with my mentees.

“A poverty of ambition leaves you at the mercy of others charity. Causing you to slowly repress yourself in order to be bathed in said charity.

Turning you into someone who increasingly places their future into the temperamental hands of the unconcerned, who will mold you into a machine for their dreams.

Please don’t be someone else’s machine, there is very little admiration that flows from this, not true or real, anyway. That admiration isn’t for being you, it’s for being a tool who implicitly begs to be used.”

But being ambitious and liberating your mind isn’t enough. You must fall in love with the details that increasing competition requires. How often have you said to yourself and others, it’s not that deep or it’s not that serious? HOW MANY? I’m not here to tell you to be fatalistic and believe that every detail that doesn’t go right for you is the end of the world. But what I am telling you is, training your mind to believe every detail is important allows for you to be best prepared for deviations in plans and the bumps that will surely come.

This doesn’t just apply to jobs, careers, entrepreneurship, court cases, or pleadings. This applies to you as a human being. It is important to be keenly aware of the details of yourself. To see where your blind spots lie. It’s what separates static knowledge from lasting wisdom. 

David Brooks wrote, “Wisdom isn’t a body of information it’s the moral quality of knowing what you don’t know and figuring out a way to handle your ignorance, uncertainty, and limitation.” I agree with this. Having the humility to examine your own limitations is the only secret to life that exists.

Lastly, share yourself. Share every bit of you that will help the next person, while not destroying or debilitating you. Keep in mind I said “destroy or debilitate” and not discomfort or disappoint. Caring and helping develop others can’t be subjected to a litmus test of comfortable and pride inducing or it not be worth the time. It is so important to mentor and share, especially for black folks. As Bessie Stanley put it, “He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much, who has left the world better than he found it, who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had, whose life was an inspiration, whose memory a benediction.”

So, once you’ve liberated your mind and you have tasted the consistent adrenaline rush that flows from a confident and ambitious attitude, and once you’ve trained yourself to see the forest and the trees, and to self reflect and self-correct… share yourself. Mentor, breath life into others. It pays off in spades. 

No blessing I’ve ever received has been more impactful than the love of leadership and mentorship. It makes you a better citizen, a better friend, a better husband or wife, a better brother or sister, a better father or mother, a better you. The love of leadership, mentorship, and responsibility is rejuvenating, it’s enlightening, it’s the most important investment you can make in society.