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Oprah: OUR NEXT SESSION IS WITH A RHODES SCHOLAR,
A WHITE HOUSE FELLOW, AND A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR.
I FIRST MET WES MOORE SEVEN YEARS AGO ON THE "OPRAH" SHOW --
I MET SO MANY PEOPLE THERE.
I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY HIM
THROUGH HIS INTENSELY PERSONAL WRITINGS
AND SO MUCH OF HIS OTHER WORK.
HE SHINED AN UNFLINCHING LIGHT
ON HOW ENVIRONMENT AND CIRCUMSTANCE
AND PERSONAL WILL CAN SHAPE THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR LIVES.
WES' SESSION IS TITLED
"THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR JOB...
AND YOUR WORK."
AH, LOVE IT.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
BLESSINGS. THANK YOU.
BLESSINGS. THANK YOU, GUYS.
GOOD MORNING.
All: GOOD MORNING.
IT IS A -- IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY DISTINCT HONOR TO BE HERE.
AND THIS MOMENT BRINGS ME BACK TO A MOMENT
THAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO WHEN I REMEMBER I WAS SITTING
ON THE NEW YORK SUBWAY -- THE TRAIN --
AND FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL WHO KNOW THE NEW YORK SUBWAY,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SARDINE CAN, YOU KNOW,
EVERYBODY PACKED IN, RIGHT?
BUT THIS TIME WAS ACTUALLY REALLY QUIET.
AND THE REASON IT WAS REALLY QUIET
WAS BECAUSE IT WAS AROUND 10:30 AT NIGHT,
AND SO THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THIS TRAIN.
AND IT'S 10:30 AT NIGHT, AND I WAS JUST COMING BACK FROM MY JOB
THAT I HAD JUST SPENT 14 1/2 HOURS WORKING AT.
THAT JOB WAS ON WALL STREET.
THAT JOB WAS AN INVESTMENT BANKER, ALL RIGHT?
WELL, I'D JUST COME ONBOARD, AND I WAS LEARNING ABOUT
ALL THIS STUFF AND LEARNING ABOUT SWAPS
AND EXOTIC DERIVATIVES AND CONVERTIBLES --
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A CAR AND IT WASN'T.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I WAS SO PROUD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE
BECAUSE IT WAS A SPACE
AND IT WAS A PLACE THAT EVERYBODY TOLD ME
IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT PLACE TO BE.
THAT EVERYONE TOLD ME HOW PROUD THEY WERE THAT I WAS THERE.
WHEN THEY SAID, "YOU KNOW, THAT'S AMAZING
THAT YOU'RE DOING ALL THAT WORK AND YOU'RE DOING ALL THAT STUFF,
STUFF THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS,"
AND I REMEMBER ONCE I HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH MY GRANDPARENTS.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS A MINISTER UP IN THE SOUTH BRONX,
AND MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A PUBLIC-SCHOOL TEACHER
FOR 28 YEARS.
AND I REMEMBER ONCE, I WENT TO GO SEE THEM,
AND I'M EATING ALL THESE JAMAICAN DELICACIES --
MY GRANDFATHER WAS FROM JAMAICA AND MY GRANDMOTHER
WAS BORN IN CUBA, CAME FROM JAMAICA --
SO WE'RE EATING, LIKE, OXTAIL AND ACKEE AND SALTFISH.
[ CHEERING ]
[ Jamaican accent ] CURRY GOAT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ Normal voice ] RIGHT, AND I'M EATING ALL THIS STUFF,
AND MY GRANDFATHER KIND OF SAYS TO ME IN BETWEEN MY BITES,
AND HE SAYS, "SO, WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO?"
[ LIGHT LAUGHTER ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
AND MY GRANDMOTHER KIND OF SAVED ME AND SHE STOPPED ME,
AND SHE SAID, [Jamaican accent] "DEAR, YOU KNOW HE'S A BANKER."
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ Normal voice ] AND THEN SHE SAYS,
"IN FACT, I WANT TO GO TELL MISS JOHNSON
TO GO DO HER CHECKS WITH HIM."
MISS JOHNSON WAS THEIR 80-YEAR-OLD NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR.
MISS JOHNSON AND THE CHECKS THAT MY GRANDMOTHER WAS TALKING
ABOUT WAS MISS JOHNSON'S SOCIAL-SECURITY CHECKS.
MY GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THAT IF MISS JOHNSON HANDED ME HER CHECK,
I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
MY GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT IF MISS JOHNSON CAME DOWN
TO MY OFFICE TO HAND ME HER CHECK,
SECURITY WOULDN'T HAVE LET HER INTO THE BUILDING.
THAT WAS MY REALITY.
THIS PLACE THAT EVERYONE WAS SO PROUD OF ME BEING THERE
BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO DIFFERENT, SO FOREIGN,
SO EXCITING FROM ANYTHING THEY HAD KNOWN BEFORE,
AND ESPECIALLY WHY THAT MATTERS
IS HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHERE I CAME FROM
AND HOW FAR I CAME -- HOW FAR I'D COME.
EXACTLY 13.2 MILES.
BECAUSE 13.2 MILES FROM MY OFFICE
DOWN ON WALL STREET WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE BRONX
THAT I SPENT MUCH OF MY CHILDHOOD IN.
13.2 MILES FROM MY OFFICE DOWN ON WALL STREET WAS A COMMUNITY
THAT WAS CHRONICALLY UNDERINVESTED IN.
AND THE SHAME ABOUT IT IS, FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAME UP
IN THAT COMMUNITY, WE KNEW IT.
13.2 MILES FROM THAT OFFICE WAS A PLACE AND A SPACE
WHERE THIS IDEA OF HOPE AND THIS IDEA OF EXPECTATIONS
COMPLETELY PARALLELED ONE ANOTHER,
AND IT'S A PLACE THAT I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT WE --
ALL OF US FROM OUR COMMUNITIES --
THAT WE ARE NOT PRODUCTS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTS,
BUT THAT WE ARE PRODUCTS OF OUR EXPECTATIONS.
AND THAT THE EXECRATIONS THAT WE ALL HAVE OF OURSELVES
DON'T COME FROM NOWHERE.
THEY COME FROM THE EXPECTATIONS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE OF US,
AND WE INTERNALIZE THEM AND WE MAKE THEM OUR OWN.
13.2 MILES FROM MY OFFICE WAS A PLACE WHERE AT 11 YEARS OLD,
WHERE I FIRST FELT HANDCUFFS ON MY WRIST.
SO, Y'ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY MAMA
MORE THAN WORDS CAN EVEN EXPLAIN.
RIGHT?
MY MOTHER RAISED THREE KIDS ON HER OWN.
SHE'S ACTUALLY HERE TODAY, AND...
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
...AND I PRAISE GOD FOR HER, I REALLY DO.
AND I THINK, IN FACT, MY LITTLE SISTER, WHO I THINK --
MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SISTER,
WHO I THINK SAID IT BEST WHERE SHE SAID,
"OUR MOTHER WORE SWEATERS SO WE COULD WEAR COATS."
MY MOTHER SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR HER KIDS.
BUT EVEN MY MOTHER COULDN'T KEEP US AWAY FROM THIS REALITY
OF WHAT WE KNEW.
AND SO, WHEN I HAD THIS CHANCE NOW
TO GO WORK AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND EVERYONE WAS SAYING,
"MAN, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO WALL STREET?
SON..."
[ LAUGHTER ]
"TAKE THAT.
YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GO DO ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF."
AND I WAS, LIKE, "WELL, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
'CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO PAY ME A LOT OF MONEY
AND I CAN WORK WITH REALLY SMART PEOPLE
AND THEY PAY ME A LOT OF MONEY."
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I REMEMBER AT 10:30 THAT NIGHT FEELING LIKE
FOR SO LONG,
I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A PLACE AND I WAS IN A SPACE
THAT IT WASN'T LIKE I DIDN'T BELONG BECAUSE I FELT LIKE,
YOU KNOW, "OH, I DON'T BELONG IN THIS ENVIRONMENT,"
BECAUSE FRANKLY, ONE THING I BELIEVE DEEPLY
AND BELIEVE WITH ALL CERTAINTY,
IS THE FACT THAT I AM NEVER IN A ROOM THAT I DON'T BELONG IN.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
I'M NOT IN -- NO ROOM THAT I'M IN
AM I THERE BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S BENEVOLENCE
OR BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.
I AM IN THAT ROOM BECAUSE I BELONG THERE, RIGHT?
BUT I FELT LIKE IT WASN'T MY PLACE
NOT BECAUSE THIS WAS A PLACE
THAT I DIDN'T BELONG IN FOR WHATEVER REASON --
IT WAS A PLACE THAT I FELT LIKE I WASN'T BEING FED
BY THE ENVIRONMENT THAT I WAS IN.
10:30 AT NIGHT, I'M LISTENING TO MY --
THIS IS HOW BACK IN THE DAY THIS WAS --
I WAS LISTENING TO MY iPOD.
RIGHT?
AND YOU ALL REMEMBER HOW THE iPOD USED TO GO WHERE
YOU JUST HAVE THAT LITTLE CIRCLE AND YOU JUST SWIVEL IT AROUND?
AND YOU HAD THAT FEATURE IN THE iPOD THAT WAS CALLED "RANDOM"
AND IT WOULD JUST PLAY RANDOM SONGS?
AND I HAD LIKE 2,000 SONGS,
AND SO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU JUST HEAR SONGS
THAT YOU HADN'T HEARD IN A VERY LONG TIME.
RIGHT?
AND I HEARD THIS SONG THAT I HADN'T HEARD IN,
IT FELT LIKE, YEARS.
AND IT WAS BY A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF LAURYN HILL.
[ FAINT CHEERING ]
AND SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW,
LAURYN HILL IS A HIP-HOP/R&B ARTIST.
SHE PUT TOGETHER THIS ALBUM CALLED
"THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL," WHICH...
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
...I MEAN, I SWEAR,
YOU CAN JUST LITERALLY JUST SIT DOWN AND PUSH "PLAY"
AND LET THE WHOLE THING RIDE, RIGHT?
THAT'S HOW POWERFUL THIS ALBUM WAS.
AND I'M LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM,
AND IT WAS NUMBER 15 ON HER ALBUM, RIGHT?
I THINK IT WAS THE TITLE TRACK, BUT IT WAS NUMBER 15.
AND THEN, THERE'S KIND OF A SCRATCHY RECORD THAT COMES ON,
LIKE [IMITATES RECORD SCRATCHING]
SHE WANTS IT TO FEEL OLD-SCHOOL.
AND THEN OUT OF NOWHERE, HER BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL VOICE
COMES OVER THE RECORD.
AND SHE STARTS SINGING.
AND EVERY TIME I TRY TO BE
WHAT SOMEONE ELSE THOUGHT OF ME
SO CAUGHT UP
I WASN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE
BUT DEEP IN MY HEART
THE ANSWER, IT WAS IN ME
AND I MADE UP MY MIND
TO DEFINE MY OWN DESTINY
I FELT LIKE AT THAT MOMENT, LAURYN WAS SINGING TO ME.
LIKE, SHE'S MY FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH, RIGHT?
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I'M LAYING ON THE COUCH...
AND LAURYN'S TALKING TO ME.
WELL, I FELT LIKE I FOUND MYSELF SO OFTEN TRYING TO FIND MY PEACE
IN MY BUSINESS CARD.
I FELT MYSELF TRYING TO FIND MY PEACE IN THE FACT THAT
WHEN I MET PEOPLE AND THEY ASKED ME WHAT I DID,
THAT HOPEFULLY THE ANSWER THAT I WOULD GIVE THEM WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS INTERESTING ENOUGH FOR THEM
TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION,
INSTEAD OF FORGETTING MY NAME 30 SECONDS LATER.
I FOUND MYSELF IN A PLACE WHERE I WAS BEING CALLED TO TASK
WHERE I WAS ACTUALLY VALUING MY WORTH BY MY EMPLOYER.
"AND EVERY TIME I TRIED TO BE WHAT SOMEONE ELSE THOUGHT OF ME,
SO CAUGHT UP I WASN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
BUT DEEP IN MY HEART, THE ANSWER -- IT WAS IN ME.
SO, I MADE UP MY MIND TO DEFINE MY OWN DESTINY."
DAVID GRAEBER'S AN ANTHROPOLOGIST,
AND HE'S AN ACTIVIST.
AND HE ONCE MADE A STATEMENT WHERE HE SAID,
"HUGE SWATHS OF OUR WORLD ARE CURRENTLY WORKING IN JOBS
THAT THEY SECRETLY BELIEVE SHOULD NOT EVEN EXIST."
[ LIGHT LAUGHTER ]
THE MORAL PAIN OF THAT REALITY IS SEVERE --
A SCAR ACROSS OUR COLLECTIVE SOUL.
WHERE I FIND MYSELF TRYING TO FIND MY VALUE IN MY JOB,
WHAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
WAS I NEEDED TO FIND MY VALUE IN MY WORK.
AND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE A JOB WAS MY OCCUPATION.
MY WORK WAS WHEN MY GREATEST PASSIONS
BEGAN TO START OVERLAPPING WITH THE WORLD'S GREATEST NEEDS,
AND I CHOSE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I CHOSE TO START GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FINDING MY WORK.
AND SO, THE WORK THAT WE DO NOW
IS VERY MUCH A REACTION TO THAT PROCESS.
THE WORK WE DO NOW IS VERY MUCH A REACTION TO THAT JOURNEY,
BECAUSE ONE THING I BELIEVE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO
IS THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO IS NOT SOMETHING --
THAT'S NOT A CONCLUSION.
OUR WORK IS OUR JOURNEY.
OUR WORK IS A PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW --
WHY WERE WE HERE,
AND HOW DO WE THEN FULFILL THAT LANE
AND FULFILL THAT PURPOSE TO MAKE IT MEANINGFUL AND WORTHWHILE
THAT WE WERE EVER HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND SO, I THEN STARTED GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS
AND STARTED STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING,
AND I STARTED REALIZING
THAT ACTUALLY GOING AND FINDING MY WORK
REALLY CAME DOWN TO THREE DIFFERENT THINGS.
EVERY TIME I WANTED TO FIND MY WORK,
I HAD TO GO TO THE I.C.U.
RIGHT? NOT THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.
FIRST THING I HAD TO DO WAS IDENTIFY, THEN I HAD TO CALCIFY,
AND THEN I HAD TO UNIFY.
I HAD TO GO THROUGH MY I.C.U. TO FIND MY WORK.
FIRST, IDENTIFY --
IDENTIFY THE FACT THAT YOUR WORK IS NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK.
SOMEONE COULD GIVE YOU THE MOST IMPASSIONED SPEECH
ABOUT WHY THIS THING IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM,
BUT IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING
THAT MAKES YOUR HEART BEAT A LITTLE BIT FASTER,
IT'S NOT YOUR WORK.
YOU KNOW, I'LL HAVE PEOPLE -- WHETHER IT IS VETERAN'S ISSUES
OR WHETHER IT IS REFORMING THE CRIMINAL-JUSTICE SYSTEM
OR WHETHER YOUR ISSUE IS EDUCATION OR YOUTH OR SENIORS
OR THE ENVIRONMENT --
WHATEVER IT IS, THE IDENTIFICATION
OF YOUR WORK BECOMES A VERY PERSONAL PROCESS.
I HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME, IT'S LIKE, "WES, LISTEN.
I COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP.
LIKE, CAN YOU HELP ME ADVOCATE FOR THE EASTERN BAY OWL?"
I'M, LIKE, "YO, LISTEN, THE EASTERN BAY OWL NEEDS HELP."
[ LAUGHTER ]
"AND MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU
FOR BELIEVING IN THE EASTERN BAY OWL.
I THINK THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
IT'S NOT MY WORK.
I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
IT'S JUST NOT MY WORK."
THE IDENTIFICATION OF THAT THING
THAT MAKES YOUR HEART BEAT JUST A LITTLE BIT FASTER
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR WORK IS A VERY PERSONAL PROCESS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ISSUE OF THE DAY.
IT'S THE ISSUE OF YOUR LIFE.
CALCIFY -- THAT THE GOAL IS NOT TO START SOMETHING,
THE GOAL IS TO END SOMETHING.
OFTENTIMES, WHEN PEOPLE COME UP TO ME, THEY'RE LIKE,
"LISTEN, WES. YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT STARTING
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION."
THE VERY FIRST PIECE OF ADVICE I GIVE THEM
IS, "DON'T START A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION YET."
ALL RIGHT?
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OUT THERE, REALLY DO YOUR HOMEWORK
AND YOUR DILIGENCE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
HERE'S THE TRUTH --
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 40,000 ORGANIZATIONS
IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW THAT SERVE VETERANS,
WHAT WE CALL "VSOs" -- VETERAN SERVING ORGANIZATIONS.
OVER 40,000 ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY
CALL THEMSELVES VSOs.
I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW AS A PERSON
WHO WORKS VERY ACTIVELY ON THESE ISSUES,
THERE ARE NOT 40,000 ISSUES THAT VETERANS FACE.
BUT WE HAVE 40,000 VSOs WHO ARE ALL WORKING TO HELP THIS CAUSE.
MY POINT IS THIS --
YOUR GOAL SHOULD NEVER BE TO START SOMETHING.
YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO END IT.
AND SOMETIMES, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
FOUNDING SOMETHING --
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT NECESSARILY PULLING SOMETHING TOGETHER,
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, I KNOW PEOPLE
WHO BRING THEIR WORK TO THEIR JOB EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I THINK OF MY MAN DEREK, WHO'S A BARBER,
OVER IN WEST BALTIMORE, WHO CAME UP
IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST AREAS IN WEST BALTIMORE,
WHO NOW STILL HAS HIS BUSINESS
IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST AREAS OF WEST BALTIMORE.
NOW, HIS JOB IS THAT HE'S A BARBER.
HIS WORK IS THAT HE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION,
PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG BOYS
AND PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG BOYS OF COLOR.
SO, WHEN THEY COME INTO HIS BARBER SHOP,
AND IT'S ALL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY
IF YOU COME INTO MR. DEREK'S BARBER SHOP
AND YOU BRING A BOOK,
YOU'RE GOING TO GET A FREE CUT.
I THINK ABOUT PEOPLELIKE YOLANDA, WHO HER JOB --
SHE'S A MAKEUP ARTIST AND SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL MAKEUP ARTIST,
BUT HER WORK IS HELPING WOMEN
WHO ARE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE.
AND WHAT SHE DOES IS SHE TAKES HER TALENTS
AND SHE TAKES HER GIFTS
AND SHE WILL NOT JUST PHYSICALLY HELP,
BUT ALSO MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY HELP WOMEN WHO,
AT THAT TIME AND AT THAT MOMENT,
MIGHT BE AT THE LOWEST POINTS OF THEIR LIVES,
AND REMIND THEM OF JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL AND WORTHY THEY ARE
WHEN SOMEONE ELSE TRIED TO ROB THAT FROM THEM.
I THINK ABOUT WOMEN LIKE LISA,
WHO WORKS AS A CORPORATE ATTORNEY.
BUT HER WORK ARE VETERANS,
AND SO SHE GOES AROUND HER OFFICE
AND GOES TO ALL THE BIG CORPORATE LAWYERS WHO HAVE SUITS
THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVEN'T WORN IN YEARS,
AND SHE GOES AND COLLECTS SUITS,
SHIRTS, BELTS, TIES, ET CETERA, AND THEN SHE GIVES THEM
AND WORKS WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT
AS VETERANS ARE TRANSITIONING OUT
AND GOING TO LOOK FOR JOBS,
THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND LOOK THE PART
WHEN THEY'RE GOING FOR THEIR JOB INTERVIEWS.
THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT STARTING SOMETHING,
BUT IT'S ABOUT ENDING SOMETHING.
AND THE THIRD THING, THE "U," IS UNIFY --
THIS IDEA THAT THE PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE TRYING TO HELP,
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION
AND NOT JUST SUBJECTS OF THE CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER ONCE WORKING WITH A UNIVERSITY
WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE GONNA DO
INSIDE THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY CALL HOME.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE
WHO ARE WORKING ON OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE,"
AND THEY STARTED PUTTING ALL THESE NAMES.
"AND WE HAVE THE FOREMOST EXPERTS IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT,"
DR. SO-AND-SO AND SO-AND-SO."
AND I SAID, "MAN, THAT SOUNDS GREAT."
AND I SAID, "HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY
DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR WORKING GROUP?"
AND THEY KIND OF LOOKED AT EACH OTHER,
AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WELL, WE HAVE DR. SO-AND-SO TO..."
[ LAUGHTER ]
IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING SURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE
ARE INVOLVED IN THAT CONVERSATION,
PARTICULARLY THE PEOPLE WHERE YOUR WORK OVERLAPS
AND YOUR WORK ALIGNS,
YOUR ALTRUISM WILL BE SEEN AS SOMETHING ELSE.
YOUR ALTRUISM WILL BE SEEN AS PATERNALISM.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS
OF THE IDENTIFICATION OF OUR WORK,
IT COMES WITH A SPACE, AND IT COMES WITH AN URGENCY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS COMING UP
AND I WAS SENT OFF TO MILITARY SCHOOL --
MY MOTHER THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA, FOR SOME REASON.
IT WAS, MAMA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I REMEMBER WE HAD THIS COLONEL THERE,
A GUY NAMED COLONEL BILLY G. MURPHY,
WHO WAS A THREE-TIME VIETNAM VETERAN.
HE WAS OUR COMMANDANT OF CADETS,
AND THIS DUDE WAS AS TOUGH AS NAILS.
MY BUDDIES AND I USED TO LAUGH, SAY,
"I THINK WE ONLY SAW HIM SMILE ONCE,"
AND I THINK IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WHEN WE SAW HIM SMILE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT WE LOVED HIM 'CAUSE HE LOVED US.
BUT ONE DAY, HE CALLED THE ENTIRE CORPS OF CADETS TOGETHER
FOR AN EVENING FORMATION, WHICH WAS WEIRD.
BUT IT WAS AT 8:00 AT NIGHT ON A SUNDAY NIGHT.
AND WE HAD NOTICED THAT HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT REALLY QUICKLY.
IN FACT, THE UNIFORM THAT HE WAS WEARING --
IT WAS STARTING TO FIT SO BIG
THAT IT ACTUALLY STARTED TO EVEN LOOK LIKE
IT WAS HIS FATHER'S UNIFORM OR SOMETHING.
AND HE CALLED THE ENTIRE CORPS OF CADETS TOGETHER,
AND WE WERE ALL SITTING INSIDE THE PEWS.
AND HE WAS STANDING UP IN THE PULPIT.
AND HE GOT UP IN THE PULPIT, AND HE TOLD US
THAT HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
AND THAT HE HAD TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL.
SO THIS, IN ESSENCE, WAS HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS.
BUT HE SAID SOMETHING TO US THAT DAY THAT I WILL FORGET.
HE JUST LOOKED OVER US, AND HE SAID,
"WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE HERE..."
"WHETHER IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE THIS SCHOOL,
WHETHER IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE YOUR JOB,
WHETHER IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
OR WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE THIS PLANET..."
"MAKE SURE THAT IT MATTERED THAT YOU WERE EVER EVEN HERE."
"MAKE SURE THAT IT MATTERED THAT YOU WERE EVER EVEN HERE,"
BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE PROMISED ANYTHING.
WE'RE NOT PROMISED MORE DAYS OR MORE WEEKS OR MORE YEARS.
NO ONE HAS EVER TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER
AND WAS LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT, WES?
YOU'VE GOT 6,515 DAYS LEFT, SO YOU CAN PACE YOURSELF."
[ LAUGHTER ]
RIGHT?
WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE LIKE,
"YEAH, I'M-A GET TO THAT ONCE I GET PROMOTED,
I'M-A GET TO THAT ONCE I GET TENURE,
I'M-A GET TO THAT ONCE I RETIRE,
I'M-A GET TO THAT ONCE MY KIDS MOVE OUT,"
WHO HAS PROMISED YOU ANYTHING?
SO THE ONLY THING THAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHILE WE'RE HERE,
LET'S ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITH IT...
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
...THAT, WHILE WE'RE HERE,
LET'S LOVE, AND LET'S LOVE A LITTLE HARDER.
WHILE WE'RE HERE, LET'S PUSH, AND LET'S PUSH A LITTLE FASTER.
WHILE WE'RE HERE, LET'S GIVE, AND LET'S GIVE A LITTLE MORE.
AND WHILE WE'RE HERE...
LET'S GET TO OUR WORK.
BLESS YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GREAT JOB.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE CONTINUE ]
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VocabularyWes Moore: The Difference Between Your Job and Your Work
Author Wes Moore says, “We are not products of our environments, we are products of our expectations.”
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