There are a lot of very powerful words in the English language. As a principal, I have heard (and probably) said a lot of them. However, on March 15, as I sat in the audience, listening to twotime number one national bestselling author and renowned speaker, John O’Leary, share his story, The Power of One, I was at a loss. His message started and ended with five pretty common words; however, these five words when combined, perhaps form the greatest sentence known to man, “What More Can I Do?”
With apologies to Scott Walsh and Savage and Associates, I have to admit to you that boarding a bus with 20 students at 12:30 on a Wednesday afternoon was not evoking even close to the excitement that it should have. My mind was on everything but the chance to hear this speaker. I suspect that a few of the 20 students who Mr. Walsh sponsored to attend the hour-long program were most likely preoccupied, too. Right until the lights dimmed. Right until Mr. O’Leary was introduced. Right until he revealed the circumstances of his life that brought him, and his powerful message to the stage that day. Right until he got us all thinking how we might and how we needed to answer the question formed by those five simple words. Folks, I even caught myself writing those words down on the papers that sat on the table in front of me. “What More Can I Do?”
What more can I do? I know there are a lot of people who want to answer this question for others–usually commenting, “why didn’t/ don’t you (fill in the blank).” The truth is that a lot of us allow others to answer that question for us. On March 15, Mr. O’Leary didn’t try to answer that question for me–he challenged me to start answering it for myself. He did it in a simple, yet incredibly powerful way.
There were 200 people in the same room–20 of them who attend SHS and all under the age of 18 who had as profound a reaction to that question as I did–“What More Can I Do?” We talked about it on the bus. I plan to ask it many, many more times. Of myself, of these 20 young leaders, of my colleagues, and my family. I’d like to end with a challenge to everyone who has chosen to read this far , go to youtube.com/watch?v=wOR s1Rb7Er4&t=3s and give yourself the three minutes it will take to be inspired by Mr. O’Leary’s message.
Then give yourself a few more to reflect before you write the words, “What More Can I Do?”
