The wisest person I ever met in my life a
The wisest person I ever met in my life a

third-grade dropouts
third-grade dropouts

Why is this and drop out in the same sentence as rather oxymoronic?
Why is this and drop out in the same sentence as rather oxymoronic?

like jumbo shrimp
like jumbo shrimp

Mm-hmm
Mm-hmm

And it's not oxymoronic for me to say third grade and drop out
And it's not oxymoronic for me to say third grade and drop out

That third grade dropout the wisest person I ever met in my life who taught me
That third grade dropout the wisest person I ever met in my life who taught me

to combine
to combine

knowledge and wisdom to make an impact was my father a
knowledge and wisdom to make an impact was my father a

simple cook
simple cook

Why is this man ever men of my life just a simple cook?
Why is this man ever men of my life just a simple cook?

Left school in the third grade to help out on the family farm
Left school in the third grade to help out on the family farm

But just because he left school doesn't mean a jezic
But just because he left school doesn't mean a jezic

education stopped Mark Twain once said I've never allowed my schooling to get in the way of my education my
education stopped Mark Twain once said I've never allowed my schooling to get in the way of my education my

father taught himself how to read taught himself how to write
father taught himself how to read taught himself how to write

Decided in the midst of Jim Crow ISM as America was breathing the last gasp of the Civil War
Decided in the midst of Jim Crow ISM as America was breathing the last gasp of the Civil War

My father decided he was going to stand and be a man
My father decided he was going to stand and be a man

Not a black man
Not a black man

Not a brown man, not a white man, but a man
Not a brown man, not a white man, but a man

He literally
He literally

challenged himself to be the best that he could all the days of his life a
challenged himself to be the best that he could all the days of his life a

Third grade dropout daddy who was quoting Michelangelo saying to us boys I won't have a problem if you aim high and miss
Third grade dropout daddy who was quoting Michelangelo saying to us boys I won't have a problem if you aim high and miss

but I'm gonna have a real issue if you aim low and hit a
but I'm gonna have a real issue if you aim low and hit a

Country mother quoting Henry Ford saying if you think you can or if you think you can't you're right
Country mother quoting Henry Ford saying if you think you can or if you think you can't you're right

I learned that from a third grade drop simple lessons lessons like these son
I learned that from a third grade drop simple lessons lessons like these son

You'd rather be an hour early than a minute late
You'd rather be an hour early than a minute late

We never knew what time it was at my house cuz the clocks were always ahead
We never knew what time it was at my house cuz the clocks were always ahead

My mother said for nearly 30 years my father left the house at 3:45 in the morning one day
My mother said for nearly 30 years my father left the house at 3:45 in the morning one day

She asked him. Why daddy? He said, maybe one of my boys will catch me in the act of excellence
She asked him. Why daddy? He said, maybe one of my boys will catch me in the act of excellence

I want to share two things with you
I want to share two things with you

Aristotle said you are what you repeatedly do there for excellent talk being a habit not an act
Aristotle said you are what you repeatedly do there for excellent talk being a habit not an act

Don't ever forget that I know you're tough
Don't ever forget that I know you're tough

But always remember to be I always don't ever forget that never
But always remember to be I always don't ever forget that never

embarrass mama
embarrass mama

mm-hmm
mm-hmm

Yeah, if mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy if daddy ain't happy don't nobody care, but you know I'm tell you
Yeah, if mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy if daddy ain't happy don't nobody care, but you know I'm tell you

Next lesson
Next lesson

Lesson from a cook over there in the galley
Lesson from a cook over there in the galley

Son make sure your servants towel is bigger than your ego
Son make sure your servants towel is bigger than your ego

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity?
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity?

Y'all might have a relative in mind you want to send that to let me say it again
Y'all might have a relative in mind you want to send that to let me say it again

Ego is the anesthesia the dead is the pain of stupidity pride is the burden of a foolish person John Wooden coach?
Ego is the anesthesia the dead is the pain of stupidity pride is the burden of a foolish person John Wooden coach?

basketball in UCLA for a living
basketball in UCLA for a living

But his calling was the impact people and with all those national
But his calling was the impact people and with all those national

Championships guess what he was found doing in the middle of the week going into the cupboard
Championships guess what he was found doing in the middle of the week going into the cupboard

Grabbing a broom and sweeping his own gym floor
Grabbing a broom and sweeping his own gym floor

You want to make an impact find your broom?
You want to make an impact find your broom?

every day of your life
every day of your life

You find your broom you grow your influence that way that way you're attracting people so that you can impact them
You find your broom you grow your influence that way that way you're attracting people so that you can impact them

final lesson
final lesson

son
son

You're gonna do a job
You're gonna do a job

Do it right?
Do it right?

I've always been told how
I've always been told how

Average I can be always been criticized about being average
Average I can be always been criticized about being average

But I want to tell you something I stand here before you before all of these people not listening to those words
But I want to tell you something I stand here before you before all of these people not listening to those words

But telling myself
But telling myself

Every single day to shoot for the stars
Every single day to shoot for the stars

to be the best that I can be good enough isn't good enough if it can be better and
to be the best that I can be good enough isn't good enough if it can be better and

Better isn't good enough. If it can be best
Better isn't good enough. If it can be best

Let me close
Let me close

With a very personal story that I think will bring all this into focus
With a very personal story that I think will bring all this into focus

Wisdom will come to you in the unlikeliest of sources a lot of times through failure when you hit rock-bottom remember this
Wisdom will come to you in the unlikeliest of sources a lot of times through failure when you hit rock-bottom remember this

While you're struggling
While you're struggling

rock-bottom can also be a great foundation on which to build and
rock-bottom can also be a great foundation on which to build and

On which to grow I'm not worried that you'll be successful. I'm worried that you won't fail from time to time
On which to grow I'm not worried that you'll be successful. I'm worried that you won't fail from time to time

Person that gets up off the canvas and keeps growing that's the person that will continue to grow their influence
Person that gets up off the canvas and keeps growing that's the person that will continue to grow their influence

Back in the 70s to help me make this point. Let me introduce you to someone
Back in the 70s to help me make this point. Let me introduce you to someone

I'm at the finest woman I'd ever met in my life
I'm at the finest woman I'd ever met in my life

Mm-hmm back in my day we had a call there a brick house
Mm-hmm back in my day we had a call there a brick house

This woman was the finest woman I'd ever seen in my life. There's just one little problem back then ladies didn't like big old linemen
This woman was the finest woman I'd ever seen in my life. There's just one little problem back then ladies didn't like big old linemen

The blindside hadn't come out yet
The blindside hadn't come out yet

They liked quarterbacks and running backs breathless dance, and I find out her name is Trina Williams from Lompoc
They liked quarterbacks and running backs breathless dance, and I find out her name is Trina Williams from Lompoc

California
California

and and we were all dancing and we're just
and and we were all dancing and we're just

Just excited and I decided in the middle of dancing with her that I would ask her for a phone number
Just excited and I decided in the middle of dancing with her that I would ask her for a phone number

She Katrina was the first one Trina was the only woman in college who gave me her a real telephone number
She Katrina was the first one Trina was the only woman in college who gave me her a real telephone number

The next day we walked to baskin-robbins
The next day we walked to baskin-robbins

Ice cream parlor my friends couldn't believe it this has been 40 years ago, and my friend still can't believe it
Ice cream parlor my friends couldn't believe it this has been 40 years ago, and my friend still can't believe it

we go on a second date and
we go on a second date and

A third date and a fourth day
A third date and a fourth day

mm-hmm
mm-hmm

We drive from Chico to Vallejo so that she could meet my parents my father meets her my daddy
We drive from Chico to Vallejo so that she could meet my parents my father meets her my daddy

My hero, he meets her pulls me to the side and says is she psycho, but anyway
My hero, he meets her pulls me to the side and says is she psycho, but anyway

We go together for a year two years three years four years by now Trina's a senior in college
We go together for a year two years three years four years by now Trina's a senior in college

I'm still a freshman, but I'm working some things out
I'm still a freshman, but I'm working some things out

I'm so glad I graduated in four times Nixon Ford Carter Reagan
I'm so glad I graduated in four times Nixon Ford Carter Reagan

So now it's time to propose so I talked to her girlfriends, and it's California
So now it's time to propose so I talked to her girlfriends, and it's California

It's in the 70s
It's in the 70s

So it has to be outside have to have a candle and you have to have you know some chocolate listen
So it has to be outside have to have a candle and you have to have you know some chocolate listen

I'm from the hood had a bottle of Boone's Farm wine that's what I had
I'm from the hood had a bottle of Boone's Farm wine that's what I had

She said yes that
She said yes that

Was the key I married the most beautiful woman I've ever seen him
Was the key I married the most beautiful woman I've ever seen him

I y'all ever been to a wedding and even before the wedding starts you hear this how in the world?
I y'all ever been to a wedding and even before the wedding starts you hear this how in the world?

And it was coming from my side of the family
And it was coming from my side of the family

We get married we have a few children our lives are great
We get married we have a few children our lives are great

One day Trina finds a lump in her left breasts
One day Trina finds a lump in her left breasts

breast cancer
breast cancer

Six years after that diagnosis me and my two little boys walked up to mommy's casket
Six years after that diagnosis me and my two little boys walked up to mommy's casket

and
and

For two years my heart didn't beat
For two years my heart didn't beat

It wasn't for my faith in God. I wouldn't be standing here today. If it wasn't for those two little boys
It wasn't for my faith in God. I wouldn't be standing here today. If it wasn't for those two little boys

There'd have been no reason for which
There'd have been no reason for which

to go on I was completely lost
to go on I was completely lost

That was rock bottom
That was rock bottom

You know what sustained me?
You know what sustained me?

the wisdom of a third grade dropout
the wisdom of a third grade dropout

the wisdom of a simple cook
the wisdom of a simple cook

Rat the casket I'd never seen my dad cry
Rat the casket I'd never seen my dad cry

But this time I saw my dad cry that was his daughter Trina was his daughter
But this time I saw my dad cry that was his daughter Trina was his daughter

Not his daughter-in-law, and I'm right behind my father about to see her for the last time on this earth
Not his daughter-in-law, and I'm right behind my father about to see her for the last time on this earth

And my father shared three words with me to change my life right there at the casket
And my father shared three words with me to change my life right there at the casket

It would be the last lesson he would ever teach me
It would be the last lesson he would ever teach me

He said son
He said son

Just stand
Just stand

You keep standing
You keep standing

You keep spitting no matter how rough the sea you keep standing, and I'm not talking about just water
You keep spitting no matter how rough the sea you keep standing, and I'm not talking about just water

You keep standing
You keep standing

No matter what you don't give up and as clearly as I'm talking to you today
No matter what you don't give up and as clearly as I'm talking to you today

These were some of her last words to me
These were some of her last words to me

She looked me in the eye and she said
She looked me in the eye and she said

It doesn't matter to me any longer how long I live
It doesn't matter to me any longer how long I live

what matters to me most is how I live a
what matters to me most is how I live a

shawl one question a
shawl one question a

Question that I was asked all my life by a third grade dropout
Question that I was asked all my life by a third grade dropout

How you live in?
How you live in?

How you live in everyday ask yourself that question how you live in here's here's what a cook would suggest?
How you live in everyday ask yourself that question how you live in here's here's what a cook would suggest?

You to live this way that you would not judge
You to live this way that you would not judge

That you would show up early that you'd be kind
That you would show up early that you'd be kind

That you'd make sure that that servants town
That you'd make sure that that servants town

Is huge and used that if you're gonna do something you do it the right way
Is huge and used that if you're gonna do something you do it the right way

That that that cook would tell you this
That that that cook would tell you this

That it's never wrong to do the right thing that how you do anything is how you do everything
That it's never wrong to do the right thing that how you do anything is how you do everything

And in that way you will grow your influence to make an impact in that way you will honor all those who have gone before
And in that way you will grow your influence to make an impact in that way you will honor all those who have gone before

You who have invested in you it is with great honor
You who have invested in you it is with great honor

Did I say all your life?
Did I say all your life?

Look in those unlikeliest places for wisdom
Look in those unlikeliest places for wisdom

Enhance your life every day by seeking that wisdom and asking yourself every night
Enhance your life every day by seeking that wisdom and asking yourself every night

We got enriched Lisa shot
We got enriched Lisa shot