Week 15 – Lessons in Leadership – Bill Curry video

In the video closing, Bill Curry asked, what makes you function during your ‘moments of truth?’. Discuss what motivates you during your moments of truth/ times of challenge and how does your approach relate to your leadership pursuits and achievements?

Comments

  • Charmaine Robinson

    My faith in God makes me function in moments of truth. I draw on my faith calling on my higher power to give me strength, wisdom, and discernment to know what I need to do to carry on in my endeavor. I trust and believe that I am more than capable to do what is needed; if not I will be lead to someone who can assist me. I also think about my husband and my children during times of adversity. I want to make them proud. They are my greatest inspiration and have helped to catapult me to the next level. When it comes to leadership I am keenly aware of injustices women and minorities face in the workforce. So often our concerns are pushed aside. Anytime I encounter these types of issues I speak up. I vocally articulate my thoughts and I put them in writing. It is not okay to look the other way. I am determined to inch closer and closer to bringing about equality in the workplace.

  • Kameron Nelson

    During my moments of truth or challenging times, generally what motivates me is my stubbornness to get the job done no matter how hard. When things get hard my refusal to fail is what keeps me going. This relates to my leadership achievements because I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did in JROTC in high school were it not for this mentality, particularly my senior year. The amount of challenges I faced seemed to multiply before I could process it. But I refused to be the one that failed the whole battalion by not doing my job. I think this trait is the main thing motivating me to pursue leadership because I can’t stand things not getting done right or people giving up on it.

  • Ri Hao Yong

    During my ‘moments of truth’ or times of challenge, the thing that motivates me the most is the results. For me, getting a result that is both beneficial to me and my group. What is the point of going through so much when you know the outcome or results is going to be bad or not as well as you thing. To get good results or good outcomes, i will put pressure on myself and my group so that we get the motivation to succeed in the end. I think this is a mindset that every leader should have––to not waste time in doing something that everyone knows will come out bad. when in the procedure of doing it, give your all and also pressure people around you to d their best too. That is the kind of leader that everyone wants. A leader that could affect people around him, to encourage and trigger people around to perform at their very best or even break previous barriers to gain new heights.

  • Elina Varmia

    Bill Curry talked about important charasteristics that great leaders have. According to him, great leaders know who they are, they are honest and curious, they believe in their own potential to do something great, and they have time for everyone. I find his definition of a great leader very truthful, whether it was about an everyday situation or a “moment of truth”. When I face tough moments in a leading position, I try to be confident and believe in what I am doing. Most of the time, the biggest motivation is the outcome that I am working for and the people who I am working with. The desire of being successful and working for a common good helps me to work harder. Even during the challenging times that do not involve leading or any other people, such as exams and other personal achievements, I think about my family. I do not want to let them down. On the contrary, I want to make them proud of me, and that motivates me in every situation in my life.

  • Kaylee Neff

    I would say what motivates me in times or hardship is my past and people I surround myself with. In the past, I have had many people tell me cruel things about myself and tell me I would never succeed. Those people, the naysayers, have pushed me to the point I am successful in college, have an amazing scholarship, and to always be reinventing myself to become a better leader. I do not regret the bullying I had in school because it shaped me into the person I am today. I believe everything happens for a reason to keep moving you forward in life. I feel also that way with the people in my life. I am motivated by their belief I can make something great happen in my existence. My family, friends, professors, mentors, and the list goes on who get me out of the bed believing in me. I do not want to be selfish and waste time if it doesn’t make a positive impact in the world.

  • McKenna Oathout

    During my moments of truth, I always rethink why I started to begin with. I know that everything I am doing will be worth it eventually, whether it is shortly after or years after. My family pushes me and continues to motivate me to be better than I was yesterday. When I get flustered or feel like giving up I have learned that I need to take time to give myself a break and then keep going. You never know what life will hand you, so there is no way to be 100% prepared and ready to do the right thing beforehand – but I do think that we can control our attitudes and how we deal with it at the time. I think this mindset helps frequently during my leadership pursuits and achievements. Any project, assignment, or event I am involved in, I can always tell myself that the reason I am doing this is to graduate college and better myself. We must push ourselves outside of our comfort zones and know what we are capable of doing. It might not always be easy, but it will be worth it.

  • Lindsie Dortch

    One thing that motivates me during my moments of truth/ time of challenge is my hard work and dedication towards my education. For example, since my sophomore year of high school, I have always pushed myself to do well in school and make good grades. I believe that having this approach will help me in the future with my accomplishments. In addition, I believe that these are the two main characteristics that a leader should have, especially when trying to accomplish something in life.

  • Lydia Johnson

    As I find myself going through the trials of life, I start thinking about being molded and shaped because of them. I think about God’s word, and it reminding us to stay strong because we have something to learn. I know that regardless of what I face in this earth, at the end of each day, I get to cling to Jesus and he is steadfast through it all. I am also encouraged by the people I have gotten to relate to because of my struggles in this world. When I make it through a situation, I am able to speak life over people that are experiencing the same thing.

  • Emily Holmes

    During my moments of truth, I am motivated by Jesus Christ. I find myself leaning on Him more and more everyday, especially during this time in my life where it can be lonely. Recently at my home church in Claremore my pastor talked about how we have made up sayings that we think are in the bible. For instance we say, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” I have to admit I have said this in the moment of trying to comfort someone. But when you really think about it, this statement is not very accurate. It might be how we want to see Him, but its not how He is. Sometimes God gives us more than we can handle or trials or moments of truth because we need to learn something from it. He sometimes gives us more than we can handle in the moment but not more than He can handle. So I find myself leaning on the Lord, my close friends, and my parents for words of wisdom in times of hardship. But like Kelly Clarkson once said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I believe these trials are tests of my faith and it only makes my bond with the Lord stronger. In doing this, I am becoming a better leader and disciple.

  • Jillian Coats

    When I feel like I’m under attack in my everyday endeavors, I remember where my strength and hope comes from – Jesus Christ. One thing that I like to do ito put my struggles in perspective is to remember all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me and how blessed I truly am despite my life challenges. Because I have been so blessed by a savior who loves me, I strive to live a life full of positivity, grace, and love to those around me. Because no matter the pain that I feel at the time, it will never compare to the pain that my savior felt for me on the cross. What motivation is better than that?

  • Riley McKinney

    A lot of things in life motivate me. My future and mom is what motivates me most though. My mom is paying for my college and my car and has just given everything to make my sister and me succeed. I’m so thankful for everything she does for me and I just want to make her proud and eventually give back. My future is another thing that motivates me. The fact that one day I can wake up and have happy kids running around and a husband next to me, the struggle will all be worth it.

  • Cali Passerman

    During my moments of challenge, God motivates me most, but also my stubbornness motivates me as well. I know that I have a mighty God that is on my side, and I know that God already has my life planned out so this obstacle is no surprise to him. But I also know that God has given me the personality traits I have to help me get through what will come my way. One of my personality traits that help me in hard situations is my stubbornness, while this could also be a downfall, in hard times it helps me push through. The ways that I overcome adversity relates to my leadership pursuits and achievements because without God and without my unfailing will to do well, I would not accomplish any of the leadership roles I hope to have one day. Without God’s guidance and his will, I would not have the opportunity to lead others, and without my stubbornness I might not even care enough to do what I need to do.

  • Destiny Henry

    My support system is what motivates me to get through the tough days. My boyfriend, family and friends always push me to keep going and to stay focused. Also, my God given purpose keeps me moving forward because I have a far way to go before I am finished. This totally relates to leadership because there are days that I feel like its not for me. I feel the weight and pressure of being the person in the spot light but someone has to do it. This country now more than ever needs culturally competent leaders to speak out loud. I have to take the beating of leadership in order to save the silent.

  • During my lifetime I have being exposed to deal with toxic people and difficult situations. I always remember my grandma words of wisdom. She always taught me to be honest and sincere. She mentioned to me to “There will be moments in your life when people will shake your faith, but you always stay true to yourself.” With a nice tone of voice, she expressed to me no matter how bad they will make you feel, “Speak true, even if your voice shakes.” I have applied these recommendations to my real life. I know to stay true always is going to lead me to be an authentic leader.

  • Linn Brusletten

    I found Bill Curry’s speech very entertaining and motivating. One of the things he discussed was what motivates you in your moments of truth. What motivates me during challenging times is my family, faith, and determination. Curry mentioned that there are two types of pain: pain of regret and pain of discipline. One can chose to work hard towards the goals one set for oneself, or one can choose to regret. Our imagination is the only true limit in our lives. If one can dream it, one can obtain it. As a leader, it is important to see the potential in everyone and encourage people to reach for it. If you find the right motivation and determination, there is no reason why you should not succeed, even when going through challenging times. The definition of a winner is someone who stands up one more time than they fall down. People will doubt their potential and give up on their dreams. Most people are programmed to function this way. There will always be someone better, stronger, faster, and smarter; our immediate respond to these types of doubts is giving up. A leader is someone who does not let people give up. By being encouraging, realistic, but also a dreamer, a leader will inspire the development of new leaders. Through hard times, a leader will see opportunities for improvement. Through challenges, a leader will keep on encouraging. Through moments of truth, a leader will find strength in their inner values and stand for what they believe in.

  • What fuels me in my “moments of truth” has to be my need to be in control. That may seem as though it is a weakness, but in my weakest moments… finding something I can control is what keeps me sane. Often times, things are completely out of my control so if I can just find the smallest thing; like how clean my room is or what show I am watching that night, I can feel a bit of relief. In group work, it is often my weakest moment when I can’t control everything so if I can find just one thing to control then everything else goes smoothly. By distracting myself from the mess of life and doing the things I can control, I make it through my moments of truth.

  • Sarah Mattox

    One of the greatest motivations for me in my “moments of truth” is how my hard work will benefit me and/or others. When I think of this on a more personal level, my main motivation is envisioning how my work now will prepare me for other events in my life, such as a career or parenthood. Sometimes I do just look out for myself, but most of the work I do now is in hopes of creating a preferable environment for my family, both current and potential family. When I am tempted to give up on a task, I think about how that one decision could carry over in the near future, and then how that could affect any of my future plans. As a person of faith, I also consider how not following through on a task could affect me spiritually and have God on my heart during a moment of truth. When my own ambition does not sustain me, I look to God to give me the extra motivation.

  • Chang Ting Shuo

    One thing that motivates me to care about “moments of truth” is process. Most of people might very care about the results which meets their expectation or not. But to me, the most important point is do I enjoy the experience I had? If we have fun at the moment, then get something which can help you growing. I think that is worthier than everything. In our life, we must encounter many challenges and difficulties, probably we will be stooped by these obstacle, but if we treat it from other aspects, it could be a stepping stone that help us toward our success.

  • Myah Murphy

    I have recently had a moment of truth when my aunt lost her baby this past Thanksgiving. This was a tough moment for my whole family and still is. During this moment of truth, I rely heavily on my faith in God. It is moments like these that really seem to bring me down and make me remember the small things in life…to be thankful for them. During these moments, it is important to me that I faithfully say, “Thy will be done” and press on, praying that others see Christ in me especially through this situation. I believe this ties into my leadership skills by when you have trial in your position, faithfully saying, “Even so, Thy will be done,” even on the small things.

  • Amanda Goh

    During my “moments of truth”, I focus on the positives, and try to fix the negatives. Problem-solving is an extremely essential skill for a leader; without it, nothing will get done. This relates to my leadership pursuits and achievements because I wouldn’t have gotten the positions if I had just focused on the negatives. There were so many excellent candidates running for the positions I ran for, and many times, I felt insecure about myself. However, with this mindset, I was able to be confident and eventually won both leadership positions. My strength in God also motivates me during my “moments of truth”. Without Him, I would not be able to do anything. When I feel overwhelmed, I cling to Him, and there is hope.

  • Kaitlyn Hickey

    What keeps me going during my times of challenge is knowing that people support and believe in me. My friends and family are what is most important to me, and I know that without them, there are goals that I could not and would not have met. Having a support system is so important for everyone, and leadership always requires being a part of a support system for someone. Knowing someone has your back and believes in what you are doing is massively important to self-confidence and success. An important aspect of leadership that everyone can continually work to improve is to know when it is time to step out of the limelight and be the background supporter for someone else, with nothing to gain in return.

  • Sylvia Cook

    What motivates me most is thinking about my future. My future life, career and achievements. Getting to where I want in life is the biggest thing to me. I wanna be great. I wanna do great things. I can do anything I set my mind to.

  • Julie DeMauro

    While my mom is my ultimate motivator, I have this innate passion to see a change. It sounds somewhat dumb out loud but my only purpose in life is to serve suffering teens. That has been my goal since I was five, I want to save those who don’t believe they can save themselves. Seeing people around me hurt and knowing what that hopeless feeling person sets a flame in my soul. Too many young adults are told they can’t, won’t or are not worthy enough of someones time. Too many teens are blamed for things they cannot control or the actions of their parents and it is those same teens that give up on themselves because they have been put down before they even try. It’s this that enrages me and in turn keeps me going to achieve every goal I set before myself, because if I don’t create change then who will? This passion is the thing that keeps me going, forces me to hold myself accountable and is the reason I choose to lead everyday.

  • Yukihiro Hitomi

    During my moments of truth/ times of challenge, being confident motivates me the most. If you imagine that you fail to do it, you will never get it done, or overcome the challenges. In such situation, the only way that you overcome is believing yourself, staying cool, and dealing with problems with confidence. Also, You should keep talking to yourself, ”I can do it!!” To have confidence, however, you always have to make great efforts, and try your best; you never slack off on your job, or escape from them. If the leader lose hope, then the team does not function. The leader has to encourage others. In my opinion, leaders have to be twice or three times confident than others. This is my way of leading a team, and this approach worked many times when my high school Judo Team faced difficulties. These experience gave me more confidence, and they are encouraging me right now. It is a virtuous circle.

  • Jake Robertson

    The only motivation i need during a challenging time is the motivation to get the task done. My resilience is something that always helps me get through difficult times regardless of how bad I want to quit. This translates well into my leadership pursuits because I will always see a project through if everyone else gives up on it. Often times if you stay strong and push through, people will be motivated and they will be willing to work with you. The best way to lead is by example and by showing resilience, others will show the same quality.

  • Victoria Plunkett

    The thing that motivates me most in my times of difficulty are my friends and family. If I am ever faced with a difficult challenge, I immediately think of what the results would do to my family and friends. My family’s reputation is of the upmost importance to me, and I would do anything rather than tarnish that. I always try to do what would make my family proud of me, and it is their love and devotion that keeps me going when it’s difficult to advance!

  • Fatimah Alshaaban

    During Bill Curry video, he was talked about the moments of truth and how we make our function in that moment. He was talked about his experiences in life and how he makes his strength from the truth. He focused about the education and he said I like to grow as a man he learned when he was a child. Get education and work hard that make your life better and makes you feel great. He mentioned that whatever religion we follow our faith in God makes us function the moment of truth. Trust our self and love people around us make our dream come truth and we can do anything we wants. Feeling miserable make our life and us so bad. So, our faith in God make us build our life in right way and successful. My faith in God make me function in moment of truth. I build my faith calling on my higher power to give me strength, humility, and wisdom. My faith in God makes me trust and believe that I am more capable to do what I need and what I want.

  • Emily Womble

    During my “moments of truth”/challenging times, I function by remembering why my task is important. If that doesn’t work, I ask myself for whom I am doing said task. Is it for someone? Is it for myself? If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past few years, it’s that, you need to have a purpose, and that purpose doesn’t have to be other people, rather it can and should be yourself. You should want to achieve great things not because you want to prove someone wrong, or make someone proud, but because you want to be great yourself. You, in your heart, want to succeed for yourself. There is no other thing that motivates me more in this world than my own self, not religion, family, or friends, because in the end it’s up to us to make our own choices, and no one can force us. For example, if you play piano, you should want to play piano because it makes you happy, not because your mother wanted you to play piano. You should be your own primary motivator, no one else. This relates to my approach as a leader, because in a way, these thoughts have shaped my thinking and personality, sure your friends and family can encourage you, but you ultimately make the choice. As a leader, it’s important to offer opportunities and encouragement to those who look up to you, but you have to understand that unless they find it within themselves to do something, it won’t happen.

  • Mason Belcher

    I believe everyone needs that something in life that motivates them to get through challenging times. What motivates me is my family and friends. i want to be the best person I can be not only for myself, but everyone that supports me. This helps me in my leadership experience because it always gives me motivation and reminds me why I am doing whatever I am doing.

  • What motivate me during my moments of truth/ times of challenge are my being long for success and my family. I am that kind of people who wants to do the best on one thing, and I am really stubborned if I do not do a thing as I expected and will do it to my expectation. And my family really pays a lot to support me, especially my education, so I want to do the best to cheer them and give them a return.

  • Caleb Robinson

    When I am faced with a challenge, I often find myself obsessing over it. When someone says I can’t do something, or when an obstacle presents itself and I think “this is almost impossible,” my brain focuses and says, “do you just so you know you can.” Each year of my life, there is a new boundary to push, a new challenge, and a new “moment of truth”. Each year, I face the challenge just so I know I can, so I know I haven’t reached my limit. As long as I keep pushing through these obstacles, I’ll know that my greatest moments are not behind me. If I can keep rising to the occasion, I can do what I’ve set out to do. I’ve always been told that I can do anything I can set my mind to. Challenges are what keep that thought fresh in my mind.

  • Ben Raulston

    I would like to start off saying that I agree with Dr. Jobe with the fact that this video is an extremely motivational and captivating story. What drives me in my moments of tough time is the fact that I understand things will always get better. The results may not be immediately or as fast as I would like, but they will come. This applies to my academic life, my sports career, as well as my walk with God. I know that there are low points ion all of these aspects. I was raised with the mindset of how long the lows last depends on the mindset a person has while in them. I personally think that when times get tough if I can buckle down and put my best effort on the line I will come out of the hard times stronger than when I went into them. That is what motivates me and pushes me to keep studying, keep training, and to keep walking with God. The fact that things will be a little easier because I endured the low point that was placed on my path.

  • What motivates me to pursue the moment of truth is my urge to be perfect. I always find myself as a perfectionist because whenever there is something I need to do, I feel responsible to do them perfectly and if they are not as perfect as I expect, I will feel extremely uncomfortable and try every effort to make it flawless. I always think that I am not perfect and it will be shameful not to live up to people’s expectation. Although many people tell me that I am doing is great and I shouldn’t push myself so hard. However, I tend to attribute my urge to be perfect as one of my characteristic that I am born with instead of satisfying other’s demands. I am proud of it and I think it is the main reason that makes me to be a competent leader.

  • Zachary Canaday

    An important topic Bill Curry discussed was defining your “moment of truth.” I have encountered this challenge multiple times in my life though moments in sports and in instances throughout the years. I have had multiple challenges when playing soccer. Whenever my team was down and there was not much time left on the clock, my team largely relied on me to help bring them up and overcome our obstacle. Many times, we would come back to win a game that we were behind in and sometimes we were not able to. I think the real “moment of truth” was how we responded. If we gave up and did not try our hardest to come back, I think that defined our character for the most part. What motivates myself to overcome these obstacles and any others is the will to win and become successful. Giving up would be easy, and that is what many people do. I know if I would my hardest and smartest, that I will be able to make something out of myself and continue defining my moments of truth.

  • Keats Calhoon

    Towards the end of Bill Curry’s speech, he drew an analogy to the game of football. This may seem sort of like an easy way out on writing about football, but that’s not where I am going. He related football to being a brotherhood with people. He spoke about how during times when he wanted to quit in games, that he looked to his right and left and thought about his teammates, and that that drove him to keep on going. That is a standard in which I live my life by, in athletics and the real world. I don’t want to let those people around me down. So in those moments of truth, my “brothers” motivate me to keep going. There is always a breaking point when we do something for just ourselves. Selfishness always finds the easy way out, it always finds a way out of that moment of truth. But when you fight for someone else, for something else, that is what motivates me to keep pushing. The fear and agony of letting someone else down drives me to never give up. In athletics, I will keep pushing because I know that my teammates are depending upon me, just as I am them. In school, it is my parents. When I feel like blowing something off and not caring about my education, I think of them and the principles in which they raised me, and the amount of time and money and effort they had spent in to my education. In life in general, God motivates me. The agony of living against the will of God and His commandments drives me because I know that Jesus gave his life up for me, that I, and you, may be free from the bondage of sin, but in Him be made whole. In times of trials and hardships, I focus my attention on those who I have gone through the journey with, and push through for them, because I know that if I live my life for myself that I will quit when it gets hard because it is the easy way out.

  • Jordan Medaris

    In moments of truth and challenge I turn to God. So many times when I feel broken or torn down by the struggles in life I know that I can turn to God to be refreshed and renewed. One of my favorite verses is Psalms 103:1-5 and it talks about praising God with your soul and entire being for he forgives your sins, heals your disease and redeems you from hell. This past year has been a hard year on me and my family and this is a verse that I have held onto. It tells me that when I am in those moments of truth and heart ache I can either focus on the bad and difficult things in my life or I can make the choice to search for the good in each day and find something to praise God for even if it is small. I serve a God that has blessed me so much already and is greater than any challenge placed in my way. So I will rejoice in my sufferings knowing that I have God on my side that I can always turn to in moments of truth. Relating to leadership, I can trust God in all situations and do my best to make sure I am leading others in a way that reflects Him positively.

  • A better future motivates me to endure and fight against challenges or moments of truth. I believe that the reason for each of us to continue pursuing our goals and doing what we love is because we are all aiming for a promising future. Therefore, as long as a leader can identify his or her motivation, great leadership skills will emerge. When I am thinking of what I can do in the future and what I can contribute to the future, I feel excited. From the motivation, I am able to try my best as “what you do today affects your tomorrow” (Anonymous). By not walking away, I will have a higher chance of creating a better future not only to myself but to my community. These obstacles in life are what make each of us unique. These obstacles allow each of us to see how different people handle different situations differently. With the belief that I will be reward with a better future from my hard work, I will continue to fix the problems until they are all working out. This is the reason why I can never stop trying. In a team, a better future is motivated through the collaboration and understanding of each member of the team. Introducing my vision of a better future and hope for the colleagues, I can inspire my peers to contribute their uniqueness to the community. The better future can be started with something small such as receiving good grades and achieving goals. Envisioning a bright future helps me become a more positive influence on my people and friends. Therefore, I can cheer up the spirits of the team and make the team works more productive.

  • Jasmine Stevenson

    In times of trouble or challenge, I rely on my faith in God. I understand that without Him, I can’t overcome the trials that life throws at me. I believe that everything that happens to us in life is a part of His plan and our challenges turn into testimonies of His love and grace. Because of this truth, I not only have motivation to try to face challenges that seem impossible, I trust that with God I cannot fail. When it comes to leadership, I just try my best to live as a light for others so that they can see where my strength comes from. I hope that they see Christ’s love shining through me and that it ultimately draws them closer to understanding his truth. Overall, I rest in the fact that God’s plan is far greater than my own understanding, so I choose to be at peace with the circumstances even when they don’t make sense to me.

  • Shania Slavick

    During challenging times; thinking about my family, friends, faith, and future really encourage me to push through. Throughout my life, my parents have consistently been some of the most supportive, uplifting, and truly amazing people that a girl could have. Every time that I endure one of life’s hardships they’re always there to pick me right back up and encouraging me to finish strong by never giving up. Whether it’s a work issue, stressful grade, friend drama, they are always there for me. My faith in God is also a major contributing factor to never giving up during the rough times that life brings. I always say to myself “I can do all things through Christ, he who strengthens me.” All of these things contribute to my leadership pursuits by having that extreme team behind me. Throughout my life, I knew I was always destined to do something bigger, to help others in some specific way. By knowing that I have so many things that support me has contributed to me wanting to be a better leader. I’ve pursued this by taking on more striving roles, making excelling grades, learning to balance a variety of things, and handle different walks of people.

  • Erin Drewke

    What I use to motivate me is usually thinking about what the right thing to do is in that situation and what I have been taught. I have been taught that you should never give up and that you sometimes have to change and adapt to be successful. The people that I have in my life that have always been there for me do motivate me because I know that they are there and will help or give advice if I need it. I also frequently think about certain scriptures in the Bible that encourage you to work hard, even when it isn’t easy. I also think back to my coaches I have had who have taught me that I can push myself both mentally and physically further than I thought I could go. This helps me in a leadership pursuits because I have learned to be very determined and that sometimes you have to adjust your path when meeting challenges. I also think that this perspective as a leader is good in that you can use it to encourage and lead others when they are struggling.

  • Hope Hohnke

    One of my biggest struggles is my independence. I choose to take on all of my struggles internally opposed to allowing others to help me. I feel that a good leader needs to learn to accept help to accomplish great things. I have recently learned that I must let others help me and have started talking to close friends and family about my issues and it has become very helpful to me. Having a support system is extremely important to have and to also be be one to other close ones.

  • Bill Curry’s talk was very inspirational and interesting to listen to. One thing that motivate me during my “moments of truth” is knowing there always seems to be an uphill to every downhill. Sometimes its hard to remember it will get better during a hard time, but I try and remember the last time I was feeling defeated and doubtful and how when those feelings passed, everything was okay. I believe my strength of adaptability helps me get through hard times because I am able to adapt situationally but also emotionally. I believe as a growing leader I able to incorporate my positive outlook into the environment I am in and the people I am around. I think adaptability is important to have while going through ‘moments of truth’.

  • Remington Dean

    When facing my “moments of truth” or challenges, I always look to the past and where I began. This helps me to further progress my momentum to achieving my goal or surpassing my “moment of truth.” I have relied on this many times in life because I am from a very low socioeconomic town. After growing up in this situation I made a promise to myself that I would never put me or my family in that situation; and the only way to ensure that is to push myself to my limits and NEVER give up on any challenges I face in life. I apply this to my leadership abilities because I never want to give up on obstacles we face as a leader. I always like to see objectives through and will never give up on them

  • Emily Acuna

    When Bill Curry asked what motivates me my immediate thought was my siblings, parents, and my dreams. My siblings are my biggest motivators, because they are both really successful and I strive to be just as successful if not more than them. I always get an urge to do more than the next guy, because I think of what my siblings would do. The motivation I get from my parents, is because I do not want to let them down. Their selfless acts to help me achieve anything I want is what keeps me going. My dreams to be something bigger than just a small town Oklahoma girl is what keeps me going. I envision sitting in an office in a skyscraper working for a company that has high value. When I put all of this together, it is all the reasons as to why I am who I am and why I keep going.

  • Madison Gaines

    What motivates me is my drive to not let others down and sometimes my own selfishness. If something benefits me, I definitely work harder to push through and get it done. If it is for someone else, knowing that a person is depending on me motivates me because I never want to disappoint anyone. As a leader it is sometimes good to be selfish, as long as you apply it to the good of everyone else. A head of a company must be selfish for the company and battle through for the greater good. I always strive to do what is best and make sure that it turns out to be good.

  • Like many Christians, during my “moments of truths,” I turn to God. Growing up my mom taught me the importance of seeking God through the good times, and most importantly, the bad times. My favorite scripture, Job 23:10, speaks upon being tested by trials and coming out as “pure gold.” In order to become our best selves, we must go through troubles to become stronger and wiser. I also believe that we are sometimes given mountains to show others that they can be moved. As a leader, I believe in the importance of leading by example. So if we overcome our “mountains” our followers will trust us and also have the motivation to overcome their mountains as well. If we start looking at our “moments of truths” as a chance to grow as a person rather than something that is ruining our lives, I believe that we can eventually reach that point of success and strength we all crave.

  • Laura Kleinmann

    What makes me function during my moments of truth? The primary thing that allows me to function is that I know that there is no turning back. I can either push through and accomplish my task, or I can push through and accomplish my task. I also think about the people round me who would be impacted if I simply stopped and gave up on the challenge. When I change my perspective from inward to outward it becomes easier to function. When I am simply thinking of myself failing does not seem as bad, but when I change to a community mindset, and realize that my success is not simply for myself, the work become less taxing, and more meaningful. My approach relates to my leadership pursuits and achievements in the way that I am serving people. By serving people I am making a difference and allowing opportunities for others to succeed.

  • Juan Estrada

    When the times get tough there is something that always helps me finish strong, and become my moments of truth. I always look back and think why I am doing this specific task, and if it is worth trying my best on it. During this past semester in college, I really had to look back and think why I am here. I remembered that I am here to make my family proud, and live the dream they never had the chance to live. The thought of my family helps me during my moments of truth. Also when things go tough I really lean on my friends for support. They are always there for me when I need them and I am super grateful for all of them. I am a real big person on feelings and emotions, so when things get tough I need all the emotional support I can get. Finally I leave everything in the hands of my God. If he wants me to finish something, or do something then I will do it to the best of my ability. I believe he has by best interest in everything I do. I believe this reflects my leadership achievements, because everything I have done is to make my family proud, and a lot of the achievements are from that same exact push.

  • E'Lexus Merriweather

    Honestly I think I handle tough situations differently than most people. When something is getting too hard for me or I get frustrated, whether it’s assignments, people, work, or just anything really, I have to step away. When homework is getting too overwhelming, I take a break. If I am arguing with someone, I walk away after a while because I know I don’t want to regret anything. If I’m just stressed out about anything, I just go to my room, or wherever, and just sit alone because I need that time to myself to just gather my thoughts. I really do feel that this is an effective action because when the mind is under any kind of stress, your body tends to act out differently, or causes the person to make more mistakes. It gives your mind the time it needs to calm down and start to think back to reality and get back on track. For some people that is a crazy thing to do but if you really think about it, it can become very beneficial to an individual. During my leadership duties, I would encourage my colleague to partake in the same action so they have a better chance at succeeding in whatever it is that they are doing. I just feel that this is a more healthier way to come back to a sticky situation.

  • When everything is on the line and the rest of my life is dependent on the decisions of a few fleeting moments combined with the stress of strenuous circumstance and the weight of responsibility: that’s when I thrive. I want to feel the ice cold bite, it wakes up my flesh and reminds me I’m alive. I want to feel the heat bombard me wave after wave for it sweats out the mediocrity that lurks within me.

    What I mean is, I want the uncomfortable to come my way because I have overcome adversity before and have become stronger because of it.

    I refuse to stay “complacent” and “ok” with my circumstance because there is always someone in a worse off condtion who needs me to be strong for them. No excuses——I will stay true to my values and support all who seek my help and I will aid them with leadership. Because I was bred for this. This needs no further explanation.

  • Shadow McCain

    What motivates me in my moments of truth and hardship are the fact that I have to do better for parents. Neither one of them went to college but they both strive to do their best working extremely hard jobs until they were able to make enough money to support our family. Without a college degree sometimes it is extremely difficult to make ends meet. Both of my parents extremely excellent job at making it work. They were stronger because they have to be in they try to steal it in us Acacian is the key to having a good life. They wanted me to do better for myself and they have done for themselves. In leadership I feel like this outlook allows you to be more grateful about the opportunities that I have. I understand that not everyone gets these opportunities and you have to take them to the full advantage. My family, my faith, and my self motivation help me to be the best leader I can possibly be.

  • Mario Figueroa

    During my moments of truth/times of challenge, the one thing that motivates me to continue, is my family. Being the eldest child, I am motivated to be the best version of myself possible for my younger siblings. Setting the stepping stone for their future, is something that I strive on doing on a daily bases, and seeing them want to succeed shows that they are heading in the right direction. My parents are also a big influence in my moments of truth because when we came into the United States, they told me that they were in search of their American Dream. It was not until I was older that I understood, that their American Dream was me, and since then I have always pushed myself to make their dream a reality. Seeing all the hard work my parents put into making sure my siblings and I succeed, pushes and motivates me when things get tough. The determination that I have is something that has influenced who I am as a leader and has helped me realize in what direction I want to go in the future.

  • Connor Schuff

    My support system is what gets me through the day, it consists of my friends and other family members. They always help me stay motivated and focused on the task at hand. I always find myself motivating myself to improve everything I do. I will usually try to focus on my goals and strive to get better everyday. This is when leadership comes into play because some days you don’t want to be motivated, you just want to stay in bed all day, but you have to be tough and find the motivation to get going and make the best of the day.

  • Sydney E. Haas

    For me, my faith and my family are the things I depend on more than anything else in those moments of truth. I depend on these two things for my council and guidance always as they are my two most solid rocks in life. Without these two things, I wouldn’t be able to be a leader at all. I trust my God’s word for my knowledge and understanding of the world. To let these people down would be probably about the worst thing in the world to me, so these things help me to stay on track when life gets rough. When I come across a rough patch or find myself in a difficult situation in any leadership role, I know I can depend on my family to be my supports through it all and my God to provide me with guidance and the opportunities I need to do what I need to do. I could not have gotten this far without my faith or my family at all.

  • Sakinah Al Saleh

    My faith in God makes me function of truth. I draw on my faith calling on my higher power to give me strength, wisdom, and discernment to know what I need to do. I believe that I am more than capable to do what is needed. Also I think about my family during times of adversity. I like to make them proud. In doing this, I will become a better leader.

  • dylan stottmann

    When faced with a challenge or a time a hardship i find myself motivated by knowing that i can concur what challenges me. I am very hard headed and i cant quit when i start something. It will be on my mind all the time until i achieve it or finsih what i was doing. This transfers over into my leadership abilities because once i set my mind to something i will give it my all until i finish it. One thing that this aspect of my personality shows through is my car. I have put many man hours in repairng and upgrading my car and once i start fixing or changing something on it, i dont stop until the job is done. Even in times when im stuck and i cant see the way righ then, i step back and reevalluate the situation and come up with a different solution.

  • Hannah Mette

    Time of challenge are constant in leadership positions. There are so many times when I ask myself if it is truly worth it to be a leader. What ultimately keeps me going depends on the capacity in which I am leading. One theme that is constant across each position though is that I don’t want to let those around me down and I know that there is a reason that God has put me in a certain role. Whether that reason is to motivate others to realize their potential or if it is to help a cause that I am passionate about; I always find hope in my situations that allows me to keep going no matter what challenge I face.

  • Bella Oliver

    When I am having a hard time trying to get through something very challenging and am lacking motivation or strength, I step outside of how I am feeling and make it about the other people around me. By doing this, I find the strength I need through the great support system of my family and friends. This applies to my leadership experience because I know how much other people around me are counting on my completion of tasks, and by making it about them I find it easier to get through my tough times.

  • Mackenzie Black

    My religion is a huge motivator for me. When I want to just give up, or not do the right thing it is my faith that keeps me on track. Another motivational aspect that keeps me on track, is the constant effort to make my parents proud of me. I don’t consider myself a people pleaser, but my parents’ opinions and approval mean a lot to me. I also get motivated from proving anyone that has doubted me and my capabilities wrong. I know that sounds awful, but I want to show everyone that I am not just a little girl from Choctaw, and I can amount to something great.

  • Marcia Clemmons

    Moments of truth do not come often. It’s easy to say that I would rely on the skills I have been taught by mentors and have naturally through my faith. However, I believe my reaction would come from who I am as a person.
    I believe I would have self confidence and trust my own decisions. This applies to my leadership style because I am not easily defined by someone else. I listen to my team and work together but at the end of the day whether I succeed or fail, I know who I am.

  • Na'eemah Phanelson

    My personal standards and conscience. I believe that everyone should be told the truth, no matter how painful it may seem at the moment, that person will not learn from that experience to better themselves,to not make the same mistake etc. if they do not get a chance to know their options. Thus, what motivates me is putting myself in that persons shoes and trying to relate as best as I can. I try and take a step back to look at the big picture and the obstacles that are effecting it. This helps me as a leader by relating and being able to develop those interpersonal relationships of trust.

  • Victoria Hodge

    During my moments of truth the thing that makes me function is my drive. My drive being my passion, whatever it may be that motivates me. I say it like that because there is a lot of things in my life that motivate me to do different things. My passion and ambition for my future probably being the one that influences me the most. I know what I want my future to hold and I know that there is a set path to getting there. That is what drives me.

  • Danny Eagle

    In my toughest struggles and hardest challenges it’s the people who believe(d) in me that keep me going. One of my favorite examples was from senior year of cross country in high school. I joined the team on a whim and soon realized that I was far from any athleticism related to long distance running. The first few weeks of practice were very difficult for me as I had no experience in competitive running for distances longer than a mile or so. I would come in last place almost every practice because I just could not compete with my teammates. The second week of practice I had been considering quitting the team and just taking a blowoff elective back at the high school because everyday the workouts felt like torture. But even though I didn’t contribute to the team’s overall performance at first I stayed on the team because people believed in me. One of my friends was the fastest runner on the team, his name is Austin. Every practice he would finish minutes before I would and he would run back on the path to help me finish each run. He encouraged me to push myself when no one else would and told me that I could do it. His belief in me allowed me to reach levels of accomplishment I would not have imagined possible. Not only Austin but my coaches as well. They knew I was a hard worker and always encouraged me to strive on. In the hardest practices and the hottest days I never stopped pushing onward because of them. Even if it meant that I passed out once I crossed the line (which did happen) I would not quit because they believed in me and I would not allow myself to fail them.

    This among other things is the strongest reason as to why I do not allow myself to fold under pressure. As a leader if I surround myself with supportive and encouraging people there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

  • Sarah Tierney

    In my times of being really busy and wanting to get stuff done I always think about how is this going to benefit my future. Like in the past week I had to do a placement test and study for it. I had no motivation at all for this test. But knowing that I would have to take a 8AM class or only take 12 hours for next semester if I didn’t pass it. Knowing that really helped me study for the test and I ended up passing it. In the end thinking about how it is going to effect my life as a whole really motivates me to get something I don’t have motivation for, get done.

  • My family, friends, and my patience, motivate me to do the best that I can during my “moments of truth”. My family has always been there for me, and they give me the best advice. My friends also help me, I believe that having others to talk to
    can really help you when you’re going through tough times. One of my qualities that has helped me, especially this year, is being patient. I have seen many leaders that often get frustrated with the people that they are leading. These leaders often say things to their followers that are not necessary, “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”. Whenever I am leading a group of people, I always make sure to put myself in their shoes and see/ understand their point of view and not just my own.

  • dayseah boston

    My faith in God is what makes me function during my ‘moments of truth’ .The word of God motivates me during my moments of truth/ times of challenge. Yes I definitely believe my approach is related to my leadership pursuits and achievements. The Holy spirit is what leads and guides me in my life.

  • Melissa Salazar Velasco

    As a developing leader, there are many difficult scenarios that occur that I must overcome. Thinking about my family and goals motivates me during my moments of truth/challenging times. My parents have sacrificed a lot in order for me to be in the place that I am at right now. I have to work hard and accomplish my goals in order to show them that everything was worth it. My goals also motivate me during challenging times because remembering that I am working towards something meaningful always helps me realize that everything is going to be worth it at the end. It is important to have and think about these things because I would probably not be in the place where I am right now if I did not.