Academy lecturer Derek Clark emphasized greatly that life is what you make of it. He said that throughout his childhood he struggled with anger and couldn’t open up and love anybody because nobody had loved him. Despite facing traumatic life events throughout his childhood and teenage years, he overcame his inner demons and was able to shape himself it the man he is today.
Derek Clark was brutally burned by his mother and grew up in an environment were abuse was normal. He was never shown true love and compassion from anyone in his life besides his social worker. How can someone who doesn’t know what its like to be cared for turn around and care for those who follow him or her? Derek answered this question with a simple phrase: “The meaning of life is to give life meaning”. This impacted my views on leadership greatly because although I’ve always seen leadership as something that can’t be molded out of nothing, Derek shows us that he had a desolate heart and somehow still managed to care for and love his subordinates. If a man who grew up in such a hostile environment can make a positive impact in the lives of those who follow him there is nothing that prevents anyone from becoming a great leader.
Clark also emphasized the 7 Things We Can Control. This list include three interesting points: attitude, self value, and effort. Clark grew up with a negative attitude, no self value, and no emphasis on effort in anything he did. He began to experiment with rap and reggae and developed an identity through his music. To be able to create rhythm and music with just your word requires immense effort and when he became popular for his rhymes he began to develop self value and a better attitude. Although he was degraded when he first began rapping he persevered and eventually made a product he was proud of. He took it upon himself to work hard. In a way, he was becoming a leader to his old self. Although he grew up in an environment with no sense of leadership, his own drive and personal values shaped him to become a strong leader. Perseverance and drive are contagious and when people see that in a person they are willed to follow that person.
Derek Clark made me realize that even at my most desolate state I can still rise up to the greatness that God has in store for me. Last year I struggled with intense anxiety and depression as well as bipolar disorder. I was the captain of my cheer squad and felt that too much was being demanded from me and all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep my days away. If I had met Clark a year ago I would have known that I am more than my mental illnesses and the negative situations around me. Derek Clark overcame people telling him he was bad and worth nothing and eventually found respect for himself. Knowing that someone as successful as Clark struggled and made it through such a dark past would have encouraged me to persevere because nothing is forever and a slight change in mentality could have changed my entire life around.