Academic Lecture Reflection 2: Derek Clark

Young adults are consistently reminded that your background does not define who you are, and our speaker Derek Clark was a perfect reminder. He opened up to us about his traumatic upbringing that led him to believe he would end up unsuccessful and potentially go to prison like his father. He was constantly abused as a child by both parents and thrown into a psychiatric hospital without a hug or even a goodbye from his own mother. When treated, they discovered he had an IQ of a two year old and could only recite around 60 words. He did not know how to run and he was unable to read or write until he was 9 years old. As he got older he started to become mischievous and was even arrested for vandalizing a police car in high school. He was truly convinced that his future would resemble his father’s, until he chose not to follow in his footsteps. He took control of his own life and worked incredibly hard to get to where he is today. Clark’s lecture greatly impacted the way I view leadership and self-discipline. He emphasized that as a leader you need to stop comparing yourself to others and prevent blaming others for your mistakes. I find myself doing this quite often and it made me realize how much it is affecting the way I see others as well as myself. He also mentioned that he would always ask himself “why me?” and started changing that question to “what now?” because if you always act like a victim, you will never be satisfied. He spoke frequently about his personal life, and it was  inspiring to know that although he had a negative upbringing and felt unloved, he gained the courage to turn his life around and ended up exactly where he wanted to be. I will apply what I learned throughout Derek Clark’s lecture in many ways. I will learn to be more empathetic with those around me, especially in the work force, because everyone comes from a different background and has different experiences to share. I will also remember to take blame for my own actions and not give excuses for my mistakes, but instead learn from them. The most important tip I will take from this lecture is that your upbringing does not define how successful you will become. It depends on you and how motivated you are to reach your goal.