Robert Alexander

Transcript

Spring is pass, summer is gone, and winter's here. And the great song I was destined to sing remains unsung. I've spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument. These were the words of a man whose heart was filled with regret. The great song he was destined to sing remained unsung. He never realized his legacy. I never want this to happen to you or me. We all hope our words, actions, and personal story have an impact beyond ourselves. A legacy. As I reflect on my own life, allow me to take you on a journey, a life story of how I hope to create a legacy.

The story begins with adversity. When I was 13 years old, my life changed forever. In a noisy grade class, I experienced a tragic accident which caused me to lose sight in my right eye. A year earlier, I lost my dad, suddenly and tragically gone in one day. And two years later, I moved to Canada and as the only black student to my new school where I experienced a lot of rejection and isolation. These three storms caused me to be emotionally closed, which occasionally would explode in some serious anger.

My first name is Robert. However, it probably should have been Mr. Rage. As I rage war on my brother, sisters, and anybody who crossed me, I think my family thought I was possessed. However, over time, I learned to use this intense energy as fuel to achieve positive outcomes in school, sports, and my work career. I learned discipline, determination, responsibility, and selfmastery and gain greater sight called insight. I went from the kid many do not believe in to being accepted to one of the top business schools in the country Shoulick.

I completed the top designations in finance and accounting in both Canada and the US. I played cricket for Canada and I held senior leadership positions on Bay Street. I also transformed my body and my health through a disciplined program of strength training, intermittent fasting and highintensity interval training to overcome a family history of heart disease and diabetes. You see, not only did my dad die in his mid-30s, but his two brothers died quite young also. Despite this personal transformation, something was missing.

My heart remained closed even though I craved greater connection. It took the special connection with a young man to help to shift me. Adam came to live with his aunt who had dated at the time when he was three years old due to extenduating family circumstances. My first real interaction with him is a moment I'll never forget. I dropped by late one night after work and he had fallen asleep on the sofa. I was holding him in my arms while he got his bed ready and he woke up as startled and wanted away from me.

As he laid in bed and just stood at me with his big brown eyes, I tried to comfort him by gently massaging his head. After about half an hour of doing so, he just got up and hugged me. I was filled with tears. This three-year-old boy had broken through years of my self-p protection as our hearts connected. How could I ever be the same again? As the years passed and our bond deepened, we shared many beautiful moments, including Raptor and Leaf games and flying to Chicago to see Michael Jordan play.

On Father's Day a few years ago, he posted on Instagram that he didn't have his father in his life. However, he had his hero and there is a picture of me. This relationship helped open my heart and create the man you see today whose mission it is to make a difference in many lives. In summary, I hope to create a legacy of overcoming adversity and achieving academic and career excellence. I hope to be an example of transforming my physical temple for greater longevity, vitality, and health.

However, I hope my greatest legacy will be to make a difference in people's lives through actions that touch, move, and inspire them. What will be your legacy? Reflect on what lasting impact you want to leave the world. Spring has passed, summer's gone, and winter's here. The time to start a legacy is today. You, you, you, we all have a great song that we're destined to sing our legacy. Let us sing these songs to the world. Thank you.

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.

Transcript

November 7th, I was 13 years old and living in Kingston, Jamaica. In a single moment, in the middle of a noisy grade 8 class, my life changed forever. A classmate had a plastic ruler which belonged to a friend. I decide to be the big hero and retrieve it. We wrestled until that ruler shot straight into my right eye. I instantly lost sight. There was a lot of blood. I literally thought my eyeball had fell onto the floor. Have you ever heard the saying, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."

You're talking about me. I was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. For the next two weeks, I was bedridden to keep my eyes stable. I could not go to the bathroom on my own. I couldn't even bathe myself. Now, picture a 13-year-old boy, extremely self-conscious, grown into his manhood, being given a sponge bath by a beautiful student nurse. I was so embarrassed, and I'll leave that to your imagination. After two weeks in the hospital, when I finally went home, I had to learn to walk again.

13 years old, it felt like I was starting over. But that was only one storm. A year earlier, I lost my dad. Suddenly and tragically, gone in one day. And two years later, my family moved to Canada and I was the only black kid in my new school. On my first day of class, I went to a group of students at lunchtime and tried to make a connection. They told me in no uncertain terms to get lost with an F-word thrown in for greater clarity.

I was crushed. However, looking back, these three storms was the beginning of my leadership journey. You see, before you can lead others, you must learn first learn to lead yourself. Self-mastery was my first leadership lesson. You see, losing an eye taught me discipline, determination, and gave me greater sight called insight. Losing my dad taught me responsibility. Being rejected taught me empathy, humility, and to stand tall even when I stand alone. It also created a desire in me to want to uplift others.

Over time, this inner leadership and personal mastery transformed my life. I went from the kid many did not believe in to being accepted to one of the top business schools in the country, Shoulick. I completed the top destinations in finance and accounting in both Canada and the US. My CPA in Canada, my US CPA and the final stages of my CFA. I held executive level and leadership positions in corporate Canada and on Bay Street. And I play cricket for Canada. Not bad for a guy who sometimes still crashes into walls and people because of no vision on his right side.

So here's what I've learned. Leadership is not about a corner office or a title. It starts in those private moments when you're alone, challenged and fearful. Adversity challenges us. Selfmastery transforms us. Selfmastery is very very important. However, I believe true leadership goes several steps further. It uplifts and inspires others. It encourages when you feel discouraged. It provides visibility when you feel invisible. So, let me ask you this. Where in your life do you need selfmastery? Who in your life needs to be lifted up, inspired, and told that they matter?

Because the world does not need more leaders with perfect vision. The world needs more leaders with a clearer vision of encouraging others, inspiring others, seeing their true potential, and creating an environment where they can thrive. Thank you.

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.