“I’m asking for today to be your best day and for tomorrow to be even better. Do better. Stop making excuses and when you think you can’t do any more, give me one more,” said Tyus.
He told students they have to choose to be great and they have to practice it daily. “Today is about being a champion. Do not celebrate average. Celebrate excellence,” he said. “Inside every one of us is greatness. But you first have to believe you are great.”
Believing in yourself is important, he said and he shared a story of a student who struggled in school. But when the student took the SAT test, he reportedly scored an unbelievably high score of 1480. The student started to believe he was smart and capable. He changed his mindset, his habits and went from a junior college to an elite university. “He began having exceptional work ethics and the one thought, “I can” instead of “I can’t.”
Eventually, that student learned he had been sent the wrong score and he actually only scored a 740 on the test. But it didn’t change what he had already accomplished and the belief it inspired in himself.
“I want you to wake up every morning and simply say “I can.” If you say it, you can do it. Impossible is just a word. Take a chance on yourself and your greatness. Everything is about the story you tell yourself. I can. I will. I must. That has to be the mindset you have every day.”
He said he was very glad to be at TK to start their service day. “Serving changed my life. Helping people get what they want or need will always help you get what you want and need…Do everything like it’s the most important thing, because anything can change everything.”
He encouraged them to give their all every day and especially on their service day. “When you think you’ve given enough, give more. Go from being average and good to being great and exceptional.”