Latest / Legacy Living with Dr. Gloria Burgess / Lead with Love: Della Reese | Episode #412

Transcript

Lead with Love: Della Reese | Episode #412 · Legacy Living with Dr. Gloria Burgess

• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to today's show, Legacy Living, Make Your
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Life Count. I'm your host, Doctor Gloria Gloria Burgess, international
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: leadership expert and trusted advisor. Welcome to Legacy Living, Make
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: your Life Count. I'm so delighted that you joined me today.
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: I have a special show for you. We are going
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: to talk about leadership, a topic that is very near
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: and dear to me. I am going to focus specific
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: on authentic leadership. In other words, today's focus is all
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: about being being true to who you are, being true
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: to being yourself. Right now, today, I'm going to share
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: with you a true story. This is a story about
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: singer and actress Dela Reice Patricia Early Now. Many of
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: us know her by her stage name Della Reese. Miss
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: Reese was born in Detroit, Michigan. Now. Although she had siblings,
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: she was actually raised as an only child. When she
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: was very young, six years old to be exact, she
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: began singing in her church, a beginning that would eventually
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: lead her to become an avid gospel singer. On weekends,
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: she and her mom would go to the movies. When
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: she got home, Della was fond of acting out scenes
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: from the various movies that she saw. Who knew that
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: this would eventually lead her to a career that included radio, television,
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: and films. In the mid forties, Della began her career
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: directing the young people's choir at her church. While she
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: was still in her early teens, she was hired to
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: perform with one of the best known gospel singers in
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: the world. That's where Della's life was touched by an angel.
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: In her own words, here is Della's story. The summer
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: I turned thirteen, I was given an opportunity that would
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: ultimately shape my life. You might say I was in
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: the right place at the right time. I prefer to
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: think God sent an angel. I was chosen directress of
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: the youth choir at the Church of Our Faith in Detroit.
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: All the major gospel singers came to our church, the Soulsters,
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: Mighty Clouds of Joy, Pilgrim travelers, but the most celebrated
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: was Mahelia Jackson, the woman who would one day be
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: known as the Queen of Gospel. That day, our church
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: was packed to overflowing. Dressed in their Sunday finery, people
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: cooled themselves with hand fans. I was to sing the
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: first song of the concert, christ Is all excited. I
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: began softly and built from them. I tore it down,
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: and the youth choir was with me all the way.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: Then Michelia was introduced and started to sing. Tambourines were playing,
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: people were clapping. Everyone was caught up in the joy
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: of singing praise. The heat in the room rose along
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: with the spirit. Suddenly, the lead soprano in Mehelia's group collapsed.
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: A doctor discovered the soprano was pregnant. There were six
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: weeks remaining on the group's tour, but the woman's husband
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: was adamant. Did she not get back on the bus.
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: Mehelio was going to need a replacement fast. Reverend Travis,
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: one of our ministers, recommended that she take the soloists
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: and directress of the youth thirteen year old Delaerice Early. Now,
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: the challenge was to convince my mother. When Reverend Travis
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: offered to speak to her, Mihelia decided to come as well.
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: They walked the four blocks to our apartment building, me
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: tagging behind them, praying all the way, Please God make
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: Mamma let me go up the three flights of stairs.
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: We climbed. Mama met us at the door good evening,
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: Reverend Travis. She said, I'm always glad to see you.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: Her eyes let me know. She assumed that I had
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: done something so wrong that the preacher had to bring
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: me home to her. But the first words from Reverend
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: Travis were, Missus Early, it's my honor to introduce you
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: to miss Mahelia Jackson. I am the one being honored,
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: my mother insisted. Now Mama started looking at me with
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: those looks that could cut rock. It was clear she
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: thought whatever it was I had done, I had done
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: to the offense of Missus Jackson. The reverend made his
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: case for letting me join the tour. My mother listened politely.
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: Missus Early, I assure you, Mihelia spoke up. I will
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: take personal good care of your daughter and see to
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: it nothing happens to her. It will be a great
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: learning experience for Dela Reese. The reverend added. Mamma was impassive.
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: She said she would pray over it and let them
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: know her decision in the morning. I barely slept that night.
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: At breakfast, I crept into the kitchen, trying not to
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: too hopeful or desperate. I made the coffee, set the table,
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: and washed the dishes as Mama used them. My mother
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: said nothing. My father came in for his breakfast. Afterward,
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: Mama fixed us lunch, kissed him goodbye, and cleaned up
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: the remaining dishes. I waited after what seemed an eternity.
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: She said, we have to talk, and you know God
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: is going to be talking right along with us. Didn't
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: sound good. Mama took a drink of coffee. I didn't
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: think you should go, but I asked the Lord to
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: tell me if it wasn't right. He didn't. I exhaled
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: a sigh of relief. I know this can be good
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: for you. She went on. All I need is your
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: honest word that you will do the best you can.
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: I promised, and hugged and kissed her. I thanked God
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: and everybody in the Bible, Reverend Travis and Miss Mahelia Jackson.
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: When I finally quieted down, Mama said, and I will
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: never forget these words. We don't need all of that.
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: All we need is your honest word. And remember you
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: won't just be giving it to me, you will be
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: giving it to God too. I give you my honest word,
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: I said, I'll do my best. Mihelia turned out to
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: be twice as tough as my mama. Where are you going?
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: What are you doing? Why are you wearing that? Things?
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: Even Mama let me do on my own. Mehelia had
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: to know about the music. However, more than lived up
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: to my expectations. The crowds were sensational, and Mehelia was magnificent.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: Our last engagement, a grand Sunday afternoon tent revival, was
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: in Chicago, Mehelia's hometown. This was going to be my
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: chance to show what I could do. People from all
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: over would be coming to hear Mahelia and me. In
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: my mind, that was the group, Mahelia and me. The
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: other three singers were just for background. When Mehelia called
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: on me to start the program, I confidently began to
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: walk the sawdust cover of the tent floor and do
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: my thing, singing with all my might. Responses came from
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: all around me. Amen, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord. I even
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: heard Mahelia at her own sing child. Everyone was applauding wildly,
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: asking for more. But that was it, my big solo.
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: I had no other number. Thinking fast, I began to
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: sing another chorus. I turned it out and tore it down,
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: then sat down, smug as could be. When the crowd
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: quieted down, Mahelia remained seated and began to moan, no words,
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: no song in particular, just moaning low and deep, until
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: she broke out and Precious Lord, take my hand. Mehelia
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: sang the entire song seated. It seems she was speaking
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: directly and only to God. The audience responded with reverence
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: and awe. They got a different kind of feeling from
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: Mehelia than from me. What was it she had that
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: I didn't, I wondered. My voice was just as good.
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: In fact, in my mind it was better because I
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: could hit higher notes. It took two more summers of
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: touring with Mahelia for me to realize just what that
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: something was. My singing was enjoyable, rhythmic cute. Hers was
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: a deep spiritual experience. She was worshiping God, and I
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: was showing off. When Mehelia sings, said my mother, you
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: can feel God in her. By the end of my
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: third tour with Mihelia, I thought I had learned all
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: there was to learn from her. I was wrong. One
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: summer day, we arrived at a church in a field
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: outside Richmond, Virginia. That night, the church overflowed with people.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: When it was my turn to sing, I started with
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: all guns blasting. As I hit my high note and
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: held it, I heard a note higher than mine, clear
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: and powerful. Undaunted, I hit a higher note and held it.
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: As I walked down the aisle, trying to see who
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: was singing there in the back row, I saw a
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  Speaker 1: girl with braids, dressed in coveralls and a farm shirt.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: She smiled at me, still singing higher and higher until
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: she hit a note that I couldn't even reach. Ooh,
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: was I mad? Who did that? Country bumpkin thinks she was?
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: When the program was finished, Mahelia talked to the girl
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: and her mother. Seeing that, I stormed out to the car,
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: where I sulked. Soon I heard Mahelia saying, there you are,
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: Dela Reese. I look the other way. That was something,
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: wasn't it? Mahelia said? Ain't it grand? The way God
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: has of bringing up talent in the strangest places. I
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: jutted out my chin and said, I guess now, you
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: warn't her right? What makes you think that? Well? She
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: sang higher than I did. It's not about how high
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  Speaker 1: you sing, it's about feeling the presence of God. I
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: knew she was right, but I said nothing. Then Mihelia
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: said sternly and directly, Dela Reese, You've got to get
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: over your miss wonderful thing and just be who you are.
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  Speaker 1: You are not in competition. You are in God's service,
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: she paused, smiling. Now be glad that he called you,
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  Speaker 1: but always remember you are not the only one he called.
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: Now get out of this car and come meet this child.
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: I followed Mahelia inside and went over to the girl,
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: who asked how I sang so well. She didn't even
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: know what a power how she was. Mahelia was my
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: guiding angel, though I didn't know it at that time.
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  Speaker 1: The lesson I learned that night helps me to this day.
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: I never could sing like some of the top artists
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: who inspired me, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald. But
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: you know what, they could not sing like me either.
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: What I had was my own. Today, I'm free of
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: the fears of my youth and settled in the assurance
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: that comes only from surviving. And Mahelia's words have echoed
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: throughout my life. You are in God's service. I just
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: love that story. It provides a great example of what
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: being authentic is all about, doesn't it, And what a
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: great fit for today's topic, authentic leadership. Now, remember I
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: said that earlier. Authentic means really being true to who
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: you are are. It's all about being yourself. Now, it's
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: been said, in a world where you can be anything,
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: be yourself. So I know some of you are asking
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: how does that work? I mean, it's not always easy
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: to be yourself. In fact, for some of you, I
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: know that being yourself is easier said than done. I
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: hear you. I once taught in a graduate program where
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: the entire focus of that program was helping my grad
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: students become comfortable with being themselves. This was a program
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: that equipped them to work in what we lovingly call
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: the helping professions. So when they graduated, they would become consultants, therapists, nurses, educators, attorneys,
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: assuming some kind of leadership role in their organization or community. Now,
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: I know firsthand that being yourself can be quite challenging.
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: Think about it. So many of us focus on pleasing
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: other people in the process, we can easily lose track
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: of who we are along the way. Now that's a
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: pretty steep price to pay. Fortunately, there are many ways
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: to get back on track with being who you are
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: meant to be and to discover your strengths as well
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: as you're growing edges. You can begin by asking yourself
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: a few questions. Ask yourself, what's unique about me? What's
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: unique about me? What makes me so special? Right? Another
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: question to ask is what are my top three strengths?
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: Another question, what do I enjoy doing so much that
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: I lose all track of time? What do I enjoy
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: doing so much much that I lose track of time?
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: How about this question, what do I enjoy so much
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: I would do it for free? And another question to
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: ask is what am I curious about now? Any one
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: of those questions can help you figure out who you
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: are really, who you are at the core, what is
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: your authentic self right now? These questions are important. They
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: are designed to help you reconnect with what's meaningful to
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: you and to help you reconnect with who you are
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: to fully claim your glorious self, your magnificence. Now. There
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: are few critical skills that we all need, skills that
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: will support you in truly being yourself, not only as
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: a leader, but in all other realms of your life.
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: Are those skills, Well, there are four of them, four
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: that I want to shed the light on today, and
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: these are essential. Now. I actually write about these skills
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: in one of my books. It's called Flawless leadership, connecting
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: who you are with what you know and do. So
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: here are the four skills. The first one is self awareness.
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: That's right, that's a skill, self awareness. The second one
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: is openness. The next one transparency and curiosity. Now let's
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: start with self awareness. Being yourself actually begins here, okay.
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: It begins with self awareness, the conscious knowledge of your
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: own desires, feelings, motives, thoughts, and traits. This skill also
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: includes the capacity for introspection, for looking inward another one words,
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: and the capacity for reflection. Okay, Now, this skill of
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: self awareness is vital to your ability to ignite, influence,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: and inspire others. When you are self aware, you will
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: be better equipped to embrace, reflect on, and use your
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: unique strengths, talents, and gifts. You will be able to
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: recognize what drives you and what gives you energy, focus,
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: and purpose. You will also be able to develop and
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: clearly communicate your vision. Right now, Why is this important?
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: Because you will be able to inspire your team or
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: your organization to take meaningful action. Now, this is essential
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: whether you are leading at work or in your family.
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: The next skill is openness. Now, this skill is often
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: misunderstood because we confuse openness with self disclosure. Openness simply
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: means being able to internally recognize, being able to freely access,
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: and then being able to appropriately express your feelings and
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: thoughts without being defensive. Right now, this sounds pretty straightforward.
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: I'm going to repeat those things again. Openness simply means
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: being able to internally recognize, freely access, and appropriately express
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: your feelings and thoughts without being defensive. Pretty simple, right. However,
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: demonstrating this skill in the moment can be quite challenging.
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: In fact, it can be downright difficult. Why because when
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: we're triggered by someone or something and we don't realize it,
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: we can easily respond inappropriately and defensively right in that
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: split second, In that nano second, right we become temporarily immobilized.
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: We actually freeze, which impairs our ability to internally recognize,
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: freely access, and appropriately express our feelings and thoughts without
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: being defensive. We've all been there, right. The key is
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: to develop your ability to self regulate so that when
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: you're emotionally triggered by something or someone, you can consciously
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: manage your own reactivity. This is one of the many
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: aspects of what we call emotional intelligence. Now, the third
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: skill is transparency. Transparency allows leaders to make information that
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: is normally selective, okay, normally seen by only a few people.
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: These leaders allow that kind of information that's selective, okay,
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: information to be available to all as appropriate. An example
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: is providing insight into a leader's decision making process. Providing
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: such insight can be very helpful during times of change
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: and transition. And we're always going through some kind of
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: change or transition, right. I remember in one company I
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: worked for, the staff learned that we were going to
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: be bought out. We were going to be acquired by
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: a rival company. Now, the staff were intensely loyal to
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: this organization that we worked for, right, including me, and
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: not surprise, when we heard the news about being bought
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: out by another company, we were all just kind of wobbly, right, shaken,
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: shaken to the core. It seemed as though we were
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: being taken off guard, blindsided, right, as if no one
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: had seen this coming. However, the really senior staff had
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: seen it coming, even though they couldn't reveal the specifics
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: until after the buyout, after the acquisition was complete. Now
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: many of us have heard something like this information information
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: is the solar energy of an organization. In other words,
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: even a little bit of transparency will go a long way. Now,
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: the need for transparency has never been greater in our
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: organizations and communities and families act as old, outworn containing
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: structures and systems and hierarchies continue to dissolve, and as
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: our organizations and communities struggle to survive. Leaders must be
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: equipped to fill the void in a world what we
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: call a VUCA world VUC A right where volatility, uncertainty, ambiguity,
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: and chaos are becoming the norm. Such leaders will be
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: equipped to support their organizations, their communities, and their families
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: to adapt, innovate, and flourish. Now that fourth skill, curiosity,
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: let's talk about that. Leaders who are curious are inquisitive,
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: avid learners who desire to learn or know more. They
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: actively and vigorously cultivate and nurture and leverage the skill
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: of curiosity. You know what, even though we're naturally curious
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: as children, as we grow older, we may not necessarily
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: retain our curiosity. I remember as a little girl, my
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: family moved from rural Mississippi to the inner city of Detroit, Michigan,
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: and we lived in some pretty rough neighborhoods okay. Now,
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: during the hot, humid summers, instead of playing outside with
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: the other kids, I had to go to school. Unlike
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: most kids who attend summer school because they flunked a course,
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: I went to summer school because my dad said so.
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: He actually mandated it. He was the headmaster. Our house
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: was the classroom, and my sister and I were his pupils.
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: So every day, while our friends played outside our house,
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: in the street or in the yard, we completed our
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: daily lessons. Now we studied hard, me and my sisters
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: to pass the tests that Daddy gave us after dinner.
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: During those Detroit summers and for years afterwards. I remember
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: asking my dad about particular words or concepts that interested me,
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: and without fail, Daddy always said, look it up, look
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: it up. Can I just tell you something. This is
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: not what a young person wants to hear. But as
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: a dutiful daughter, I always followed my father's advice. Now
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: was my dad being mean? When I admit that's what
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: I thought, though I had the good sense to keep
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: it to myself, right, So what was he doing? My
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: dad was actually helping me cultivate an appetite for curiosity.
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: He was instilling in me and my sisters the awareness, knowledge, skills,
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: and resourcefulness for life long learning. And you know what,
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: it worked. I became very good at being curious and
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: quite skilled in satisfying my curiosity. In fact, I became
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: a voracious learner. The more I learned, the more I
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: wanted to learn, and the more curious I became. Now,
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: as a visual learner, I was very good at memorizing
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: words and their definitions. I was fascinated to learn that
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: some writers had a knack for arranging words in such
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: a way that their work I just came alive. It
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: just kind of leaped up off the page right, while
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: other writers were just, I don't know, just downright dull
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: and boring. Although I didn't realize it at the time,
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: I was actually learning about the writer's voice, about the
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: writer's tone, and about the writer's style. Looking up words
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: and other concepts stimulated my thinking, fueled my appetite for learning,
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: and spurred my lifelong curiosity. Cultivating the skill of being
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: curious also expanded my world far beyond the one I
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: knew the six square blocks of my neighborhood in East Detroit.
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: Being curious, along with other qualities of being has opened
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: so many doors and so many opportunities to build relationships,
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: to be able to work with people that I would
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: never have otherwise met, and to serve people in over
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: thirty countries on six continents. So what am I saying here?
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: I am saying that the skills of self awareness, openness, transparency,
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: and curiosity are the foundation stones for developing personal mastery.
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: They are the foundation stone for becoming yourself. Each skill
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: is distinct, and each one is essential. Each skill builds
• 30:50
  Speaker 1: on itself and all of the other skills together they
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: work in concert to support you in being who you
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: truly are. Now, for those of you listening today all
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: around the world, if you want to make your life count,
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: if you want to be the change you seek, remember this.
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: How you live is how you lead. That's right, How
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: you live is how you lead. It's how you do everything.
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: You have the power to make our world a better
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: place by showing up and showing up in your own
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: two shoes. Showing up as your authentic self. All right, now,
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: I want you to be sure to listen to this
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: show again and again, and hey, be sure to tell somebody.
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: You can find me right here on iTunes, Audible, Alexa, SoundCloud, iHeart,
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: tune In, Spreaker, dot Com, Talk Network, Rate and so
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: many other places. Now, if you happen to miss any
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: part of this week's show, or if you missed last
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: week's show, you can simply download the recording and listen
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: to it at your convenience. You can even listen to
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: it on the go. Check us out at www dot
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: talknetwork Radio dot com, Forward Slash Hosts, Forward Slash Legacy Living.
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: That's Talknetwork Radio dot com. Forward Slash Hosts, Forward Slash
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: Legacy Living. You can learn more about my work and
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: Legacy Living. Make your life count by visiting the Gloria
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: Burgess website, and that's very easy. It's Gloria Burgess dot com.
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: And as I've mentioned before, if you love to be inspired,
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: you can actually subscribe to my inspirations right on my website.
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: Just scroll down a little bit look on the right
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: sidebar until you see the place to add your email
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: address to subscribe to my weekly inspirations it's that simple.
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: Each week you get a lovely photograph and a short
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: quotation that inspires you, or by visiting me on LinkedIn
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: or Facebook, and on Facebook you can find me at
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: Facebook dot com forward slash dr for doctor Dr Gloria Burgess,
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: pH D. You can also find me on the TEDx
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: site and listen to one of my ted Talks. Just
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: type in my name to find me there. Before I
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: close today's show, I want to thank each of you
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: for tuning in today for allowing me to share a
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: bit about my journey with what Legacy living is all about,
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: not just living and learning, but living, learning and serving
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: so that you make a difference in your own life
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: and in the lives of other people. It's about being
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: on purpose every single day. Three sixty five twenty four seven.
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: Legacy Living is a powerful way to make your life count.
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: Once again, I want to thank you for joining me
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: for today's show. I'm your host, doctor Gloria Gloria Burgess,
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: and this is Legacy Living. Make your Life count. Please
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: join me again next time right here on Talk Network
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: Radio for another show of legacy living. Make your life count.
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: Don't just count the days in your life, make the
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: days in your life count. That's what legacy living is
• 34:58
  Speaker 1: all about. Have a fantastic day and remember make the
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: days in your life count. God bless that's our show today.
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, Doctor Gloria Gloria Burgess. I hope you'll
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: join me again next time. Until then, don't just count
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: the days in your life. Make the days in your
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: life count. That's what legacy living is all about. Here's
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: to you. Have a fantastic day and be sure to
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: make it a yes kind of day. Remember to celebrate
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: the music of your life. Make the days in your life.
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: Cult