So Neo didn’t have the best advice in part one. In fact, I am still not too sure what he was talking about.
Here’s Part II, enjoy!
PART TWO
Decision 2: Decide where you will go.
When I talk about the school year, I am not only talking about the time you are in the classroom. I am talking about from the first day of school until your last day of exams. This includes your weekends, evenings and holidays.
Where do you want to go this year?
Think about taking a road trip with some of your best friends. Maybe you could take a graduation trip to Europe or a spring break trip to a different city nearby. Why don’t you jump on the bus and go visit your grandparents in Chicago or uncle in Seattle. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: how can I have a good year, Make Your Own Lunch, ryan porter, school year, september, youth motivational speaker
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It’s never fun saying good-bye to summer. You had a great time. Maybe you went to the cottage, or maybe you traveled abroad. You probably had a family BBQ where you had to tell your grandma that you actually liked her potato salad even though she mistook onions for potatoes and mothballs for eggs.
Whatever you did this summer, chances are, it was a good one. Summer usually is.
That brings us here. September. Not only is it the month that Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Hilary Duff, Keanu Reeves and Dr. Phil were born in, it’s usually the month that school starts.
We all know Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix Trilogy and since he was born in the month that school starts, I decided to ask Neo if he had any advice for this upcoming year.
Hey Neo, any advice for people starting a new school year? Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Make Your Own Lunch, school, school year, september, youth motivational speaker
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Random Rhino fact #319: Rhinos can only move forward.
Now with that out of the way, here’s Part 2 of my interview with me.
How can I get started as a Youth Speaker?
Step one: Be real. Don’t try to be someone your not. Tell your own stories and share your own experiences.
Step two: Define your message. What will you speak about? Do you have experience overcoming obstacles? Are you awesome at setting and achieving goals? Are you passionate about equality? Whatever it is, figure it out and start spreading that message. Everywhere and anywhere at the beginning, get your message polished and ready for the big leagues.
Step three: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Jobs Nobody Talks About, Make Your Own Lunch | 1 Comment »
When you were a kid, how did you answer the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”
I remember thinking becoming an actual animal was a completely viable option. People would ask me, “Ryan what do you want to be when you grow up?” Fully expecting me to say “a police officer” or “an astronaut”. My answer surprised them every time.
“A rhinoceros.”
The person asking the question would then slowly look up at my parents who were obviously smiling ear-to-ear, and ask why I wasn’t wearing a helmet.
I could never have guessed as a kid, that I would be doing what I get to do for a living.
People like to call me a “Youth Motivational Speaker”. I don’t really like being put in that category because people then assume I walk around all day saying things like “you can do it!” or “just think positive thoughts!”
I am a person who has had some crazy experiences. I live the life I want to live and do the stuff I want to do and I want everyone to have the same freedom that I feel I have. That’s why I do what I do. I think everyone has the right and responsibility to do whatever they want (as long as it’s legal and doesn’t hurt anyone).
I get emailed questions A LOT. One of the most common questions is, “how can I do what you do?” Read the rest of this entry »
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Alright already! I have been getting a bunch of emails asking me to post the piece I wrote about Oprah-itis. So here it is in its literary glory.
Ok, let’s get one thing straight, I love Oprah. Don’t worry Stedman I don’t love her like that. She’s all yours. What I love is the fact that she’s created this huge empire off of helping people! She gives stuff away, she gives people makeovers, she cleans people’s houses, she builds schools in Africa, she grants wishes, she sends cupcakes to people and she gets other people involved and shows them how they can do it for themselves. She’s a huge example of how helping people, even in the easiest ways, can literally change the world. Plus, she likes to Skype. Read the rest of this entry »
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One of the best parts about traveling across the continent speaking to tens of thousands of students is getting to meet the other awesome speakers.
A good speaker friend of mine, Grant Baldwin, is the Master Jedi of showing young people how to make, save and invest their money. He’s even showing teens how to go to college for FREE! I reached out to Grant to help you figure out to do with all the cash you are making at your new part-time job!
Here’s what he had to say:
So you landed that part-time dream job huh? The gig fits within your schedule, you get to work with friends, they pay you in a real currency (not Monopoly money), and you’re not having to scrub toilets with your toothbrush. Pretty cool…congrats! But we all know the fun part isn’t the work. Sure, it’s not a bad job, but you’re not working for free. You’re working to get paid…can I get an AMEN?! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: grant baldwin, More than Allowance, part-time job, youth motivational speaker
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Maybe you don’t actually dream about a part-time job (some of you might actually have nightmares about it) but you need to stop asking your mommy for money. Yes, she loves you, she has to but you’re too old for that (money not love). Besides, a part-time job is almost as good for you as carrots.
Why?
A part-time job is a perfect way for you to learn how businesses work. You’ll have the chance to learn about yourself, other people and how they interact with each other and most importantly, you’ll get to make some money.
Here are 7 tips to getting an awesome part-time job. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: get the best part-time job, part-time job, ryan porter, youth motivational speaker
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Here’s the last 4 reasons why you should take a gap year!
4. Get Qualified
A gap year isn’t just a year to waste away in hostels. It’s a year for you to get some experience and qualifications.
Get your TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate or your Dive Master scuba diving License. Learn some new skills while volunteering on a farm in Australia or gain work experience while working for a winery in France. Learn how to cook at a restaurant in India or guide English tours through the pyramids in Egypt. I have personally met somebody who has done each of the things I have mentioned. All of them are always employed and happy because they’re doing what they are passionate about.
These types of qualifications and experience(s) will definitely make you stand out in any pile of resumes or school applications. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: gap year, Make Your Own Lunch, ryan porter, should I take a gap year, what is a gap year, youth motivational speaker
Posted in Get Lost, Get Found, Make Your Own Lunch | 3 Comments »
If you’ve never heard of a “gap year” before, you need to know that it has nothing to do with wearing khaki’s and sweater vests.
A gap year has nothing to do with clothing. It’s a year that you take off from school (usually after finishing high school before entering college/university/the workforce) to travel, gain experience and meet new people.
Gap years have been popular in Europe for a while but they’re just now becoming more accepted in North America. Some people use this year to volunteer, some work to earn money, some people spend the whole time backpacking and others use it as a time to write and take pictures or all of the above. Read the rest of this entry »
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Konnichiwa. Bonjour. Hola. Shalom. G’day. Guten tag. Hello.
I love languages. I still struggle with English but I love new languages! I love the fact that everywhere you go people are communicating in their own way and it works! I am also (slowly) learning a new language. I have been studying Japanese for the past 3 years and it’s been incredible.
Learning a new language literally opens a whole new world and gives you opportunities that you couldn’t have had otherwise. (Not to mention it makes you look a lot cooler than the fake Jeopardy nametag and plastic glasses you’ve been wearing for the past 3 weeks – stop that).
After trying a bunch of different ways of studying, I have my own method these days. Here are my top 5 tips for learning a new language.
1. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE
The most important part of learning a new language is hearing what it’s supposed to sound like. You want to make sure you can sound as natural as possible so you don’t make weird mistakes like telling a girl she is KOWAI (scary) instead of KAWAII (cute) – I watched a friend do this in a nightclub in Japan, I then watched the same friend get a drink thrown at him. True story. Read the rest of this entry »
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