As a young man, I knew I could achieve anything I put my mind to. Working with students today, it’s my mission to help them understand their own limitless potential. The key to unlocking this potential lies in having the right mindset.

I’m 6’9” tall, so it’s easy for some people to assume that my success in basketball came from my size. However, that would be a mistake. The sports world is full of people with immense talent who could never translate their gifts into success.

The difference maker is the desire to learn and the belief that we can all get better. This is what’s known as the growth mindset. Studies show that people with a growth mindset worry less about being good, or being smart, and devote more of their energy to learning. This frame of mind has served me well.

I arrived in Canada as a 15 year old who could not speak a word of English. Within a semester I became fluent. A few short years after learning the language, I took the court for Canada’s Junior National basketball team.

My talks with students are thought provoking, funny, and always uplifting. I use examples from my life to show young people how they can become successful simply by being willing to accept the challenge.