July 29, 2025 • 34 mins
🔥 “Don’t break promises to yourself.”
In this powerhouse episode of Coffee with E, Erica sits down with her husband, Dr. Jesse Rawls Jr., a respected educator, former D1 athlete, and leader known for his discipline, integrity, and unshakable mindset.
From early lessons on the field to becoming a high school principal at just 31, Jesse shares what it really takes to lead yourself and others, especially when you’re battling self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or leading in spaces where your age feels like a disadvantage.
Whether you’re leading a classroom, running a business, raising a family, or simply trying to win your mornings, this episode will push you to stop quitting, lead with confidence, and be great, every single day.
☕ In This Episode:
• Why most young leaders struggle to earn respect
• How self-discipline always beats motivation
• What to do when imposter syndrome creeps in
• Why quitting once makes it easier to quit again
• The underrated power of talking to yourself
💬 “If you just never quit, you will succeed.” — Dr. Jesse Rawls
🎯 Know someone in a leadership role or growing into one? Share this with them.
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💼 Powered by The Erica Rawls Team
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Erica Rawls (00:00):
Hey you, I have a special coffee with thee.
I had the privilege of sittingdown with Dr Jesse Rawls, who is
also the love of my life, myhusband.
He is probably the mostmotivational, the best
motivational speaker I had theprivilege of actually listening
to.
And yeah, y'all be like, oh,there's so many other people.
(00:20):
Yeah, I know that, and yet he'smy favorite for many reasons.
He's here to talk to us aboutleadership, how to win the day,
how to be disciplined, how to beable to lead with confidence.
Sit back and tell me if I'm notwrong.
This one is good.
Okay, babe, welcome to my seat.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (00:43):
Thank you, thanks for having me.
Erica Rawls (00:44):
You're welcome.
You know what I just realized?
My coffee's over there it is.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (00:47):
You want it or?
Erica Rawls (00:47):
not.
I think I might be okay for now.
Yeah, but when I need it, canyou hand it to me?
I will do that.
Okay, alrighty.
So yeah, for those that don'tknow, I'm having a conversation
with my husband, jesse.
Jesse, some people call him DrRawls, some people call we won't
even go there.
Yeah, dr Rawls or Jesse, that'sall y'all need to know.
(01:12):
All right, yeah, and what Ilove about this man is that the
fact that he's able to lead andactually he is a great visionary
as well as a great operator andexecutor.
So when we talk aboutdiscipline, someone says define
discipline.
I literally say Jesse, and theythink it's funny, but it's so
true Because I say this to youall the time that you're like my
(01:32):
biggest motivator and you're mybiggest pain point when it
comes to discipline and doingthe things I need to do, like
accountability.
You know I get afraid to say,hey, can you hold me accountable
?
You be like what do you say?
Yeah, you do.
What do you say when I say canyou hold?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (01:47):
me.
I say beat you, are you sure?
Erica Rawls (01:49):
are you sure, can you stand the heat?
yeah yeah, I'm like I don't know, but can you please until I say
no, hey, I'm hoping you'reenjoying this episode of coffee
with e.
I had to take 30 seconds toshare with you one of our
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(02:10):
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Now let's go back to theepisode.
So I just wanted to have aconversation with you today
about leadership.
So can we tell or share yourstory about?
You know your leadershipjourney, because it didn't
happen overnight, but you seemto be like a great leader, or
(02:31):
perceived as being a greatleader.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (02:33):
Yeah, Well, I mean how far back you want me to
go?
Erica Rawls (02:36):
As far as you need to bae.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (02:38):
Well, I mean, I think sometimes in life you're
some people say you know,leaders are born or leaders made
, or champions born or championsmade.
I think in life you seeyourself, uh, as you move down a
path, um, you can see yourselfin in leadership positions, or
people say they want you to lead.
(03:00):
I think early on in my life,when I was playing sports or or
in the classroom or differentthings, people would pick me to
lead.
Not that I was at my hand up,that I wanted to do that, but I
think it was the way I carriedmyself, the way I did things.
A certain way, I think peopleare always watching, watching
(03:23):
you and what you're doing, and Ithink that's the start of
leadership, or leadership habitsthat you know you're willing to
do things that others may notbe willing to do, or you're just
willing to live, live your lifea certain way, and so people
respect that you know as you'regrowing up.
So I was always a captain ofthe teams.
Erica Rawls (03:42):
Did you ever shy away?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (03:44):
I mean no, I mean especially not in sports.
I didn't shy away necessarilybecause, you know, I'm a
competitor, so I always wantedto win and always wanted to work
hard so that I could win.
So when they were naming mecaptain, it was because I was
working really hard and I didn'twant us to lose.
(04:04):
Or I didn't want, you know, ifI was on the wrestling team, I
didn't want people to not liveup to their full capacity to be
the best that they could be,because that would hurt us as a
team but, more importantly, itwould hurt them.
So they would always look to me.
You know, when I went toMichigan, I was captain of the
wrestling team for my junior andsenior year wrestling,
(04:25):
wrestling team for my junior andsenior year of wrestling.
So I got picked as a junior andas a senior and that was just a
matter of you know, um, I gothurt in college but I never quit
, or I would come in early inthe morning just to do certain
workouts that I could only do,um, and so the guys were
watching or, like you know, whenthey were getting doing things
maybe they shouldn't have beendoing, I was always the one to
say hey, hey, you know, we gotto be better than that.
(04:48):
Like I'm always big in thelegacy, like we're leaving a
legacy, like we're staying onthe shoulders of others.
Erica Rawls (04:55):
Even at that young age you were talking about
legacy.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (04:57):
Yeah, I think yeah, you were here before,
because it meant a lot to me.
Erica Rawls (05:01):
Yeah, like why.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (05:03):
I mean, if you're talking about Michigan,
it meant a lot to me because mydad had wrestled there.
Erica Rawls (05:06):
My brother had wrestled there.
Okay.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (05:08):
And now I'm wrestling there.
But also I'm always big intoI'm representing something
bigger than myself, mm-hmm.
And so my style of leadershiphas always been it's never about
me, it's about you knowfamilies, it's about you know
families, it's about students,it's about the community, but
(05:29):
it's never about about me.
Like I'm, I'm just trying toensure that I'm leaving a place
better than it, better than whenI found it.
So I think leadership issacrifice and so you know great
leaders understand that there is.
(05:51):
It can never be about them.
I think we look at and we sayat leaders sometimes and we say
you know that person's name andthey're doing X, y and Z.
But true leadership is being aservant, it's service.
If you're leading people,you're actually trying to help
them get to where they need tobe, more so than where you're
(06:11):
trying to get to be so good, andthat's why a lot of people fail
at leadership, because theythink it's about they don't want
to serve.
Erica Rawls (06:19):
They want other people to serve them.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (06:21):
Yeah it can't be that way.
I mean anybody that's trying tolead and trying to get for
other people to serve them, thenthey're not doing the right
work.
I mean, even in the home.
You know, if I'm leading myhousehold, it's because I'm
trying to serve my wife, my kids, making sure they have
everything they need to besuccessful, and then I'll come
in and take care of what I needto take care of.
(06:43):
But yeah, leadership is neverabout the person.
It's about the people that arearound them and ensuring that
they have the tools to besuccessful in life.
It can never be about aboutyourself.
I think a lot of people fail,fall in leadership roles when
they get all into their ownfeelings about the different
(07:04):
things that are happening tothem and the different
circumstances that surroundleadership.
Because leadership is lonely,right, leadership is a lonely.
Erica Rawls (07:12):
It is lonely.
So, thinking about the targetaudience that we have here and
you can relate to this 25 to 35.
Yeah, so 25 to 35.
Yeah, being a young leader in arole for you as being a
principal when you were 32.
Is that right?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (07:32):
Yeah, I got my first.
Well, I mean, I actually got myfirst principalship when I went
to Harlem, so I was 31.
I was 31.
Erica Rawls (07:40):
So how is it what?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (07:49):
can you share with the young leaders that are
out there that are responsiblefor older people as well?
Well, I think the biggest thingI can say to younger people
working into leadership roles isyou're going to fail, you're
going to fail.
Erica Rawls (07:59):
Ultimately, you're going to fail.
No, I mean right away.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (08:01):
It's not going to go like you think it's going
to go.
You're going to fall down.
I mean, that's it's not goingto go like you think it's going
to go.
You're going to fall down.
I mean, that's just the natureof the beast.
I know when I, you know, myfirst job as a high school
principal was in York,pennsylvania, at William Penn
Senior High School, york High,and I was only 32.
And my first year was I was notgood, not because I wasn't
(08:22):
trying, not because I was doingthings I shouldn't have been
doing.
I just didn't know.
And so I had a vision of what Iwanted to do, but what I was.
You know the steps to get there.
You know I was just doing a bad, a bad job in terms of having a
lot of setbacks.
And again, I think leadership isabout if you want to lead, you
(08:43):
have to take chances, you haveto have a vision, you have to
manage well and you have to bewilling to try things, fail and
try again.
Because if you don't leave froma perspective of I'm going to
try things and it may not besuccessful, then you're leading
in fear.
And if you're leading in fearof failure, if I'm always afraid
that I'm going to fail RightThen.
(09:06):
Then I'm not allowing peoplethat are working with me to
understand that they also needto take chances, because if you
want to move the needle in anyorganization, in any position,
you have to take chances, whichmay lead to failure.
So again, I think part of whatI always say about myself and I
think in leadership, you have tobe this way, I'm comfortable
being uncomfortable.
I'm comfortable in this.
You had to be this way, I'm.
I'm comfortable beinguncomfortable.
Erica Rawls (09:26):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:27):
I'm comfortable in this seat of I don't know.
I'm comfortable saying, yeah,that I really messed that up and
things aren't going the way Iwant them to go.
But how can we work this outand and and, so that we can
change direction, do somethingdifferent.
Change direction, do somethingdifferent and then continue to
grow?
Erica Rawls (09:45):
Well, okay, Dr Rawls.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:47):
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (09:47):
I'm being one of the audience members here and
then just thinking about so howdo you get people to take you
seriously when you're that young?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:57):
I took myself seriously.
I think we worry about whatother people are going to think
about us, but how do you seeyourself?
I looked at myself in themirror every day.
I took myself seriously.
I dressed to be a principal.
Before I was a principal I wentto work suit, tie, you know I'm
ready, but I wasn't a principalyet, but I was dressing like
that.
So, yeah, I'm sure people likethis young guy don't know what
(10:19):
he's talking about.
They probably were right.
But I thought you know I cantell you this, I'm going every
day.
I'm going to work really hard.
You know I'm going to do what Ineed to do to be successful.
So I think when you step intoleadership roles or any role in
life and you first get there,you do have to look yourself in
(10:42):
the mirror and take yourselfseriously and say I can do this
and doubt begins to creep in.
But you keep saying I can dothis.
Erica Rawls (10:50):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (10:51):
And I can, I can do it, I can do it.
And then if you're doing that,people take you seriously
because they know how seriousyou are.
Like if you're really seriousabout the work, serious about
what you're trying to do,working really hard.
People respect that At thebeginning.
Anytime a new leader comes in,I don't care who it is, people
are going to look at yousideways.
(11:11):
It's not an age thing, it'sjust that's how we are as people
.
Erica Rawls (11:15):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:15):
And then it's up to you to not necessarily
show them, but to walk your truewalk, your true walk.
So that's why I say you have toreally not know yourself 100%,
but you have to believe that youcan accomplish whatever it is
that you're setting out toaccomplish.
I think that's the biggestthing in life and that life has
taught me over and over, like itasked me all the time.
(11:36):
Do you believe?
Erica Rawls (11:37):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:38):
And if my answer is yes, then I know I can
accomplish that goal.
Erica Rawls (11:41):
So you might be one of the few people it sounds
like like outside looking in orlistening to what you're saying
right now.
Did you ever suffer from likeimposter syndrome, feeling as
though, ok, I don't deserve tobe here or I'm not ready for
this position?
Did you ever suffer at all withthat?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:58):
I mean, again that's that doubt creeping in.
So I think like we all dealwith that.
Erica Rawls (12:02):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (12:03):
We all deal with this issue of self-doubt at
times.
It's a confidence thing andlife has taught me that you can
be real confident, you know, forone year.
Erica Rawls (12:20):
But if you're not constantly working on staying
confident, then you can lose itbecause people are trying to
steal it, because they're tryingto question you.
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Dr. Jesse Rawls (12:38):
Now back to the show nowadays, and I'm not into
social media and all that stuff, but I see the kids, I'm
dealing with them all the timeand so they're.
You know people are alwayschipping away at your, your
mental, your mental, uh self,and how you, how you see
yourself, because what you'reseeing or what people are saying
, or people can just get at youdifferent ways.
Um, so you really have to stayuh in tune with yourself but
(13:02):
also working on being confident.
But this whole idea of impostersyndrome you're always going to
, that's always going to come upagainst you in any field.
I don't care if you're abasketball player.
You know you're a father or amother, or you know you're just
starting out a job, maybe you'rea secretary, it doesn't matter
your position.
(13:22):
There's going to be times whereyou go like, you know, am I
really who they think I am?
Erica Rawls (13:28):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (13:28):
And you have that self-doubt, but then that's
just life talking to you andthen you just got to fight back
and work at it.
So that's part of my discipline.
I try to stay disciplined inmyself.
I try to win at differentthings in the morning or at
night, just trying to to win atone specific instance so that I
(13:50):
can say, even if I fail at thisone thing, I know I completed
this task over here, so I knowwhat I'm capable of doing Right,
and so then I feel better aboutmyself.
So you have to have somepositive, positive moments in
your life every day.
Erica Rawls (14:04):
Right, yeah, I think you are probably one of
the most disciplined people I'veever had the privilege of
knowing, and I know you morethan most.
So it's just, it's so cool tosee how you I want to share how
(14:28):
he'll have.
He'll say he's going to do athing.
Y'all I'm telling you, let'sjust use Peloton, right?
Okay?
So he says he's going to do.
What was the power?
The power.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (14:39):
Oh, I'm doing a power zone training right now.
I'm doing a power zone trainingright now.
Build your base.
Erica Rawls (14:45):
Build, there it is.
Build your base, build yourbase.
There it is, build your base,build your base Right right.
And it's for a month long.
Is it a month long Weeks?
Okay, it was for eight weeks.
He said, yeah, babe, I'm goingto do this power zone training.
I said, okay, great, and it wasjust this past Saturday from
the time that we recorded this.
I guess you were at the top ofit, I finished it.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (15:05):
You the top of it, I finished it, you finished
it.
Erica Rawls (15:07):
So to finish it, you had to do it for 90.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (15:10):
That was the week before.
This week was 60 minutes.
Erica Rawls (15:12):
It was 60 minutes, okay, 90 minutes, 90 minutes of
just pure exercise.
So he's going going downgetting ready and prepping.
I was like so what are youabout to do?
He's like man, I got to do 90minutes.
I said 90 minutes or what hesaid I got to exercise for 90.
(15:34):
Like man, I gotta do 90 minutes.
I said 90 minutes of what hesaid I gotta exercise for 90
minutes.
I said that's nuts, why do youhave to exercise for 90 minutes?
I'm doing this power zonetraining.
It's like well, why doeseverybody gotta do the 90
minutes?
But he was so adamant about I'mgoing to finish it and I was
curious to know, like and I knowhe didn't skip any days, no,
and I wanted to knowstatistically, like, how many
people actually were able to go100 without quitting any days.
But you didn't quit any days,no.
(15:55):
So I need to know, the peopleneed to know how do you stay,
like, okay, I want to do thatthing right and I'm going to
finish that thing withoutwavering, like well, I don't
believe in quitting, so that'snumber one.
So I'm not Skipping a day onexercise.
Is that quitting?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (16:12):
That means I didn't finish it, so then I quit
.
So if we got something to doand they said I had to do 24 to
do it, then I have to do that orI quit.
And so to me again,leadership's about not quitting.
Erica Rawls (16:26):
Right, it all ties in yeah.
So Again, leadership's aboutnot quitting Right, and it all
ties in yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (16:29):
So I don't, I don't believe in quitting, and
so you know my dad would neverlet me quit anything.
So that's it started at a youngage.
But then I, I like, took thatin and I don't quit anything
like, because I believe and I'msure people notice, once you
quit one thing, it begins, it'seasier to keep quitting, and so
(16:51):
if you just never quit, if youjust never quit, you have a, you
have the possibility of succeed.
A matter of fact, you willsucceed if I just never, ever,
ever, ever give up.
So yeah.
So now I'm into this thing.
I told you I'm going to workout 365 days and every day for a
, for a year.
Right, I'm up to like 266 days,because that that was something
(17:19):
I started, I'll forget, lastOctober, whatever, but but and
and so yeah, and then I'm doingthese different programs, but
it's just part of but, that'spart of me when, in the morning
too.
So I wake up really early and Igot to get something done
Because, again, one thing aboutleadership, you got to take care
of yourself mentally,physically, spiritually,
(17:41):
emotionally, and so I find thatI get up early in the morning,
before anybody gets up.
One.
I love working out when I thinkother people are sleeping.
That's a wrestling thing.
So I will run at night afterpractice or run early in the
morning, cause I always saw mycompetitor was sleeping and if
they were sleeping and I wasworking out, I had the advantage
(18:01):
.
And so when we went andwrestled on that week, I felt
like I had an advantage.
So I turned that into now in mylife.
You know, if I'm up working out, I have an advantage over
anybody else, that that you know.
Again, I'm a competitor, so I'mlike, okay, I can be the best
leader because I have I have Ihave an advantage and I'm taking
(18:23):
care of myself and that's andthat's my time.
So, um, and it goes back, goesback to I know, throughout the
day I'm going to try things.
I may be, I may not besuccessful, but I know I
completed this one thing and soI can feel, I can feel good
about that.
And I think that's importantagain, for if you get into
leadership or leadership roles,you have to make time for
(18:43):
yourself, you have to take careof yourself and you have to find
that victory every single day.
Erica Rawls (18:49):
Even if it's small.
Even if it's small, it could besmall One thing that I love
that you say.
Our children say it too.
Like you know, you can't breakpromises to yourself.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:00):
No.
Erica Rawls (19:01):
Yeah, because if you break a promise to yourself,
then you can break a promise toanyone.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:05):
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (19:12):
So, and of course I learned that as well.
Yeah, so, and of course I, Ilearned that as well.
So whenever I don't want to dosomething, I hear myself saying
cause, I caught you one morningwhich me and the kids always
laugh about when you didn't wantto work out.
You're like come on, jesse, whydon't you want to work out
today?
I'm like, who are you talkingto?
Like, oh, myself.
But it's one of those thingsthat you actually to motivate
yourself to do the things thatyou don't want to do, because
(19:33):
you know on the other side of it, you're going to benefit from
it 100%.
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Now back to the show.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:54):
I can't say this enough.
I mean, in life you got to talkto yourself.
You know you got it.
You do have to motivateyourself because this thing
called life is not easy.
It's really, really hard.
Like I counsel kids all the timeand I'm talking to them, I
always get a kind of choked upor emotional when I'm seeing
freshmen and then they becomeseniors.
It's because this world is notan easy place, right?
So you've got to constantlymotivate yourself and people
(20:20):
think like that's not true, orthey may think that's well, you
don't really need.
Yes, you do, because no oneelse you know.
We always say if no one elsebelieves in you, always believe
in yourself.
So no one in this world maybelieve in what you're capable
of, but if you just believe, yougot to believe in yourself and
then that's one person thatbelieves in you, but it's you.
And so if you can believe inyourself, then you can
(20:42):
accomplish what you want toaccomplish.
So you do have to motivateyourself.
You do have to talk to yourself.
At times when you don't feellike doing something, just start
talking to yourself, motivatingyourself, believing that you
can do it.
And that goes back to animposter syndrome.
When you're feeling like animposter, or feeling like you
know you, you got this job, oryou're starting this business
and it's not going the way youwanted to go, or people are
(21:03):
saying you can do it, or thingsare falling down.
But if you keep motivatingyourself, talking to yourself,
believing in yourself, you knowand then just say I'm not going
to quit, I'm about to changedirection yeah but I'm not going
to quit.
And once you make that decisionthat you're not going to quit, I
believe the world begins toopen up and change course for
(21:24):
you.
Like, you have that much powerin yourself because someone can
always see what's in you, youknow, or look into your eyes and
know that guy right there orthat girl they're not.
They're not quitting.
So I'm going to take a chanceon them, or I'm going to get out
of their way, or I'm going tohelp them out, because they have
decided deep down in themselvesthat they're they have this
(21:46):
dream, they have this goal.
Erica Rawls (21:48):
They're're not going to quit, they're not going
to give up so what do you sayto the person that's been told
you're too much?
Or they're not accepted in aplace because of the the light
that you're saying, or someonecan look in your eyes and say
okay, yeah, um, yeah, they'renot going to quit.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (22:03):
That's intimidating to some people well
, I mean, everybody's not goingto like you.
Another leadership principle Ifeverybody likes you, you're
doing something wrong.
Erica Rawls (22:11):
Doing something wrong.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (22:11):
Yeah.
So, like some people that don't, maybe they're feeling bad
about themselves for some reasonand they don't accept you for
who you are, what you'rebringing to the table.
They might not like you, oryou're calling them out because
you are a leader, but you're notdoing it out of malice, but
that's your job.
They might not like you, butthey're going to respect you,
(22:33):
right.
So, um, you just you can't livelife trying to please everybody
, because if you do that, youend up hurting yourself, and
that's something I've had tolearn along the way.
You know, trying to make sureeverybody's happy, but it just
doesn't work that way, and soyou have to, you know, work
through that whole, that wholeprocess and just come to grips
(22:56):
with man.
Everybody not going to like me.
Erica Rawls (22:59):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (23:00):
And it's OK, I'm all right with that.
Right, I'm all right with that.
I'm at peace with that.
Erica Rawls (23:05):
So everywhere I go and I say who I'm married to,
they say, oh, he's such a greatleader.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (23:12):
Why do you think that is I mean?
I think I think peopleunderstand that I mean when I
say, when I say I'm here toserve, like I'm here to help you
and so it doesn't matter yourposition, doesn't matter what
you do, doesn't matter what youlook like, like I'm going to
help, I'm going to do my bestwork and I'm going to try to
help and I'm going to live mylife in a way that I want to
(23:37):
bring honor to my family butalso honor to the community that
I'm serving.
Kids will say that because theyknow I care as a teacher, I
care deeply about my, about mystudents that were in the
classroom with me when I becamea principal or assistant
principal.
I care deeply about them, mystaff the same way.
(23:59):
You know I see them as not justteachers but human beings that
are living their life.
And how can I help and assistthem wherever, whatever they're
trying to do personally,professionally, that in that I
believe in them.
So I think If people say that,that's because that's what I try
to do.
Erica Rawls (24:30):
I think I've been been good at that along the way
and never try to take honor andglory for myself, because it's
never been about Jesse Rawls.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (24:33):
Jr.
And plus, you're a man ofintegrity.
When you say you're going to dosomething, you do it.
Yeah, I think that's very, very, very important.
If you say something, do it,and if you can't do it, tell the
person why.
I can't.
Erica Rawls (24:40):
I can't do that yeah, so now you're starting to
be known for this be great everyday yeah yeah, you can't think
of anybody else right now.
I can't think of anything.
I can't when I hear be greatevery day.
And someone to say be greatevery day, I'm like you heard
that from Jesse, yeah, so whatdoes that mean to you?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (25:00):
It means so much to me.
I mean, I started out when Iwas at Central Dolphin East High
School.
It was something that was withme for a long time.
But when I got to East High,because I felt like we were the
underdogs.
You know, I felt like we werethe underdogs in that you know
what's the one thing that we cancontrol every single day so
(25:23):
that we can raise our level andraise up our performance in
anything.
And then when I'm seeingstudents, you know, I see them
and I see that sometimes theydon't understand the importance
of each day, and so I wouldalways tell them be great every
day, because I would tell themlike and I believe this, so
(25:45):
every day I wake up, I honestlybelieve this and I say it to
myself that every day that youget is a gift, right, that
you're given this gift to wakeup.
Erica Rawls (25:55):
I had to take two seconds to interrupt this
episode.
I would like to thank one ofour most recent guests, attorney
Jenny Chavis, for sponsoringthis show.
Chavis Law Firm is an elite lawfirm in Central Pennsylvania
that helps with estate planningas well as understanding what
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If you're looking for a greatattorney that understands estate
(26:18):
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Now back to the show.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (26:27):
I don't know what the chances of us being
here in this moment, but it's,it's, it's.
You can't even calculate it,you know.
So, therefore, we have thisamazing gift that we're given,
but also tell people that a giftis only good if it's received.
Erica Rawls (26:45):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (26:45):
Right, I can hand you $20, but if you don't
take it, then I just have myhand out and you was like I
didn't want it.
But I look at a day that we getas that gift and then I receive
it, and then I just believethat every single day we have a
choice to make.
Like I try to make thingssimple in my life.
Erica Rawls (27:04):
You really do Right .
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:06):
So we have a simple choice to make either to
be great or not to be great.
Erica Rawls (27:12):
You mean that no?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:13):
because it's that simple.
There's no in between.
Erica Rawls (27:15):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:16):
Either getting better or you're getting worse,
but you're never staying thesame.
You're never staying status quo.
It's either you're gettingbetter or you're getting worse.
But never believe that you'restaying the same, that just that
can't happen.
It's impossible to remain thesame.
So then, every day I get up, Ihave to make a choice.
No matter how I'm feeling, nomatter what happened to me
(27:37):
yesterday, no matter whatconfronts me in the day, no
matter who I run into, you know,I have a choice to make and I
say my choice is I'm going to begreat every single day that I'm
on earth, that I put my feetdown, that my feet hit the
ground, I'm able to stand up.
I'm going to be great on thatday.
(27:57):
Don't know about.
You know yesterday's gone,tomorrow I don't know.
Yeah, you know what tomorrow'sgonna bring, but I know what I
have right now in front of meright so on this day I'm gonna
be great.
And so when I say, you know,simple thing like Peloton or
yeah and I know I'm giving thema shout out, but because I do
love it yeah but a simple thinglike that is just a challenge
(28:22):
for me to say on this day Idon't feel like doing this, but
I'm going to do it, and I'm notgoing to do it halfway, I'm
going to do it all the waybecause that's a challenge to
myself to be great.
And then when I walk into workI feel the same way.
When I'm talking to kids ortalking to a teacher, I'm giving
them everything I got in thatmoment.
You know, because that's beenmy promise to myself, I'm going
(28:47):
to be great every single day.
So I used to tell the kids thatat East High, be great every
day.
And it's crazy because I wasthis summer.
I was at the fruit place and astudent came up to me and he
said, dr Rose.
He said, remember, you used tosay be great every day.
(29:08):
I said, yeah.
He said, man, some kids mightnot have understood that, but I
did.
He said, man, that's that's soimportant, that every day that
they were great.
And it kind of choked me upbecause you know I'll get emails
from students every once in awhile.
They'll email me and just saythe same thing to me but it's,
(29:30):
it's so, it's so, it's soimportant, um, that we, that we
take hold of every single day,because we, we only have so many
yeah like, if you think aboutlife, you we're finite, we're
not infinite, like in terms ofbeing here on earth, like
there's only so many, so manydays we have.
So why not make the most out ofevery single day and give our,
give our best effort?
It's just, it's what we owe.
It's what we owe once we acceptthat gift and I accept the gift
every day that the sun suncomes up, or maybe the sun
(29:53):
doesn't, because it's beenraining a lot, a lot, but every
day that I get up, I'm gonna domy best work right, I guarantee
you that like I can guaranteeyou that, and I tell people I
work with that, like I canguarantee you I.
And I tell people I work withthat, like I can guarantee you,
I'm going to give my best effort, every single day, without a
doubt.
You don't have to ask about it.
Erica Rawls (30:09):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:09):
That's how it's going to happen.
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (30:12):
Yeah, and I know a lot of people like boy, I bet it
was tough being raised withwith that guy and I'm here to
say no, he's probably the mostcompassionate person you have,
such a big heart.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:25):
Well, I would always ask the kids did you do
your best work?
Erica Rawls (30:27):
Did you do your best work.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:28):
And if the answer is yes, then okay, and I
don't care what grade you got, Idon't care what you did.
You know sports-wise, Did youdo your best?
If the answer is yes, then whatare we worried about anymore?
Erica Rawls (30:41):
It was that easy.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:44):
And that's a lesson I used to always just
want to win, yeah, until I hurtmyself.
Really bad yeah having like ajust a crazy experience when I
just got so mad at myself andthat was my sophomore year in
college and then after that Iwas like, look, the only thing
I'm gonna ask myself is that Ido my best work?
And if I did, I'm going to walkoff this mat winner losing,
(31:06):
feeling good about what I, whatI put in.
So you know that that's all itwas for me.
Like, every day I'm working,working, working, and then we'll
figure it out when it, you know, at the end of the match, what
happens.
Erica Rawls (31:18):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (31:19):
You know, I think I try to live my life the
same way.
Erica Rawls (31:21):
Yeah, this was so good, so good.
I'm sure there's going to bepeople asking questions or
saying thank you for themotivation, because that's what
this was.
Hey, I need to take two secondsto interrupt this wonderful
show that you're watching.
I run a real estate businessand the way we fund this podcast
is through that business, theErica Ross team.
I would love it if you wouldjust give us one opportunity to
(31:44):
service your real estate needs,whether you are in central PA or
around the entire world.
Think of us first so we canhelp you.
Now back to the show.
So with that, a lot of peoplelike to come to your
commencement, your graduationceremony, to hear your speeches.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:02):
That's true.
Erica Rawls (32:03):
They do.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:04):
Okay.
Erica Rawls (32:04):
Like they follow you wherever you go.
You know now at CumberlandValley, and you know who knows
where you end up.
But people do follow you foryour motivational speeches.
So where do you like, how doyou prepare, like, where does
that come from?
Because they are good.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:20):
Sometimes it just to be something of.
I'm blessed with a thought.
Erica Rawls (32:25):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:26):
And it just a marinate in my mind.
Erica Rawls (32:30):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:30):
And then from there I'm.
I'm talking to myself.
Erica Rawls (32:34):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:38):
You know I'm talking to myself.
I remember the one of my mostfamous ones.
I talk about that composter,that I bought the composter, and
how composter turns trash intotreasure, if you will.
And then I thought about ourkids and how they grow up and
how you can take all thenegative things that people say
about you and use it formotivation, just like a
(33:00):
composter.
And you can compost thenegative talk, or you can
compost people saying you can'tdo this, or you can, you know,
compost that doubt and then youjust put it in a place.
You can use that as fuel foryour fire to succeed in life.
You know, and so that was.
I bought a composter and I wasamazed at what it could do yeah
and I was like man, if you could, if you could take trash and
(33:23):
turn it to treasure, you cantake people's negative energy
that they're trying to give toyou and turn it into motivation
to succeed in life, cause you'vegot to think of different ways
to motivate yourself in life.
And sometimes when you justgetting beat down, beat down,
beat down, you can take all thatthat energy and say, no, I can,
I can.
Just just because you said Ican, I will and and and.
(33:45):
Sometimes that's the motivationyou need to be, need to be
successful, cause you, you havethis in your mind that you know
someone's saying but you can'tdo what you're saying Again if
no one believes in me, I'malways going to believe in
myself.
Erica Rawls (33:59):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (33:59):
I'm going to to , uh, to overcome, I'm going,
I'm going to to, to overcome,I'm going, I'm going to succeed.
So that's how stuff comes to me.
Well, you know, that's howstuff comes to me.
Erica Rawls (34:10):
Yeah, well, thank you for motivating, yes, our
community.
This is good, this is good.
So, thank you, you're welcome.
Yeah, it's been a pleasuresitting on the couch with you.
Okay, alrighty y'all, if youlove what you heard, please.
(34:33):
I would love nothing more butto hear you or meet you in the
comments.
Hey you, I have a special coffee with thee.
I had the privilege of sittingdown with Dr Jesse Rawls, who is
also the love of my life, myhusband.
He is probably the mostmotivational, the best
motivational speaker I had theprivilege of actually listening
to.
And yeah, y'all be like, oh,there's so many other people.
(00:20):
Yeah, I know that, and yet he'smy favorite for many reasons.
He's here to talk to us aboutleadership, how to win the day,
how to be disciplined, how to beable to lead with confidence.
Sit back and tell me if I'm notwrong.
This one is good.
Okay, babe, welcome to my seat.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (00:43):
Thank you, thanks for having me.
Erica Rawls (00:44):
You're welcome.
You know what I just realized?
My coffee's over there it is.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (00:47):
You want it or?
Erica Rawls (00:47):
not.
I think I might be okay for now.
Yeah, but when I need it, canyou hand it to me?
I will do that.
Okay, alrighty.
So yeah, for those that don'tknow, I'm having a conversation
with my husband, jesse.
Jesse, some people call him DrRawls, some people call we won't
even go there.
Yeah, dr Rawls or Jesse, that'sall y'all need to know.
(01:12):
All right, yeah, and what Ilove about this man is that the
fact that he's able to lead andactually he is a great visionary
as well as a great operator andexecutor.
So when we talk aboutdiscipline, someone says define
discipline.
I literally say Jesse, and theythink it's funny, but it's so
true Because I say this to youall the time that you're like my
(01:32):
biggest motivator and you're mybiggest pain point when it
comes to discipline and doingthe things I need to do, like
accountability.
You know I get afraid to say,hey, can you hold me accountable
?
You be like what do you say?
Yeah, you do.
What do you say when I say canyou hold?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (01:47):
me.
I say beat you, are you sure?
Erica Rawls (01:49):
are you sure, can you stand the heat?
yeah yeah, I'm like I don't know, but can you please until I say
no, hey, I'm hoping you'reenjoying this episode of coffee
with e.
I had to take 30 seconds toshare with you one of our
sponsors for this episode TopConstruction.
(02:10):
They are a premier constructioncompany located in central PA,
so if you live in Dauphin,cumberland, lancaster and
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the job done.
Now let's go back to theepisode.
So I just wanted to have aconversation with you today
about leadership.
So can we tell or share yourstory about?
You know your leadershipjourney, because it didn't
happen overnight, but you seemto be like a great leader, or
(02:31):
perceived as being a greatleader.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (02:33):
Yeah, Well, I mean how far back you want me to
go?
Erica Rawls (02:36):
As far as you need to bae.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (02:38):
Well, I mean, I think sometimes in life you're
some people say you know,leaders are born or leaders made
, or champions born or championsmade.
I think in life you seeyourself, uh, as you move down a
path, um, you can see yourselfin in leadership positions, or
people say they want you to lead.
(03:00):
I think early on in my life,when I was playing sports or or
in the classroom or differentthings, people would pick me to
lead.
Not that I was at my hand up,that I wanted to do that, but I
think it was the way I carriedmyself, the way I did things.
A certain way, I think peopleare always watching, watching
(03:23):
you and what you're doing, and Ithink that's the start of
leadership, or leadership habitsthat you know you're willing to
do things that others may notbe willing to do, or you're just
willing to live, live your lifea certain way, and so people
respect that you know as you'regrowing up.
So I was always a captain ofthe teams.
Erica Rawls (03:42):
Did you ever shy away?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (03:44):
I mean no, I mean especially not in sports.
I didn't shy away necessarilybecause, you know, I'm a
competitor, so I always wantedto win and always wanted to work
hard so that I could win.
So when they were naming mecaptain, it was because I was
working really hard and I didn'twant us to lose.
(04:04):
Or I didn't want, you know, ifI was on the wrestling team, I
didn't want people to not liveup to their full capacity to be
the best that they could be,because that would hurt us as a
team but, more importantly, itwould hurt them.
So they would always look to me.
You know, when I went toMichigan, I was captain of the
wrestling team for my junior andsenior year wrestling,
(04:25):
wrestling team for my junior andsenior year of wrestling.
So I got picked as a junior andas a senior and that was just a
matter of you know, um, I gothurt in college but I never quit
, or I would come in early inthe morning just to do certain
workouts that I could only do,um, and so the guys were
watching or, like you know, whenthey were getting doing things
maybe they shouldn't have beendoing, I was always the one to
say hey, hey, you know, we gotto be better than that.
(04:48):
Like I'm always big in thelegacy, like we're leaving a
legacy, like we're staying onthe shoulders of others.
Erica Rawls (04:55):
Even at that young age you were talking about
legacy.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (04:57):
Yeah, I think yeah, you were here before,
because it meant a lot to me.
Erica Rawls (05:01):
Yeah, like why.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (05:03):
I mean, if you're talking about Michigan,
it meant a lot to me because mydad had wrestled there.
Erica Rawls (05:06):
My brother had wrestled there.
Okay.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (05:08):
And now I'm wrestling there.
But also I'm always big intoI'm representing something
bigger than myself, mm-hmm.
And so my style of leadershiphas always been it's never about
me, it's about you knowfamilies, it's about you know
families, it's about students,it's about the community, but
(05:29):
it's never about about me.
Like I'm, I'm just trying toensure that I'm leaving a place
better than it, better than whenI found it.
So I think leadership issacrifice and so you know great
leaders understand that there is.
(05:51):
It can never be about them.
I think we look at and we sayat leaders sometimes and we say
you know that person's name andthey're doing X, y and Z.
But true leadership is being aservant, it's service.
If you're leading people,you're actually trying to help
them get to where they need tobe, more so than where you're
(06:11):
trying to get to be so good, andthat's why a lot of people fail
at leadership, because theythink it's about they don't want
to serve.
Erica Rawls (06:19):
They want other people to serve them.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (06:21):
Yeah it can't be that way.
I mean anybody that's trying tolead and trying to get for
other people to serve them, thenthey're not doing the right
work.
I mean, even in the home.
You know, if I'm leading myhousehold, it's because I'm
trying to serve my wife, my kids, making sure they have
everything they need to besuccessful, and then I'll come
in and take care of what I needto take care of.
(06:43):
But yeah, leadership is neverabout the person.
It's about the people that arearound them and ensuring that
they have the tools to besuccessful in life.
It can never be about aboutyourself.
I think a lot of people fail,fall in leadership roles when
they get all into their ownfeelings about the different
(07:04):
things that are happening tothem and the different
circumstances that surroundleadership.
Because leadership is lonely,right, leadership is a lonely.
Erica Rawls (07:12):
It is lonely.
So, thinking about the targetaudience that we have here and
you can relate to this 25 to 35.
Yeah, so 25 to 35.
Yeah, being a young leader in arole for you as being a
principal when you were 32.
Is that right?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (07:32):
Yeah, I got my first.
Well, I mean, I actually got myfirst principalship when I went
to Harlem, so I was 31.
I was 31.
Erica Rawls (07:40):
So how is it what?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (07:49):
can you share with the young leaders that are
out there that are responsiblefor older people as well?
Well, I think the biggest thingI can say to younger people
working into leadership roles isyou're going to fail, you're
going to fail.
Erica Rawls (07:59):
Ultimately, you're going to fail.
No, I mean right away.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (08:01):
It's not going to go like you think it's going
to go.
You're going to fall down.
I mean, that's it's not goingto go like you think it's going
to go.
You're going to fall down.
I mean, that's just the natureof the beast.
I know when I, you know, myfirst job as a high school
principal was in York,pennsylvania, at William Penn
Senior High School, york High,and I was only 32.
And my first year was I was notgood, not because I wasn't
(08:22):
trying, not because I was doingthings I shouldn't have been
doing.
I just didn't know.
And so I had a vision of what Iwanted to do, but what I was.
You know the steps to get there.
You know I was just doing a bad, a bad job in terms of having a
lot of setbacks.
And again, I think leadership isabout if you want to lead, you
(08:43):
have to take chances, you haveto have a vision, you have to
manage well and you have to bewilling to try things, fail and
try again.
Because if you don't leave froma perspective of I'm going to
try things and it may not besuccessful, then you're leading
in fear.
And if you're leading in fearof failure, if I'm always afraid
that I'm going to fail RightThen.
(09:06):
Then I'm not allowing peoplethat are working with me to
understand that they also needto take chances, because if you
want to move the needle in anyorganization, in any position,
you have to take chances, whichmay lead to failure.
So again, I think part of whatI always say about myself and I
think in leadership, you have tobe this way, I'm comfortable
being uncomfortable.
I'm comfortable in this.
You had to be this way, I'm.
I'm comfortable beinguncomfortable.
Erica Rawls (09:26):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:27):
I'm comfortable in this seat of I don't know.
I'm comfortable saying, yeah,that I really messed that up and
things aren't going the way Iwant them to go.
But how can we work this outand and and, so that we can
change direction, do somethingdifferent.
Change direction, do somethingdifferent and then continue to
grow?
Erica Rawls (09:45):
Well, okay, Dr Rawls.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:47):
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (09:47):
I'm being one of the audience members here and
then just thinking about so howdo you get people to take you
seriously when you're that young?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (09:57):
I took myself seriously.
I think we worry about whatother people are going to think
about us, but how do you seeyourself?
I looked at myself in themirror every day.
I took myself seriously.
I dressed to be a principal.
Before I was a principal I wentto work suit, tie, you know I'm
ready, but I wasn't a principalyet, but I was dressing like
that.
So, yeah, I'm sure people likethis young guy don't know what
(10:19):
he's talking about.
They probably were right.
But I thought you know I cantell you this, I'm going every
day.
I'm going to work really hard.
You know I'm going to do what Ineed to do to be successful.
So I think when you step intoleadership roles or any role in
life and you first get there,you do have to look yourself in
(10:42):
the mirror and take yourselfseriously and say I can do this
and doubt begins to creep in.
But you keep saying I can dothis.
Erica Rawls (10:50):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (10:51):
And I can, I can do it, I can do it.
And then if you're doing that,people take you seriously
because they know how seriousyou are.
Like if you're really seriousabout the work, serious about
what you're trying to do,working really hard.
People respect that At thebeginning.
Anytime a new leader comes in,I don't care who it is, people
are going to look at yousideways.
(11:11):
It's not an age thing, it'sjust that's how we are as people
.
Erica Rawls (11:15):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:15):
And then it's up to you to not necessarily
show them, but to walk your truewalk, your true walk.
So that's why I say you have toreally not know yourself 100%,
but you have to believe that youcan accomplish whatever it is
that you're setting out toaccomplish.
I think that's the biggestthing in life and that life has
taught me over and over, like itasked me all the time.
(11:36):
Do you believe?
Erica Rawls (11:37):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:38):
And if my answer is yes, then I know I can
accomplish that goal.
Erica Rawls (11:41):
So you might be one of the few people it sounds
like like outside looking in orlistening to what you're saying
right now.
Did you ever suffer from likeimposter syndrome, feeling as
though, ok, I don't deserve tobe here or I'm not ready for
this position?
Did you ever suffer at all withthat?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (11:58):
I mean, again that's that doubt creeping in.
So I think like we all dealwith that.
Erica Rawls (12:02):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (12:03):
We all deal with this issue of self-doubt at
times.
It's a confidence thing andlife has taught me that you can
be real confident, you know, forone year.
Erica Rawls (12:20):
But if you're not constantly working on staying
confident, then you can lose itbecause people are trying to
steal it, because they're tryingto question you.
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Dr. Jesse Rawls (12:38):
Now back to the show nowadays, and I'm not into
social media and all that stuff, but I see the kids, I'm
dealing with them all the timeand so they're.
You know people are alwayschipping away at your, your
mental, your mental, uh self,and how you, how you see
yourself, because what you'reseeing or what people are saying
, or people can just get at youdifferent ways.
Um, so you really have to stayuh in tune with yourself but
(13:02):
also working on being confident.
But this whole idea of impostersyndrome you're always going to
, that's always going to come upagainst you in any field.
I don't care if you're abasketball player.
You know you're a father or amother, or you know you're just
starting out a job, maybe you'rea secretary, it doesn't matter
your position.
(13:22):
There's going to be times whereyou go like, you know, am I
really who they think I am?
Erica Rawls (13:28):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (13:28):
And you have that self-doubt, but then that's
just life talking to you andthen you just got to fight back
and work at it.
So that's part of my discipline.
I try to stay disciplined inmyself.
I try to win at differentthings in the morning or at
night, just trying to to win atone specific instance so that I
(13:50):
can say, even if I fail at thisone thing, I know I completed
this task over here, so I knowwhat I'm capable of doing Right,
and so then I feel better aboutmyself.
So you have to have somepositive, positive moments in
your life every day.
Erica Rawls (14:04):
Right, yeah, I think you are probably one of
the most disciplined people I'veever had the privilege of
knowing, and I know you morethan most.
So it's just, it's so cool tosee how you I want to share how
(14:28):
he'll have.
He'll say he's going to do athing.
Y'all I'm telling you, let'sjust use Peloton, right?
Okay?
So he says he's going to do.
What was the power?
The power.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (14:39):
Oh, I'm doing a power zone training right now.
I'm doing a power zone trainingright now.
Build your base.
Erica Rawls (14:45):
Build, there it is.
Build your base, build yourbase.
There it is, build your base,build your base Right right.
And it's for a month long.
Is it a month long Weeks?
Okay, it was for eight weeks.
He said, yeah, babe, I'm goingto do this power zone training.
I said, okay, great, and it wasjust this past Saturday from
the time that we recorded this.
I guess you were at the top ofit, I finished it.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (15:05):
You the top of it, I finished it, you finished
it.
Erica Rawls (15:07):
So to finish it, you had to do it for 90.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (15:10):
That was the week before.
This week was 60 minutes.
Erica Rawls (15:12):
It was 60 minutes, okay, 90 minutes, 90 minutes of
just pure exercise.
So he's going going downgetting ready and prepping.
I was like so what are youabout to do?
He's like man, I got to do 90minutes.
I said 90 minutes or what hesaid I got to exercise for 90.
(15:34):
Like man, I gotta do 90 minutes.
I said 90 minutes of what hesaid I gotta exercise for 90
minutes.
I said that's nuts, why do youhave to exercise for 90 minutes?
I'm doing this power zonetraining.
It's like well, why doeseverybody gotta do the 90
minutes?
But he was so adamant about I'mgoing to finish it and I was
curious to know, like and I knowhe didn't skip any days, no,
and I wanted to knowstatistically, like, how many
people actually were able to go100 without quitting any days.
But you didn't quit any days,no.
(15:55):
So I need to know, the peopleneed to know how do you stay,
like, okay, I want to do thatthing right and I'm going to
finish that thing withoutwavering, like well, I don't
believe in quitting, so that'snumber one.
So I'm not Skipping a day onexercise.
Is that quitting?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (16:12):
That means I didn't finish it, so then I quit
.
So if we got something to doand they said I had to do 24 to
do it, then I have to do that orI quit.
And so to me again,leadership's about not quitting.
Erica Rawls (16:26):
Right, it all ties in yeah.
So Again, leadership's aboutnot quitting Right, and it all
ties in yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (16:29):
So I don't, I don't believe in quitting, and
so you know my dad would neverlet me quit anything.
So that's it started at a youngage.
But then I, I like, took thatin and I don't quit anything
like, because I believe and I'msure people notice, once you
quit one thing, it begins, it'seasier to keep quitting, and so
(16:51):
if you just never quit, if youjust never quit, you have a, you
have the possibility of succeed.
A matter of fact, you willsucceed if I just never, ever,
ever, ever give up.
So yeah.
So now I'm into this thing.
I told you I'm going to workout 365 days and every day for a
, for a year.
Right, I'm up to like 266 days,because that that was something
(17:19):
I started, I'll forget, lastOctober, whatever, but but and
and so yeah, and then I'm doingthese different programs, but
it's just part of but, that'spart of me when, in the morning
too.
So I wake up really early and Igot to get something done
Because, again, one thing aboutleadership, you got to take care
of yourself mentally,physically, spiritually,
(17:41):
emotionally, and so I find thatI get up early in the morning,
before anybody gets up.
One.
I love working out when I thinkother people are sleeping.
That's a wrestling thing.
So I will run at night afterpractice or run early in the
morning, cause I always saw mycompetitor was sleeping and if
they were sleeping and I wasworking out, I had the advantage
(18:01):
.
And so when we went andwrestled on that week, I felt
like I had an advantage.
So I turned that into now in mylife.
You know, if I'm up working out, I have an advantage over
anybody else, that that you know.
Again, I'm a competitor, so I'mlike, okay, I can be the best
leader because I have I have Ihave an advantage and I'm taking
(18:23):
care of myself and that's andthat's my time.
So, um, and it goes back, goesback to I know, throughout the
day I'm going to try things.
I may be, I may not besuccessful, but I know I
completed this one thing and soI can feel, I can feel good
about that.
And I think that's importantagain, for if you get into
leadership or leadership roles,you have to make time for
(18:43):
yourself, you have to take careof yourself and you have to find
that victory every single day.
Erica Rawls (18:49):
Even if it's small.
Even if it's small, it could besmall One thing that I love
that you say.
Our children say it too.
Like you know, you can't breakpromises to yourself.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:00):
No.
Erica Rawls (19:01):
Yeah, because if you break a promise to yourself,
then you can break a promise toanyone.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:05):
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (19:12):
So, and of course I learned that as well.
Yeah, so, and of course I, Ilearned that as well.
So whenever I don't want to dosomething, I hear myself saying
cause, I caught you one morningwhich me and the kids always
laugh about when you didn't wantto work out.
You're like come on, jesse, whydon't you want to work out
today?
I'm like, who are you talkingto?
Like, oh, myself.
But it's one of those thingsthat you actually to motivate
yourself to do the things thatyou don't want to do, because
(19:33):
you know on the other side of it, you're going to benefit from
it 100%.
I had to take two seconds tothank Allstate Insurance for
sponsoring this episode.
If you're looking for car lifeor casualty insurance, they're
going to be your ultimateinsurance company.
Thank you, rob Shaw, withAllstate Insurance.
Now back to the show.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (19:54):
I can't say this enough.
I mean, in life you got to talkto yourself.
You know you got it.
You do have to motivateyourself because this thing
called life is not easy.
It's really, really hard.
Like I counsel kids all the timeand I'm talking to them, I
always get a kind of choked upor emotional when I'm seeing
freshmen and then they becomeseniors.
It's because this world is notan easy place, right?
So you've got to constantlymotivate yourself and people
(20:20):
think like that's not true, orthey may think that's well, you
don't really need.
Yes, you do, because no oneelse you know.
We always say if no one elsebelieves in you, always believe
in yourself.
So no one in this world maybelieve in what you're capable
of, but if you just believe, yougot to believe in yourself and
then that's one person thatbelieves in you, but it's you.
And so if you can believe inyourself, then you can
(20:42):
accomplish what you want toaccomplish.
So you do have to motivateyourself.
You do have to talk to yourself.
At times when you don't feellike doing something, just start
talking to yourself, motivatingyourself, believing that you
can do it.
And that goes back to animposter syndrome.
When you're feeling like animposter, or feeling like you
know you, you got this job, oryou're starting this business
and it's not going the way youwanted to go, or people are
(21:03):
saying you can do it, or thingsare falling down.
But if you keep motivatingyourself, talking to yourself,
believing in yourself, you knowand then just say I'm not going
to quit, I'm about to changedirection yeah but I'm not going
to quit.
And once you make that decisionthat you're not going to quit, I
believe the world begins toopen up and change course for
(21:24):
you.
Like, you have that much powerin yourself because someone can
always see what's in you, youknow, or look into your eyes and
know that guy right there orthat girl they're not.
They're not quitting.
So I'm going to take a chanceon them, or I'm going to get out
of their way, or I'm going tohelp them out, because they have
decided deep down in themselvesthat they're they have this
(21:46):
dream, they have this goal.
Erica Rawls (21:48):
They're're not going to quit, they're not going
to give up so what do you sayto the person that's been told
you're too much?
Or they're not accepted in aplace because of the the light
that you're saying, or someonecan look in your eyes and say
okay, yeah, um, yeah, they'renot going to quit.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (22:03):
That's intimidating to some people well
, I mean, everybody's not goingto like you.
Another leadership principle Ifeverybody likes you, you're
doing something wrong.
Erica Rawls (22:11):
Doing something wrong.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (22:11):
Yeah.
So, like some people that don't, maybe they're feeling bad
about themselves for some reasonand they don't accept you for
who you are, what you'rebringing to the table.
They might not like you, oryou're calling them out because
you are a leader, but you're notdoing it out of malice, but
that's your job.
They might not like you, butthey're going to respect you,
(22:33):
right.
So, um, you just you can't livelife trying to please everybody
, because if you do that, youend up hurting yourself, and
that's something I've had tolearn along the way.
You know, trying to make sureeverybody's happy, but it just
doesn't work that way, and soyou have to, you know, work
through that whole, that wholeprocess and just come to grips
(22:56):
with man.
Everybody not going to like me.
Erica Rawls (22:59):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (23:00):
And it's OK, I'm all right with that.
Right, I'm all right with that.
I'm at peace with that.
Erica Rawls (23:05):
So everywhere I go and I say who I'm married to,
they say, oh, he's such a greatleader.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (23:12):
Why do you think that is I mean?
I think I think peopleunderstand that I mean when I
say, when I say I'm here toserve, like I'm here to help you
and so it doesn't matter yourposition, doesn't matter what
you do, doesn't matter what youlook like, like I'm going to
help, I'm going to do my bestwork and I'm going to try to
help and I'm going to live mylife in a way that I want to
(23:37):
bring honor to my family butalso honor to the community that
I'm serving.
Kids will say that because theyknow I care as a teacher, I
care deeply about my, about mystudents that were in the
classroom with me when I becamea principal or assistant
principal.
I care deeply about them, mystaff the same way.
(23:59):
You know I see them as not justteachers but human beings that
are living their life.
And how can I help and assistthem wherever, whatever they're
trying to do personally,professionally, that in that I
believe in them.
So I think If people say that,that's because that's what I try
to do.
Erica Rawls (24:30):
I think I've been been good at that along the way
and never try to take honor andglory for myself, because it's
never been about Jesse Rawls.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (24:33):
Jr.
And plus, you're a man ofintegrity.
When you say you're going to dosomething, you do it.
Yeah, I think that's very, very, very important.
If you say something, do it,and if you can't do it, tell the
person why.
I can't.
Erica Rawls (24:40):
I can't do that yeah, so now you're starting to
be known for this be great everyday yeah yeah, you can't think
of anybody else right now.
I can't think of anything.
I can't when I hear be greatevery day.
And someone to say be greatevery day, I'm like you heard
that from Jesse, yeah, so whatdoes that mean to you?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (25:00):
It means so much to me.
I mean, I started out when Iwas at Central Dolphin East High
School.
It was something that was withme for a long time.
But when I got to East High,because I felt like we were the
underdogs.
You know, I felt like we werethe underdogs in that you know
what's the one thing that we cancontrol every single day so
(25:23):
that we can raise our level andraise up our performance in
anything.
And then when I'm seeingstudents, you know, I see them
and I see that sometimes theydon't understand the importance
of each day, and so I wouldalways tell them be great every
day, because I would tell themlike and I believe this, so
(25:45):
every day I wake up, I honestlybelieve this and I say it to
myself that every day that youget is a gift, right, that
you're given this gift to wakeup.
Erica Rawls (25:55):
I had to take two seconds to interrupt this
episode.
I would like to thank one ofour most recent guests, attorney
Jenny Chavis, for sponsoringthis show.
Chavis Law Firm is an elite lawfirm in Central Pennsylvania
that helps with estate planningas well as understanding what
type of business entity youshould enter into when starting
your business.
If you're looking for a greatattorney that understands estate
(26:18):
planning as well as businessentity, how to start the right
way, you want to check outAttorney Chavis, chavis Law Firm
.
Now back to the show.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (26:27):
I don't know what the chances of us being
here in this moment, but it's,it's, it's.
You can't even calculate it,you know.
So, therefore, we have thisamazing gift that we're given,
but also tell people that a giftis only good if it's received.
Erica Rawls (26:45):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (26:45):
Right, I can hand you $20, but if you don't
take it, then I just have myhand out and you was like I
didn't want it.
But I look at a day that we getas that gift and then I receive
it, and then I just believethat every single day we have a
choice to make.
Like I try to make thingssimple in my life.
Erica Rawls (27:04):
You really do Right .
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:06):
So we have a simple choice to make either to
be great or not to be great.
Erica Rawls (27:12):
You mean that no?
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:13):
because it's that simple.
There's no in between.
Erica Rawls (27:15):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (27:16):
Either getting better or you're getting worse,
but you're never staying thesame.
You're never staying status quo.
It's either you're gettingbetter or you're getting worse.
But never believe that you'restaying the same, that just that
can't happen.
It's impossible to remain thesame.
So then, every day I get up, Ihave to make a choice.
No matter how I'm feeling, nomatter what happened to me
(27:37):
yesterday, no matter whatconfronts me in the day, no
matter who I run into, you know,I have a choice to make and I
say my choice is I'm going to begreat every single day that I'm
on earth, that I put my feetdown, that my feet hit the
ground, I'm able to stand up.
I'm going to be great on thatday.
(27:57):
Don't know about.
You know yesterday's gone,tomorrow I don't know.
Yeah, you know what tomorrow'sgonna bring, but I know what I
have right now in front of meright so on this day I'm gonna
be great.
And so when I say, you know,simple thing like Peloton or
yeah and I know I'm giving thema shout out, but because I do
love it yeah but a simple thinglike that is just a challenge
(28:22):
for me to say on this day Idon't feel like doing this, but
I'm going to do it, and I'm notgoing to do it halfway, I'm
going to do it all the waybecause that's a challenge to
myself to be great.
And then when I walk into workI feel the same way.
When I'm talking to kids ortalking to a teacher, I'm giving
them everything I got in thatmoment.
You know, because that's beenmy promise to myself, I'm going
(28:47):
to be great every single day.
So I used to tell the kids thatat East High, be great every
day.
And it's crazy because I wasthis summer.
I was at the fruit place and astudent came up to me and he
said, dr Rose.
He said, remember, you used tosay be great every day.
(29:08):
I said, yeah.
He said, man, some kids mightnot have understood that, but I
did.
He said, man, that's that's soimportant, that every day that
they were great.
And it kind of choked me upbecause you know I'll get emails
from students every once in awhile.
They'll email me and just saythe same thing to me but it's,
(29:30):
it's so, it's so, it's soimportant, um, that we, that we
take hold of every single day,because we, we only have so many
yeah like, if you think aboutlife, you we're finite, we're
not infinite, like in terms ofbeing here on earth, like
there's only so many, so manydays we have.
So why not make the most out ofevery single day and give our,
give our best effort?
It's just, it's what we owe.
It's what we owe once we acceptthat gift and I accept the gift
every day that the sun suncomes up, or maybe the sun
(29:53):
doesn't, because it's beenraining a lot, a lot, but every
day that I get up, I'm gonna domy best work right, I guarantee
you that like I can guaranteeyou that, and I tell people I
work with that, like I canguarantee you I.
And I tell people I work withthat, like I can guarantee you,
I'm going to give my best effort, every single day, without a
doubt.
You don't have to ask about it.
Erica Rawls (30:09):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:09):
That's how it's going to happen.
Yeah.
Erica Rawls (30:12):
Yeah, and I know a lot of people like boy, I bet it
was tough being raised withwith that guy and I'm here to
say no, he's probably the mostcompassionate person you have,
such a big heart.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:25):
Well, I would always ask the kids did you do
your best work?
Erica Rawls (30:27):
Did you do your best work.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:28):
And if the answer is yes, then okay, and I
don't care what grade you got, Idon't care what you did.
You know sports-wise, Did youdo your best?
If the answer is yes, then whatare we worried about anymore?
Erica Rawls (30:41):
It was that easy.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (30:44):
And that's a lesson I used to always just
want to win, yeah, until I hurtmyself.
Really bad yeah having like ajust a crazy experience when I
just got so mad at myself andthat was my sophomore year in
college and then after that Iwas like, look, the only thing
I'm gonna ask myself is that Ido my best work?
And if I did, I'm going to walkoff this mat winner losing,
(31:06):
feeling good about what I, whatI put in.
So you know that that's all itwas for me.
Like, every day I'm working,working, working, and then we'll
figure it out when it, you know, at the end of the match, what
happens.
Erica Rawls (31:18):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (31:19):
You know, I think I try to live my life the
same way.
Erica Rawls (31:21):
Yeah, this was so good, so good.
I'm sure there's going to bepeople asking questions or
saying thank you for themotivation, because that's what
this was.
Hey, I need to take two secondsto interrupt this wonderful
show that you're watching.
I run a real estate businessand the way we fund this podcast
is through that business, theErica Ross team.
I would love it if you wouldjust give us one opportunity to
(31:44):
service your real estate needs,whether you are in central PA or
around the entire world.
Think of us first so we canhelp you.
Now back to the show.
So with that, a lot of peoplelike to come to your
commencement, your graduationceremony, to hear your speeches.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:02):
That's true.
Erica Rawls (32:03):
They do.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:04):
Okay.
Erica Rawls (32:04):
Like they follow you wherever you go.
You know now at CumberlandValley, and you know who knows
where you end up.
But people do follow you foryour motivational speeches.
So where do you like, how doyou prepare, like, where does
that come from?
Because they are good.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:20):
Sometimes it just to be something of.
I'm blessed with a thought.
Erica Rawls (32:25):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:26):
And it just a marinate in my mind.
Erica Rawls (32:30):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:30):
And then from there I'm.
I'm talking to myself.
Erica Rawls (32:34):
Yeah.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (32:38):
You know I'm talking to myself.
I remember the one of my mostfamous ones.
I talk about that composter,that I bought the composter, and
how composter turns trash intotreasure, if you will.
And then I thought about ourkids and how they grow up and
how you can take all thenegative things that people say
about you and use it formotivation, just like a
(33:00):
composter.
And you can compost thenegative talk, or you can
compost people saying you can'tdo this, or you can, you know,
compost that doubt and then youjust put it in a place.
You can use that as fuel foryour fire to succeed in life.
You know, and so that was.
I bought a composter and I wasamazed at what it could do yeah
and I was like man, if you could, if you could take trash and
(33:23):
turn it to treasure, you cantake people's negative energy
that they're trying to give toyou and turn it into motivation
to succeed in life, cause you'vegot to think of different ways
to motivate yourself in life.
And sometimes when you justgetting beat down, beat down,
beat down, you can take all thatthat energy and say, no, I can,
I can.
Just just because you said Ican, I will and and and.
(33:45):
Sometimes that's the motivationyou need to be, need to be
successful, cause you, you havethis in your mind that you know
someone's saying but you can'tdo what you're saying Again if
no one believes in me, I'malways going to believe in
myself.
Erica Rawls (33:59):
Right.
Dr. Jesse Rawls (33:59):
I'm going to to , uh, to overcome, I'm going,
I'm going to to, to overcome,I'm going, I'm going to succeed.
So that's how stuff comes to me.
Well, you know, that's howstuff comes to me.
Erica Rawls (34:10):
Yeah, well, thank you for motivating, yes, our
community.
This is good, this is good.
So, thank you, you're welcome.
Yeah, it's been a pleasuresitting on the couch with you.
Okay, alrighty y'all, if youlove what you heard, please.
(34:33):
I would love nothing more butto hear you or meet you in the
comments.
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