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Lead with Hope Podcast Episode 1 with Kip Shubert

Lead with Hope Podcast Episode 1 with Kip Shubert

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Kip Schubert, a seasoned speaker, educator, and coach, shares his story of how he became an educator and the struggles he faced. He emphasizes the importance of making a positive impact on others and using his own experiences to help them avoid similar pitfalls. Kip talks about the actions he takes to reach his fullest potential, including journaling, practicing gratitude, setting small goals, and focusing on one day at a time. He believes that hope without action is just wishful thinking, and that by taking action, we can make a difference in the lives of others. Welcome to the Lead with Hope podcast. This podcast is dedicated to educators who need a little hope and inspiration. Today, I'll be talking to Kip Schubert about his story and how he leads with hope. Kip Schubert is a seasoned speaker, educator, school counselor, and coach with over three decades of experience. With his empowering style, Kip helps people with their struggles and turns them into strengths, their very own secret sauce, which then becomes their superpower in achieving success for students and staff. Kip currently lives in the mountains of Colorado with his wife, Cindy. Welcome, Kip. Thanks for having me on. So, Kip, let's start off by you just sharing your story about us. Why did you become an educator? Who are you? Tell us about yourself. My wife, Cindy, just moved here two years ago. We grew up together in the same town and lived in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Oklahoma area our entire life. And during COVID, we started asking ourselves this question. It's like, what are we doing? Are we just living and working to pay bills until we get too old to really retire and enjoy it or, you know, let's live big. And so we decided we were always going to, when we retire, we were going to move up into the mountains of Colorado. And so when we hit that point, we just decided, you know what, why wait? Let's just sell our house and let's just go and just go on a big adventure. And so we've been here, again, like I said, two years. And this is my 32nd year in education. And so how I got into it is I kind of fell backwards into it, really. I went to ‑‑ I was a soccer player in high school and got recruited to play in college. And so that's what I was going to go to college to do was to play soccer. And you had to declare a major in something when you got there. I didn't go to get an education. I went to play. And I asked around some of the other athletes, like, what's the easiest thing to do? And they said, well, do PE. That's what we do. And so I just, you know, I got into education and got a degree as a PE and health teacher. Ended up actually teaching social studies for most of my career. But I kind of fell back into it. But it was really where I belonged. It fell right in with my natural just gifts and abilities to relate to people and to young people. And so it may be something I wasn't looking for, but I think God had a plan for me and made sure those doors were open. And even though I maybe didn't know it at the time, you know, I was where I was supposed to be. So I've just been trying to perfect that for really the last ten years of my career. The first, you know, 20 or so was just a struggle for me. I really thought that I was an educator to achieve something for myself. And even though I knew that I could connect and I made a difference in all that kind of business that we say and what we do, I thought that was somehow supposed to make me somebody. And that would make me feel whole and complete and like I had found some sort of success. And so, you know, I know we've talked before, and so you know the addiction part of my story. But, you know, I end up about a 25-year alcoholic and hit rock bottom about 46 when I was in rehab. I had lost my home and my car, and somehow by the grace of God I kept my teaching credentials. But when I lost my custody and all rights to my youngest child, who was six at the time, that's what really woke me up. And so ever since then, it's almost been ten years now, and so ever since then it's just like that light bulb flipped on that what we do and what I do in my life wasn't about me. It was about how I could use it to impact others. And once that flipped on, you know, losing Camden was the catalyst for me to understand that I had to get better and I had to reclaim my life not for me but for her. And so that's kind of something now that I do as an educator, as a coach, as a speaker, as a podcast host, as an author. It's just it's not about me. It's about making an impact with my story and in my life so that others can find the success and avoid the same pitfalls that I fell into. Kip, your story is so powerful. I think the vulnerability of your story, just that level of vulnerability you go to in being so honest and so transparent in what you have went through and using that to impact others, it's truly a powerful purpose. And that's the whole purpose behind the Lead with Hope system. You know, that's a system of self-efficacy. And the only way we get to that is if we self-reflect and we become self-aware and then find those ways to maximize our purpose and our potential. And that is in helping others. So thank you for sharing that. Now, as I said, we all need hope in this life. I mean, that's a powerful thing. But hope without action is just wishful thinking. So what actions or habits do you engage in in order to reach your fullest potential? It's funny how we learn those through our adversity. Most people don't. They don't understand the action behind the hope and making those hopes, those dreams, those wishes come to fruition. It's all about action steps. And, again, like I said, I had to learn that from a place of rock bottom because until I understood that things weren't about me, I always had, even when I was drinking in the last part of my addiction, I mean, it was bad. And it was every day. I tried to commit suicide. My family, and I don't blame them now. I hated them at the time for doing it, but they put me in a psych ward. And it was like a nuthouse. And I was like, I don't belong here. It's like, you know, it just made me more angry. I remember on the ride home, when you, I guess, graduated out of there, I don't know how to put it, but they found me. I remember one of the nurses was like, you don't belong here. You have an addiction issue. It's not, you know. But they do that for every suicide attempt, I think. And, you know, I remember on the way home, they take you in an ambulance. And so I didn't have a car or anything, so they were taking me to where I was staying. And I made the ambulance guy stop at a 7-Eleven, and I bought two cases of beer and a carton of cigarettes because I was so mad. I didn't go back to work after that for about a month until I ended up in rehab. But, man, it's when you get to those places and you realize that everything that's happening to you and around you is not just because of other people. I had to really reflect and see, you know, Kip, yeah, there are some things that have gone wrong in your life that weren't in your control. But all this stuff, you have to take ownership of it and start doing the steps to get out of that. You can't just say, I want to be sober or I want to get clean, and then things are all easy because it's not been easy. Today it's a lot easier than it was in the very beginning, but, you know, I had to start to learn those action steps and things. And that started right away in rehab when I finally learned, and I hit that rock bottom place. And so some of the things I learned then I still do today. And so one for me is journaling. It's a thing that I do each morning. And in the back of my journal I have a list of goals. And so I read those to myself every morning and then I have a bunch of self-affirmation things and some Bible verses that I read. But I read those aloud, you know, it's early in the morning, and sit down by myself and do that. And then I flip back to whatever the day is and I write down five things that I'm grateful for. Because when we focus on what we have instead of what we don't, it makes it a lot easier to grab a hold of that hope. And then I just write. It's kind of like a prayer in a way. But I just begin to write and just what I'm going to do that day, what my big win is going to be. So I'm setting small goals on top of goals. And just journaling and doing those affirmations and those gratitude statements in the morning is one thing that really helps me stay kind of at peace and focused on what my job is and who it's about and that it's not about me and why we're here. I think that's probably the biggest thing. And the second thing is that concept of one day at a time. I think we get so caught up, especially as educators, and even in my district here, it's just the political mess and the noise around our profession. And when you just focus on what's at hand that day, it doesn't seem too overwhelming. You can stay focused on what you're doing. But it took me about a year into recovery. I was about a year sober sitting in an AA meeting. And they always, you know, one day at a time. It was all these stupid sayings I heard all the time. And I don't know, I can't remember actually what was said, but somebody was sharing something. And it really clicked for me that focus on today. You're not guaranteed tomorrow. And make a difference today. And so there's things that I have, you know, I do checklists that are very helpful for me. And, again, it's just focusing all my energy on how I can make a difference and impact people today. Because today, whether it's this, whether it's later on, whether I go to the football game tonight and see a kid that comes up to me to talk or whatever, there could be an interaction or something today that someone is going to remember about me for the rest of their lives. And so every interaction is so important. And if I'm worried about what's going to happen tomorrow or Sunday when I have to go to the seating meeting for the state tournament or how I'm going to do practice next week and the playoffs start Wednesday, if I'm all worried about that or Cindy's radiation that she has to go to today or tomorrow or the next three weeks, I mean, it just gets so overwhelming. And so I just laser focus in on taking care of today. Tomorrow we'll get here when it gets here. And so you just break. It's kind of like when I sit in on I-04 meetings and do IEPs and all those kind of things, and we talk about chunking for students and making it into smaller pieces. And, I mean, that's kind of what it's like. And so those are some things that really help me kind of stay engaged and thinking about how to tap into my fullest potential. That's awesome. And that really hits on the next question, which is all about mindset. Having that optimistic outlook and that focus on gratitude is something that really affects our mindset. So talk to me a little bit about how your optimistic outlook affects the lives of those you lead. Yeah. Mindset is everything. I can reflect back on my life and whether it was when I was playing soccer in college or in the pro ranks and then I got into education or even in my addiction. I mean, it's just what I believed, what I spoke, and what I did was the direction that I went. And that's kind of when I'm speaking to groups, or especially athletic groups, it's just, you know, that mindset is what we believe, what we speak, what we do. And that's the direction we're going to go. That's what we're going to become. And so, you know, it's very important that we always see the good. And that's one thing I tell if I'm counseling kids in here in my office or speaking to my teams or to groups of teachers or the whole school district or whatever it is around my podcast. It's just all about finding the good in everything because there always is. And you've got to train yourself to do that because it's human nature to see the negative and to see the positive. If you walk into any situation with any person anywhere, in the first minute, you're going to be able to find something wrong if you want to. And so it takes work, you know, to see the good. And, you know, I credit Darren Pepper a lot with that. It's one of his big things is why can't we focus on what they're doing right instead of what they're doing wrong. And so it's just all about seeing the good. And, again, it just takes training to do that. And when you're optimistic and, again, to be a bit authentic here, it's not easy to do that. I have people all the time, like, how are you always so positive? And it's like sometimes I want to throat punch them. It's like if you only knew, you know, it takes work. And it's not a fake facade or anything, but it's just something you really have to work at because we all experience that negativity and that adversity and those obstacles. And, again, it's human nature to go through the negative route and see what's wrong. And, again, it's just constant training. And there are days where I just want to go, you know what, I just want to say F it and just complain and bitch and moan. But then, again, I have to think, who's that going to benefit, you know? It might benefit my ego a little bit, you know, to be in a pity party, but it's a pity party of one. And so you've got to get out of that because, again, who's it serving? It's not about me. And, again, it's just training your mind to do that on a daily basis one day at a time. And when you can get that mindset and that positive outlook, others around you are going to feed off of that. And it's just if you lead with positivity, the groups around you are going to be positive. There's going to be all these outliers that are negative, and those are people that you have to put boundaries in place for. But they're going to rise to those expectations and they're going to do what they see. And if you're a negative leader and you're always focusing on what's wrong and what, you know, everyone else is going to be scared. They're going to be scared to screw up. They're going to be afraid to take risks. They're going to be worried about getting fired. They're always going to be worried at negative. And so you can't create a positive culture and a thriving culture with that negative mindset and outlook. And so it has a great effect on those that you lead by how you look at things because they're going to follow what you do. They're going to become that mindset until they can find the right one. And so it's real important. Absolutely. And I totally agree with you that what you focus on, you grow. And it is. It's contagious. If you are positive, and sometimes it's small things, it's just a smile, you know. You smile at somebody you see in the hallway and the next thing you know, when you see them the next time, they've got a smile on their face. So we've got to be intentional about that and train our minds to focus on what we want to multiply. How many times do we pass coworkers and staff and students and people in the hall and every day it's like, you know, how are you doing? Good. How are you? Good. You know, it's like the same standard. And I heard this summer at the Johnson's Renaissance National Convention, I can't remember the guy's name, but he was talking about every time he gets that interaction, when they ask him how he's doing, he says, better than good. And they're like, whoa, and it creates conversation. But, you know, I've made some, I don't know if it's on a podcast or just a post or something, but about that very thing, when we pass people in the hallways, to take the time to actually authentically interact with someone. I mean, what are we going to say? How are you doing? Good. I'm good. Or, you know, just take the time to have those authentic conversations with people. And it's about building those relationships. And it does take intentionality to do that. We're so used to being caught up in the routine and we miss it. You know, how many of those people that we walk by that say, oh, I'm good, and maybe they're not good. And if you just take the time to say, hey, I'm here, or care, love you, whatever it is, the smile, you know, maybe they come back and say, hey, man, do you have a minute? And maybe that changes their day. Absolutely. And, you know, I know you and I have this in common. One of the things that we're pretty passionate about is building relationships, being intentional in building those relationships, connecting with other human beings. But tell me more about your purpose and your passion, how you see it. You know, it's back up here on my wall. The purpose is just to lead and to love others, to believe and discover that they're the greatest people in the world. You know, that's my passion. And it chokes me up or brings out emotion every single time, because I remember when I heard that for the first time. And it was the day after I learned, you know, that I'd lost Camden in rehab. And that night I had made the decision I was going to leave and just finally go attempt suicide and be good at it. At least I could be successful at that. You know, but my counselor, her name is Christy Hamner, and we're still close to this day. She had me read a book by Augmandino called The Greatest Miracle in the World. And so here's one thing that she, you know, told me. She goes, you know, Kip, you have so much to live for, but you have to understand that you are the greatest miracle in the world. And so I had to carry around this, I don't know, it was probably a four-foot stuffed dog. And she made me carry it around for a whole week. And I don't ever hope anybody goes to rehab, but if you are, it's full of pranksters and people that are, you know, it's just we're not in a good place. And so I was to hold on to that dog and protect it and take care of it for an entire week. And there were only two times that I lost it, because, I mean, I left it alone for like 30 seconds and it ended up in the girl's bathroom or it ended up in the kitchen somewhere. I mean, but I didn't really understand it at the time, but what I was learning as I was taking care of that dog, that dog was me. And to be able to be, you know, that purposeful, passionate person for everybody else, I had to take care of me first. And not in a selfish way, but I had to get right, right? And so now that I've learned that and still learning that today, it's just something that I have to give away. And it's just, and again, I think it goes back to understanding why we're here. We're here to connect. We're here to build relationships. We're here to impact people. And it's not about me and how many books I sell or how many people download my podcast or how many times I come to speak and I'm going to come speak at your place. You know, I'm going to do that. You're going to have me there. Absolutely. But it's not about the money. It's not about that. It's about how can we make each other better? Because we are better together. Oh, yeah. I think, you know, I've been to hell and back several times. And it's just, and I think there's so many people in our profession, and I know that we see them. And if you're listening to this, if you're an educator, I know you see these kids every single day. And you have no idea what a lot of them are going through, but they are facing hell. And, you know, what we teach them, the content and the grades and the GPA and all that and the graduation, that's great. But if we don't prepare them and get to know them and believe in them and instill that hope in them, what does it matter anyway? You know, they've got to understand the relationship piece and why they're here and that they impact people as well and they're important and that they're the greatest miracle in the world. And to me, that's the most rewarding thing that I can do as an educator, is when I get those messages on Facebook or e-mails or phone calls or texts from kids that I have in class. You know, I was struggling so bad that I made a difference. And so, you know, we don't do it for the money for sure. So it's just that's why we do what we do. And I think not often enough we reflect, we don't reflect on that. And we need to get back to understanding why we're in it. And if you're in this profession for, you know, the summer breaks and the holiday breaks and all that business, then you're in the wrong job. You know, get out because you're hurting kids. Kids need you. And the positions that we're in with the administration, those kind of things, our staff need us, you know, because there are so many teachers that are struggling and facing things. And a lot of times people around them don't even know it. And the more we can just connect and fill each other with passion, fill each other's buckets, you know, the better off our world's going to be. Yeah, we are better together. And like you said, our kids need hope. Our teachers need hope. And I think that if we can rally around each other and give them that message, what you just said in terms of it's not selfish to take care of yourself. We need to take care of ourselves. We can't pour from an empty cup. We all hear that. But that story you just shared really puts a fine point on the importance of taking care of yourself. In the midst of adversity, you know, especially, most of us face adversity in this life. I've shared with you about my story, the tragedy in my life. But not everybody has a tragedy. Most of us have an adversity. Tell us about how adversity has helped you to lead with hope. You know, when a seed is planted in the ground, it's underground, it's dark, stuff on top of it, you know, you've got to push through, you know, to have that seed, you know, germinate and start to grow. And from what I've been through, I now know that, that it's an opportunity for growth, that adversity. And I think with being able to just – I would encourage people to be as authentic and vulnerable as they possibly can, to not just step outside the box, but to blow the damn thing up and to just be you, you know. I don't – it's so weird that, you know, like the story I was sharing, I get choked up again, but it's 10 years ago. And it doesn't matter how I share it or where I share it, whether it's with you, whether it's with my team, as we prepare for our last game this week, I mean, or if I'm speaking to a group of people or just my wife, I get choked up every single time. And that's the emotion and the passion, you know, in what we do. But being able to share your story with others and then earning the right to hear theirs, that's what allows you to lead with hope and to kind of, you know, give back that hope that you've been given to other people. And some people may say, well, like you said, you know, me and you have had some tragedies. Some other people, they may think their life's pretty good and they really haven't had any tragedies. But you still have a story and there's still adversity. Even if it's just, you know, sharing how you're so overwhelmed with family and finances and trying to make ends meet and you struggle with, you know, how are you going to get to the next day, because there's kids or staff in your building that are thinking the exact same thing. But if you can share how you're getting there and how you're still in the struggle, but, you know, you know that if you don't quit, you win. I say that a lot. Other people will jump on that bandwagon with you. And not only will you help them, but I tell you, and I know you know this, when you share that story and you help people and you make a difference, man, what comes back to you from them helps you so much more. And it's just I continue to learn and grow from every single group or person that I meet and share things with. And it just drives that connection. So I just think use that adversity, use your tragedies. I mean, I don't shy, when I was in the sixth grade classroom, I can't walk in there and say, hey, guys, you know, I used to be an addict and an alcoholic, and, you know, I can't go into detail about that. But I can share aspects of that without telling the whole story that really empowers and gets those kids to think. And then they'll start sharing stuff with me about how one kid's mom died. This was last year. A kid was sharing with me how his mom died, and no one even knew that. Or one kid was sharing how his mom moved out of state, and he had to stay with his dad, and he missed his mom so much. And it's just, you know, and these kids will start sharing stories in class and start crying. It connects everybody. And then, I mean, it's powerful. And then when they see that you're real and you care and you love them no matter what, and teaching them the content and getting them to achieve those high standards of academic success and things like that are easy, because they'll go through fire for you. And so it's just, you know, I would just really encourage your listeners to be authentic and vulnerable in how they can share their story, because in different situations you can share more or less. I'm like with my soccer team, I can share a lot, and they know my whole story. Most of them have my book. And it's just, you know, it's just I can use those things. And that creates such a powerful connection that those guys have achieved such greatness this year that before the season started, they had no business even thinking they were going to do that. But it's just using those things to empower other people and to instill that hope and that belief and that fire in them that maybe has been burnt out. And so when that fire is alive in you, you've got to share it. You've got to give it away. And you've got to be that light. Don't hide it. And your story is that light. So share it. Yeah, there's greatness in each of us, and it can come through in the story. And so that is so impactful. Sharing your story is a building block that can really help. We can help each other realize our greatest potential. So my last question for you today, and I know we agree on this one as well, I believe our students deserve excellence. How do you inspire others to show excellence and reach their full potential? First thing is I push them to dream so big that people call you crazy. I think that's important. I mean, students and staff, they are going to rise to the standards of excellence that we set. If you set them for mediocrity, they're going to be mediocre. If you set them for a lot higher than they even believe they can attain, and you may look at it and go, whew, that's a big one, then, you know, they'll rise to those things. And if it's really, really high and they get just right underneath it, it's still amazing. But you've got to dream so big that they call you crazy. And, you know, another one is just one thing I always say is a week before me. It's about the collective. It's about the group. It's not about you. It's about whatever your role is in your school, whatever your role is on your team, whatever your role is in your classroom, whatever your role is in your family, whatever that role is, it's to benefit the group around you. It's to benefit others. And then that comes back to you. And you'll find, I mean, all the things that I sought when I was an alcoholic, I found when I was able to start giving things away to other people. It came back to me. And it's like I didn't really understand what I wanted or needed until I started focusing on what I could do for other people. And that's another tool I learned through recovery was that when I get all lost in my head and overthinking things, it's just get out of my own, you know, get out of myself and focus on others. And then what you need will come to you. And so that week before me, you know, is important. And so it's just setting those high standards of excellence, empowering them to be a part of the collective and understanding that their role is so important for everybody else's success and not just their own. I mean, when they buy into that and they buy into that belief, it's amazing. And the last one is just the piece of accountability, which I think is so difficult for people because they don't want to be the bad guy, they don't want to, you know, even with like, and I know I've used this a lot today in this podcast, but with my soccer team, it's hard to get, you know, good teams to coach and hold them accountable, great teams to players to. And it's hard to get them to do that because they don't want to be the suck up or they don't want to be the brown noser or, you know, they don't want to come off in a way where they're not going to fit or, you know, whatever. But it's like, guys, it's not about that. It's not about you. It's not about who cares how they look at you. If you care about the team and the collective and the goals and those big dreams that we set, you're going to hold them accountable because you love them. And so when you establish those relationships and love, and I mean I'm just going to say this, but there's so many programs out there and it's like, you know, to me it's full of fake authenticity and building relationships. It's all BS. Really build a relationship with someone. Be vulnerable. Share. Get to know them. You know, not just a little handshake or not just, you know, get to know your people. I mean, as administrators, spend time in the classroom with your teachers. Go teach with them. Co-teach. You know, don't just be the gotcha guy. I mean, just really build those authentic relationships because when you do that, those that you hold accountable will be receptive to it and they know that you love them and that's why you're doing it. And so I reiterate that with whether I have kids here in my office as a school counselor or with administrators or groups of staff or teams or whatever. Once they know that I love them and I know I'm pushing them because I love them, because there's so much greatness within them and they can be the greatest miracle in the world, then they don't always like it, but they know it's coming from a place of love. And so, you know, that grit and that resilience, that perseverance that we want to see, it's so grounded and rooted in love, and I think we miss that sometimes. And, you know, it's just not dinging somebody because they're not meeting your standard. It's saying, hey, I think you can. I love you. I believe in you. I'll be your surrogate belief until you find your own. Let's go get it together. And so when you do that, that accountability piece, I think, is that biggest, you know, it's so important and we miss it so often. Yeah, and I love everything you just said, and I really needed to hear that this week, Kip. So I appreciate you sharing your story. I completely agree with you that the greatest human need is that sense of connection and belonging, and you're doing great things out there. So keep up the great work, and why don't we end off today by you telling us a little bit about your book. I know your book came out, when was it, last summer? It's more of an autobiographical type story, but also those lessons and components of what I call our secret sauce, and we all have that. And it's all unique to each individual, but how the adversity and the obstacles and things that we face in life, and those tragedies, help us to kind of find those things, and it defines and develops those in us so that we can use them as educators to really empower and build relationships and do the things that we're really meant to do being in the field of education. And so Struggle of Strength, you can find it on my website. It's kipshubert.com. If you buy it on there, I can sign up for you and send it to you. Or you can go to my website, and if you buy it on there, I can sign up for you and send it to you. Or you can just go straight to Amazon. You get it probably faster, but it's the same price. And so you can find it there, Struggle of Strength, again, is the title. And it's for educators. It was written for educators, but it really is impactful for anybody. I just think that being able to understand your story, your journey, your struggles, and how if you just stay the course, if you just don't quit, you know. I remember having that gun in my mouth and just I so wanted to pull the trigger, and I couldn't. And there was a reason for that, obviously, but I'm so glad I didn't have the courage to do it. And there's so many people I hurt with that. I mean, my oldest son, we still have a very strained relationship because he was the person I called to come and save me. And I should have been the one saving him, but it's just, you know, that was the catalyst that led to my recovery, too, in a way, because he called my parents the next day and said, I'm not his parent, I can't do this. So, you know, I can't ever fix that or go back and change that. However, you know, I can use everything I've learned, and I know it doesn't make a difference for him, but I can try to honor him with it and just make a difference for other people. And so I think this book will help people really come to grips with their own story. And although they face maybe some great tragedy and some great adversity, they can use it for good and they can find the strength in it because, you know, there really is. And so, you know, today I just give the book away more than I sell it. I don't care about the money. I know you just bought a bunch of them for your staff. I hope it's impactful for them. And I just try to share my story anywhere I can so that other people can see that greatest miracle in them, you know, and they don't have to go back to find theirs. Yeah. Kip, I'm thankful that we were able to connect and our paths have crossed. Your story is extremely powerful and just the level of vulnerability and authenticity that you bring with it I think is what makes it so powerful. As I said, I am thankful for you. I'm thankful you're here. I'm thankful you're doing this work. And I am certain that you are impacting many, many lives. If our listeners want to connect with you on social media, how can they do that? I'm just looking for Twitter, SecretSoft, Instagram. I don't do TikTok, Snapchat stuff, whatever the other. It's too much for me. Some of my mentors have been like, you've got to get on TikTok. I'm just like, I can't. I can barely keep up with myself, much less another thing. So that's why I always tell the kids, get off of TikTok and Snapchat. You need a bit more time to make a real connection. And the connection. Yeah, look at those things. Look me up if you need anything. You know, holler at me. I'd love to come speak at your school, your district, your athletic department, whatever it may be. You just reach out to me and get me there. We'll figure out the details. We'll have to figure out the details and get you here, because like you said, my staff is going to get that book. I know it's on its way. And so I know second quarter we'll end up handing them out to our staff. So I'm looking forward to that. So, Kip, I appreciate your time today. And just want my listeners to know that your story is inspiring and full of hope, as they have just witnessed. You can invite Kip into your school community, and together you will reach your staff, your students, and turn your struggles into strength. Again, Kip, thank you for coming on the show today, and I wish you well and success in everything you do. Thank you for having me. It's an honor. Thank you.

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