Inky Johnson is a young man who had a rough upbringing. His mother was 16 when he was born and his father was not involved in his early years. He went on to play football at the University of Tennessee, but suffered a career-ending injury, leaving him unable to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL.
Joe’s Perspective: This is a great speech. I heard what he had to say about commitment and the “person inside.” My take-away from this video had more to do with his difficult upbringing and what he did to overcome it. This speech reminds me that so many more children grow up in similar situations. I had a less-than-perfect upbringing, but this video reminds me how fortunate I was. Maybe this video will help you appreciate some of the comforts your parents have provided you in your life.
Your Turn: What comforts and/or advantages has you upbringing provided for you that you might have otherwise taken for granted?
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I was born in a fairly stable family financially. I’m so lucky that my parents are able to afford for me to do all of my extra activities, and one day, go to college.
The advantages my upbringing had brought me was the confidence and support my parents always have for me. I do sometimes take it for granted on how supported they are and how they would never bring me down but only bring me up and I honesty feel like that’s what’s going to help get me where I need to go. I didn’t have a tough upbringing but It wasn’t a full blown easy one either.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t do it, just wake up and doing it. That builds character ! Don’t give up on something!!
My childhood has been good and the support my parents gave me was greatly appreciated. I did take advantage of this though because growing up like this makes you expect it to happen.
I wasn’t grown into a positive environment, having my parents separated, but still living under the same roof was not the best. There were good days and there were bad days, mor bad than good. And the advantage of this whole situation is that it toughened me up a lot faster than most kids. The fact that I was blind to the fact that they never let their problems damage their children’s lives, because of all the bad days I took that for granted and I never truly realized until nowadays. And I thank them for what they’ve done and thank them for they raised me to be.
my upbringing hasn’t brought many advantages for me. I was raised in a broken family, finances were down the drain, the only thing I really had was willpower. I was always pushing myself forward and pushing my little brother forward. Without willpower I don’t think I’d be the person I am today.
With out will power you won’t be able to achieve what you want in life especially if you have a hard upbringing as a child.
I have been lucky to be born in a privileged upbringing, I try to work very hard so that my kids some day will also be in the same situation that I have been brought up in
I have been lucky to be born in a privileged upbringing, I try to work very hard so that my kids some day will also be in the same situation that I have been brought up in.
When I was younger, I had financial support and a great family to take care of me. I was a kid- of course I didn’t think of how bad other kids had it. Now, with two other teenage siblings, finances are low, but quality of life is high. Also, there aren’t many poor kids at my school. This shields me from how bad life can be. I would say that i’ve been well off so far.
Unlike Inky Johnson I never had to worry about where my next meal would come from or if the cops would be banging on my door. I always had a safe and stable place to come home to. I have always had my own room unlike Johnson where he had to share it with many brothers and sisters. I had many opportunities as well that I sometimes take for granted because I know now different. I have a great school to go to with endless opportunities and there and with my sport. I had parents that support me and I know both my mom and dad. Inky Johnson never knew his dad and I never had that burden. I had adults in my life that I could always look up to and I take that for granted. It is hard to realize how easy I have it compared to some people but a story like this makes me realize just how privileged I really am.
Idk
I was born with a loving sister and two perfect parents that many kids don’t have. Also my family over all is perfectly stable with money finances and I mainly to food and love for granted because there are many families that do not get the luxury of getting food out of the fridge all during the day and also many kids don’t get the experience of having love from both parents or being loved by a parent at all.
The upbringing advantages I have now is having to learn quicker and taking care of my body. I take for granted not pushing myself back then when I needed it both mentally and physically. If it wasn’t for my mother who believes in me I don’t think I would have this character towards my sport and my outside life.
I have been blessed and fortunate enough to have been born into a stable family and be able to do extra circular activities. Sometimes I’ve taken for granted of what I have and what has been offered to me too.
The upbringing advantages I have are that my parents are financially stable and they support me whenever I want to pursue something
I’m growing up in an amazing family, my upbringing is pretty good! We don’t have a lot of money, but our family is what matters. Not everyone is this lucky, so I consider this a blessing!
A comfort my upbringing have provided me is my parents dedication to me by taking me to practice and to tournaments out of state.
I grew up in a family that knew how to keep calm or quietly deal with the problems that they were given. My parents raised me to have manners and always made sure I wasn’t exposed to anything harmful. Yea sure they aren’t perfect but at least they aren’t abusive and manage to provide me with nice things.
I am fortunate enough to have a family who supports me in all that I do and who can afford the fees, equipment, and travel costs of my sport.
I’m glad to have a family that can take care of me and keep me warm in the winter, and cool on the summer. They also give me food to eat and a place to stay.
The upbringing advantages I have are my parents giving able to be financially stable and support me through rough times no matter what
I feel like having both of my parents in my life is an advantage i have that in the past i have taken for granted. Not every kid can wake up to both of their parents still together in i am so grateful for that.
Having my parents make sure I succeed in life has push me to become more in life. Back then my parents who struggling with financial stresses. My dad kept getting laid off and my mom was still going to school but my parents changed that by working hard to get where we should be and now we have more than what we thought we were going to have. All it takes is hard work and determination and believe long in what you could do.
The lucky upbringings are that my family is able to help me achieve what I want and that they can help me with achieving it.
I was born into a hard working family and who always gives me lessons while i was growing up and now my mom achieve her goal of owning a house but i got lazy untill i saw this video i noticed im not done im just getting started
I personally have been blessed with both of my parents raising me together providing and teaching me all things i need to be prepared. Ive been taught to always have dedication to what i do and do it right so i can reach my goals.
I was born in a fortunate family where I don’t have to worry about when my next meal will be or how I will get to college. I live a fairly privileged life and hearing things like this with people who have so much drive even though they have so little inspires me to not only give back but not take what I have for granted.
I was born into a family that provides for me, I have a roof over my head and food on the table. I’m able to drive myself around and buy gas. Those are things that I really take for granted, I don’t realize how fortunate I am. I’m thankful for these things.
My family keeps me up and going and so does my life partner she is the best at making me succeed in life.
I really didn’t realize how important my physical well being is to me until I watched this video.
i was born in family that money are not important they teach me that the important things are what do you do for the other people. they always support me to be myself.
I was not born in a family that is heavily influenced by drugs like this man is and I don’t think about how fortunate I am for that.
The advantages my upbringing had brought me was the confidence and support my parents always have for me. I do sometimes take it for granted on how supported they are and how they would never bring me down but only bring me up and I didn’t have a tough up bringing but It wasnt a full blown easy one either.
My training , My family , and My time …. I was born into a family of 5 children and a single mother and a father who was slowly fading away and I let that anger ruin my life and now I plan to take full advantage of my anger to make me stronger.
I am very fortunate to have parents that have spoiled me from day 1 and no matter how hard things seem to get, they never stop providing me with what I need and even the things I want.
I was born into a stable family I am able to have my meals and a family that loves me.
That was very eye opening. It warmed my heart
From the time I was 5 years old my step mother has raised my family with my father. My biological mother was not a good person, she didn’t make good choices and often I was the one fending for my brother and sister while she was strung out. The comfort I have in my home is that I do have a mother that does care about me and makes sure i’m always okay. My advantages that had while I was growing up I had a mother and father that always bends over backwards for me and my brother and sisters.
Im blessed I was born in the most perfect family evere and I take them for granted.
I am so grateful to have such a loving family and an amazing home life. I’m lucky because I always have had a roof over my head and food on the table. I have loving parents who support me in everything and push and motivate me to succeed in life. I have wonderful, caring sisters who I have a great relationships with. I appreciate everything I have been given in my life because not everyone has what I have.
I am grateful for my family and how they provide me with all my wants and need. I ho early don’t know where I would be without them being involved heavily in my life.
I was 8 years old when my mother left my father i was about nine but someone i always look up to was my brother he got me to play sports but my coach where the on to push me to my limits I always tell myself that I’m not a quitter
I was born in an odd family, and i didn’t have what i have today, i am so thankful for my grandparents being here or me. Willpower has made me where im at today.
Im thankful for people who stood up and took on the responsibility of a child that was not theirs. For that I love ad thank my family I would not be me if my family wasn’t who they are.
I am privileged with awesome parents who support me in my everyday decisions. They push me to be the best I can be everyday. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. Some people don’t have this privilege so therefore the ones that do can sometimes take it for granted.
I am grateful that my dad told me I have a great heart to help other people and carrying about everybody. My dad told me if you want to go to the military and become a police or state trooper you better think very hard and do something in life.
I’m thankful for my friends and family, they all helped me in some way or another.
I was born in a very good part of Conway and was raised in a good family. I am very blessed and happy of who I am and my family.
I am happy that I have my grandma in my life, some things i cant find and she will find it for me. She gets me the things I need and gives me support and advice I need to complete my day. I’m happy to have her in my life, and to have a roof over my head and food.
My uprgrading was good. My mom was able to take care of me from when I was a baby til now age 14. I did take her for granted, if I could change what happened I would and be so grateful for her. I wish she was still here. My dad was never in the story cause he didn’t know so. Other than that my life has gone pretty well with me being able to do all the stuff I wanted to do.
when i was just three years old my biological mom passed away , my father was never really in the picture . I was in foster care for a while. I was adopted by my dads mom and dad (my grandparents ) . now i am 16 years old , I have lived with them for 11 years with my older sister and i think to myself how glad i am to be happy and have people who support me and care for me , i believe that in life everything happens for a reason and my grandma and grandpa was a blessing <3
Just dont take life for granted. Be grateful and never give up.
I never had the life I wanted until I moved to DeBeque. Everything was rough when I lived in junction. I had a lot of freedom when I lived down there because my parents couldn’t control me. I deffinatly took that for granted. My upbringing would be moving to DeBeque and having the opportunity to be apart of something. I’m and incredibly grateful.
The comfort I take advantage of the most is having my dad around to protect and love me.
My upbringing is having 3 best friend by myself no matter what and other people/ family that have helped me through the rough parts in my life
My life has always had someone there to show that they care and always will care.
both my parents are here to support me throughout all things in life and i am really grateful for that
I’ve taken many things for granted like for one ive taken clean drink water for granted
I like it because you do have to be grateful for what you have cause every time you walk on the side walk you see homeless people that they are grateful for what they have even when they don’t have every thing.
I like it because you do have to be grateful for what you have and not get to over your self cause every time you walk on the side walk you see homeless people they put fights to try and keep them self’s warm they even have to live in card bored boxes so if you see a homeless just just try and give them $10 or $5 it would really help them out
I don’t know
I honestly take my mom for granted. She is my number one supporter in both of the sports i play. As of now, i’m playing both at the same time. So that’s a lot for my mom to take care of. I also take the lifestyle i have for granted. I fail to realize how blessed i am.
a house
food
lights
a bed