“I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on, Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must not, for whatever reason, turn their back on life.”
How One Small Act Can Improve the Lives of Others with Mark Redmond (Episode #40)
(Trigger warning: suicide) Our thought leader of the day is Mark Redmond, who for almost 40 years has been helping kids from tough situations be successful despite the odds against them. Listen to Mark and learn How One Small Act Can Improve the Lives of Others!
Mark has the most positive take on what could be a tough issue. This conversation is full of celebration, fun and fascinating, insightful stories. Get ready to realize that anything is possible when we practice small acts of kindness! This is the second time Mark drops by in our podcast, and he will share more nuggets of wisdom from his experience as the Executive Director of Spectrum Youth & Family Services.
Resources Mentioned:
- Conspiracy of Goodness previous episode
- TED Talk: The Power of Pause
- Mark’s book: Called: A Memoir
Email MRedmond@spectrumvt.org or call (802) 864-7423 x 209 to reach out to Mark. Connect with him on Twitter and listen to his podcast too!
Visit Spectrum Youth & Family Services and their social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Check out his website.
[00:01 – 04:49] Introduction
- I introduce Mark Redmond
- Do you want your faith in humanity to be restored?
- We can influence the lives of other people in a good way
[04:50 – 14:39] Life is a Game of Inches
- Hearing the stories of children who took their own lives
- Being a coach who guides the players
- Games are won one yard at a time
- How Mark started his career in helping at-risk children
- You’ve got a gift (people skills, hobbies, strengths) only waiting to be discovered
[14:40 – 27:20] Helping At-Risk Children
- A good outcome that we can learn from the pandemic
- How effective is a Sleepout Activity?
- People do wanna help
- You have to show up to let people know
- Mark shares his story from not knowing what to do as a 17-year old to his career at Spectrum
- Leaving a lucrative and stable job
[27:21 – 43:26] A “Hail Mary” Takes Courage
- Pay attention to what you’re curious about
- The role of social media in communicating our messages to larger audiences
- Having the courage to speak up and ask for help
- How he was able to get Warren Buffet to reply to him
- The courage to take a home run swing
- What we can learn from the coping mechanisms of at-risk kids
- Earning their trust is hard
- Routine means safety
[43:27 – 53:06] A Book That Scratches and Itches
- Don’t over-promise and then underdeliver
- Mark’s story about the “Super Bowl” of food
- Treat each other with kindness, generosity, and compassion
- Mark gives a sneak peek about his book
- A book that scratches and itches
[53:07- 54:34] Closing Segment
- Connect with Mark
- Links below
- Final announcements
