I’ve been giving speeches and presentations since 2017.
Over the years, I’ve spoken to audiences of entrepreneurs and business owners to young kids and troubled teenagers. And out of all these experiences, it’s always the youth that seem to have the biggest impact on me.
Maybe that’s because I was once a troubled youth myself.
But whatever the case, the youth presentations typically stand out in my mind as the most noteworthy. And I recently gave another speech to a group of at-risk youth for the Gun Not Gloves program.
Keep reading to learn more.
What Is The Gloves Not Guns Program?
Gloves Not Guns is a youth mentorship boxing program here in Calgary.
They support disadvantaged and at-risk youth by providing a healthy outlet through martial arts—namely, boxing. This community-based initiative helps the youth channel their frustrations in a positive and safe environment.
The aim? To keep at-risk youth away from the lifestyle of drugs, gangs, and violence.
The program helps kids develop self-discipline, control their emotions, and better manage life’s challenges. For this reason, I was honoured when TJ Sheehan (the program’s founder) invited me to speak to the at-risk youth.
And what I learned was a game-changer.
What I Learned From Speaking To The At-Risk Youth
It was Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 2:45 pm.
I had just pulled up to this huge facility to participate in the Gloves Not Guns program. While in the parking lot, I met up with the program’s founder, TJ Sheehan, who invited me to give a talk. And after a few pleasantries, we walked into the facility.
When we entered, the staff greeted us, checked us in, and asked that we remove our keys, watches, cellphones, etc.
After our belongings were secured in a nearby locker, we were then escorted down this long, narrow hallway.
Security cameras were everywhere…
The windows were barred…
And the whole place had an eerie feel to it…
Then, the staff member who was leading the way suddenly stopped. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a key fob, and pressed it against a nearby door…
Out Of My Element
The door swung open, and we walked into this big, dusty gymnasium.
Off to the side were 15 empty chairs, forming a circle in one corner of the gym. We stood by the chairs, and it was there where we waited… And waited… And waited… Until BZZZZZZZ—a buzzer rang through the intercom.
And immediately, a door on the opposite side of the gym began to open.
Then, 12 teenagers, 14 to 18 years old, marched in, each in the same dark blue jumpsuit with white sneakers, accompanied by 2 armed guards.
The facility we were in? Was a youth prison—The Calgary Youth Offender Centre.
The special program (Gloves Not Guns) I was invited to speak at? Was a non-profit organization that helps at-risk youth get on the right track in life.
And the kids themselves? Were troubled teens doing time for everything from armed robbery to murder.
Needless to say, I felt a little out of my element. But I had a job to do… I was invited to speak and share my story of how I overcame my own troubled past in the hopes that maybe it would inspire these kids to do the same.
But here’s where it gets interesting…
An Unexpected Surprise
It wasn’t the talk that stood out to me that day.
I’ve given hundreds of speeches to thousands of people over the years, and this talk wasn’t anything special. Instead, it was what happened immediately after the talk that really made an impact on me.
After speaking for 10 to 15 minutes, we went around the circle of the 15 chairs, going from kid to kid, asking them what they wanted to do with their lives once they got out.
And one by one, each of the youngsters opens up about their hopes and dreams for the future.
One wanted to be a carpenter; another wanted to be a welder; still another wanted to be a barber, and another kid after that wanted to get into music. And as these teens revealed their dreams, the craziest thing happened…
I stopped seeing prisoners and started seeing people.
These kids’ sharing their dreams brought the humanity of this situation to the surface. Granted, these kids definitely made mistakes. I am by no means excusing that. They hurt and harmed others, and now they have a debt to pay to society for those actions.
But I could see that many of these kids were genuinely remorseful for what they had done.
What Gloves Not Guns Taught Me (A Truth Most People Don’t Know)
Now, what I want to highlight is that under the surveillance of those security cameras…
Behind the iron of those barred windows…
And within the watchful eyes of those armed guards rest the dreams that are keeping those kids going in that environment. That’s the meaning of the message! Your dreams are what will sustain you during challenging times.
And it’s right here where I now turn the spotlight on you…
You may be going through your own form of “imprisonment” right now. Maybe you feel locked up by your finances. Maybe you feel incarcerated by a soul-sucking job. Or maybe you feel jailed by your own lack of self-confidence.
We all have our own special brand of imprisonment, don’t we?
But here’s the key that the kids got right: They weren’t afraid to dream and believe in a better future. And I think that, as adults, this is one thing we have a tendency to forget about ourselves.
So, this is your reminder to keep dreaming during the difficult times…
Because here’s a truth (and the main message I learned from the Gloves Not Guns program) that most people don’t know: No hardship you experience in the present can stop you when you have a vision for the future.
Final Thought on the Gloves Not Guns Program
Gloves Not Guns is a powerful program.
By teaching the value of personal responsibility through martial arts and self-improvement, they’ve truly tapped into something unique. And for that reason, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to speak and share my story with them
Hopefully, it made an impact.
