Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Students told to ‘go after what you want’
Motivational speaker Marc Hayford encouraged Marsh Creek students to strive for their goals
UWCHLAN >> Marc Hayford encouraged Downingtown students on Tuesday to strive for their goals and “to go after what you want.”
Hayford, a motivational speaker of Glenmoore, owns a DJ company and wanted to play music during wrestling matches. That’s what led him to become a pro-wrestling referee with the WWE. He admitted to the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center students that he was bad at first, but he learned how to perform the tasks and then after six months he wanted to referee for the WWE.
“You can’t measure this,” Hayford said, pointing to his heart.
Hayford asked for the opportunity to become a WWE referee and when he was not invited to try out for the job in Texas, he left Philadelphia and sought a referee job by auditioning for the position. He jumped for the opportunity to referee several matches. By the end of it, he was offered a job.
“When you go for your goals, it’s going to change your life,” Hayford said, like his did.
The former pro-wrestling referee encouraged the students that it doesn’t matter if they are tall enough, fast enough or strong enough, it is about the desire in their hearts to do what they want to do in life. He said there would be difficulties and life events might try to knock them down, but to strive for their goals and press on.
“You’re going to have some tough times in life, and you’re going to feel like there’s no way out,” Hayford said. “That’s when you’re biggest breakthrough is about to happen if you don’t quit.”
He also encouraged them to not be afraid to achieve their goals or “you will live a mediocre life.”
Hayford held a $5 bill and asked the students how they could get it. One student asked for it and he politely said no. Marsh Creek student Haydn Kimani said he would take it and Hayford told him to try. When Kimani successfully took the money, Hayford told him he’s brave because he went for something that people could think about or ask for, but may not get without any other effort.
“In life, you need to go after what you want,” Hayford said.
He also had some warnings for the students of the Downingtown Area School District.
He noted that people grow up hearing from their parents, teachers, coaches and police officers to not do drugs, but that no one tells them why drugs are bad. Hayford, who has never used drugs, said that people see someone on TV or read in the newspaper about someone who overdosed, but they don’t see how it starts. He said for example it starts as a party for an all-star athlete or the straight A student.
Hayford said to the students that some of them may have tried drugs, or they will be offered drugs.
“It’s coming; it’s not if, it’s when you’re going to be offered drugs. You have control and power,” Hayford said. He added that people sometimes use drugs because they want to have fun. “You can choose to have a life or you can choose to destroy it.”
He shared a story of a friend, identified as Freddy, and how they did everything together. But then Freddy did drugs and Hayford did not. Hayford played sports and Freddy sat on the bench. Hayford attended college before joining the Air Force while his friend dropped out of high school. Hayford is married with children and Freddy lives in his mother’s basement, which the children laughed about. Hayford encouraged them to make good choices because it will impact other choices they have to make later in life.
“Drugs are sneaky,” Hayford said, adding that people have fatally overdosed or have struggled with a drug addiction while missing opportunities in life.
He encouraged the students to stand up for themselves and others and to not be a bully.
“If you have to step and push on other people to feel good and rise up, you’re weak,” Hayford said. “Lift each other up, that’s what it’s about.”