April Local Featured Author: Issac Jones: "The Hand I was Dealt"

Issac Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee. The fact that this city has consistently been ranked in the top ten of the “most dangerous” cities in the United States of America is more than a statistic for Issac, because he can recall seeing a friend lose their life right before his eyes during the days of his youth. Challenges like this have inspired Issac to become a youth advocate who emphasizes the importance of education and perseverance. He has a gift for helping people of all ages to resist the urge to allow their circumstances to dictate their future. If you were to ask him why he is so passionate about helping you overcome difficult odds, Issac would humbly share that it is because he understands how you feel. 

Issac’s challenges began early as the struggles he faced during his childhood led to poor performance in school. Consistent struggles, hardships at home and many moves within one school system caused him to be labeled as a “transient” student. This forced road took him down a dark, lonely, and unusual path through an unheard number of schools. His magic number was thirteen because he attended thirteen different schools before the twelfth grade. He is compassionate toward people who feel overwhelmed by the stumbling blocks along the way to success because he dropped out of school in the tenth grade. 

He is qualified to challenge his listeners to persevere through painful circumstances because he found the courage to overcome the odds and eventually managed to return to school and graduate with a 1.2 grade point average. During those years he missed approximately 270 days from school, but he did not allow himself to be discouraged by those difficulties. Statistics said that his future was very limited. Based on his educational path he was destined to become a career criminal, incarcerated, drug addict or dead. However, Issac understood that while you cannot determine the hand you have been dealt in life, you can decide to do something significant with it. 

Through the years, Issac has mastered the art of overcoming obstacles by utilizing strategic principles to turn his life around. He went from becoming one of society’s nightmares to becoming a Teacher, Manager at a Fortune 500 Company, School Administrator, and Entrepreneur. As he has seen his life take on a more rewarding shape, Issac has shifted his focus toward helping others do the same.  

Issac has come a long way from performing poorly academically as a youth. In order to prepare himself to assist others in accomplishing their dreams, Issac utilized strategic strategies to overcome his deficiencies and earned a Bachelor of Science (Elementary Education) from Creighton College, Master of Education (Educational leadership) from Cambridge College, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate from Creighton University in Leadership. 

 Issac has also published a book titled The Hand I Was Dealt to give you a glimpse into the methods and mindset that he used to overcome his circumstances. Each page offers personal insights and practical tools for you to use to overcome the difficulties that seem to be delaying your destiny. 
If you are looking for an inspiring voice to ignite a passion for success in your heart, team, staff, or students, schedule Issac Jones and watch your team laugh, learn, and leave ready to face the future. 
For more information about how you can win with the hand you were dealt email GetIssac@thehandiwasdealt.com