Training the brain - inspirational speaker Marcus Child encourages pupils to 'dream big'

THE importance of instilling self-belief, maintaining a positive outlook and setting goals was the focus of the powerful first talk in The Lectures series.

Internationally-renowned speaker Marcus Child brought a tangible energy to the Newsom Hall as he spoke with humour and knowledge on the importance of ‘hopes and dreams’ to an audience of pupils, parents and staff.

His motivational talk addressed the value of ‘creating pictures’ and setting goals, as well as learning to hold an inner dialogue that is positive, energised, and kind.

“There are 11 million receptors in the human brain and about 10 million of those are visual,” he explained. “It’s important to picture where you are going… and dream big, because it’s not always about achieving the goal, it’s about the person you become in pursuit of that goal.”

His rousing speech drew on examples of some well known personalities who have achieved the goals they set when young, including Bear Grylls, who set his sights on climbing Everest when his father gave him a poster of it at just eight years old. In 1998, he became the youngest Briton to climb the mountain at the age of 23.

Engaging the audience with facts and figures, as well as inviting some to demonstrate the power of positive thinking on stage, Marcus inspired pupils to consider the importance of their self-talk, or ‘inner voice’.

“Our inner voice directly impacts what state we are in and our performance,” he said. “Negative self-talk can create a state of anxiety and poor performance, for example, so it’s important to get a different soundtrack – to talk positively to yourself and each other.

“Say things that are properly kind, because energy breeds energy. It’s important to train the brain. A kind person is a person who practices kindness. A positive person is a person who practices positivity.”

Principal Will Scott attended the lecture. He said: “I thought the evening was an inspiring reminder of the importance of young people building a positive vision of their future from a range of experiences, something we have long known at Dame Allan's. 

“Marcus showed us from his personal experience what all great teachers understand, that cultivating strong self-belief in ambitious goals is the bedrock of success in life.”

Marcus’ empowering talk was the first in a series of special lectures being held at Dame Allan’s Schools over the academic year. Supported by Allanian Mark Dolder, The Lectures aim to inspire pupils, and present an opportunity to learn from some of the most influential speakers in their respective fields.

For tickets visit the events page of the website.