one of the first things I want you to
begin to do right now is to take a brave
look at your life look at your life
right now where it is so let me ask you
some questions as you begin to look out
on the future look how to own this year
let’s take personal inventory what has
brought you here as you begin to look at
the things that took place this past
year did you get out of it what you
wanted did you achieve the goals that
you set out to achieve what part of your
life or what things that you do that you
don’t want to be a part of your life are
there any people as you begin to look at
your life and look at where you want to
go and what you want to do are there any
because what you have found through that
relationship that it’s more toxic than
it is nourishing is more debilitating
than it is empowering and so now you’ve
got to make a decision see of many of us
won’t be able to move forward because
we’re not taking true inventory of our
lives as you begin to look at your
emotional to your spiritual and
intellectual development how many books
did you read how many seminars did you
attend how many classes that you take to
begin to develop yourself professionally
to improve your craft or your skill how
many new things that you learn just take
some personal inventory just thinking
just thinking just thinking beginning to
know yourself one of the things about
your past that has influenced you right
now what’s your philosophy of life what
do you beliefs things that you feel very
strongly about what are some of the
things that you have picked up along the
way that you’ve been doing them for so
long you think that they’re you that you
need to begin to re-examine them and
perhaps get them out of your life see a
lot of things we’re doing we do
unconsciously because we picked it up
somewhere in life a friend of mine out
of Chicago named Maria Steele I was at
her house to have dinner Andrea who was
born in Chicago has a tremendous
Southern drawl
after I met her mother I said where did
real get her Southern drawl from she
said my sisters came up from Kentucky
and they used to be her baby
sitter and she picked it up while in
their presence Andrea still has that
drawl
what is it that you picked up somewhere
in life that maybe me might be a
liability to you what fear what beliefs
that you’re holding on to tenaciously
that’s no longer allowing your life to
work it’s not enabling you to produce
the results that you want to produce in
your life and you’re still clinging to
them see as we go into new world there’s
one of the events one of the
circumstances one of the people that
have shaped you just thinking just
thinking one of the things that you need
to let go some things that have cost you
pay that’s stifling your growth and
development what are those things as you
begin to look at your profession or your
career what is it that you need to do to
begin to upgrade your skills or your
knowledge to continue for you to be
competitive in the marketplace as you
begin to look at yourself and ask some
of these questions what is something
that you’re good at are you living your
passion are you living your dream what
do you regard is your greatest personal
achievement what is the one thing that
other people can do to make you most
happy let’s think about these things
what would you do if you had one year to
live and guaranteed success in anything
what would you do with your life if you
had it to live over getting to know
yourself what is one value one deep
commitment from which you would never
bulge what is one cause that you would
like to become involved in to make a
difference on the planet I work in the
Cook County Jail in Chicago it gives my
life a great deal of joy and fulfillment
have you found something like that in
your life that you could enjoy doing
working with people I have a friend
that’s working with physically
handicapped people she said it’s been
the most rewarding experience she’s ever
had she used to be a constantly
depressed individual always feeling
sorry for herself it has changed her
life she’s a grateful person she’s found
something that she’s lost herself in
what is your biggest setback failure or
defeat of the past year what is it about
you if someone who really knew they
wouldn’t get into a relationship with
now don’t go tell it but once you
acknowledge what that is then start
working on it and changing it change
that it’s easy to blame the other person
but start taking ownership for where you
are are you proud of how you have been
living your life have you explored your
natural talents your gifts by
enthusiastically trying a variety of
activities ladies and gentlemen a lot of
us have so much talent and abilities we
just put them back on the back burner
just left them aside some please never
did anything with them never brought
them out here
used to do them extremely well in high
school or college or just had a natural
gift and never did anything with it
what are you sitting on what gifts are
you sitting on have you resign yourself
to life feeling that nothing can be done
to change your future or your
circumstances have you been afraid to
try something different because you’re
afraid of how people will react to you
or what they will think those are some
of the things that I suggest that you
begin to answer yourself now here are
some things that I suggest that you
begin to look at working on to develop
your character some things that will
give you some personal strength Webster
says character building activities he
says character the pattern of behavior
of personality found in an individual or
group morals strength
self-discipline fortitude that’s what’s
going to be required in order to begin
to manifest your greatness
now looking at yourself one of the
things I’m suggesting you look at what
is it that you need to be in the process
of doing more of a less of like being
more direct so I used to have a problem
of not telling people what I actually
thought because I don’t want to hurt
anybody’s feelings saying no without
feeling guilty more focused so I used to
be the jack of all trades and master of
none just do a lot of things one year I
decided to do one thing well I looked at
all of my talents and I decided the
strongest one my ability as a speaker
that’s the one I’m going to focus on but
I’m capable of doing a lot of other
things but only when I decided to focus
that I began to reap the rewards of my
talent and then after you do that you
can begin to expand and use the other
talents that you have deciding to keep
your word if you just decide I’m going
to keep my word if I say something I’m
going to do it regardless being more
considerate more trusting more
discipline being less fearful being more
adventurous find something that you can
look at your life that you say hey I
know I’ve got a problem in this area
being late I need to take care of that
procrastinating I need to deal with that
not taking care of business being
seriously not serious creating an
imbalance in my life where I’m spending
more time looking at television or
having social fun and not spending
enough time working on me see most
people ladies and gentlemen spend more
time working on their jobs and it’s been
working on themselves they work harder
on their jobs and they work on
themselves and whatever we achieve in
life whatever we create whatever we able
to manifest comes out of the human mind
now I want you to think about five
things as if you had the courage to do
them it will give you a feeling of
satisfaction and self-respect think of
five things
that if you had the courage to do those
things you would feel a tremendous
feeling of satisfaction within and
self-respect take the time to write
those things down whatever they might be
to you it might be in your personal life
it might be in your your friendships
your family relationships might be in
your business I was negotiating with a
friend of mine that I admire a great
deal and this person went back on their
agreement and I did not challenge them
on it number one because of my
admiration for her number two because I
really wanted the business and I think
she sensed that so I didn’t want to seem
too picky and I was nervous about it and
I was cowardly because I should have
said listen that’s not what we agreed to
I should have called her on that but I
didn’t want to look bad or to appear to
be negative or risk losing the business
look at five things that if you had the
courage to do those things that you
would do those things a lot of people
say well I’ve been like this all my life
I just can’t change her this is the way
I am
dr. Harold Griswold a psychologist and
author of direct decision therapy said
something he says when someone says I
can’t change some part of them wants to
change but the payoffs for his present
behavior are greater than the payoffs
for a changed behavior or his fear of
change is too great ladies and gentlemen
it takes courage to live your dreams it
takes courage to manifest your greatness
it takes courage to decide to live to
decide to bring out all of your talents
and abilities to decide to stretch out
desire to take a chance it takes courage
to be happy just to be you I saw a
friend who I hadn’t seen for a long time
her whole personality has changed
she was an extroverted assertive person
but because her husband has a fragile
ego when she’s around him she caught on
to him she plays to him she’s very
silent she doesn’t express herself or
feelings and there are many things she
wants to do but before she even make a
decision of what she wants to do she
checks how will he handle this how will
he see this will this be disruptive in
our relationship a lot of us readjust
our behavior and we end up not being who
we really are in deference to
relationships men and women looking at
the word courage Webster says the
attitude of facing and dealing with
anything recognized as dangerous
difficult or painful instead of
withdrawing from it
as you begin to look at where you want
to go and take personal inventory it’s
going to be very uncomfortable that’s
why most people don’t do it it’s very
painful to admit your shortcomings to
admit your weaknesses it’s very painful
to do that it’s much easier to withdraw
from that and just ignore it he goes on
to the courage of one’s convictions the
courage to do what one thinks is right
as you begin to look at yourself and
look at where you want to go with your
life it’s very important for you to ask
yourself a question as you look at
various areas of your life is what you
are doing right now is it giving you
what you want if it’s not giving you
what you want it’s going to take courage
to decide to do something differently it
takes courage to enjoy yourself what are
some of the self-defeating behaviors
that we become involved in that prevent
most people from enjoying themselves
some people develop the what’s the use
some people have the I really don’t care
and they convince themselves that they
don’t care and they don’t feel anything
and after a while they really don’t feel
anything the lives are empty
some people say well it’s really not
worth the hassle just too hard it
doesn’t bother me anymore the fact that
I’m not living out my dream the fact
that I’m capable of doing more and I’m
not doing it the fact that I’m content
but I’m not fulfilled the fact that I’m
not living my dream Tom Ruskin Randi
read in a book call I want to change but
I don’t know how said people go through
life many times playing it safe he says
that’s the secret hope that they say to
themselves if I never let myself feel
too good maybe I’ll never get hurt too
badly a lot of people don’t ever do the
things they’re capable of doing because
they allow themselves to go along with
the crowd following the crowd many
people have things they want to do and
and they find themselves in
relationships with people who are
addicted to mediocrity and they allow
their behavior to influence their
behavior following the crowd many people
don’t do it because of the fact that
they allow their lack of self-confidence
to immobilize them I remember when I
wanted to go into business for years
that was an agonizing thought in my mind
I wouldn’t try because I didn’t believe
that I could make it of the five things
that you would like to do if you had the
courage to do I want you to pick one
thing pick one and here’s how to set it
up for yourself that will help free you
and get you unstuck what is the worst
thing that could happen if you do it so
what’s the worst thing that can happen
let’s say going into business for
yourself or changing careers or getting
a divorce
taking some kind of chance of something
that you’ve always thought about doing
but you just haven’t done it for
whatever reason what’s the worst thing
that can happen do the worst case
scenario now when you do the worst case
scenario you write those things down the
worst things that you fear would happen
when you name your fears that puts you
in control what are you afraid of name
it write it out so you can look at it
that fear what is it I’m afraid that
things might work out what else let’s
huh
well I’ve never been in business okay
what else less time well I don’t have
all the help I need okay good what else
less well I don’t have enough money all
right good what else let’s what I don’t
have a college degree uh what else I’m
not as good as those other guys that
I’ve seen her best speaking okay what
else well that’s all I can think of
right now okay good now that takes you
one of the benefits of you’re acting
courageously taking life on well part of
what happened was that I felt better
within myself and I had a strong sense
of self-respect going into business for
myself I’ve made a lot of mistakes
sometimes I was down on myself I felt
stupid I felt dumb because people who
were in business said why would you do
something like that well I didn’t know
boy boy were you really dumb and I used
to chime in with him yes I guess I was I
didn’t know any better but the other
thing is I had to say to myself but I
did it I did even if I made a flop of it
I did it I took the chance I took the
leap what are the benefits of your
acting courageously whatever it is that
you’ve identified right the benefits
down and then focus on them focus on the
benefits not on the liabilities not on
your fears focus on the benefits that
which you hold in consciousness tends to
manifest itself think about how good you
feel think about the level increased
self-respect the sense of self-worth
that you feel how good you feel getting
up in the morning looking yourself in
the mirror because you’re taking life on
the other thing is acknowledge your
fears and then go into action this book
it’s called feel the fear and do it
anyway that’s it see
I believe anybody who’s ever done
anything who’s ever taken a chance
doesn’t mean that they are not afraid
courageous does not mean being the
absence of fear I think that being
courageous is willing to do it because
that’s what you feel and you’re gonna do
it anyhow regardless you’re not going to
be immobilized by your fears or your
doubts you admit okay I’m scared to
death now okay what is it that I must
choose to do go ahead on experience that
fear but don’t let that fear immobilize
you
in what you’ve done with your life thus
far is it giving you what you want is it
giving you what you want when you look
toward the future when you look at all
this going on out here
is there some place within yourself you
say hey I know I need to be out there in
that arena I know I can do more than
what I’ve been doing I know there’s some
great music that I have within me that I
haven’t brought out here is that
something that you begin to look at
within yourself so I used to do that and
I used to go to big rallies and see guys
up speaking when I wasn’t courageous
enough to go out there and say hey my
name is les Vaughn the motivator made me
a browsable I want to talk I would never
do that I just was I just be back there
looking at it and want to give their
autograph it would say can I can I meet
you mister mister wait leo miss can I
meet mr. Zig Ziglar please tell him who
are you let’s Brown because that’s not
within myself out the door – I want to
go talk to these guys and go get their
see I say if you look at your life and
if you’re not getting what you want you
owe it to yourself to do something
differently you are if you’re on a job
85% they say of Americans go to jobs
that they’re unhappy if you’re doing
something 8 hours a day that you don’t
like it’s not giving you what you want
it’s not giving you a strong feeling of
sad
faction and fulfillment you’re miserable
you hate to go there you’re depressed
just thinking about it you’re saying
they thank God it’s Friday song every
week it’s giving you headaches just
thinking about it on Sunday afternoon
after the football game goes off if
that’s what it is you owe it to yourself
to start strategically working to change
directions see but you know what most
people will do most people will resist
change
most people will fight change as if
change would be worse than what they’re
experiencing see they know this they’re
familiar with this most people will not
challenge the unknown they won’t just
step out there see this well see there
certain things has got to be in place
they got to see it all together and like
this and like that that’s not how you
grow so as you look at your life you’re
saying I’m not getting what I want as
you begin to look toward the future
begin to know that whatever it takes for
you to create that you got that in you
you got that you’ve got genius in you
you’ve got goodness in you you’ve got
creativeness in you if you decide to
take the initiative to change the
current quality of your life I say to
you that you will find that the universe
is on your side that life is on your
side now will it be turbulent yes would
it be easy no no will you have some
opposition yes will I make a lot of
mistakes yes will I get hurt yes yes see
a lot of people won’t try anything
different in life because they don’t
want to get hurt let me tell you
something it’s too much pain to doc pain
is everywhere you can hide under here it
will come where you are
I’m really if I go back to your painter
come hey les come on up it will come
it’s everywhere Viktor Frankl calls it
unavoidable suffering you can’t duck it
but most people spend their life not
wanting to deal with the pain of
rejection the pain of defeat the pain of
being disappointed the pain of losing
the pain of failure the pain of being
criticized the pain of not being liked
the pain the pain the pain that’s called
life life is full of pain it’s
everywhere but guess what there’s no
gain without pain now if you’re gonna
because it’s the pain of regret that’s
your experience if I had it to do over
again that’s a pain don’t you know
that’s when you know I was in a seminar
once and this lady’s stood up if I had
my life to live over again she talked
about all of the things that she would
do and you can feel the pain of regret
in a voice the pain of regret
she still experienced pain she was
trying not to experience the pain of
defeat the pain of disappointment the
pain of loss the pain of lack of support
and she still experienced pain it was
right there we can’t get around it most
people are governed by their habits the
fears and the opinions of others a lot
of people never try anything differently
because they have been convinced by
people in their lives that they value
that they can’t do it they’re living
within the context of the opinions that
other people have of them the low
expectations many people doubt
themselves because when they thought
about doing something at some critical
point in their lives somebody they
respected and honored somebody they
believed in somebody that they loved
someone they trust it said you can’t do
that and they accepted that that’s why I
didn’t go off to college I had an
instructor that I believed who said
you’re not college material mr. Brown
you’re not as smart as your brother
Wesley or your sister Margaret Ann
you’re not college material why don’t
you try and get you a job at the post
try and do something with your hand or
go down to the Miami city sanitation
department see can you get a job there
why don’t you try and go into the army I
took that test mister tell us already
what happened I fail I told you anybody
so I went down to the Sanitation
Department to try and get a job because
that’s what I believed was possible for
me as you look at your life ask yourself
the question what would your life be
like what would your life look like if
you decided not to care what people
thought of you what would your life be
like if you decided to give up some of
your fears what would your life be like
if you decided to become courageous what
would you like to like if you decided to
act on your dream if you did what you
felt in your heart you know what
courageous means tom ruskin and randy
reid said they said that courage comes
from a French word which means of the
hard that how does it feel to you he
says such courage you know it takes
courage to live since most people go
through life not allowing themselves to
step out because they don’t want to let
go they don’t want to be blown around
they don’t want to be moved the courage
to face life’s whirling wind of
contradictions the courage to love
yourself the courage to love for years I
was afraid to love the courage to take a
he says courage isn’t for somebody else
for metals applause immoral debts
courage is what at that moment feels
most right for you not just situational
ethics but what feels right in your
heart the word of the heart what feels
right in your heart
one great philosopher says cowards die
many times before their deaths
the valiant never taste of death but
once what does that mean that valiant
people aren’t afraid no no no it means
that they experience that fear and they
move forward they move forward any how
many people are dead now many people
allowing their dreams to die
many people applying the ideas to lie
dormant and collect dusts many people
have all this talent and ability that
they are lying to be embedding side of
them that they will take with them to
their graves because they didn’t have
the courage to be who they are and I say
as you begin to look to all the future
and manifesting your greatness it’s
going to take everything in you
everything in you that your life
deserves the concentrated effort to
begin to look at how is it that I can
express more of me how is it that I can
bring my ideas out here now how is it
and start living with a sense of urgency
because you’re here today you’re gone
today life is unpredictable it’s
uncertain there’s no guarantees no
guarantees out here at all so holding
back what are you waiting on ask
yourself what’s the benefit of your
waiting what’s the benefit of your not
living your dream what’s the benefit of
not listening to yourself oh please
listen to yourself you know the feelings
if you start listening to the feelings
in your heart and I’m doing it now more
every day I find that my feelings I can
trust them and I say to you that as you
look toward the future you look at life
on a daily basis if there’s something
that you have been given if you’ve heard
something within yourself that you know
that that what you’re doing now doesn’t
fit for you it doesn’t work for you it’s
not giving you what you want and there’s
something else that you want to do don’t
allow that inner doubt in you to talk
you out of it to build a case on why you
can’t have it to tell you why you’re not
good enough you ignore that inner voice
and all of the external voices don’t
judge the
abilities for what you can do based upon
the circumstances because the
circumstances won’t determine who you
are don’t determine what you’re able to
do based upon your resources don’t
determine what’s possible for you based
upon where your life is right now where
your life is right now is not you that’s
just what it is right now but the
possibilities for you are unlimited if
you’re in a rebuilding process it’s
unlimited if you’re coming back from
adversity and devastation it’s unlimited
of what you can do that’s the capacity
of human beings it doesn’t matter how
many mistakes you’ve made doesn’t matter
how many flops you’ve had doesn’t matter
how much money you’ve lost in fact I see
it only as an investment what you learn
from life not losses but investments of
what’s possible for you and I say to you
that once you start listening to
yourself and as you begin to act on your
dream as you start just trying to find
your way doing what you can what you
have you will start seeing things
opening up for you start attracting
people you say where did it come from
things will start coming together
clicking for you say whoa you start
brainstorming ideas will come out of
nowhere as you focus on it the key to it
is to begin to focus on what it is you
want to do Wireless why is that
important because as you focus on that
which you want to do that which we focus
on that which we give our energy to it
will begin to multiply it will begin to
expand it will begin to develop your
consciousness and out of that comes your
greatness out of that comes a commitment
out of that comes a passion for life out
of that comes a special power that you
have in you that you haven’t even called
on yet see the the powers that we have
will never reveal themselves if we don’t
challenge them if we don’t put ourselves
in a position where we have to use them
so one of the most important things
that’s reading a book that’s a really
interesting book called instant
millionaire and the guy said put
yourself in a position where you can’t
retreat where it’s do-or-die
sink or swim here’s what you find out
you’ll develop incredible swimming
skills or swallow half the pool of life
you’ll find yourself stroking unlike
you’ve ever seen before through the
inspiration of desperation you become
more creative than ever before so what
is it how do we handle that whole tease
throw your whole self into it see most
people go at it tentatively they don’t
give all their stuff they don’t
concentrate they don’t put everything
they’ve got in them one guy wrote a book
called all you can do is all you can do
and all you can do is enough but he said
make sure you do all you can do and if
we honest this evening we know that we
haven’t done all we can do so as we look
at the future we can decide that from
this day forward as I look at my
personal relationships if I look at my
professional relationships if I look at
my family relationships as I look at all
the dimensions of my life looking at
myself mentally emotionally and
spiritually I’m going to do all I can do
to develop me to bring my talent out
here to make a contribution to life I
don’t know what you want to do
here’s what I know about you you got
greatness within you as you look toward
the future and developing your greatness
begin to know that your life is worth
the effort is the easy no is it worth it
yes yes your life is worth it
and so it is this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s
baby boy Leslie Calvin Brown saying it’s
been a plum pleasing pleasure as well as
a privilege thank y’all yeah [Applause]
begin to do right now is to take a brave
look at your life look at your life
right now where it is so let me ask you
some questions as you begin to look out
on the future look how to own this year
let’s take personal inventory what has
brought you here as you begin to look at
the things that took place this past
year did you get out of it what you
wanted did you achieve the goals that
you set out to achieve what part of your
life or what things that you do that you
don’t want to be a part of your life are
there any people as you begin to look at
your life and look at where you want to
go and what you want to do are there any
because what you have found through that
relationship that it’s more toxic than
it is nourishing is more debilitating
than it is empowering and so now you’ve
got to make a decision see of many of us
won’t be able to move forward because
we’re not taking true inventory of our
lives as you begin to look at your
emotional to your spiritual and
intellectual development how many books
did you read how many seminars did you
attend how many classes that you take to
begin to develop yourself professionally
to improve your craft or your skill how
many new things that you learn just take
some personal inventory just thinking
just thinking just thinking beginning to
know yourself one of the things about
your past that has influenced you right
now what’s your philosophy of life what
do you beliefs things that you feel very
strongly about what are some of the
things that you have picked up along the
way that you’ve been doing them for so
long you think that they’re you that you
need to begin to re-examine them and
perhaps get them out of your life see a
lot of things we’re doing we do
unconsciously because we picked it up
somewhere in life a friend of mine out
of Chicago named Maria Steele I was at
her house to have dinner Andrea who was
born in Chicago has a tremendous
Southern drawl
after I met her mother I said where did
real get her Southern drawl from she
said my sisters came up from Kentucky
and they used to be her baby
sitter and she picked it up while in
their presence Andrea still has that
drawl
what is it that you picked up somewhere
in life that maybe me might be a
liability to you what fear what beliefs
that you’re holding on to tenaciously
that’s no longer allowing your life to
work it’s not enabling you to produce
the results that you want to produce in
your life and you’re still clinging to
them see as we go into new world there’s
one of the events one of the
circumstances one of the people that
have shaped you just thinking just
thinking one of the things that you need
to let go some things that have cost you
pay that’s stifling your growth and
development what are those things as you
begin to look at your profession or your
career what is it that you need to do to
begin to upgrade your skills or your
knowledge to continue for you to be
competitive in the marketplace as you
begin to look at yourself and ask some
of these questions what is something
that you’re good at are you living your
passion are you living your dream what
do you regard is your greatest personal
achievement what is the one thing that
other people can do to make you most
happy let’s think about these things
what would you do if you had one year to
live and guaranteed success in anything
what would you do with your life if you
had it to live over getting to know
yourself what is one value one deep
commitment from which you would never
bulge what is one cause that you would
like to become involved in to make a
difference on the planet I work in the
Cook County Jail in Chicago it gives my
life a great deal of joy and fulfillment
have you found something like that in
your life that you could enjoy doing
working with people I have a friend
that’s working with physically
handicapped people she said it’s been
the most rewarding experience she’s ever
had she used to be a constantly
depressed individual always feeling
sorry for herself it has changed her
life she’s a grateful person she’s found
something that she’s lost herself in
what is your biggest setback failure or
defeat of the past year what is it about
you if someone who really knew they
wouldn’t get into a relationship with
now don’t go tell it but once you
acknowledge what that is then start
working on it and changing it change
that it’s easy to blame the other person
but start taking ownership for where you
are are you proud of how you have been
living your life have you explored your
natural talents your gifts by
enthusiastically trying a variety of
activities ladies and gentlemen a lot of
us have so much talent and abilities we
just put them back on the back burner
just left them aside some please never
did anything with them never brought
them out here
used to do them extremely well in high
school or college or just had a natural
gift and never did anything with it
what are you sitting on what gifts are
you sitting on have you resign yourself
to life feeling that nothing can be done
to change your future or your
circumstances have you been afraid to
try something different because you’re
afraid of how people will react to you
or what they will think those are some
of the things that I suggest that you
begin to answer yourself now here are
some things that I suggest that you
begin to look at working on to develop
your character some things that will
give you some personal strength Webster
says character building activities he
says character the pattern of behavior
of personality found in an individual or
group morals strength
self-discipline fortitude that’s what’s
going to be required in order to begin
to manifest your greatness
now looking at yourself one of the
things I’m suggesting you look at what
is it that you need to be in the process
of doing more of a less of like being
more direct so I used to have a problem
of not telling people what I actually
thought because I don’t want to hurt
anybody’s feelings saying no without
feeling guilty more focused so I used to
be the jack of all trades and master of
none just do a lot of things one year I
decided to do one thing well I looked at
all of my talents and I decided the
strongest one my ability as a speaker
that’s the one I’m going to focus on but
I’m capable of doing a lot of other
things but only when I decided to focus
that I began to reap the rewards of my
talent and then after you do that you
can begin to expand and use the other
talents that you have deciding to keep
your word if you just decide I’m going
to keep my word if I say something I’m
going to do it regardless being more
considerate more trusting more
discipline being less fearful being more
adventurous find something that you can
look at your life that you say hey I
know I’ve got a problem in this area
being late I need to take care of that
procrastinating I need to deal with that
not taking care of business being
seriously not serious creating an
imbalance in my life where I’m spending
more time looking at television or
having social fun and not spending
enough time working on me see most
people ladies and gentlemen spend more
time working on their jobs and it’s been
working on themselves they work harder
on their jobs and they work on
themselves and whatever we achieve in
life whatever we create whatever we able
to manifest comes out of the human mind
now I want you to think about five
things as if you had the courage to do
them it will give you a feeling of
satisfaction and self-respect think of
five things
that if you had the courage to do those
things you would feel a tremendous
feeling of satisfaction within and
self-respect take the time to write
those things down whatever they might be
to you it might be in your personal life
it might be in your your friendships
your family relationships might be in
your business I was negotiating with a
friend of mine that I admire a great
deal and this person went back on their
agreement and I did not challenge them
on it number one because of my
admiration for her number two because I
really wanted the business and I think
she sensed that so I didn’t want to seem
too picky and I was nervous about it and
I was cowardly because I should have
said listen that’s not what we agreed to
I should have called her on that but I
didn’t want to look bad or to appear to
be negative or risk losing the business
look at five things that if you had the
courage to do those things that you
would do those things a lot of people
say well I’ve been like this all my life
I just can’t change her this is the way
I am
dr. Harold Griswold a psychologist and
author of direct decision therapy said
something he says when someone says I
can’t change some part of them wants to
change but the payoffs for his present
behavior are greater than the payoffs
for a changed behavior or his fear of
change is too great ladies and gentlemen
it takes courage to live your dreams it
takes courage to manifest your greatness
it takes courage to decide to live to
decide to bring out all of your talents
and abilities to decide to stretch out
desire to take a chance it takes courage
to be happy just to be you I saw a
friend who I hadn’t seen for a long time
her whole personality has changed
she was an extroverted assertive person
but because her husband has a fragile
ego when she’s around him she caught on
to him she plays to him she’s very
silent she doesn’t express herself or
feelings and there are many things she
wants to do but before she even make a
decision of what she wants to do she
checks how will he handle this how will
he see this will this be disruptive in
our relationship a lot of us readjust
our behavior and we end up not being who
we really are in deference to
relationships men and women looking at
the word courage Webster says the
attitude of facing and dealing with
anything recognized as dangerous
difficult or painful instead of
withdrawing from it
as you begin to look at where you want
to go and take personal inventory it’s
going to be very uncomfortable that’s
why most people don’t do it it’s very
painful to admit your shortcomings to
admit your weaknesses it’s very painful
to do that it’s much easier to withdraw
from that and just ignore it he goes on
to the courage of one’s convictions the
courage to do what one thinks is right
as you begin to look at yourself and
look at where you want to go with your
life it’s very important for you to ask
yourself a question as you look at
various areas of your life is what you
are doing right now is it giving you
what you want if it’s not giving you
what you want it’s going to take courage
to decide to do something differently it
takes courage to enjoy yourself what are
some of the self-defeating behaviors
that we become involved in that prevent
most people from enjoying themselves
some people develop the what’s the use
some people have the I really don’t care
and they convince themselves that they
don’t care and they don’t feel anything
and after a while they really don’t feel
anything the lives are empty
some people say well it’s really not
worth the hassle just too hard it
doesn’t bother me anymore the fact that
I’m not living out my dream the fact
that I’m capable of doing more and I’m
not doing it the fact that I’m content
but I’m not fulfilled the fact that I’m
not living my dream Tom Ruskin Randi
read in a book call I want to change but
I don’t know how said people go through
life many times playing it safe he says
that’s the secret hope that they say to
themselves if I never let myself feel
too good maybe I’ll never get hurt too
badly a lot of people don’t ever do the
things they’re capable of doing because
they allow themselves to go along with
the crowd following the crowd many
people have things they want to do and
and they find themselves in
relationships with people who are
addicted to mediocrity and they allow
their behavior to influence their
behavior following the crowd many people
don’t do it because of the fact that
they allow their lack of self-confidence
to immobilize them I remember when I
wanted to go into business for years
that was an agonizing thought in my mind
I wouldn’t try because I didn’t believe
that I could make it of the five things
that you would like to do if you had the
courage to do I want you to pick one
thing pick one and here’s how to set it
up for yourself that will help free you
and get you unstuck what is the worst
thing that could happen if you do it so
what’s the worst thing that can happen
let’s say going into business for
yourself or changing careers or getting
a divorce
taking some kind of chance of something
that you’ve always thought about doing
but you just haven’t done it for
whatever reason what’s the worst thing
that can happen do the worst case
scenario now when you do the worst case
scenario you write those things down the
worst things that you fear would happen
when you name your fears that puts you
in control what are you afraid of name
it write it out so you can look at it
that fear what is it I’m afraid that
things might work out what else let’s
huh
well I’ve never been in business okay
what else less time well I don’t have
all the help I need okay good what else
less well I don’t have enough money all
right good what else let’s what I don’t
have a college degree uh what else I’m
not as good as those other guys that
I’ve seen her best speaking okay what
else well that’s all I can think of
right now okay good now that takes you
one of the benefits of you’re acting
courageously taking life on well part of
what happened was that I felt better
within myself and I had a strong sense
of self-respect going into business for
myself I’ve made a lot of mistakes
sometimes I was down on myself I felt
stupid I felt dumb because people who
were in business said why would you do
something like that well I didn’t know
boy boy were you really dumb and I used
to chime in with him yes I guess I was I
didn’t know any better but the other
thing is I had to say to myself but I
did it I did even if I made a flop of it
I did it I took the chance I took the
leap what are the benefits of your
acting courageously whatever it is that
you’ve identified right the benefits
down and then focus on them focus on the
benefits not on the liabilities not on
your fears focus on the benefits that
which you hold in consciousness tends to
manifest itself think about how good you
feel think about the level increased
self-respect the sense of self-worth
that you feel how good you feel getting
up in the morning looking yourself in
the mirror because you’re taking life on
the other thing is acknowledge your
fears and then go into action this book
it’s called feel the fear and do it
anyway that’s it see
I believe anybody who’s ever done
anything who’s ever taken a chance
doesn’t mean that they are not afraid
courageous does not mean being the
absence of fear I think that being
courageous is willing to do it because
that’s what you feel and you’re gonna do
it anyhow regardless you’re not going to
be immobilized by your fears or your
doubts you admit okay I’m scared to
death now okay what is it that I must
choose to do go ahead on experience that
fear but don’t let that fear immobilize
you
in what you’ve done with your life thus
far is it giving you what you want is it
giving you what you want when you look
toward the future when you look at all
this going on out here
is there some place within yourself you
say hey I know I need to be out there in
that arena I know I can do more than
what I’ve been doing I know there’s some
great music that I have within me that I
haven’t brought out here is that
something that you begin to look at
within yourself so I used to do that and
I used to go to big rallies and see guys
up speaking when I wasn’t courageous
enough to go out there and say hey my
name is les Vaughn the motivator made me
a browsable I want to talk I would never
do that I just was I just be back there
looking at it and want to give their
autograph it would say can I can I meet
you mister mister wait leo miss can I
meet mr. Zig Ziglar please tell him who
are you let’s Brown because that’s not
within myself out the door – I want to
go talk to these guys and go get their
see I say if you look at your life and
if you’re not getting what you want you
owe it to yourself to do something
differently you are if you’re on a job
85% they say of Americans go to jobs
that they’re unhappy if you’re doing
something 8 hours a day that you don’t
like it’s not giving you what you want
it’s not giving you a strong feeling of
sad
faction and fulfillment you’re miserable
you hate to go there you’re depressed
just thinking about it you’re saying
they thank God it’s Friday song every
week it’s giving you headaches just
thinking about it on Sunday afternoon
after the football game goes off if
that’s what it is you owe it to yourself
to start strategically working to change
directions see but you know what most
people will do most people will resist
change
most people will fight change as if
change would be worse than what they’re
experiencing see they know this they’re
familiar with this most people will not
challenge the unknown they won’t just
step out there see this well see there
certain things has got to be in place
they got to see it all together and like
this and like that that’s not how you
grow so as you look at your life you’re
saying I’m not getting what I want as
you begin to look toward the future
begin to know that whatever it takes for
you to create that you got that in you
you got that you’ve got genius in you
you’ve got goodness in you you’ve got
creativeness in you if you decide to
take the initiative to change the
current quality of your life I say to
you that you will find that the universe
is on your side that life is on your
side now will it be turbulent yes would
it be easy no no will you have some
opposition yes will I make a lot of
mistakes yes will I get hurt yes yes see
a lot of people won’t try anything
different in life because they don’t
want to get hurt let me tell you
something it’s too much pain to doc pain
is everywhere you can hide under here it
will come where you are
I’m really if I go back to your painter
come hey les come on up it will come
it’s everywhere Viktor Frankl calls it
unavoidable suffering you can’t duck it
but most people spend their life not
wanting to deal with the pain of
rejection the pain of defeat the pain of
being disappointed the pain of losing
the pain of failure the pain of being
criticized the pain of not being liked
the pain the pain the pain that’s called
life life is full of pain it’s
everywhere but guess what there’s no
gain without pain now if you’re gonna
because it’s the pain of regret that’s
your experience if I had it to do over
again that’s a pain don’t you know
that’s when you know I was in a seminar
once and this lady’s stood up if I had
my life to live over again she talked
about all of the things that she would
do and you can feel the pain of regret
in a voice the pain of regret
she still experienced pain she was
trying not to experience the pain of
defeat the pain of disappointment the
pain of loss the pain of lack of support
and she still experienced pain it was
right there we can’t get around it most
people are governed by their habits the
fears and the opinions of others a lot
of people never try anything differently
because they have been convinced by
people in their lives that they value
that they can’t do it they’re living
within the context of the opinions that
other people have of them the low
expectations many people doubt
themselves because when they thought
about doing something at some critical
point in their lives somebody they
respected and honored somebody they
believed in somebody that they loved
someone they trust it said you can’t do
that and they accepted that that’s why I
didn’t go off to college I had an
instructor that I believed who said
you’re not college material mr. Brown
you’re not as smart as your brother
Wesley or your sister Margaret Ann
you’re not college material why don’t
you try and get you a job at the post
try and do something with your hand or
go down to the Miami city sanitation
department see can you get a job there
why don’t you try and go into the army I
took that test mister tell us already
what happened I fail I told you anybody
so I went down to the Sanitation
Department to try and get a job because
that’s what I believed was possible for
me as you look at your life ask yourself
the question what would your life be
like what would your life look like if
you decided not to care what people
thought of you what would your life be
like if you decided to give up some of
your fears what would your life be like
if you decided to become courageous what
would you like to like if you decided to
act on your dream if you did what you
felt in your heart you know what
courageous means tom ruskin and randy
reid said they said that courage comes
from a French word which means of the
hard that how does it feel to you he
says such courage you know it takes
courage to live since most people go
through life not allowing themselves to
step out because they don’t want to let
go they don’t want to be blown around
they don’t want to be moved the courage
to face life’s whirling wind of
contradictions the courage to love
yourself the courage to love for years I
was afraid to love the courage to take a
he says courage isn’t for somebody else
for metals applause immoral debts
courage is what at that moment feels
most right for you not just situational
ethics but what feels right in your
heart the word of the heart what feels
right in your heart
one great philosopher says cowards die
many times before their deaths
the valiant never taste of death but
once what does that mean that valiant
people aren’t afraid no no no it means
that they experience that fear and they
move forward they move forward any how
many people are dead now many people
allowing their dreams to die
many people applying the ideas to lie
dormant and collect dusts many people
have all this talent and ability that
they are lying to be embedding side of
them that they will take with them to
their graves because they didn’t have
the courage to be who they are and I say
as you begin to look to all the future
and manifesting your greatness it’s
going to take everything in you
everything in you that your life
deserves the concentrated effort to
begin to look at how is it that I can
express more of me how is it that I can
bring my ideas out here now how is it
and start living with a sense of urgency
because you’re here today you’re gone
today life is unpredictable it’s
uncertain there’s no guarantees no
guarantees out here at all so holding
back what are you waiting on ask
yourself what’s the benefit of your
waiting what’s the benefit of your not
living your dream what’s the benefit of
not listening to yourself oh please
listen to yourself you know the feelings
if you start listening to the feelings
in your heart and I’m doing it now more
every day I find that my feelings I can
trust them and I say to you that as you
look toward the future you look at life
on a daily basis if there’s something
that you have been given if you’ve heard
something within yourself that you know
that that what you’re doing now doesn’t
fit for you it doesn’t work for you it’s
not giving you what you want and there’s
something else that you want to do don’t
allow that inner doubt in you to talk
you out of it to build a case on why you
can’t have it to tell you why you’re not
good enough you ignore that inner voice
and all of the external voices don’t
judge the
abilities for what you can do based upon
the circumstances because the
circumstances won’t determine who you
are don’t determine what you’re able to
do based upon your resources don’t
determine what’s possible for you based
upon where your life is right now where
your life is right now is not you that’s
just what it is right now but the
possibilities for you are unlimited if
you’re in a rebuilding process it’s
unlimited if you’re coming back from
adversity and devastation it’s unlimited
of what you can do that’s the capacity
of human beings it doesn’t matter how
many mistakes you’ve made doesn’t matter
how many flops you’ve had doesn’t matter
how much money you’ve lost in fact I see
it only as an investment what you learn
from life not losses but investments of
what’s possible for you and I say to you
that once you start listening to
yourself and as you begin to act on your
dream as you start just trying to find
your way doing what you can what you
have you will start seeing things
opening up for you start attracting
people you say where did it come from
things will start coming together
clicking for you say whoa you start
brainstorming ideas will come out of
nowhere as you focus on it the key to it
is to begin to focus on what it is you
want to do Wireless why is that
important because as you focus on that
which you want to do that which we focus
on that which we give our energy to it
will begin to multiply it will begin to
expand it will begin to develop your
consciousness and out of that comes your
greatness out of that comes a commitment
out of that comes a passion for life out
of that comes a special power that you
have in you that you haven’t even called
on yet see the the powers that we have
will never reveal themselves if we don’t
challenge them if we don’t put ourselves
in a position where we have to use them
so one of the most important things
that’s reading a book that’s a really
interesting book called instant
millionaire and the guy said put
yourself in a position where you can’t
retreat where it’s do-or-die
sink or swim here’s what you find out
you’ll develop incredible swimming
skills or swallow half the pool of life
you’ll find yourself stroking unlike
you’ve ever seen before through the
inspiration of desperation you become
more creative than ever before so what
is it how do we handle that whole tease
throw your whole self into it see most
people go at it tentatively they don’t
give all their stuff they don’t
concentrate they don’t put everything
they’ve got in them one guy wrote a book
called all you can do is all you can do
and all you can do is enough but he said
make sure you do all you can do and if
we honest this evening we know that we
haven’t done all we can do so as we look
at the future we can decide that from
this day forward as I look at my
personal relationships if I look at my
professional relationships if I look at
my family relationships as I look at all
the dimensions of my life looking at
myself mentally emotionally and
spiritually I’m going to do all I can do
to develop me to bring my talent out
here to make a contribution to life I
don’t know what you want to do
here’s what I know about you you got
greatness within you as you look toward
the future and developing your greatness
begin to know that your life is worth
the effort is the easy no is it worth it
yes yes your life is worth it
and so it is this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s
baby boy Leslie Calvin Brown saying it’s
been a plum pleasing pleasure as well as
a privilege thank y’all yeah [Applause]
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