I want you to look at something right
now thank you some major goal you want
or maybe it’s one you’re already working
on and you have experienced a lot of
setbacks a lot of defeats you’ve
experienced a lot of disappointment
maybe you’ve already given up and maybe
you just need a little fire a little
encouragement to get back in the game
again here’s what I want you to look at
there are winners and they’re losers and
there are people who have not discovered
how to win and all they need is some
coaching all they need is some help that
assistance just a little support all
they need is some insight or different
strategy a plan of action to make some
adjustments that will open up the key to
a whole new future for them that will
give them access to the unlimited power
that they have within themselves that’s
all that they need so what I want you to
do is is think about something you want
for you that’s real for you that’s
important for you that will give your
life some special meaning and power and
I don’t even want you to say I can do
that I don’t want you to assume love see
five years ago when I started out in
this area I would not have been able to
make the mental leap that I would be up
to where I am right now I don’t want you
to begin to just psych yourself out no
no I want you to be able to say
something to yourself that will enable
you to maintain a level of integrity
with yourself that when you say this
even when you face tremendous setbacks
it it will be a benchmark to keep you in
the game to keep you moving forward and
experimenting and readjusting your
strategy and your plan of action
continuously
looking for ways to win so what is that
something when you got an idea you want
to move on you might not have the money
you might not have the education you
might not have the support or resources
you need what is that something that can
keep us going that will enable us to act
on our dream what’s one of those keys
that will begin to help us to discover
the secrets to our dream here’s what I
want you to repeat after me please with
power and conviction say it’s possible
that’s all I want you to do when you
look at your dream you say to yourself
every day it’s possible just say that
every day to yourself it’s possible
because what does that do see it begins
to change your belief system see the way
in which we operate ladies and gentlemen
it’s a manifestation of what we believe
what’s possible for us whatever you’ve
done up to this point all that it really
is is a duplication it’s a reproduction
of what you believe subconsciously that
you deserve and what’s possible for your
life
most people operate out of their
personal history out of their memory
things have done things have experienced
things have seen things that they have
observed what I’m suggesting that you
operate out of a larger vision of
yourself I want you to see yourself
doing what you want to do experiencing
what you want to experience it having
what you want to have doing what is that
gives your life some meaning of value
operate out of your imagination not your
memory because whatever you look at
where you want to go I’m wanting to warn
you you will have some conversation back
here after you go through the data that
you’ve experienced in life saying you
can’t do it and so what you want to
begin to do is ignore that inner
conversation well most people ladies and
gentlemen when something happens to them
what they do is they begin to believe
that that’s the way it is that’s the way
it’s always been and they can’t see the
possibility of it being any different
example before in April 1954 the common
belief the universe will believe because
it had been tried again and again and
again and people that fail the belief
laws that man was not physically capable
of breaking the four-minute barrier that
he could not run a mile in less than
four minutes that was the belief on the
planet it had never been done
but here’s what happened ladies and
gentlemen Roger Bannister came along and
he broke the four-minute barrier now
here’s what’s significant about that
since that time up to this day over
20,000 people have done it including
high school kids what changed
20,000 people what changed
here’s what happened when they got on
the track they knew it had been done and
because they knew it had been done there
was a new belief about this barrier
about this goal that was unreachable and
those 20,000 people got an erased
believing knowing in their heart that
someone had done it that it’s possible
that they could do it and I’m saying
that if you know anybody that had some
goal some dreams something they wanted
to do and they did it denies saying that
you know in your heart that if someone
has done it then you can do it it’s
possible and that if someone can make
that dream become a reality that it’s
it’s possible that you can make your
dream become reality and so as you begin
to look at where you want to go
beginning to embrace that it’s possible
I’m blessed and highly favored I’ve got
a lot going for me I got some good stuff
in me and it’s possible that I can bring
my greatness out here in the universe
that I can do what I want to do it’s
possible I can write my own book I can
have my own business I I can take the
trip and travel around the world it’s
possible I can bounce back from
adversity and reinvent my life it’s
possible regardless of where I am the
things can get better for me it’s
possible I’m thinking about two men
right here in Chicago who are fairly
successful similar background educated
they work for corporation for many years
and they were among many people that
were laid off two guys who were very
good friends
one when I’m looking for a job for
several weeks along with the other one
and they face disappointment and
rejection again and again and again they
couldn’t find any work which is the
story of many people across this country
one guy stopped he became discouraged he
stopped going he stayed home looking at
television became very argumentative and
toxic with his wife drinking beer
getting on the phone talking to his
lover negative unemployed friends and he
just gave up the other guy kept looking
for a job everywhere it could go every
time he could get an opportunity kept
asking people networking checking the
newspapers every day kept going
everywhere he could trying to find a job
you have too much education you
overqualified you won’t be here long
enough he kept going you kept going he
went to a place and said look here I
tell you what if you can’t hire me and I
know you can use my talents abilities
and skills I don’t want to sit home and
do nothing just just let me do some
volunteer work you don’t have to give me
anything all right I just want to work I
want to be busy guy said okay it’s on
you now but don’t don’t expect me to
give me anything it’s okay this guy came
in and work he was the first from there
the last one to leave was the best
employee there about four weeks later
one of the top managers quit they were
looking for a replacement guess who they
selected this other guy this guy who was
volunteering his time he got the job
what was the difference between the two
men eyesight and mindsight eyesight is
judging on what you see judging
according to appearances but mine site
is how you interpret what you see one
guy said it’s not possible it’s over I’m
finished I can’t do it I can’t make it
he surrender I’m faced rejection again
and again I’m not going anymore
there are no jobs out there but this
other guy he felt that in spite of the
knows and rejections in spite of how bad
the economy is in spite of what the
newspapers are saying that it’s possible
that somebody somewhere will give you a
job he just kept going thinking it was
possible and guess what ladies and
gentlemen that’s what we have to do with
our dreams because things happen to you
in life that you can never ever
anticipate and many times when those
things happen you want to give up I
remember when I was in broadcasting when
I was a disc jockey I became very
controversial not only being a disc
jockey but I felt that radio was
something that you not only entertain
people with but you also empower them
you educate them and I got fired now to
just leave they fired me that was a
shock
I said wait a minute they took my
microphone I thought that was who I was
no no ladies and gentlemen it wasn’t I
had to do something else
and I didn’t know what else I could do
so here’s what I’m looking at one of the
uses for your life right now that you
haven’t even reached for yet
see I believe it when you don’t have
enough encouragement to act on your
dreams or ideas or you’re not
enlightened enough that life will act on
you see life it will garment said let’s
round you have outgrown this it’s time
for you to do something else well I
wasn’t enlightened uh Mike organized
he had to find me a gear I got five
twice here’s what I did I had to think
of something else and so a guy suggested
to me he said les why don’t you run for
office Samantha I’ve never nor anything
about how to operate in the political
arena I’ve heard the courage people to
register to vote and get optimal but I
don’t know anything about politics he
said he loses people who run for office
[Applause]
so I ran now here’s what I’m suggesting
I ran you got to do what you can where
you are with what you have I didn’t have
any money I didn’t know anything about
the political process I didn’t even have
any support but here’s what the guy told
me it’s possible you could win that’s
all I had
I was running against an endorsed
candidate he wasn’t incumbent he had the
newspaper support all of the leadership
in the community and I was challenging
this guy so I had a saying when I was on
radio stand up for what you believe in
because you can fall for anything
and I would go door-to-door I have my
kids on one side of the street I would
be on the other not I’d knock on doors
hello my name is Lester I’ll tell
everybody I’m still standing they get on
the phone childless Rob was to my house
today you know to borrow the radio with
the big mouth yeah they say he still
said see I’m saying just just keep
moving don’t stop feeling sorry for
yourself don’t spend time blaming and
talking about what happened to you see
whatever you talk about that’s what you
multiply and expand in your life
experience so don’t talk about stuff
unless you wanted to keep what happened
if I continue to do that have my
children with me we’re going
door-to-door didn’t have enough money
eventually we got close to the election
and something happened that really
surprised me guys who I thought were
going to either support me or stay out
of it
various powerful community leaders they
became involved in it and they endorsed
my opponent I felt devastated now that’s
going to happen to you when you’re
working on your dream things are going
to happen that’s gonna catch you on the
blindside I was shocking to me they
didn’t have to do that all that you just
stay out of it
well here they go come up in there
messing with me now that’s going to
happen you got some people who believe
it’s their personal business to stop you
[Music]
but I didn’t deal with that you want to
make your dream come true you got to
stay focused some people rather get even
than get ahead stay focused on where you
want to go I just kept on doing what I
was supposed to do and so I was driving
to the radio station my opponent had
over $20,000 I had less than $800 as I
was in the radio station the guy said
you’re going to make a commercial I said
yes he said it’d better be a good one
because that money can’t go put it for
here and I said they’re in the middle of
control room and I was stinky and here’s
what happens when you get still stuff
will start coming something said call
your mom used to talk about your mother
on air all the time ask her to say a few
words for you that’ll be a different
kind of political spa so I call my mama
and I had a gospel record playing in the
and then I had my mother say hello this
is mrs. Mamie bra when I raised my sons
I raised him to be good children when
they got out of hand I beat their behind
and made him go right please vote for my
son
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
usually in the state representative race
maybe three or four thousand people will
come out to vote in a primary and that
primary race over 27 thousand people
came out and voted said I’m voting for
Less Rock because it mama say he’s a
good boy I won ladies and gentlemen
[Applause]
so you’ve got to be willing to stay
focused to be creative to be relentless
because things are going to happen to
you when you’re working on your dream
when you get on track I remember when I
first got involved in speaking one of
the main things that speakers like to do
is fake to speak to a certain
Association that they have over 10,000
of their sales reps and come to this
convention and I was ridiculous I kept
saying it’s possible it’s possible see
what I want to let you know and set you
up for because you said it’s possible
don’t mean that you’re not going to have
any problems that Murphy’s Law you go
Colin slept beside to hear over people
come visit you he’s waiting for some of
y’all out in the parking lot
oh you say it’s possible okay it’s
possible to get up well I was working I
kept saying it’s possible they got other
speakers on this program I can be on
that program too I kept telling myself I
got all fired up and I was calling him
every day every day and the lady finally
said mr. Brown I tell you what we want
you to come in and talk to our sales
executives you got the kind of fire and
gets that they want that will motivate
them and let me tell you something else
we want you to bring your motivational
tapes you’re gonna need at least $50,000
where the tapes us is that right yes
because they want to keep that drive
alive I said all right I’ll call a guy
to duplicate my tapes I said Don how you
doing this is les let me tell you I got
a major speaking engagement said magnets
of speakers dream I need all the $50,000
where the product is unless you don’t
I said I know but Donna I can sell that
just just right after speaking
engagement I’ll give you money in four
days he said are you sure less I said
yes when I got a major speaking
engagement then they told me to do it he
said man that’s a big ortley let me talk
with the lady with you I said hold on
just a minute man call lady back hello
Evan how you do this is les Rob I got
done on the phone what did you say do I
have the speaking engagement yes you do
and and what else you suggest less our
people they buy a lot of tapes your
takes a very popular among them I’m
saying bring at least $50,000 worth of
tapes les you’ll sell everything you’ve
got and more I said did you hear that
DOM he said yes I said now if anybody
else has to make a decision are you to
find a person she said I’m the final
person I will send you the contract I
want you I said you had a down he said
yes I said oh ye of little faith
I said duplicate the tapes man hunka
photo well he duplicate the tapes one
week pained by I’m checking the mail
I say come on Murphy Dostana come on
I talked to myself you know I don’t want
to call right there
two weeks passed by Marissa don’t you
think you oughta call I said okay I call
us say hello this is Les Brown calling
how you doing les INSAT fine I said I’m
Evelyn hasn’t sent my contract out yet
any additional information you need so
les you haven’t heard I said no Evelyn
died
when I got home I was so wiped out it
Murphy’s head is it possible you want to
but ladies and gentlemen here is what I
had to do I had to begin to focus on
what was the solution now this was not
the only place that I’ll be able to sell
those products and as I began to
challenge myself and got some help and
support and some other input I
eventually did it took longer but it was
challenging but I did it repeat after me
please no matter how bad it is or how
bad it gets I’m going to make it I’m
going to make it shake somebody’s hand
on your right and left and say you got
that right
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
if you doubt me please it’s possible I
can have my dream
I can get what I want I must be creative
and never give up now let me share
something else with you ladies and
gentlemen when you know within yourself
that there’s something you want to do
and I believe that all of us was born
with a purpose that all of us have
something that we are supposed to do
and all of us have some goodness within
us and that goodness gives us a
responsibility to manifest our greatness
and when you know that you could feel it
in your guts and you know that you’re
deliberately operating below your
potential you’ve gotten comfortable you
stopped expanding you stop stretching
you stop challenging yourself let me
share something else with you not only
it’s it’s possible for you to have your
dream but it’s necessary it’s necessary
that you have it let you work on it that
you develop yourself that you go for
what is yours in the universe have a
friend that at the beginning of the year
I was in Los Angeles giving a speech and
and I do a seminar teaching people how
to become involved in the speaking
business and and also one call speaking
with power teaching people how to begin
to develop their communication skills
and this friend I said I want you to
work with me I called her up she said
les are you sure I can do it sure you
can you have a PhD in communications I
don’t have that if I can do it sure you
can do it in fact I’m gonna give you the
support that you need here’s what I
realized ladies and gentlemen we only
have enough energy to take us to a
certain level but it’s necessary that we
assemble ourselves with other people who
share our vision other people that can
see it for us to give ourselves a
[Music]
so it’s necessary that you seek out
other people who think like you who are
growing who decided that they are not
satisfied with where they are see I
don’t believe that the necessity that
necessity is the mother invention of
invention no necessity in my opinion is
not the mother of invention refusing to
accept things the way that they are is
the mother of invention you decide I’m
not going to settle for this this is not
going to be it for my life I deserve
more than this so that will stop making
you do some stuff see a lot of people go
to work every day miserable and all they
do is just talk about how miserable they
so I was telling her that I knew she
hated a job with a passion I said you
can do this
you got more going for you than I have
going for me and we’ve been going
through this for years ladies and
gentlemen she’d been to my seminars
speaking for a living
she brought her husband and that was one
of the major problems that I realized
that happened in her life he couldn’t
see it for her so you got to make sure
that you have people in your life that
can see it for you that will encourage
you naana forming relationships can hurt
[Music]
and I talked to them I said you know I
don’t have anything to do with your
marriages that you and I are good
friends and she and I are good friends
and and I’m not taking sides I said but
if you can’t see it for it don’t tell of
that
just give her some support what if
you’re wrong
it’s possible man that that if I’m doing
it she can do well you’re different
how you gonna tell me that you’ve seen
her speaks he’s got great speaking
skills build on estimator you don’t know
you’ve got a great moment here but you
see people who can’t see it for
themselves can’t see if you he was
[Music]
so I said will you do it with me I said
I want to give you the support you need
you can’t do it by yourself I will stand
with you she said you will I said yes
I’m gonna make you part of my seminar
you do a part of it and I’ll do a part
of it speaking with power she said okay
three days later ladies and gentlemen I
got an emergency call at my office it
was from a husband he called and said
tell les frown that Marion is dead I
said oh no when I was flying there to go
to the funeral and I remember the last
time that I saw her and I have some of
her papers that I had gotten
inadvertently confused with mine and I
took them home and I was searching
through these papers to do one of her
works she was a prolific writer and what
got me what was so sad that made me
began to cry was that there were poems
that she had started that were profound
poems great thoughts that she didn’t
complete plays that she had started that
she didn’t completely that poem was
given to her I can’t finish that for her
nor can you that play whatever the
outcome that she had envisioned that she
had imagined was given to her only her
and that she’s the channel that that was
going to come through you are here and
you are the vessel you are the outlet
for the universe that you’ve been
selected there’s something for you to do
I believe all of us have some purpose
for being here and as I was going to the
funeral and I was reading a newspaper
that said that that millions of people
are dying because of what they’re eating
talking about their diet and I’m sure
that it was Marian talking to me
whispering saying les the next time you
speak so that even more are dying
[Music]
when the challenges of life come your
way you’ve got to find ways to increase
your sense of self appreciation because
if you don’t you’re bombarded with
negative stuff every day that beats you
down and you will find yourself
unconsciously engage in self-destructive
behavior if you don’t program yourself
life will program you
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
so you want to have an agenda for your
life it’s necessary that you have some
direction for your life a fin at the
National Speakers Convention gave us
presentation and it really struck me he
was talking about when he was traveling
across Europe one bresson and he said at
different point soldiers would wake them
up on their journey and asked him the
question and I pulls this to you the
question was where have you been why are
you here and where are you going and
that’s what I asked you where have you
been where have you been up to this
point you look at your life you look at
what you’ve produced if they’re giving
you what you wanted are you living on
purpose are you living your dream are
you acting on your ideas are you doing
all you can do have you gotten
comfortable are you procrastinating are
you invading your own greatness are you
surrounding yourself with people that
can immerse you are you challenging
yourself are you experimenting are you
learning something different your life
an adventure is it boring where have you
been
why are you here what brought you here
investing the time the money what
brought you here and where are you going
what is it that you can get out of this
session out of this lecture that when
you leave here rather than this just
being a spectator event that you’ve got
some idea some dream that you might have
to go back and brush it off and look at
it again and say I’ve got to do this
this is my stuff this is what I’m
supposed to do this is why I showed up
where are you going with your life what
decisions are you making right now as
you look into the future are you
experimenting to find out what other
talents and abilities that you have see
we’re in a time right now the day is
gone where you could just go to college
and get out and and get a job and work
30 or 40 years with job security and
retire with a gold watch the gold watch
so now you have got to be multi-talented
and multi skill you’ve got to use all
your stuff you don’t know what else you
can do I don’t know I can do what I’m
doing right now it’s necessary that you
stretch and challenge your something let
me see I started out as a trainer I’m a
trainer that’s what I am that’s what my
expertise was in and then I decided let
me see can I speak and then I discovered
hey I can do that what if I hadn’t tried
to do than just been satisfied with just
being a trainer with a limited vision of
myself and then after training and
minister well maybe I go into business
for myself and I started speaking going
into business for myself well maybe I
could train other speakers and teach
them how to go into business for
themselves so you want to have a back-up
plan you want to have other strategies
for yourself in case this doesn’t work
out you’ve got something else going over
here you don’t want to ever put yourself
in a vision in a situation where you
have a limited vision and you’re only
using a limited amount of your talents
of your skills and of your abilities and
I’m saying to you it’s possible you’ve
got some talents some ideas and you your
ability to do some stuff that you
haven’t even discovered yet and I’m
suggesting that it’s necessary that you
get outside of your comfort zone it’s
necessary that you develop some new
relationships where you can learn from
people it’s necessary that you do
leading that you do research it’s
necessary if you’re already involved in
some business that you don’t be
satisfied with wearing you off you want
to make it a day it’s necessary for you
to constantly look at ways of getting
better not all is it possible for you to
have your dream and it’s necessary for
you to challenge yourself to go after
and get better and leverage the
relationships that can help you get to
where you want to go but it’s you the
major key to your reaching your dream
you’re living up to your greatness
you’re making your contribution is you
if the economy is good fantastic if the
banks are loaning money that’s great if
people are positive that’s great you
don’t have any opposition that’s great
but the major key to your making things
happen in your life is you when I wanted
to get on public television I they told
me
you can’t do that so what about I’ve
seen these other people long it’s
possible I can get on Leo vestroia John
Bradshaw it’s possible with let’s give
hugs Osama let’s be realistic
come on be logical that’s simple wait a
minute why can’t I do it let’s look at
think about guy who have credentials all
kind of credentials you don’t have any
college ready narrator put you on
television you break I said it thank you
for that
and went on by my business yeah me let
me tell you something what people think
about you and the possibilities for your
dream is none of your business that’s
their business
they have no imagination ladies and
gentlemen they’re living out of the
class out of their memory the attitude
is it can’t be done because they haven’t
seen it they’re judging according to
appearances the people that are go to
make it in the future the people that
are making it today let me share
something with you
history is being read but it’s also
being written by people with imagination
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
so I went to the next wall necessary to
stop talking to people in seeking and
asking for what I wanted and leveraging
relationships and trying to find out how
did the people do it that went ahead of
me how do they do it and then what is it
I need to do how is it I need to train
myself to develop myself what’s the
resources that will be required in order
to make it happen and as I start seeking
out and asking questions I started
running into people said I know someone
who can help you do that and they helped
me get connected with those people
remember we have so much energy that can
take us so far it’s necessary that you
look up with some of the energy that can
take you to the next level I hooked up
with them they said les let’s go I said
away we go
[Applause]
[Music]
and guess what here we are you want your
stuff it’s necessary you take
responsibility for now you make it
happen that you don’t give up that you
don’t take any objection or
disappointment or defeats personally
that you keep on keeping on that you
don’t decide that I can’t make it
because you can’t see the light at the
end of the tunnel that you realize
that’s a part of the program and here’s
something you’ve got to resolve say this
to yourself every day so as long as you
breathing you got a shot at your dream
that’s the way I resolve say this please
it’s not over until I win you’ve got
that right
not over till I win not over til I get
through it’s not over til I get over not
over till I get what I want
don’t get over the day to look out I’m
gonna come back and take the hinges off
that’s that’s how you got to do that
you’ve got to have that kind of courage
that type of determination if you want
to make it happen it’s you that you’ve
got to take personal responsibility to
make it happen that you have got to do
own what it is that you want to do if
it’s taking care of you will be if it’s
making a difference in our school system
if it’s working with senior citizens if
it’s to protect our ecology if it’s a
create an economic Renaissance if it’s
just to take yourself to another level
it’s you you got to make that happen we
can point out many things that can make
it inconvenient or can slow us down but
ultimately it’s on us
next step is not only is it possible and
necessary and it’s you to live your
dream to make this this greatness that
you have within you become a reality
but what I’ve come to appreciate it when
you’re working on changing your life
changing some bad habit getting out of
addictive situations or relationships or
working to build a dream or making a
difference in our society or learning
something that’s very challenging here’s
what I I realize ladies and gentlemen
and develop a great deal of respect for
easy it’s not an option it’s hard living
life is hard she it’s hard when when you
are 49 years old and working on a job
for 17 years and they come in and tell
you you’re finished and give you one
week severance pay and you have to start
all over again it’s hard when you’re
married and raising children and your
children are crawling and your husband
dies unexpectedly it’s not handling just
the tragedies of life it’s hard when
you’re working on something in and you
put everything you have in it and it
doesn’t work
how’d you lose your money and other
people’s money it’s hard it was rough
when I lost my job and I could not find
a job it was humiliating and
embarrassing borrowing money and then I
couldn’t pay the money back when I told
them I would that’s rough how people
look at you how they respond to you it’s
very hard it’s humiliating here’s what I
discovered that happens to you in life
that you will go through things and
while you’re going through them you
can’t understand why it’s happening to
you but after you go through it you get
back and you look at it and you say oh
now I understand why I needed that
lesson have you ever happened to you in
has ever happened to you but that I did
I couldn’t understand it then but after
I got through it then I saw that that
was preparing me for bigger and better
things
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
but as you’ll go through the challenges
of life and you look at it and embrace
whatever comes to you don’t run from it
step toward it don’t try and duck it
like most people do see most people want
it easy see if you easy come easy what
easy go see but when you go at what
you’re going to deal with and you deal
with the difficult difficulties of it
when you handle those hard things close
at hand making those hard decisions
right now that you don’t want to make
learning those things that you don’t
like to do but you know that in order
for you to get where you want to go this
is one of the hoops that you have to
flip through and I’m saying to you
whatever you got to do do it because if
you don’t life is gonna whip you until
you surrender and say okay all right all
right all right all right
I cooperate okay I’ll learn okay dad
wear me out a long time so if it’s hard
to do it hard now what do you how do you
hang in there during the hard difficult
times less you must have faith you’ve
got to believe in yourself you’ve got to
believe in your abilities you got to
believe in your service your company
your ideas unquestionably you got to
have faith and that faith gives you
patience that it’s not going to happen
as quickly as you want it to happen a
lot of things gonna happen that will
catch you off guard and so therefore
you’ve got to deal with and handle it as
it comes and not only that but that
faith and patience drives you into
action you’ve got to keep moving and
keep plugging away and the Far East they
have something that’s called the Chinese
bamboo tree the Chinese bamboo tree
takes five years to grow and when they
go through a process of growing it
they have to water and fertilize the
ground where it is every day and it
doesn’t break through the ground until
the fifth year okay but once it breaks
through the ground within five weeks
it grows 90 feet tall now the question
is does it grow 90 feet tall in five
weeks or five years the answer is
obvious
it grows 90 feet tall in five years
because at any time that person stopped
watering and nurturing and fertilizing
that dream that bamboo tree would have
died in the ground and I can see people
coming out talking to a guy out there
watering and fertilizing the ground
that’s not showing anything hey what you
even I hit a long time there and the
conversation in the neighborhood is you
grow on a Chinese bamboo tree that right
yeah that’s right
well even Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder
can see ain’t none sure you know that’s
how people gonna do you so how long you
been working on this how long have you
been working on your dreams good and you
have nothing to show this is all you’ve
got to show people don’t do that to you
and some people ladies and gentlemen
they stop because they don’t see instant
results it doesn’t happen quickly hey
stop
oh no no no you got to keep on watering
your dream and when it began to happen
they stopped laughing they said look
whoa look at it man you know I know you
can do it looking good you got a job
see during those hard times we didn’t
know how you’re gonna make payroll doing
those times when you fail and and then
things didn’t work out they were there
were nowhere to be found but know what I
discovered when you’re working at your
dream somebody said the heart of the
battle the sweeter the victory oh it’s
sweet to you it’s good to you I see when
you when it’s harder there’s a struggle
see what you become in the process is
more important in the dream that’s far
more important the kind of person you
become the character that you built the
courage that you develop the faith that
you’re manifesting oh it’s it’s
something that you get up in the morning
you look yourself in the mirror
you’re a different kind of person you
walk with a different kind of spirit and
people know that you know what life is
that you have embraced life you know is
hard but you did it ha
[Music]
[Music]
now it takes us to the next level if
it’s hard why do people do it you ask
people who do fakes
why are we going people who climb
mountains just for the sake of it nobody
paying her dude just do it somebody said
I’m gonna run around the world I’m gonna
swim the Atlantic Channel why why do
people do that
I wondered well why would a Nelson
Mandela give up 26 years of his life why
do people do that
here’s what I discovered in high school
high school I decided I wanted to go out
for football never forget this and I
discovered why people do things you know
why ladies and gentlemen even though
it’s hard it’s worth it it’s worth it
see one day we had coach alkyd Hepburn
had this plaque down there and this wood
on the floor on the ground
he said Brown come over here had my suit
on say yes sir
he said I have a layer littlez down
there hold big Larry yes a big fat sorry
Larry
yes sir Brown I want you to get down
bull neck yes sir he said I want you
running Larry I want you to put your
helmet right in his pit right up and hit
his chest and lock him off that board
you hear me Brown you can do that your
son can you do that yes sir say ha ba ba
ba
he said Brown I want you to knock him
off you gonna make the team I know you
can get him all right we’ll get lot
sorry it leaves knocking and everything
I see yes sir me we’re down Larry Larry
littles who played 12 years for the
Miami Dolphins all-pro for 12 years is a
bad big dude 250 pounds strength agile
and all muscle
he said Larry he’s a man you know brown
on there he’s down there talking about
your mom and everything
[Applause]
you talk about how fat and sorry you are
and how he’s going to knock you off this
boy Larry now spitting fire and growl
and informing at the mouth and I’m
looking at Larry sir huh
hubba-hubba he said look at that fool
down there growl he told me it’s gonna
scare you that you gonna leave are you
only know coach angrily go down and
knock him out the paw board
coach got back he winked at me go get
him Brown I went hard I ran into lab
with my helmet Lance a boo I don’t know
when they woke me up
I said can y’all take his helmet off me
for a minute
I said y’all got any more positions out
here they like where I said don’t y’all
need an announcer I said no way you’re
good I was crying and said mr. girls
with us oh you bet I’ve heard almost
killed me man
he said round you quit man it’s a year I
said ain’t worth it man
no hey where y’all going y’all crazy
I’ll be your announcer man I was calling
the game I was up there in the booth
call good games too because the pain
wasn’t worth it to me and I’m saying you
you know why people do what they do the
people who go after that stuff what
makes it worth it it’s got to be your
passion you got to love it ladies and
gentlemen you got to love it it’s got to
be what you are supposed to do you want
to sing even though they want to invite
you to Carnegie Hall you gonna say to
anybody that I listen to you including
sing it to yourself I used to talk to my
plants when nobody else would listen to
me you got a right even if no one
published your book right because that
was given to you to do you do what it is
you supposed you’re supposed to build
something useful to create something I
don’t know how to do it learn do
whatever is required just go out there
it’s possible you can get what you are
it’s necessary if you want it you got to
go into action you got to be willing to
experiment you got to be willing to fail
and to succeed you got to be willing to
form and to develop new relationships
it’s you it’s on you you got to make
that happen nobody’s gonna bring it to
you on a silver platter said here’s your
dream manifested no it’s hard yes it’s
hard it’s difficult yes right and it’s
worth it
[Applause]
[Music]
people ask hey banner you know it’s you
know these kids man is rough dealing
with them that’s right that’s right
you think peer pressure happened
overnight we went through peer pressure
I remember as a kid some guys say hey
les
me and another fellow named Willie Lola
we were glowing home hey man we’re going
down the goons man and not call for
groceries still if you look here I don’t
want no part of that I’ll see y’all
later
see y’all chicken I said that’s all
right you say whatever you want low star
I’m not chicken man don’t call me
chicken then why don’t you come we’d
even ask you to come into place man or
you do just drive the car
I don’t know God that good we’ll be
trying to get les to go he’s chicken hey
I’m not driving nothing all right
Willie don’t care about what they say
man leave them alone
you want to go do it you find somebody
else to drive or you drive yourself come
on Willie man pulling he stopped buying
chicken all I got to do is Drive yeah
say will that sound simple man don’t go
man he went and the next day we read the
newspaper where when they robbed the
store robber came when they came out
running to a car the virtue of the man
who owned the store came out just
shooting wildly and he hit the driver in
the head so peer pressure didn’t just
start in the 90s or the 80s it’s
difficult it is challenging for kids
right now and it’s going to be take some
easy simple methods to help bring them
out of this madness
listen Saturday no is it hard yes let’s
look at what we’ve been doing what has
worked what has not work
look look at where we want to go what is
it that we want to produce what is it
that we want to create for our young
people and as we think about that start
experimenting with different methods and
techniques to create and to produce that
and begin to believe that it’s possible
through our commitment through our
vision through our determination our
ridiculousness because of our belief
it’s possible that we can reduce the
teenage homicide rate the teenage
pregnancy rate the dropout rate that
it’s possible looking at
what kind of world are they going to be
in as we look at the global economy that
as we begin to use our collective will
in genius and resources it’s possible
that we can create an educational system
that not only will test their minds with
with information and facts and figures
but would teach them how to think and be
creative and what does it mean to be a
human being and to value human life and
how do you make relationships work how
do you bounce back from adversity it’s
possible that we can give them a
curriculum that will give their lives a
sense of purpose and direction and
meaning and teach them how to begin to
know and operate on a higher level of
being where they become assets to our
society rather than liabilities what if
we leave here with that kind of
consciousness that it’s possible as
opposed to saying we have to write this
generation off that it’s possible that
we were born for such a time as this
than that that maybe someone here has
the idea or the method or some plan of
action or an approach that can resolve
many of the problems that we’re facing
with young people today whatever we have
to do to save our children it’s worth it
[Applause]
[Music]
until that brings me to the final step
that it’s necessary for us to begin to
look at the future know that it’s
possible that we can have our dreams yes
it is other people have done it then we
can do it we fail a lot of times where a
lot of other folks fail and eventually
they came back and they succeeded so
it’s possible we can have what we want
and we know that we want to get it it’s
necessary then we align ourselves with
people that think like we do it’s
necessary we get- do nothing people out
of our lives it’s necessary we never
stop learning and growing and developing
ourselves it’s necessary that we never
give up we know that it’s you it’s me
it’s being responsible for our stuff and
deciding that we’re going to keep on
keeping on and then we’re going to find
a way to win or find a way to make it
happen and we know it’s hard it’s not
going to be a picnic yes it’s hard it’s
hard and we will do it hard and once it
we do it hard when we go through we
realize it was worth it and once you
discover it’s worth worth it it is done
it’s done
[Applause]
[Music]
before it happens well here’s what I’m
suggesting to you that when you’re
working you have a wall to breakthrough
let’s say a friend of mine who walks he
runs a marathon and he says when he’s
running the 26-mile marathon
he said let’s say that hypothetically
that 18th mile is the law he said less
when you give them you’re running he
says everything in you is telling you to
stop to give up every muscle is aching
and you’re saying to yourself I can’t do
it I can’t do it and you just keep on
and you keep on and you keep oh it seems
like you’re moving at slow motion and
then eventually when you break through
that 18 mile wall then you know it’s
like done in your own automatic and you
glide on in and you know it’s there you
know you’re going to get to the finish
line and we’ve all had experiences where
we were working on something and we knew
it was possible and we did those things
that were necessary to bring it into a
reality
we took the responsibility to make it
happen all the people couldn’t see it a
lot of people didn’t believe it you were
attacked you were criticized people were
opposing you but you kept on doing it it
was hard it was rough it was difficult
but to you it was worth it and
eventually you got to a level you know
can nothing stop me now I’m on the move
finally I’m thinking about a friend of
mine who is no longer operating on this
dimension his name was Jack Bolan he had
this vision of a of a church that would
serve various types of needs for people
if supportive needs and helping him and
and recovery from drugs and alcohol and
and whatever addictions that they might
be involved in and he was known for
bringing in different kinds of speakers
and over a year ago he was diagnosed as
having cancer and he announced his
congregation that he’s going to be
taking chemotherapy and that it was a
possibility that the cancer would go in
remission and he was optimistic about
that and sure enough he did for a year
and one of the things Jack always talked
about is that he wanted to have his
funeral while he lived and so he invited
a few friends Wayne Dyer’s myself and a
few other speakers he didn’t tell us why
we were there but once we gathered there
at the church they told us in the room
the jack is going to announce to the
congregation he’s bringing his doctor up
the doctor is going to say that we felt
we could give keep it in remission it’s
out of remission and he doesn’t have
much time left and whatever words you
want to say to Jack that you would say
if he had made his transition speak
those words now while we were shopping
and we were somewhat stunned until Jack
got there they brought him in in the
wheelchair and boy was he courageous and
and he had a strong smile and they
helped him up the steps and he set
behind the podium and each of us got up
and we said a few things about Jack and
the impact that he made on our lives and
he said the doctor after announcing that
Jack didn’t have long he says doctor he
said I accept what you say but it’s
possible that that does not have to be
the case but if it is I will enjoy life
to the very last breath I take even the
chemotherapy
I will enjoy that and Jack did ladies
and gentleman and when they said that
all of his vital organs were failing
they called his family and his close
church staff to the hospital and said
he’s dying and so they came and they all
gathered in a room and Jack at that time
was unconscious and he gained
consciousness and he looked at them and
he said well what strength he had he
said I want to thank you all for being
here you’ve been a great staff to me he
looked at his songs the daughter he said
you’ve been a great family say don’t
feel sorry for me said I’m I’m ready to
go I’m looking forward to the next
adventure and he slept there for a
little while laid there and he closed
his eyes and he lost consciousness about
an hour and a half later he opened his
eyes and he looked at them he said this
they were laughing through their tears
is it Jack you are
he’s today I hate giving up this kind of
control so they predicted that Jack
would die at the end of February and
then on the second they said he won’t
see the light of day he will be dead by
morning ladies and gentlemen Jack died
on March 4th and we believe that even in
his dying Jack sent his congregation of
message that I want to give to you with
his permission
March 4th is the day he died we believe
[Applause]
so I say as you look into the future
while the people are giving up feeling
like victims feeling powerless becoming
negative turning on each other rather
than to each other feeling that they
can’t make it be not conformed to this
world but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind with the mindset
of that it’s possible that we can save
this generation it’s possible that we
can create new industries a new economy
it’s possible that I can find a new
profession a new job it’s possible I can
create a new life and it’s necessary
that I become actively involved and
becoming a positive force in my life and
on the planet and it’s me yes it’s you
it’s all of us pulling together working
together to create this brand new future
and it’s going to be hard easy is not an
option but if it’s hard we will do it
hard whatever is required to snatch
victory from the jaws of defeat and it’s
worth it yes it’s worth whatever we have
to do and once we know that it is done
it is done it is done
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
so I say to you whatever your dreams are
whatever you want to do the spinner Jack
March 4 this is mrs. Maylie brown’s baby
boy
Leslie Calvin bouncing is gonna plumb
pleasing pleasure as well as the prison
thank y’all here
[Music]
America
[Applause]
the Burma thank you
now thank you some major goal you want
or maybe it’s one you’re already working
on and you have experienced a lot of
setbacks a lot of defeats you’ve
experienced a lot of disappointment
maybe you’ve already given up and maybe
you just need a little fire a little
encouragement to get back in the game
again here’s what I want you to look at
there are winners and they’re losers and
there are people who have not discovered
how to win and all they need is some
coaching all they need is some help that
assistance just a little support all
they need is some insight or different
strategy a plan of action to make some
adjustments that will open up the key to
a whole new future for them that will
give them access to the unlimited power
that they have within themselves that’s
all that they need so what I want you to
do is is think about something you want
for you that’s real for you that’s
important for you that will give your
life some special meaning and power and
I don’t even want you to say I can do
that I don’t want you to assume love see
five years ago when I started out in
this area I would not have been able to
make the mental leap that I would be up
to where I am right now I don’t want you
to begin to just psych yourself out no
no I want you to be able to say
something to yourself that will enable
you to maintain a level of integrity
with yourself that when you say this
even when you face tremendous setbacks
it it will be a benchmark to keep you in
the game to keep you moving forward and
experimenting and readjusting your
strategy and your plan of action
continuously
looking for ways to win so what is that
something when you got an idea you want
to move on you might not have the money
you might not have the education you
might not have the support or resources
you need what is that something that can
keep us going that will enable us to act
on our dream what’s one of those keys
that will begin to help us to discover
the secrets to our dream here’s what I
want you to repeat after me please with
power and conviction say it’s possible
that’s all I want you to do when you
look at your dream you say to yourself
every day it’s possible just say that
every day to yourself it’s possible
because what does that do see it begins
to change your belief system see the way
in which we operate ladies and gentlemen
it’s a manifestation of what we believe
what’s possible for us whatever you’ve
done up to this point all that it really
is is a duplication it’s a reproduction
of what you believe subconsciously that
you deserve and what’s possible for your
life
most people operate out of their
personal history out of their memory
things have done things have experienced
things have seen things that they have
observed what I’m suggesting that you
operate out of a larger vision of
yourself I want you to see yourself
doing what you want to do experiencing
what you want to experience it having
what you want to have doing what is that
gives your life some meaning of value
operate out of your imagination not your
memory because whatever you look at
where you want to go I’m wanting to warn
you you will have some conversation back
here after you go through the data that
you’ve experienced in life saying you
can’t do it and so what you want to
begin to do is ignore that inner
conversation well most people ladies and
gentlemen when something happens to them
what they do is they begin to believe
that that’s the way it is that’s the way
it’s always been and they can’t see the
possibility of it being any different
example before in April 1954 the common
belief the universe will believe because
it had been tried again and again and
again and people that fail the belief
laws that man was not physically capable
of breaking the four-minute barrier that
he could not run a mile in less than
four minutes that was the belief on the
planet it had never been done
but here’s what happened ladies and
gentlemen Roger Bannister came along and
he broke the four-minute barrier now
here’s what’s significant about that
since that time up to this day over
20,000 people have done it including
high school kids what changed
20,000 people what changed
here’s what happened when they got on
the track they knew it had been done and
because they knew it had been done there
was a new belief about this barrier
about this goal that was unreachable and
those 20,000 people got an erased
believing knowing in their heart that
someone had done it that it’s possible
that they could do it and I’m saying
that if you know anybody that had some
goal some dreams something they wanted
to do and they did it denies saying that
you know in your heart that if someone
has done it then you can do it it’s
possible and that if someone can make
that dream become a reality that it’s
it’s possible that you can make your
dream become reality and so as you begin
to look at where you want to go
beginning to embrace that it’s possible
I’m blessed and highly favored I’ve got
a lot going for me I got some good stuff
in me and it’s possible that I can bring
my greatness out here in the universe
that I can do what I want to do it’s
possible I can write my own book I can
have my own business I I can take the
trip and travel around the world it’s
possible I can bounce back from
adversity and reinvent my life it’s
possible regardless of where I am the
things can get better for me it’s
possible I’m thinking about two men
right here in Chicago who are fairly
successful similar background educated
they work for corporation for many years
and they were among many people that
were laid off two guys who were very
good friends
one when I’m looking for a job for
several weeks along with the other one
and they face disappointment and
rejection again and again and again they
couldn’t find any work which is the
story of many people across this country
one guy stopped he became discouraged he
stopped going he stayed home looking at
television became very argumentative and
toxic with his wife drinking beer
getting on the phone talking to his
lover negative unemployed friends and he
just gave up the other guy kept looking
for a job everywhere it could go every
time he could get an opportunity kept
asking people networking checking the
newspapers every day kept going
everywhere he could trying to find a job
you have too much education you
overqualified you won’t be here long
enough he kept going you kept going he
went to a place and said look here I
tell you what if you can’t hire me and I
know you can use my talents abilities
and skills I don’t want to sit home and
do nothing just just let me do some
volunteer work you don’t have to give me
anything all right I just want to work I
want to be busy guy said okay it’s on
you now but don’t don’t expect me to
give me anything it’s okay this guy came
in and work he was the first from there
the last one to leave was the best
employee there about four weeks later
one of the top managers quit they were
looking for a replacement guess who they
selected this other guy this guy who was
volunteering his time he got the job
what was the difference between the two
men eyesight and mindsight eyesight is
judging on what you see judging
according to appearances but mine site
is how you interpret what you see one
guy said it’s not possible it’s over I’m
finished I can’t do it I can’t make it
he surrender I’m faced rejection again
and again I’m not going anymore
there are no jobs out there but this
other guy he felt that in spite of the
knows and rejections in spite of how bad
the economy is in spite of what the
newspapers are saying that it’s possible
that somebody somewhere will give you a
job he just kept going thinking it was
possible and guess what ladies and
gentlemen that’s what we have to do with
our dreams because things happen to you
in life that you can never ever
anticipate and many times when those
things happen you want to give up I
remember when I was in broadcasting when
I was a disc jockey I became very
controversial not only being a disc
jockey but I felt that radio was
something that you not only entertain
people with but you also empower them
you educate them and I got fired now to
just leave they fired me that was a
shock
I said wait a minute they took my
microphone I thought that was who I was
no no ladies and gentlemen it wasn’t I
had to do something else
and I didn’t know what else I could do
so here’s what I’m looking at one of the
uses for your life right now that you
haven’t even reached for yet
see I believe it when you don’t have
enough encouragement to act on your
dreams or ideas or you’re not
enlightened enough that life will act on
you see life it will garment said let’s
round you have outgrown this it’s time
for you to do something else well I
wasn’t enlightened uh Mike organized
he had to find me a gear I got five
twice here’s what I did I had to think
of something else and so a guy suggested
to me he said les why don’t you run for
office Samantha I’ve never nor anything
about how to operate in the political
arena I’ve heard the courage people to
register to vote and get optimal but I
don’t know anything about politics he
said he loses people who run for office
[Applause]
so I ran now here’s what I’m suggesting
I ran you got to do what you can where
you are with what you have I didn’t have
any money I didn’t know anything about
the political process I didn’t even have
any support but here’s what the guy told
me it’s possible you could win that’s
all I had
I was running against an endorsed
candidate he wasn’t incumbent he had the
newspaper support all of the leadership
in the community and I was challenging
this guy so I had a saying when I was on
radio stand up for what you believe in
because you can fall for anything
and I would go door-to-door I have my
kids on one side of the street I would
be on the other not I’d knock on doors
hello my name is Lester I’ll tell
everybody I’m still standing they get on
the phone childless Rob was to my house
today you know to borrow the radio with
the big mouth yeah they say he still
said see I’m saying just just keep
moving don’t stop feeling sorry for
yourself don’t spend time blaming and
talking about what happened to you see
whatever you talk about that’s what you
multiply and expand in your life
experience so don’t talk about stuff
unless you wanted to keep what happened
if I continue to do that have my
children with me we’re going
door-to-door didn’t have enough money
eventually we got close to the election
and something happened that really
surprised me guys who I thought were
going to either support me or stay out
of it
various powerful community leaders they
became involved in it and they endorsed
my opponent I felt devastated now that’s
going to happen to you when you’re
working on your dream things are going
to happen that’s gonna catch you on the
blindside I was shocking to me they
didn’t have to do that all that you just
stay out of it
well here they go come up in there
messing with me now that’s going to
happen you got some people who believe
it’s their personal business to stop you
[Music]
but I didn’t deal with that you want to
make your dream come true you got to
stay focused some people rather get even
than get ahead stay focused on where you
want to go I just kept on doing what I
was supposed to do and so I was driving
to the radio station my opponent had
over $20,000 I had less than $800 as I
was in the radio station the guy said
you’re going to make a commercial I said
yes he said it’d better be a good one
because that money can’t go put it for
here and I said they’re in the middle of
control room and I was stinky and here’s
what happens when you get still stuff
will start coming something said call
your mom used to talk about your mother
on air all the time ask her to say a few
words for you that’ll be a different
kind of political spa so I call my mama
and I had a gospel record playing in the
and then I had my mother say hello this
is mrs. Mamie bra when I raised my sons
I raised him to be good children when
they got out of hand I beat their behind
and made him go right please vote for my
son
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
usually in the state representative race
maybe three or four thousand people will
come out to vote in a primary and that
primary race over 27 thousand people
came out and voted said I’m voting for
Less Rock because it mama say he’s a
good boy I won ladies and gentlemen
[Applause]
so you’ve got to be willing to stay
focused to be creative to be relentless
because things are going to happen to
you when you’re working on your dream
when you get on track I remember when I
first got involved in speaking one of
the main things that speakers like to do
is fake to speak to a certain
Association that they have over 10,000
of their sales reps and come to this
convention and I was ridiculous I kept
saying it’s possible it’s possible see
what I want to let you know and set you
up for because you said it’s possible
don’t mean that you’re not going to have
any problems that Murphy’s Law you go
Colin slept beside to hear over people
come visit you he’s waiting for some of
y’all out in the parking lot
oh you say it’s possible okay it’s
possible to get up well I was working I
kept saying it’s possible they got other
speakers on this program I can be on
that program too I kept telling myself I
got all fired up and I was calling him
every day every day and the lady finally
said mr. Brown I tell you what we want
you to come in and talk to our sales
executives you got the kind of fire and
gets that they want that will motivate
them and let me tell you something else
we want you to bring your motivational
tapes you’re gonna need at least $50,000
where the tapes us is that right yes
because they want to keep that drive
alive I said all right I’ll call a guy
to duplicate my tapes I said Don how you
doing this is les let me tell you I got
a major speaking engagement said magnets
of speakers dream I need all the $50,000
where the product is unless you don’t
I said I know but Donna I can sell that
just just right after speaking
engagement I’ll give you money in four
days he said are you sure less I said
yes when I got a major speaking
engagement then they told me to do it he
said man that’s a big ortley let me talk
with the lady with you I said hold on
just a minute man call lady back hello
Evan how you do this is les Rob I got
done on the phone what did you say do I
have the speaking engagement yes you do
and and what else you suggest less our
people they buy a lot of tapes your
takes a very popular among them I’m
saying bring at least $50,000 worth of
tapes les you’ll sell everything you’ve
got and more I said did you hear that
DOM he said yes I said now if anybody
else has to make a decision are you to
find a person she said I’m the final
person I will send you the contract I
want you I said you had a down he said
yes I said oh ye of little faith
I said duplicate the tapes man hunka
photo well he duplicate the tapes one
week pained by I’m checking the mail
I say come on Murphy Dostana come on
I talked to myself you know I don’t want
to call right there
two weeks passed by Marissa don’t you
think you oughta call I said okay I call
us say hello this is Les Brown calling
how you doing les INSAT fine I said I’m
Evelyn hasn’t sent my contract out yet
any additional information you need so
les you haven’t heard I said no Evelyn
died
when I got home I was so wiped out it
Murphy’s head is it possible you want to
but ladies and gentlemen here is what I
had to do I had to begin to focus on
what was the solution now this was not
the only place that I’ll be able to sell
those products and as I began to
challenge myself and got some help and
support and some other input I
eventually did it took longer but it was
challenging but I did it repeat after me
please no matter how bad it is or how
bad it gets I’m going to make it I’m
going to make it shake somebody’s hand
on your right and left and say you got
that right
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
if you doubt me please it’s possible I
can have my dream
I can get what I want I must be creative
and never give up now let me share
something else with you ladies and
gentlemen when you know within yourself
that there’s something you want to do
and I believe that all of us was born
with a purpose that all of us have
something that we are supposed to do
and all of us have some goodness within
us and that goodness gives us a
responsibility to manifest our greatness
and when you know that you could feel it
in your guts and you know that you’re
deliberately operating below your
potential you’ve gotten comfortable you
stopped expanding you stop stretching
you stop challenging yourself let me
share something else with you not only
it’s it’s possible for you to have your
dream but it’s necessary it’s necessary
that you have it let you work on it that
you develop yourself that you go for
what is yours in the universe have a
friend that at the beginning of the year
I was in Los Angeles giving a speech and
and I do a seminar teaching people how
to become involved in the speaking
business and and also one call speaking
with power teaching people how to begin
to develop their communication skills
and this friend I said I want you to
work with me I called her up she said
les are you sure I can do it sure you
can you have a PhD in communications I
don’t have that if I can do it sure you
can do it in fact I’m gonna give you the
support that you need here’s what I
realized ladies and gentlemen we only
have enough energy to take us to a
certain level but it’s necessary that we
assemble ourselves with other people who
share our vision other people that can
see it for us to give ourselves a
[Music]
so it’s necessary that you seek out
other people who think like you who are
growing who decided that they are not
satisfied with where they are see I
don’t believe that the necessity that
necessity is the mother invention of
invention no necessity in my opinion is
not the mother of invention refusing to
accept things the way that they are is
the mother of invention you decide I’m
not going to settle for this this is not
going to be it for my life I deserve
more than this so that will stop making
you do some stuff see a lot of people go
to work every day miserable and all they
do is just talk about how miserable they
so I was telling her that I knew she
hated a job with a passion I said you
can do this
you got more going for you than I have
going for me and we’ve been going
through this for years ladies and
gentlemen she’d been to my seminars
speaking for a living
she brought her husband and that was one
of the major problems that I realized
that happened in her life he couldn’t
see it for her so you got to make sure
that you have people in your life that
can see it for you that will encourage
you naana forming relationships can hurt
[Music]
and I talked to them I said you know I
don’t have anything to do with your
marriages that you and I are good
friends and she and I are good friends
and and I’m not taking sides I said but
if you can’t see it for it don’t tell of
that
just give her some support what if
you’re wrong
it’s possible man that that if I’m doing
it she can do well you’re different
how you gonna tell me that you’ve seen
her speaks he’s got great speaking
skills build on estimator you don’t know
you’ve got a great moment here but you
see people who can’t see it for
themselves can’t see if you he was
[Music]
so I said will you do it with me I said
I want to give you the support you need
you can’t do it by yourself I will stand
with you she said you will I said yes
I’m gonna make you part of my seminar
you do a part of it and I’ll do a part
of it speaking with power she said okay
three days later ladies and gentlemen I
got an emergency call at my office it
was from a husband he called and said
tell les frown that Marion is dead I
said oh no when I was flying there to go
to the funeral and I remember the last
time that I saw her and I have some of
her papers that I had gotten
inadvertently confused with mine and I
took them home and I was searching
through these papers to do one of her
works she was a prolific writer and what
got me what was so sad that made me
began to cry was that there were poems
that she had started that were profound
poems great thoughts that she didn’t
complete plays that she had started that
she didn’t completely that poem was
given to her I can’t finish that for her
nor can you that play whatever the
outcome that she had envisioned that she
had imagined was given to her only her
and that she’s the channel that that was
going to come through you are here and
you are the vessel you are the outlet
for the universe that you’ve been
selected there’s something for you to do
I believe all of us have some purpose
for being here and as I was going to the
funeral and I was reading a newspaper
that said that that millions of people
are dying because of what they’re eating
talking about their diet and I’m sure
that it was Marian talking to me
whispering saying les the next time you
speak so that even more are dying
[Music]
when the challenges of life come your
way you’ve got to find ways to increase
your sense of self appreciation because
if you don’t you’re bombarded with
negative stuff every day that beats you
down and you will find yourself
unconsciously engage in self-destructive
behavior if you don’t program yourself
life will program you
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
so you want to have an agenda for your
life it’s necessary that you have some
direction for your life a fin at the
National Speakers Convention gave us
presentation and it really struck me he
was talking about when he was traveling
across Europe one bresson and he said at
different point soldiers would wake them
up on their journey and asked him the
question and I pulls this to you the
question was where have you been why are
you here and where are you going and
that’s what I asked you where have you
been where have you been up to this
point you look at your life you look at
what you’ve produced if they’re giving
you what you wanted are you living on
purpose are you living your dream are
you acting on your ideas are you doing
all you can do have you gotten
comfortable are you procrastinating are
you invading your own greatness are you
surrounding yourself with people that
can immerse you are you challenging
yourself are you experimenting are you
learning something different your life
an adventure is it boring where have you
been
why are you here what brought you here
investing the time the money what
brought you here and where are you going
what is it that you can get out of this
session out of this lecture that when
you leave here rather than this just
being a spectator event that you’ve got
some idea some dream that you might have
to go back and brush it off and look at
it again and say I’ve got to do this
this is my stuff this is what I’m
supposed to do this is why I showed up
where are you going with your life what
decisions are you making right now as
you look into the future are you
experimenting to find out what other
talents and abilities that you have see
we’re in a time right now the day is
gone where you could just go to college
and get out and and get a job and work
30 or 40 years with job security and
retire with a gold watch the gold watch
so now you have got to be multi-talented
and multi skill you’ve got to use all
your stuff you don’t know what else you
can do I don’t know I can do what I’m
doing right now it’s necessary that you
stretch and challenge your something let
me see I started out as a trainer I’m a
trainer that’s what I am that’s what my
expertise was in and then I decided let
me see can I speak and then I discovered
hey I can do that what if I hadn’t tried
to do than just been satisfied with just
being a trainer with a limited vision of
myself and then after training and
minister well maybe I go into business
for myself and I started speaking going
into business for myself well maybe I
could train other speakers and teach
them how to go into business for
themselves so you want to have a back-up
plan you want to have other strategies
for yourself in case this doesn’t work
out you’ve got something else going over
here you don’t want to ever put yourself
in a vision in a situation where you
have a limited vision and you’re only
using a limited amount of your talents
of your skills and of your abilities and
I’m saying to you it’s possible you’ve
got some talents some ideas and you your
ability to do some stuff that you
haven’t even discovered yet and I’m
suggesting that it’s necessary that you
get outside of your comfort zone it’s
necessary that you develop some new
relationships where you can learn from
people it’s necessary that you do
leading that you do research it’s
necessary if you’re already involved in
some business that you don’t be
satisfied with wearing you off you want
to make it a day it’s necessary for you
to constantly look at ways of getting
better not all is it possible for you to
have your dream and it’s necessary for
you to challenge yourself to go after
and get better and leverage the
relationships that can help you get to
where you want to go but it’s you the
major key to your reaching your dream
you’re living up to your greatness
you’re making your contribution is you
if the economy is good fantastic if the
banks are loaning money that’s great if
people are positive that’s great you
don’t have any opposition that’s great
but the major key to your making things
happen in your life is you when I wanted
to get on public television I they told
me
you can’t do that so what about I’ve
seen these other people long it’s
possible I can get on Leo vestroia John
Bradshaw it’s possible with let’s give
hugs Osama let’s be realistic
come on be logical that’s simple wait a
minute why can’t I do it let’s look at
think about guy who have credentials all
kind of credentials you don’t have any
college ready narrator put you on
television you break I said it thank you
for that
and went on by my business yeah me let
me tell you something what people think
about you and the possibilities for your
dream is none of your business that’s
their business
they have no imagination ladies and
gentlemen they’re living out of the
class out of their memory the attitude
is it can’t be done because they haven’t
seen it they’re judging according to
appearances the people that are go to
make it in the future the people that
are making it today let me share
something with you
history is being read but it’s also
being written by people with imagination
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
so I went to the next wall necessary to
stop talking to people in seeking and
asking for what I wanted and leveraging
relationships and trying to find out how
did the people do it that went ahead of
me how do they do it and then what is it
I need to do how is it I need to train
myself to develop myself what’s the
resources that will be required in order
to make it happen and as I start seeking
out and asking questions I started
running into people said I know someone
who can help you do that and they helped
me get connected with those people
remember we have so much energy that can
take us so far it’s necessary that you
look up with some of the energy that can
take you to the next level I hooked up
with them they said les let’s go I said
away we go
[Applause]
[Music]
and guess what here we are you want your
stuff it’s necessary you take
responsibility for now you make it
happen that you don’t give up that you
don’t take any objection or
disappointment or defeats personally
that you keep on keeping on that you
don’t decide that I can’t make it
because you can’t see the light at the
end of the tunnel that you realize
that’s a part of the program and here’s
something you’ve got to resolve say this
to yourself every day so as long as you
breathing you got a shot at your dream
that’s the way I resolve say this please
it’s not over until I win you’ve got
that right
not over till I win not over til I get
through it’s not over til I get over not
over till I get what I want
don’t get over the day to look out I’m
gonna come back and take the hinges off
that’s that’s how you got to do that
you’ve got to have that kind of courage
that type of determination if you want
to make it happen it’s you that you’ve
got to take personal responsibility to
make it happen that you have got to do
own what it is that you want to do if
it’s taking care of you will be if it’s
making a difference in our school system
if it’s working with senior citizens if
it’s to protect our ecology if it’s a
create an economic Renaissance if it’s
just to take yourself to another level
it’s you you got to make that happen we
can point out many things that can make
it inconvenient or can slow us down but
ultimately it’s on us
next step is not only is it possible and
necessary and it’s you to live your
dream to make this this greatness that
you have within you become a reality
but what I’ve come to appreciate it when
you’re working on changing your life
changing some bad habit getting out of
addictive situations or relationships or
working to build a dream or making a
difference in our society or learning
something that’s very challenging here’s
what I I realize ladies and gentlemen
and develop a great deal of respect for
easy it’s not an option it’s hard living
life is hard she it’s hard when when you
are 49 years old and working on a job
for 17 years and they come in and tell
you you’re finished and give you one
week severance pay and you have to start
all over again it’s hard when you’re
married and raising children and your
children are crawling and your husband
dies unexpectedly it’s not handling just
the tragedies of life it’s hard when
you’re working on something in and you
put everything you have in it and it
doesn’t work
how’d you lose your money and other
people’s money it’s hard it was rough
when I lost my job and I could not find
a job it was humiliating and
embarrassing borrowing money and then I
couldn’t pay the money back when I told
them I would that’s rough how people
look at you how they respond to you it’s
very hard it’s humiliating here’s what I
discovered that happens to you in life
that you will go through things and
while you’re going through them you
can’t understand why it’s happening to
you but after you go through it you get
back and you look at it and you say oh
now I understand why I needed that
lesson have you ever happened to you in
has ever happened to you but that I did
I couldn’t understand it then but after
I got through it then I saw that that
was preparing me for bigger and better
things
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
but as you’ll go through the challenges
of life and you look at it and embrace
whatever comes to you don’t run from it
step toward it don’t try and duck it
like most people do see most people want
it easy see if you easy come easy what
easy go see but when you go at what
you’re going to deal with and you deal
with the difficult difficulties of it
when you handle those hard things close
at hand making those hard decisions
right now that you don’t want to make
learning those things that you don’t
like to do but you know that in order
for you to get where you want to go this
is one of the hoops that you have to
flip through and I’m saying to you
whatever you got to do do it because if
you don’t life is gonna whip you until
you surrender and say okay all right all
right all right all right
I cooperate okay I’ll learn okay dad
wear me out a long time so if it’s hard
to do it hard now what do you how do you
hang in there during the hard difficult
times less you must have faith you’ve
got to believe in yourself you’ve got to
believe in your abilities you got to
believe in your service your company
your ideas unquestionably you got to
have faith and that faith gives you
patience that it’s not going to happen
as quickly as you want it to happen a
lot of things gonna happen that will
catch you off guard and so therefore
you’ve got to deal with and handle it as
it comes and not only that but that
faith and patience drives you into
action you’ve got to keep moving and
keep plugging away and the Far East they
have something that’s called the Chinese
bamboo tree the Chinese bamboo tree
takes five years to grow and when they
go through a process of growing it
they have to water and fertilize the
ground where it is every day and it
doesn’t break through the ground until
the fifth year okay but once it breaks
through the ground within five weeks
it grows 90 feet tall now the question
is does it grow 90 feet tall in five
weeks or five years the answer is
obvious
it grows 90 feet tall in five years
because at any time that person stopped
watering and nurturing and fertilizing
that dream that bamboo tree would have
died in the ground and I can see people
coming out talking to a guy out there
watering and fertilizing the ground
that’s not showing anything hey what you
even I hit a long time there and the
conversation in the neighborhood is you
grow on a Chinese bamboo tree that right
yeah that’s right
well even Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder
can see ain’t none sure you know that’s
how people gonna do you so how long you
been working on this how long have you
been working on your dreams good and you
have nothing to show this is all you’ve
got to show people don’t do that to you
and some people ladies and gentlemen
they stop because they don’t see instant
results it doesn’t happen quickly hey
stop
oh no no no you got to keep on watering
your dream and when it began to happen
they stopped laughing they said look
whoa look at it man you know I know you
can do it looking good you got a job
see during those hard times we didn’t
know how you’re gonna make payroll doing
those times when you fail and and then
things didn’t work out they were there
were nowhere to be found but know what I
discovered when you’re working at your
dream somebody said the heart of the
battle the sweeter the victory oh it’s
sweet to you it’s good to you I see when
you when it’s harder there’s a struggle
see what you become in the process is
more important in the dream that’s far
more important the kind of person you
become the character that you built the
courage that you develop the faith that
you’re manifesting oh it’s it’s
something that you get up in the morning
you look yourself in the mirror
you’re a different kind of person you
walk with a different kind of spirit and
people know that you know what life is
that you have embraced life you know is
hard but you did it ha
[Music]
[Music]
now it takes us to the next level if
it’s hard why do people do it you ask
people who do fakes
why are we going people who climb
mountains just for the sake of it nobody
paying her dude just do it somebody said
I’m gonna run around the world I’m gonna
swim the Atlantic Channel why why do
people do that
I wondered well why would a Nelson
Mandela give up 26 years of his life why
do people do that
here’s what I discovered in high school
high school I decided I wanted to go out
for football never forget this and I
discovered why people do things you know
why ladies and gentlemen even though
it’s hard it’s worth it it’s worth it
see one day we had coach alkyd Hepburn
had this plaque down there and this wood
on the floor on the ground
he said Brown come over here had my suit
on say yes sir
he said I have a layer littlez down
there hold big Larry yes a big fat sorry
Larry
yes sir Brown I want you to get down
bull neck yes sir he said I want you
running Larry I want you to put your
helmet right in his pit right up and hit
his chest and lock him off that board
you hear me Brown you can do that your
son can you do that yes sir say ha ba ba
ba
he said Brown I want you to knock him
off you gonna make the team I know you
can get him all right we’ll get lot
sorry it leaves knocking and everything
I see yes sir me we’re down Larry Larry
littles who played 12 years for the
Miami Dolphins all-pro for 12 years is a
bad big dude 250 pounds strength agile
and all muscle
he said Larry he’s a man you know brown
on there he’s down there talking about
your mom and everything
[Applause]
you talk about how fat and sorry you are
and how he’s going to knock you off this
boy Larry now spitting fire and growl
and informing at the mouth and I’m
looking at Larry sir huh
hubba-hubba he said look at that fool
down there growl he told me it’s gonna
scare you that you gonna leave are you
only know coach angrily go down and
knock him out the paw board
coach got back he winked at me go get
him Brown I went hard I ran into lab
with my helmet Lance a boo I don’t know
when they woke me up
I said can y’all take his helmet off me
for a minute
I said y’all got any more positions out
here they like where I said don’t y’all
need an announcer I said no way you’re
good I was crying and said mr. girls
with us oh you bet I’ve heard almost
killed me man
he said round you quit man it’s a year I
said ain’t worth it man
no hey where y’all going y’all crazy
I’ll be your announcer man I was calling
the game I was up there in the booth
call good games too because the pain
wasn’t worth it to me and I’m saying you
you know why people do what they do the
people who go after that stuff what
makes it worth it it’s got to be your
passion you got to love it ladies and
gentlemen you got to love it it’s got to
be what you are supposed to do you want
to sing even though they want to invite
you to Carnegie Hall you gonna say to
anybody that I listen to you including
sing it to yourself I used to talk to my
plants when nobody else would listen to
me you got a right even if no one
published your book right because that
was given to you to do you do what it is
you supposed you’re supposed to build
something useful to create something I
don’t know how to do it learn do
whatever is required just go out there
it’s possible you can get what you are
it’s necessary if you want it you got to
go into action you got to be willing to
experiment you got to be willing to fail
and to succeed you got to be willing to
form and to develop new relationships
it’s you it’s on you you got to make
that happen nobody’s gonna bring it to
you on a silver platter said here’s your
dream manifested no it’s hard yes it’s
hard it’s difficult yes right and it’s
worth it
[Applause]
[Music]
people ask hey banner you know it’s you
know these kids man is rough dealing
with them that’s right that’s right
you think peer pressure happened
overnight we went through peer pressure
I remember as a kid some guys say hey
les
me and another fellow named Willie Lola
we were glowing home hey man we’re going
down the goons man and not call for
groceries still if you look here I don’t
want no part of that I’ll see y’all
later
see y’all chicken I said that’s all
right you say whatever you want low star
I’m not chicken man don’t call me
chicken then why don’t you come we’d
even ask you to come into place man or
you do just drive the car
I don’t know God that good we’ll be
trying to get les to go he’s chicken hey
I’m not driving nothing all right
Willie don’t care about what they say
man leave them alone
you want to go do it you find somebody
else to drive or you drive yourself come
on Willie man pulling he stopped buying
chicken all I got to do is Drive yeah
say will that sound simple man don’t go
man he went and the next day we read the
newspaper where when they robbed the
store robber came when they came out
running to a car the virtue of the man
who owned the store came out just
shooting wildly and he hit the driver in
the head so peer pressure didn’t just
start in the 90s or the 80s it’s
difficult it is challenging for kids
right now and it’s going to be take some
easy simple methods to help bring them
out of this madness
listen Saturday no is it hard yes let’s
look at what we’ve been doing what has
worked what has not work
look look at where we want to go what is
it that we want to produce what is it
that we want to create for our young
people and as we think about that start
experimenting with different methods and
techniques to create and to produce that
and begin to believe that it’s possible
through our commitment through our
vision through our determination our
ridiculousness because of our belief
it’s possible that we can reduce the
teenage homicide rate the teenage
pregnancy rate the dropout rate that
it’s possible looking at
what kind of world are they going to be
in as we look at the global economy that
as we begin to use our collective will
in genius and resources it’s possible
that we can create an educational system
that not only will test their minds with
with information and facts and figures
but would teach them how to think and be
creative and what does it mean to be a
human being and to value human life and
how do you make relationships work how
do you bounce back from adversity it’s
possible that we can give them a
curriculum that will give their lives a
sense of purpose and direction and
meaning and teach them how to begin to
know and operate on a higher level of
being where they become assets to our
society rather than liabilities what if
we leave here with that kind of
consciousness that it’s possible as
opposed to saying we have to write this
generation off that it’s possible that
we were born for such a time as this
than that that maybe someone here has
the idea or the method or some plan of
action or an approach that can resolve
many of the problems that we’re facing
with young people today whatever we have
to do to save our children it’s worth it
[Applause]
[Music]
until that brings me to the final step
that it’s necessary for us to begin to
look at the future know that it’s
possible that we can have our dreams yes
it is other people have done it then we
can do it we fail a lot of times where a
lot of other folks fail and eventually
they came back and they succeeded so
it’s possible we can have what we want
and we know that we want to get it it’s
necessary then we align ourselves with
people that think like we do it’s
necessary we get- do nothing people out
of our lives it’s necessary we never
stop learning and growing and developing
ourselves it’s necessary that we never
give up we know that it’s you it’s me
it’s being responsible for our stuff and
deciding that we’re going to keep on
keeping on and then we’re going to find
a way to win or find a way to make it
happen and we know it’s hard it’s not
going to be a picnic yes it’s hard it’s
hard and we will do it hard and once it
we do it hard when we go through we
realize it was worth it and once you
discover it’s worth worth it it is done
it’s done
[Applause]
[Music]
before it happens well here’s what I’m
suggesting to you that when you’re
working you have a wall to breakthrough
let’s say a friend of mine who walks he
runs a marathon and he says when he’s
running the 26-mile marathon
he said let’s say that hypothetically
that 18th mile is the law he said less
when you give them you’re running he
says everything in you is telling you to
stop to give up every muscle is aching
and you’re saying to yourself I can’t do
it I can’t do it and you just keep on
and you keep on and you keep oh it seems
like you’re moving at slow motion and
then eventually when you break through
that 18 mile wall then you know it’s
like done in your own automatic and you
glide on in and you know it’s there you
know you’re going to get to the finish
line and we’ve all had experiences where
we were working on something and we knew
it was possible and we did those things
that were necessary to bring it into a
reality
we took the responsibility to make it
happen all the people couldn’t see it a
lot of people didn’t believe it you were
attacked you were criticized people were
opposing you but you kept on doing it it
was hard it was rough it was difficult
but to you it was worth it and
eventually you got to a level you know
can nothing stop me now I’m on the move
finally I’m thinking about a friend of
mine who is no longer operating on this
dimension his name was Jack Bolan he had
this vision of a of a church that would
serve various types of needs for people
if supportive needs and helping him and
and recovery from drugs and alcohol and
and whatever addictions that they might
be involved in and he was known for
bringing in different kinds of speakers
and over a year ago he was diagnosed as
having cancer and he announced his
congregation that he’s going to be
taking chemotherapy and that it was a
possibility that the cancer would go in
remission and he was optimistic about
that and sure enough he did for a year
and one of the things Jack always talked
about is that he wanted to have his
funeral while he lived and so he invited
a few friends Wayne Dyer’s myself and a
few other speakers he didn’t tell us why
we were there but once we gathered there
at the church they told us in the room
the jack is going to announce to the
congregation he’s bringing his doctor up
the doctor is going to say that we felt
we could give keep it in remission it’s
out of remission and he doesn’t have
much time left and whatever words you
want to say to Jack that you would say
if he had made his transition speak
those words now while we were shopping
and we were somewhat stunned until Jack
got there they brought him in in the
wheelchair and boy was he courageous and
and he had a strong smile and they
helped him up the steps and he set
behind the podium and each of us got up
and we said a few things about Jack and
the impact that he made on our lives and
he said the doctor after announcing that
Jack didn’t have long he says doctor he
said I accept what you say but it’s
possible that that does not have to be
the case but if it is I will enjoy life
to the very last breath I take even the
chemotherapy
I will enjoy that and Jack did ladies
and gentleman and when they said that
all of his vital organs were failing
they called his family and his close
church staff to the hospital and said
he’s dying and so they came and they all
gathered in a room and Jack at that time
was unconscious and he gained
consciousness and he looked at them and
he said well what strength he had he
said I want to thank you all for being
here you’ve been a great staff to me he
looked at his songs the daughter he said
you’ve been a great family say don’t
feel sorry for me said I’m I’m ready to
go I’m looking forward to the next
adventure and he slept there for a
little while laid there and he closed
his eyes and he lost consciousness about
an hour and a half later he opened his
eyes and he looked at them he said this
they were laughing through their tears
is it Jack you are
he’s today I hate giving up this kind of
control so they predicted that Jack
would die at the end of February and
then on the second they said he won’t
see the light of day he will be dead by
morning ladies and gentlemen Jack died
on March 4th and we believe that even in
his dying Jack sent his congregation of
message that I want to give to you with
his permission
March 4th is the day he died we believe
[Applause]
so I say as you look into the future
while the people are giving up feeling
like victims feeling powerless becoming
negative turning on each other rather
than to each other feeling that they
can’t make it be not conformed to this
world but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind with the mindset
of that it’s possible that we can save
this generation it’s possible that we
can create new industries a new economy
it’s possible that I can find a new
profession a new job it’s possible I can
create a new life and it’s necessary
that I become actively involved and
becoming a positive force in my life and
on the planet and it’s me yes it’s you
it’s all of us pulling together working
together to create this brand new future
and it’s going to be hard easy is not an
option but if it’s hard we will do it
hard whatever is required to snatch
victory from the jaws of defeat and it’s
worth it yes it’s worth whatever we have
to do and once we know that it is done
it is done it is done
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
so I say to you whatever your dreams are
whatever you want to do the spinner Jack
March 4 this is mrs. Maylie brown’s baby
boy
Leslie Calvin bouncing is gonna plumb
pleasing pleasure as well as the prison
thank y’all here
[Music]
America
[Applause]
the Burma thank you
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