but I tell you there is some times in
life where you fall down and you feel
like you don’t have the strength to get
back up there comes a time when the
blank the blackness of future is so
extreme it is such a black wall of
nothingness not even of bad things it’s
not like there’s a cave full of monsters
that you’re afraid of entering the
future it is just nothingness the neon
was the French would say
Navid the void the emptiness and it is
just horrible
[Music]
it’s horrible to contemplate a
futureless future if that isn’t too
impossible and so you just want to to
step out of it to step out of it race
the more business that the monstrosity
I thought what kind of purpose do I have
to live I mean do you are you just here
to live to die I mean is there not a
purpose for me is there not a purpose in
life and I had questions and no answers
and asked my mom and dad why did this
happen
I asked doctors why did this happen they
they don’t know there are some things in
life that are out of your control that
you can’t change and you got to live
with the choice that we have there is
either to give up or keep on going
[Music]
the very first thing I want to offer you
is empathy I understand that the feeling
is real this idea that you want to just
do an end put an end to the entire game
of life so beyond my empathy and my care
for you my heart going out to you I want
to offer you this but there is a law
there’s a law in nature which is that of
seasons right so in the wintertime it’s
cold right it’s freezing fucking cold in
the wintertime especially if you live in
like the north and it could be so cold
that you’re miserable if man was so cold
and miserable that he decided that
perhaps I should kill myself because
this freezing cold misery is not worth
living in
someone might offer him the idea that or
remind him of the law hat dude this is
like you’ve got maybe another six weeks
that maybe another eight weeks and then
spring is coming man it’s just the way
it is things cycle through it’s just a
season right now I understand it’s
freezing cold and you feel pretty bad
about this choice but hang in there 70%
of illnesses on the planet all kinds are
self created you are able to generate
substantial amount of intense emotions
and thoughts but in the wrong direction
you are generating thoughts and emotions
which work against you not for you you
think it’s your right to throw tantrums
you think it’s your right to get angry
with people you think it’s your
privilege to be depressed so that you’ll
get attention from somebody you keep
playing this one day you will not able
how did I get from depressed to Who I am
today because I tell you I was depressed
when I was age 8 I used to concentrate
on the things I didn’t have I wish I’d
arms legs and I wish I could do this but
what can I do you see I have a choice
that’s what I want to talk about today
choices I can either be angry for not
having arms and legs will be thankful
for my chicken drumstick you see I can
still do a lot of things at home I can
brush my teeth get myself ready in the
morning I’m travelling around the world
it’s amazing least you can try to write
you just have to set the necessary
conditions for help
necessary incentives for help both for
yourself and your children if you have
them
[Music]
felt depressed I felt miserable I felt
at times where it may be better to take
my life
but with the wisdom that it gathered in
my 33 short years of life I’ve come to
realize that it’s just a feeling and in
the same way that being cold is
diminished the misery of feeling cold is
diminished by the insight that spring
will come is the same feeling that you
should acknowledge the same law that you
should acknowledge that no matter how
miserable things are right now it is
just a season it’s going to pass the
thing that keeps one living is sense of
future that there will be a tomorrow to
one I’m going to do this and then the
day after I’ve got to do that not any of
these things of a particular logical
purpose move and convince you reason to
exist but they somehow keep on going in
in the words of Dorothy Parker a great
tub which and try turkleton
you might as well live
[Music]
so you want to learn all you can in life
you’ve got to be willing to experiment
you’ve got to be willing to learn to
dance with life you know Larry dad you
see if you don’t learn to dance with
life life will pass you by and get
another partner I’m saying you’re gonna
have to dance even if you don’t want to
you’re gonna have to dance with life so
you might as well learn you some steps
because it’s gonna drag you out on the
floor anyhow so you better get out there
try to do the twist put some knots on
your head anyhow I mean you can you know
you come up in the bleachers and slap
you before everybody it’s that’s why
it’s called life no one is immune
just think just over a year ago
everybody thought my Donald Trump he was
a darling of America the American dream
fulfilled just over a year ago less than
two years everything that people were
bragging about this wealthy invincible
American figure look what has happened
now everybody no one no one is exempt
from that I was talking to a friend of
mine by the name of Maria Maria who was
diagnosed as having muscular dystrophy
at age 15 and wheelchair-bound figured
that enough had happened to her she was
somewhat immune she felt unconsciously
for many more accidents or misfortunes
in life her wheelchair malfunction she
fell out suffered a closed head injury
almost went blind lost a memory and
concentration for a long period of time
she said on that day less I decided to
live I said why she said life is about
today she said I felt because what had
happened to me I was exempt somehow no
no life will knock on everybody’s door I
don’t care who you are care how nice you
are life will come get you life people
will dislike you because you’re nice oh
she thinks she’s nice you tell me
Chuchu people will dislike you because
you look better than they do because you
have more than if they do they’ll be
envious and make up lies about you and
attack you the envious of you I don’t
know I don’t even ask any questions
that’s just the way it is that’s the way
it is handle it and that’s what Maria
said less I want to live
she said they told me I was gonna go
blind I said wait a min you imagine me
around a shopping center in a wheelchair
and a walking dog – oh she said I’m
gonna see doc I’ve got to as she can see
today that bet will power that
determinate very positive upbeat person
I’d say but don’t don’t sometimes you
feel sorry for yourself and don’t you
wish you had the capacity to do what
other people do she said I don’t waste
my time comparing my condition with
other people one and she said people
that suffer from a lack of motivation
suffer mainly from a lack of self
appreciation she said I know that I have
value in the fact that I’m in a
wheelchair doesn’t make me any less of a
human being who can contribute something
to life
and I’m saying that there are all of us
can begin to affirm that that my life is
worthwhile doesn’t matter what I’ve
experienced doesn’t matter about what I
don’t have doesn’t matter about what
I’ve gone through what’s important is
that where I am right now that I live
life and I experience my life fully
she said less before the accident I
wasn’t living 100 percent of my life I
said what were you living
she said around 20 percent and I said
you know what I said I know what that’s
like see if you go through life holding
back and most of us do most of us if we
ask ourselves have we done all we can do
most of us will have to answer no we
haven’t we’ve been holding back we have
ideas that we don’t act on things we
want to do we afraid to take chances we
go through life trying to seek security
and not coming outside of our comfort
zone and we take most of our stuff with
us to the grave and I’m saying that the
fact that you’re still here that you’re
still breathing you’ve got some more
work and you owe it to yourself you are
to yourself some when you get up in the
morning that you can look yourself in
the face and say hey I’m living my life
on my terms that’s important not to give
up on your dream not to give up on
yourself now are there going to be some
moments when you want to give up yes
will there be some moments when it’s
going to seem like it’s impossible the
pain that you’re experiencing the
disappointment that you’re experiencing
that you’re going to say it’s not worth
it yes that’s that’s going to be right
there for you
it’s going to be in your face telling
you to go back you’re gonna start
listening to the boxin and buts will
have all kind of help and support from
your family members and friends saying I
told you fool you’re going under it’s
positive faking stuff look at you now
bet you wish you had that job now
remember I lost my job is very
controversial in in Columbus Ohio other
than broadcasting lost my job and and
here’s what I learned that you’ve got to
immediately start using your energy
positively no folks you say it I don’t
mind is the devil’s workshop
that’s real I mean when I didn’t have
thing to do my mind you said you better
go back and get your job why did you
just shut up always running your mouth
wawk wawk wawk wawk well why did you
just us you’ll be working right now
broadcasting was all that I knew and
that was my life I love talking to
people and I love playing the records
used to come on their lookout this is
Les Brown all right get up face these
raise your right hand throw your head
back put your teeth in and say I am
[Music]
now here’s what you discover when you’re
real good at what you do a lot of people
are find you to be a threat they won’t
hire you
no they want people in there they can
control or dominate so if you’re a high
powered person sometimes that can be a
liability for you so it was difficult
for me to get a job in broadcasting did
not get a job in broadcasting had to
take another route had to begin to use
my talents and abilities in another area
wherever you are right now I’m saying to
you you’ve got at least three or four or
five talents that you are not even aware
of right now and you’ll never be aware
of them unless you come outside your
comfort zone and challenge yourself to
develop your talents and abilities to
see what it is that you might have a
knack for that you haven’t discovered it
yet see most people never discover their
true potential or their other talents
and abilities because they figured that
they’re one-dimensional and they don’t
try and stretch themselves and learn
more guys say he who learns the most
earns the most so if you start learning
more things and finding out and
experimenting with your life and finding
out what else fits for you here’s what
you discover that as you start working
with it and the more you do it the more
you realize other ideas coming to you
the more creative you can become and
then you say wait a minute wait a minute
you know this comes much much more
easily than I realize I’ve developed a
knack and a style for this see
a guy said to me he said if you develop
your gift you like to talk you like
people I said yeah he said if you
develop your gifts he said your gifts
will take you a long ways in life and
ladies and gentlemen because I decided I
used to be a jack of all trades and
master of none
I tried to earth I used to be a disc
jockey
state representative community activist
used to do public relations work used to
promote shows used to be an emcee in a
nightclub used to own a nightclub the
pink pussycat in Columbus Ohio I did
everything sold insurance you name it
door-to-door salesman I did it all
but finally I decided to focus my energy
I looked at all my talents and abilities
I said well I’ve got to just find what’s
by one thing what’s my truck
what’s the one thing that I do better
not do anything else I said what I like
do a lot of things I’d like to promote I
like the MC I like to talk I like being
a disc jockey program director like
being a community activist I enjoy being
a state legislator but I had to find one
thing and I found that one thing I
decided I was going to develop myself as
a speaker and I started following other
speakers around I started doing research
I would read about Marcus Garvey federic
Douglass Booker T Washington Winston
Churchill the truth is incontrovertible
malice meant tacit ignorance they
derided but at the end there it is
Carlisle truth crushed to earth shall
rise again I would follow
daaamn dr. Otis Moss I’ve read with dr.
Martin Luther King said he’s the
greatest preacher into where I used to
follow him of Charles Adams out of
Columbus out of Detroit Michigan any
great speakers I would follow them and
watch him I’d be in the back just
checking him out used to watch Billy
Graham on television turn the volume
down
to watch his hand movements because he’s
so expressive with his hands I just
became a student of the area that I
wanted to become involved in I would go
to the motivational rallies join the
National Speakers Association and
watching all these guys and then I would
work in practice in other areas in
developing my own style sometimes I
would imitate other guys and eventually
what you’ll begin to do is that you
emerge and develop your own style as you
do it and work with and work with and
work with and work with it and I say to
you that is so exciting people that are
working on their dreams and developing
themselves they have a different kind of
walk I have different kind of energy you
can tell in the tempo of their
conversation they walk differently they
have a lot of energy they have a glow
about them people that aren’t working on
their dream see that there is a this you
can tell in how they move into a body
language huh yeah no their voice
conversation there real slow hey I’ll
just call I wasn’t doing then thought I
call you
well don’t do that over here they look
at a lot of television what’s on I don’t
know I’m just looking look no you got to
watch this you got you got you don’t
want to be like that you you want to
actively be involved in creating life
and making it exciting for you see if
you watch the news all day and read
what’s happening a news thing you’ll be
scared to come out your house I’m all
see you’ve got to to keep the little boy
and the little girl alive in you see one
of the most people don’t smile you know
that just smile yes
this mouse the time you know you’d even
if you’re hopefully you look good with
your smile that’s something smile at a
homeless person on your right and left
right quick good now if you look over
there they already smiling and you are
the holy way I just need I just live I’m
glad to be alive and so I feel like that
you know
Robert Elliott who’s the head of the
collar ology department at the
University of Nebraska he suffered a
massive heart attack he was in a
hospital for three months and while
there he reflected on his life after
this near-death experience because his
mother and father both of them had no
history of heart failure both of them
lived to be over 80 and he wrote
something in order to live a long life
and be happy he said number one rule
number one don’t sweat the small stuff
see if you’re working on your dream sure
they’re gonna be times you’re gonna want
to give up sure there be times in life
are knock you down and catch you on the
Blind Side but the challenge is is to
hold on and if you hold on tenaciously I
say the universe is on your side a way
we’ll come out of know if someone will
step forward and help you just a
blessing who are you I don’t know but
so don’t allow about difficult and
challenging times to demoralize you I
love to quote this guy Charles Udall he
said in life you will always be faced
with a series of god-ordained
opportunities brilliantly disguised as
problems and challenges and I’m saying
in your hands you have ideas you have
been given something to bring to the
universe that was not here before you
showed up
see nobody ladies and gentlemen is going
to give Les Brown speech this is my
speech
the motivator from Detroit it’s my
speech you can’t it man this boy can’t
take my speech no you gotta go get your
own speech you can’t cover it take my
speech No so I’m saying to you kid
nobody take your good see that which is
meant for you has your name on it no one
can take your good from you that’s you
that work you’ve been given that idea
that you’ve been given if you don’t come
out here with that idea no one’s gonna
bring your idea out here whatever you’re
sitting on whatever idea you working on
whatever passion you gotta be like
Johnny you don’t bloody he said hey I’ve
got to live what’s in me and let me tell
you I’m happier than I’ve ever been in
my life why I got peace of mind you
and I say to you the universe is calling
you then lady wrote me a letter once
after hearing me speak in Detroit and I
had just finished working with some kids
and it really was a short letter a short
letter but powerful and the letter read
she said the voice of greatness has
called me and I’m afraid to answer oh I
know what it is not to answer so I could
have been doing this years ago but I was
afraid to answer
I had these bucks that I was hiding
behind like get him I didn’t want him
not me not me I’m not good enough I’m
not wait let me get ready let me get
ready you know you haven’t seen those
perpetual students all let me get ready
me get ready got a friend named
Kellerman going to school ten years ten
years of degrees ain’t doing nothing and
like you know I’m saying answer your
call the universe is calling you
here’s something about life you can’t
get out of it alive hello you can’t get
out of life alive live now like Maria
said live your dream now so other night
I had a funeral and I don’t mind doing
it again
we buried but we said but you all have
no place in our lives no more these
dreams you’ve been killing oh but you
ain’t gonna kill no more dreams up here
everybody repeat after me but get out of
my life I don’t need you no more don’t
come back here shake somebody’s hand on
your right and left and say keep him
so finally I say look at your life and
decide that my life is beautiful that my
life is meaningful to me I’m not exactly
sure what I want to do but because my
life means so much to me and there are
no guarantees in life I’m gonna live as
much as I can each day I’m gonna do what
I can where I am right now and whatever
I shared with you I wrote it read a book
call it works if you work it that’s what
Johnny Coleman said see if you don’t
decide to act on your dream if you don’t
decide to make a decision to live your
life if you don’t decide to step into
your fears if you don’t decide to say
yes to your life it will never work for
you the time for just wishing is past
time for doing that’s the time right now
time for acting on your dream
holding on courageously as Winston
Churchill said and not lose enthusiasm
time to face yourself and talk to
yourself in the mirror time to look
around and become creative and see what
need a service that you can provide with
high standards so that people will talk
about you being a master and what you do
because of the commitment of Pride and
excellence and high standards that
you’ve set for yourself it’s time for
you to look within yourself and decide
that I’m in charge of my destiny I’m in
charge here and I’m not going to allow
anybody to turn me around I am
determined that I’m going to make it and
here’s something ladies and gentlemen
when you make it important it’s not a
preference it’s not negotiable it’s a
must and when you decide I’m going to do
it regardless of the opposition
regardless of the difficulties I’m going
to make this happen because it’s
important to me I’m saying the universe
will yield to you and life will never be
the same again live your dreams
this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy
Leslie Calvin
I’m saying it’s been a plum pleasing pleasure as well as a privilege
life where you fall down and you feel
like you don’t have the strength to get
back up there comes a time when the
blank the blackness of future is so
extreme it is such a black wall of
nothingness not even of bad things it’s
not like there’s a cave full of monsters
that you’re afraid of entering the
future it is just nothingness the neon
was the French would say
Navid the void the emptiness and it is
just horrible
[Music]
it’s horrible to contemplate a
futureless future if that isn’t too
impossible and so you just want to to
step out of it to step out of it race
the more business that the monstrosity
I thought what kind of purpose do I have
to live I mean do you are you just here
to live to die I mean is there not a
purpose for me is there not a purpose in
life and I had questions and no answers
and asked my mom and dad why did this
happen
I asked doctors why did this happen they
they don’t know there are some things in
life that are out of your control that
you can’t change and you got to live
with the choice that we have there is
either to give up or keep on going
[Music]
the very first thing I want to offer you
is empathy I understand that the feeling
is real this idea that you want to just
do an end put an end to the entire game
of life so beyond my empathy and my care
for you my heart going out to you I want
to offer you this but there is a law
there’s a law in nature which is that of
seasons right so in the wintertime it’s
cold right it’s freezing fucking cold in
the wintertime especially if you live in
like the north and it could be so cold
that you’re miserable if man was so cold
and miserable that he decided that
perhaps I should kill myself because
this freezing cold misery is not worth
living in
someone might offer him the idea that or
remind him of the law hat dude this is
like you’ve got maybe another six weeks
that maybe another eight weeks and then
spring is coming man it’s just the way
it is things cycle through it’s just a
season right now I understand it’s
freezing cold and you feel pretty bad
about this choice but hang in there 70%
of illnesses on the planet all kinds are
self created you are able to generate
substantial amount of intense emotions
and thoughts but in the wrong direction
you are generating thoughts and emotions
which work against you not for you you
think it’s your right to throw tantrums
you think it’s your right to get angry
with people you think it’s your
privilege to be depressed so that you’ll
get attention from somebody you keep
playing this one day you will not able
how did I get from depressed to Who I am
today because I tell you I was depressed
when I was age 8 I used to concentrate
on the things I didn’t have I wish I’d
arms legs and I wish I could do this but
what can I do you see I have a choice
that’s what I want to talk about today
choices I can either be angry for not
having arms and legs will be thankful
for my chicken drumstick you see I can
still do a lot of things at home I can
brush my teeth get myself ready in the
morning I’m travelling around the world
it’s amazing least you can try to write
you just have to set the necessary
conditions for help
necessary incentives for help both for
yourself and your children if you have
them
[Music]
felt depressed I felt miserable I felt
at times where it may be better to take
my life
but with the wisdom that it gathered in
my 33 short years of life I’ve come to
realize that it’s just a feeling and in
the same way that being cold is
diminished the misery of feeling cold is
diminished by the insight that spring
will come is the same feeling that you
should acknowledge the same law that you
should acknowledge that no matter how
miserable things are right now it is
just a season it’s going to pass the
thing that keeps one living is sense of
future that there will be a tomorrow to
one I’m going to do this and then the
day after I’ve got to do that not any of
these things of a particular logical
purpose move and convince you reason to
exist but they somehow keep on going in
in the words of Dorothy Parker a great
tub which and try turkleton
you might as well live
[Music]
so you want to learn all you can in life
you’ve got to be willing to experiment
you’ve got to be willing to learn to
dance with life you know Larry dad you
see if you don’t learn to dance with
life life will pass you by and get
another partner I’m saying you’re gonna
have to dance even if you don’t want to
you’re gonna have to dance with life so
you might as well learn you some steps
because it’s gonna drag you out on the
floor anyhow so you better get out there
try to do the twist put some knots on
your head anyhow I mean you can you know
you come up in the bleachers and slap
you before everybody it’s that’s why
it’s called life no one is immune
just think just over a year ago
everybody thought my Donald Trump he was
a darling of America the American dream
fulfilled just over a year ago less than
two years everything that people were
bragging about this wealthy invincible
American figure look what has happened
now everybody no one no one is exempt
from that I was talking to a friend of
mine by the name of Maria Maria who was
diagnosed as having muscular dystrophy
at age 15 and wheelchair-bound figured
that enough had happened to her she was
somewhat immune she felt unconsciously
for many more accidents or misfortunes
in life her wheelchair malfunction she
fell out suffered a closed head injury
almost went blind lost a memory and
concentration for a long period of time
she said on that day less I decided to
live I said why she said life is about
today she said I felt because what had
happened to me I was exempt somehow no
no life will knock on everybody’s door I
don’t care who you are care how nice you
are life will come get you life people
will dislike you because you’re nice oh
she thinks she’s nice you tell me
Chuchu people will dislike you because
you look better than they do because you
have more than if they do they’ll be
envious and make up lies about you and
attack you the envious of you I don’t
know I don’t even ask any questions
that’s just the way it is that’s the way
it is handle it and that’s what Maria
said less I want to live
she said they told me I was gonna go
blind I said wait a min you imagine me
around a shopping center in a wheelchair
and a walking dog – oh she said I’m
gonna see doc I’ve got to as she can see
today that bet will power that
determinate very positive upbeat person
I’d say but don’t don’t sometimes you
feel sorry for yourself and don’t you
wish you had the capacity to do what
other people do she said I don’t waste
my time comparing my condition with
other people one and she said people
that suffer from a lack of motivation
suffer mainly from a lack of self
appreciation she said I know that I have
value in the fact that I’m in a
wheelchair doesn’t make me any less of a
human being who can contribute something
to life
and I’m saying that there are all of us
can begin to affirm that that my life is
worthwhile doesn’t matter what I’ve
experienced doesn’t matter about what I
don’t have doesn’t matter about what
I’ve gone through what’s important is
that where I am right now that I live
life and I experience my life fully
she said less before the accident I
wasn’t living 100 percent of my life I
said what were you living
she said around 20 percent and I said
you know what I said I know what that’s
like see if you go through life holding
back and most of us do most of us if we
ask ourselves have we done all we can do
most of us will have to answer no we
haven’t we’ve been holding back we have
ideas that we don’t act on things we
want to do we afraid to take chances we
go through life trying to seek security
and not coming outside of our comfort
zone and we take most of our stuff with
us to the grave and I’m saying that the
fact that you’re still here that you’re
still breathing you’ve got some more
work and you owe it to yourself you are
to yourself some when you get up in the
morning that you can look yourself in
the face and say hey I’m living my life
on my terms that’s important not to give
up on your dream not to give up on
yourself now are there going to be some
moments when you want to give up yes
will there be some moments when it’s
going to seem like it’s impossible the
pain that you’re experiencing the
disappointment that you’re experiencing
that you’re going to say it’s not worth
it yes that’s that’s going to be right
there for you
it’s going to be in your face telling
you to go back you’re gonna start
listening to the boxin and buts will
have all kind of help and support from
your family members and friends saying I
told you fool you’re going under it’s
positive faking stuff look at you now
bet you wish you had that job now
remember I lost my job is very
controversial in in Columbus Ohio other
than broadcasting lost my job and and
here’s what I learned that you’ve got to
immediately start using your energy
positively no folks you say it I don’t
mind is the devil’s workshop
that’s real I mean when I didn’t have
thing to do my mind you said you better
go back and get your job why did you
just shut up always running your mouth
wawk wawk wawk wawk well why did you
just us you’ll be working right now
broadcasting was all that I knew and
that was my life I love talking to
people and I love playing the records
used to come on their lookout this is
Les Brown all right get up face these
raise your right hand throw your head
back put your teeth in and say I am
[Music]
now here’s what you discover when you’re
real good at what you do a lot of people
are find you to be a threat they won’t
hire you
no they want people in there they can
control or dominate so if you’re a high
powered person sometimes that can be a
liability for you so it was difficult
for me to get a job in broadcasting did
not get a job in broadcasting had to
take another route had to begin to use
my talents and abilities in another area
wherever you are right now I’m saying to
you you’ve got at least three or four or
five talents that you are not even aware
of right now and you’ll never be aware
of them unless you come outside your
comfort zone and challenge yourself to
develop your talents and abilities to
see what it is that you might have a
knack for that you haven’t discovered it
yet see most people never discover their
true potential or their other talents
and abilities because they figured that
they’re one-dimensional and they don’t
try and stretch themselves and learn
more guys say he who learns the most
earns the most so if you start learning
more things and finding out and
experimenting with your life and finding
out what else fits for you here’s what
you discover that as you start working
with it and the more you do it the more
you realize other ideas coming to you
the more creative you can become and
then you say wait a minute wait a minute
you know this comes much much more
easily than I realize I’ve developed a
knack and a style for this see
a guy said to me he said if you develop
your gift you like to talk you like
people I said yeah he said if you
develop your gifts he said your gifts
will take you a long ways in life and
ladies and gentlemen because I decided I
used to be a jack of all trades and
master of none
I tried to earth I used to be a disc
jockey
state representative community activist
used to do public relations work used to
promote shows used to be an emcee in a
nightclub used to own a nightclub the
pink pussycat in Columbus Ohio I did
everything sold insurance you name it
door-to-door salesman I did it all
but finally I decided to focus my energy
I looked at all my talents and abilities
I said well I’ve got to just find what’s
by one thing what’s my truck
what’s the one thing that I do better
not do anything else I said what I like
do a lot of things I’d like to promote I
like the MC I like to talk I like being
a disc jockey program director like
being a community activist I enjoy being
a state legislator but I had to find one
thing and I found that one thing I
decided I was going to develop myself as
a speaker and I started following other
speakers around I started doing research
I would read about Marcus Garvey federic
Douglass Booker T Washington Winston
Churchill the truth is incontrovertible
malice meant tacit ignorance they
derided but at the end there it is
Carlisle truth crushed to earth shall
rise again I would follow
daaamn dr. Otis Moss I’ve read with dr.
Martin Luther King said he’s the
greatest preacher into where I used to
follow him of Charles Adams out of
Columbus out of Detroit Michigan any
great speakers I would follow them and
watch him I’d be in the back just
checking him out used to watch Billy
Graham on television turn the volume
down
to watch his hand movements because he’s
so expressive with his hands I just
became a student of the area that I
wanted to become involved in I would go
to the motivational rallies join the
National Speakers Association and
watching all these guys and then I would
work in practice in other areas in
developing my own style sometimes I
would imitate other guys and eventually
what you’ll begin to do is that you
emerge and develop your own style as you
do it and work with and work with and
work with and work with it and I say to
you that is so exciting people that are
working on their dreams and developing
themselves they have a different kind of
walk I have different kind of energy you
can tell in the tempo of their
conversation they walk differently they
have a lot of energy they have a glow
about them people that aren’t working on
their dream see that there is a this you
can tell in how they move into a body
language huh yeah no their voice
conversation there real slow hey I’ll
just call I wasn’t doing then thought I
call you
well don’t do that over here they look
at a lot of television what’s on I don’t
know I’m just looking look no you got to
watch this you got you got you don’t
want to be like that you you want to
actively be involved in creating life
and making it exciting for you see if
you watch the news all day and read
what’s happening a news thing you’ll be
scared to come out your house I’m all
see you’ve got to to keep the little boy
and the little girl alive in you see one
of the most people don’t smile you know
that just smile yes
this mouse the time you know you’d even
if you’re hopefully you look good with
your smile that’s something smile at a
homeless person on your right and left
right quick good now if you look over
there they already smiling and you are
the holy way I just need I just live I’m
glad to be alive and so I feel like that
you know
Robert Elliott who’s the head of the
collar ology department at the
University of Nebraska he suffered a
massive heart attack he was in a
hospital for three months and while
there he reflected on his life after
this near-death experience because his
mother and father both of them had no
history of heart failure both of them
lived to be over 80 and he wrote
something in order to live a long life
and be happy he said number one rule
number one don’t sweat the small stuff
see if you’re working on your dream sure
they’re gonna be times you’re gonna want
to give up sure there be times in life
are knock you down and catch you on the
Blind Side but the challenge is is to
hold on and if you hold on tenaciously I
say the universe is on your side a way
we’ll come out of know if someone will
step forward and help you just a
blessing who are you I don’t know but
so don’t allow about difficult and
challenging times to demoralize you I
love to quote this guy Charles Udall he
said in life you will always be faced
with a series of god-ordained
opportunities brilliantly disguised as
problems and challenges and I’m saying
in your hands you have ideas you have
been given something to bring to the
universe that was not here before you
showed up
see nobody ladies and gentlemen is going
to give Les Brown speech this is my
speech
the motivator from Detroit it’s my
speech you can’t it man this boy can’t
take my speech no you gotta go get your
own speech you can’t cover it take my
speech No so I’m saying to you kid
nobody take your good see that which is
meant for you has your name on it no one
can take your good from you that’s you
that work you’ve been given that idea
that you’ve been given if you don’t come
out here with that idea no one’s gonna
bring your idea out here whatever you’re
sitting on whatever idea you working on
whatever passion you gotta be like
Johnny you don’t bloody he said hey I’ve
got to live what’s in me and let me tell
you I’m happier than I’ve ever been in
my life why I got peace of mind you
and I say to you the universe is calling
you then lady wrote me a letter once
after hearing me speak in Detroit and I
had just finished working with some kids
and it really was a short letter a short
letter but powerful and the letter read
she said the voice of greatness has
called me and I’m afraid to answer oh I
know what it is not to answer so I could
have been doing this years ago but I was
afraid to answer
I had these bucks that I was hiding
behind like get him I didn’t want him
not me not me I’m not good enough I’m
not wait let me get ready let me get
ready you know you haven’t seen those
perpetual students all let me get ready
me get ready got a friend named
Kellerman going to school ten years ten
years of degrees ain’t doing nothing and
like you know I’m saying answer your
call the universe is calling you
here’s something about life you can’t
get out of it alive hello you can’t get
out of life alive live now like Maria
said live your dream now so other night
I had a funeral and I don’t mind doing
it again
we buried but we said but you all have
no place in our lives no more these
dreams you’ve been killing oh but you
ain’t gonna kill no more dreams up here
everybody repeat after me but get out of
my life I don’t need you no more don’t
come back here shake somebody’s hand on
your right and left and say keep him
so finally I say look at your life and
decide that my life is beautiful that my
life is meaningful to me I’m not exactly
sure what I want to do but because my
life means so much to me and there are
no guarantees in life I’m gonna live as
much as I can each day I’m gonna do what
I can where I am right now and whatever
I shared with you I wrote it read a book
call it works if you work it that’s what
Johnny Coleman said see if you don’t
decide to act on your dream if you don’t
decide to make a decision to live your
life if you don’t decide to step into
your fears if you don’t decide to say
yes to your life it will never work for
you the time for just wishing is past
time for doing that’s the time right now
time for acting on your dream
holding on courageously as Winston
Churchill said and not lose enthusiasm
time to face yourself and talk to
yourself in the mirror time to look
around and become creative and see what
need a service that you can provide with
high standards so that people will talk
about you being a master and what you do
because of the commitment of Pride and
excellence and high standards that
you’ve set for yourself it’s time for
you to look within yourself and decide
that I’m in charge of my destiny I’m in
charge here and I’m not going to allow
anybody to turn me around I am
determined that I’m going to make it and
here’s something ladies and gentlemen
when you make it important it’s not a
preference it’s not negotiable it’s a
must and when you decide I’m going to do
it regardless of the opposition
regardless of the difficulties I’m going
to make this happen because it’s
important to me I’m saying the universe
will yield to you and life will never be
the same again live your dreams
this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy
Leslie Calvin
I’m saying it’s been a plum pleasing pleasure as well as a privilege
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