you can’t activate life you can’t begin
to experience life in the way you want
to Express
you can’t have it you can’t be it you
can’t do it until you activate it and
yes it’s all in there all your gifts all
your talents all your everything you
need to do to be what you’ve been called
to do what you’ve been birthed to do you
can’t do until you activated until you
recognize you matter everything about
you is great what the problem is you
have consciously chosen to be average
anybody could dream it but you’ll never
see it until you’re willing to be
committed to it I was telling somebody
the other day when I didn’t have
anything
Church didn’t have any members I’d get
off work working at carbide and drive up
the rulers and working on the church
till I had to turn around and go back to
work we worked when we didn’t have food
we worked when we didn’t have lights I
was putting my whole check in offering
all of it trying to keep it going when I
finally got some stats I went on the
road preaching and whatever I made on
the road preaching I brought it home to
make the payroll of the status and
sometimes I got them paid and couldn’t
pay me commitments
look like a fool didn’t have any clothes
suits was falling off me lied and wore
out my clothes couldn’t send him to the
cleaners
had to wash my suit in the washing
machine they laughed at me look like old
raggedy country preacher I had holes in
my shoes
I couldn’t kneel down and pray because
if I knelt down to pray they would see
holes in my shoes they laughed at me
they said that boys lost his mind he’ll
never be nothing he stutters he’s got a
list ready speech he’ll never be a
preacher I don’t care what in the
process of working on your dreams you
are going to incur an intern a lot of
disappointment a lot of failure a lot of
pain a lot of setbacks a lot of defeats
but in the process of doing that you
will discover some things about yourself
that you don’t know right now what you
will realize is that you have greatness
within you what you’ll realize is that
you’re more powerful than you can ever
begin to imagine what you will realize
is that you’re greater than your
circumstances that you don’t have to go
through life being a victim
I get it I’m getting like innately and
Nate me everything about you is break
greatness that means you’re okay with
being me do you consciously made a
decision to be average you are average
and spoon your average at your workplace
everything you do is average and not
because it’s average but because you’ve
made a decision you made a choice to be
average why cuz the people around you
are King bitch’s face we’re to an
average school or you work for an
average company and so you’ve decided
you’ve decided the gorgets if you do
what is easy your life will be hard
complain portentous circumstances give
up your power blame the government blame
the economy if you do what is easy
your life will be hard but if you do
what is hard your life would be easy
it’s hard to make a radical change
it’s hard to take ownership is hard to
swallow the bitter pill that wherever
you find yourself at some point in time
you made an appointment to be there as
hard stop doing things only based in
fear like the universe will assist you
when you are acting in love when you’re
acting in love you’re like a drop of
water and you have the ocean as your
army when you act in fear it’s just you
and your money that was born in Miami
Florida in the area called Liberty City
in an abandoned building on a hardened
Olien floor with my twin brother we were
six weeks of age we were adopted when I
was in fifth grade I was identified as
EMR labeled educable mentally retarded
put back from the fifth grade into the
fourth grade and stayed in that category
until I got out of high school I don’t
have any college training but I met a
high school teacher who one day changed
my life I was waiting on another student
and when he came in he said to me young
man go to the board and write what I’m
about to tell you and I said I can’t do
that turn he said why not I said I’m not
one of your students he said it doesn’t
matter follow my directions down I said
I can’t do that sir he said why not I
said because I’m magica bula mentally
retarded and he came from behind his
desk and he looked at me he said don’t
ever say that again
someone’s opinion of you does not have
and that man mr. Leroy Washington did
something for me he started planting
seeds in my mind that enabled me to
begin to dream as Dexter has been doing
for you and ladies and gentlemen I
started working on my dream and most
people don’t work on their dreams why
for many years I did one is because of
fear the fear of failure what if things
don’t work out and the fear of success
what if they do and I can’t handle it
the other thing is that most people
ladies and gentlemen they get
comfortable they stop growing they stop
working on themselves they stop
stretching they stop pushing themselves
and they end up becoming very cynical
about life and they throw in the towel
on themselves and on their families and
on their dreams and the other thing is
that most people don’t feel worthy what
I’m doing now I could have been doing
years ago but because I did not have a
college education because I didn’t
believe in myself because I allowed
other people’s opinion of me to control
my destiny I didn’t act on my ideas so I
applaud you for your dreaming for your
running towards your dream I applaud you
for believing in yourself because that’s
what life is about stretching and
challenging looking for ways that you
can begin to improve yourself and ladies
and gentlemen as a result of stretching
out of acting on my dream and I don’t
know what that dream is for you I can
tell you that it’s possible no one could
have convinced me that after just over
six years I will have my own book
entitled live your dreams just over six
years I will have five specials on
public television just over six years
I’ve done motivational speaking for AT&T
Procter & Gamble McDonald’s Corporation
Xerox IBM just over six years I will now
have my own talk show that will premiere
on Monday Labor Day I’m saying to you
your dream is possible but not only is
it important that you believe in begin
to know that it’s possible for you to
live your dream as you run toward it but
I’ve done something that I want to share
with you called choosing your future in
fact I’ve develop a set of tapes talking
about how to begin to create your own
reality by choosing your future and not
only is it important for you to know
it’s possible for you to choose your
future but it’s necessary that you work
on yourself that you develop yourself
it’s necessary that you get the energy
drainers out of your life people who
don’t want anything people who are not
striving people who are not challenging
themselves people who aren’t growing
people who have stopped dreaming it’s
necessary that you align yourself with
people and attract people into your
business who are hungry people who are
unstoppable and unreasonable people who
are refusing to leave life just as it is
and who want more my mother used to say
birds of a feather flock together if you
run around with losers you will end up a
loser it’s necessary that you get the
losers out of your life if you want to
it’s necessary to know that everybody
won’t see it that everybody won’t join
you that everybody won’t have the vision
it’s necessary to know that that a lot
of people like to complain but they
don’t want to do anything about their
situation that you are an uncommon breed
you know you have to know within
yourself that I can do this even if no
one else sees it for me I must see it
for myself that’s necessary it’s also
ladies and gentlemen necessary that you
be creative when you’re working on your
ideas that you understand the importance
of changing up of readjusting your
strategies many times we can have a
great idea but if you’re not advancing
it in the right way and things don’t
happen you become discouraged and think
the idea it doesn’t work no that’s not
true it’s necessary that we become
creative I remember when I was in New
York walking down the street and a guy
approached me and say hey mister can I
shine your shoes and I said no I’m in a
hurry I don’t have time I kept walking
someone else said hey man your shoes
look cloudy my shiny shoes I said no I
don’t have time I’m sorry I’m busy now I
was walking fast and many people
solicited me for my business and then
finally a young man stepped in front of
me needs excuse me and he started
counting 97 98 99 100 he says sir I said
yes he said come here please I said what
is it he said today is my birthday and
every year just to thank God for another
year of life the 100th person who passes
by shoeshine stand I offer them a free
shoeshine would you give me the honors I
said why sure I got up on the shoeshine
stand George and I sit there and he
shined my shoes diligently and when I
got down I looked at him they were
sparkly and I was walking away and I
said thank you and I stopped I said
excuse me but how much do you usually
charge
he said only two dollars I said tell you
what today is your birthday here it’s
5:00 keep the change he said thank you
as I was walking away looking in the
opposite direction and other people
coming he start counting again 97 98
it’s necessary that you’ll be flexible
that you are always thinking of how can
I improve this better this is a customer
driven economy it’s necessary for you to
always explore various ways in which you
can improve the quality of service that
you’re providing for the people in your
organization I remember something a
major company had talked about the extra
value service they were providing for
their customers and the lady who had the
news conference summarized it this way
she said it’s not our intention to
satisfy our customers or to please our
customers our intention is to amaze them
it’s necessary if you’re going to
compete today that you look for ways to
amaze your customers by being one of
those individuals that keep your
commitments they keep your word that’s
relentless it’s necessary as you work
with the people that you bring into all
your organization that they see that
you’re a good example of a person to
work with because you model integrity
and determination and ambition and truth
and honesty and the way in which you
conduct business the next step is that
is you that is you that no one can do it
for you but you and even though you face
disappointments even though you will
experience some setbacks it goes with
the territory you must understand that I
remember I was playing a game with my
nine-year-old son John Leslie and I beat
him ten straight games in a game called
Connect four and finally I said John
let’s down board I don’t want to play
you anymore and I got up I sound ready
to go to sleep now and repeat out to me
please let’s say do this together it’s
not over until I win John Leslie said no
you can’t go now dad I said why he said
it’s not over until I win that was his
attitude we sat down and we played
several other games and finally after
the 11th game John Leslie won and he got
up and he yawned and he said I’m ready
to go to sleep now and I’m saying to you
what if all of us took that
attitude after we face a rejection and a
no or we have a meeting and no one shows
up or somebody say you can count on me
and they don’t come through what if we
have that kind of attitude the car’s
repossessed
nobody believes in you you’ve lost again
and again and again
the lights are cut off but you’re still
looking at your dream reviewing it every
day and say to yourself it’s not over
life will yield to you now here’s the
next step repeat after me please it’s
possible I can live my dream it’s
necessary I work on myself surround
myself with winners become creative it’s
me I’ve got to make it happen it’s not
[Applause]
the next thing that’s important to know
yes it’s possible that you can choose
your future and direct the course of
your life as you run toward your dream
it’s necessary that you have goals that
you write those goals down that you plan
that you think constantly of how you can
begin to improve what you do is that
you’re doing if it’s your presentations
if it’s your recruiting skills whatever
that is it’s also necessary that you
look for ways to always find a way to
pull it out when everybody else think
that you are defeated that you’ve got to
take personal responsibility to know
that in order to become successful
you’ve got to make it your personal
business to do it but the next thing
ladies and gentlemen I want to share
with you that some of you already know
that it’s hard it’s not easy it’s hard
changing your life it was hard when just
over three years ago in the Penobscot
building in Detroit Michigan where I was
operating my business and I fell on some
hard times and I was sleeping in my
office
it was hard coming into the lobby and
the security said scuse me mr. Brown can
we see you for a moment
and I said yes and I walked up to the
counter and he gave me an envelope and
he said would you mind reading it here
and I opened the envelope and the
envelope was from management that says
this is an office tower it’s not a hotel
please do not sleep in your office and I
said excuse me sir I said I just worked
long hours and creating my business I’m
an entrepreneur and right now things are
bad for me but they’re not going to be
this way always and I just asked for the
opportunity to continue to operate like
I’m doing I’m not trying to make this my
home and it was hard coming through the
lobby and sometimes they would laugh
there’s a guy talking about becoming
successful and look at him he’s bathing
in the bathroom upstairs on the 21st
floor he sleeps on the floor him and two
other dreamers up there
look at him it was hard ladies and
gentlemen coming to speak to people and
I was facing financial difficulties in
my own life I was behind on my bills and
my dreams and I’m saying to them you can
live your dream it was hard ladies and
gentlemen it was very difficult to pick
myself up each day believing that I can
do it there were times that I doubted
myself and say God why why is this
happening to me I’m just trying to take
care of my children and my mother I’m
not trying to steal a Rob from anybody
how did this have to happen to me it was
very hard and here’s what I want to say
to you for those of you that have
experienced some hardships don’t give up
on your dream no one could have
convinced me by holding on by continuing
to push forward by continuing to run
toward my dream that one day I would
have my own talk show it’s a long shot
ladies and gentlemen from Liberty City
an abandoned building on the floor never
knowing my mother or father it’s a long
shot
being here with you today in this Dome
in Atlanta it’s a long shot no college
training labeled educable mentally
retarded but I kept running toward my
don’t stop running toward your dream
it’s very important as you hold on to
that dream there are moments when you’re
going to doubt yourself they’re rough
times are going to come but they have
not come to stay they have come to pass
it’s very important for you to know that
don’t say I’m having a bad day say I’m
having a character-building day
it’s very important for you to believe
that you are the one to make this happen
I remember this high school teacher mr.
Leroy Washington at the end of school
one June it was just a few days before
we were supposed to leave and I just got
my report card and it indicated that I’d
failed history and I’d fail English and
I would have to go to summer school and
I was feeling within myself that I was a
failure that I’m slower than most people
and getting paperwork and and I was
feeling down on myself and and and very
negative and mr. Washington was giving a
speech to the graduating seniors and I
was in 11th grade and even though I
wasn’t supposed to be in there I went in
there because the speech he was giving
that speech was for me and as he talked
my heart began to beat fast tears begin
to run behind my eyes and I was in the
back just listening to him because he
said and he was a very dramatic man I
still talk to him to this day he said as
graduating seniors of Booker T
Washington High School I want you to
know that you’re blessed and highly
favored and that as you go toward the
future begin to know that you have
greatness within you and if just one of
you here begin to envision yourselves as
being blessed and highly favored to
reach your goals if just one of you
capture the essence of what that means
that you have greatness within you and a
responsibility to manifest that
greatness that you can make your parents
proud you can make your school proud you
can touch millions of people’s lives and
the world will never be the same again
because you came this way and the
students gave him a rousing standing
ovation and as he left the auditorium I
ran down the steps and I caught him in
the parking lot I said mr. Washington he
said yes I said do you remember me sir
he said no I said uh my name is Leslie
Brown my mother she works in the
cafeteria here I’m one of the twins
Leslie Wesley I said mr. Washington but
you know you know I got these big dreams
you know I like talking to people I love
people I said I want to work with people
and I got this Bheema by my mama home
could could I do that mr. Washington
he said it’s possible mr. Brown and as
he walked away I called him again I said
mr. Washington he said what do you want
now
I said it all I’m the one sir
I said I’m the one you you remember me
sir I’m miss Mamie brows boy I’m the
and you must feel bad that that’s why
you’re here because you are the one and
I remember when PBS first played one of
my specials called you deserve one
Sunday afternoon in Miami Florida I had
some friends call him to tell him to
tune in and he watched the program he
called me in Detroit and I answered the
phone I said hello he said may I speak
to Les Brown please I said who’s calling
he said you know who this is I said Oh
mr. Washington it’s you he said you were
the one weren’t you I said yes sir
he said and you were so crazy I said I
know but I’m rich now
[Laughter]
[Applause]
ladies and gentlemen it’s not going to
be easy
it was hard laying on the floor of the
Penobscot building looking out of the
window daydreaming saying les can you do
this can you make this happen
I used to listen to tapes day in and day
out about see you at the top my great
friend Zig and and and Denis Waitley
different other motivational speakers
and dr. norman vincent peale and dex are
saying don’t let nobody steal your dream
I used to ask myself can I do this and
something said within me you’re the one
you’re the one and let me tell you
something ladies and gentlemen while
you’re here and before you go back home
to your respective cities and
communities write down at least five
reasons on why you deserve your dream
and why you won’t give up what’s going
to make you unstoppable why you must be
unreasonable because logical practical
thinking says you can’t do it today
but if you want to produce unreasonable
results in your life like living your
dream in taking charge of your destiny
you’ve got to be an unreasonable person
you’ve got to be an uncommon person so
write down the reasons of why you’re
here my first major goal was to buy my
mother a home and let me tell you
something ladies and gentlemen what what
will reasons do les Nietzsche said if
you know the why for doing you can in do
it almost anyhow what do you mean by
that if you know why you’re doing
something when the hard times come and
they’re going to come when the
disappointments and the rejections come
and they’re going to come by the
truckloads your reasons will be your rod
and staff to comfort you to pick you up
once again I got a saying on one of my
tapes of life knocks you down try and
land on your
back because if you can look up you can
get up let your reasons get you back up
[Applause]
I remember when I bought the home for my
mother and she came out of the car when
I opened the door said mom I think I
know these people in his house that was
my first major goal and then I couldn’t
conceal it anymore I said mom I got this
for you
and as she went from room to room
looking at the house and saying thank
you Jesus thank you Lord no one ever
could have convinced me that this could
have happened to me and she looked at me
she said Lesley and you cost me so much
problems as a boy you were always into
stuff she said no one could have
convinced me that day when I walked in
that house and this lady was holding you
and your brother and she said ma’am I
want you to promise me two things and
she’d say what is it
she says one promised me that you won’t
separate him she said I want him raised
together we want him to know each other
I got pregnant while my husband was away
in the wall and I can’t keep him promise
me that you won’t separate him she said
I promise I ward I’ve never had children
I promise I won’t separate him and she
said promise me that you never tell him
about Who I am because if my husband
ever found out he would kill me she said
I promise and she said that she gave him
to us and and she kind of cried and and
she was walking out the door and she
looked at my adopted mother she said
remember don’t use separated she said
swear to God I won’t
I won’t separate him I’ll keep them
together and she said as I held you all
in my arms I never had any children my
own I didn’t know how I was going to do
it but I knew what they helped up God
how will do it it ladies and gentlemen
my mother had a dream of having children
and raising us she didn’t know how she’s
going to do it you’re going to be just
like that in some of you are already
there well you don’t know how you’re
going to make this happen but you just
feel within yourself someway somehow
with the help of God I’m going to make
it happen 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 riding
so yes it’s possible for you to live
your dream it’s necessary that you
associate with winners that you work
your system that you are relentless that
you never give up it’s you you’ve got to
take personal responsibility you’ve got
to make it your personal business to
make it happen and you’ve got to resolve
within yourself that I can do this that
it’s hard but you’ve got to say I’m the
one I’m the one to make this happen I’m
the one to become successful in this
business as you work to help other
people to become successful that feeds
your success but you know it’s going to
be hard but find out what will make it
worth it for you I told mr. Washington I
wanted to become a disc jockey someone
asked me to tell this story and he said
Les Brown he said if you want to do
anything worthwhile in life you’ve got
to be hungry and so I started working to
develop myself he said I want you to
practice every day being a disc jockey I
said but I don’t have any job now he
said it doesn’t matter he said that it’s
better to be prepared for an opportunity
and not have one than to have an
opportunity and not be prepared so every
day I was working to develop myself and
that’s what you must do and as I was
working to develop myself I applied for
a job as a disc jockey WM VMI Miami
Beach I went to a guy named Milton
butterball I said how you doing mr.
butterball I like to get a job as a disc
jockey he looked at me said you have any
broadcast background I said no sir don’t
you have any journalism background I
said no sir I don’t
he said we don’t have any jobs available
I said yes sir
I went back to mr. Washington and I told
him he said don’t take it personally he
said most people are so negative they
will have to say no seven times before
they say yes he said go back again
so I went back again I said how you
doing mr. butterball my name is les
brown he said I know what your name is
what do you want
I said I’d like to know whether or not
you have any jobs at this jockey sir he
said didn’t I just tell you yesterday we
didn’t have any jobs I said yes sir but
I know whether or not somebody got laid
off or somebody was fired sir he said no
one was laid off a fight I get on out of
here I came back the next day hello mr.
butterball how are you he said fine what
do you want now
I said I like to know whether or not you
got any jobs sir they better tell you
the last two days we didn’t have any
jobs I said yes sir but I don’t know
whether or not somebody got sick of
somebody died sir he said no one got
sick and I don’t come back here and
threw me out again I came back the next
day like I was seeing him for the first
time and say hello mr. butterball how
are you he looked at me with rage he
said go get me some coffee I said yes
and I went to get him some coffee after
a while I would give their lunch and
dinner and I would go in the control
rooms and take the disk jockeys their
food and I would not leave until they
would ask me to leave then they’d
started trusting me to pick up
entertainers that came to town
entertainers like the Four Tops and the
temptations and Dinah Ross and The
Supremes I would drive them all over
Miami Beach in the disc jockeys big long
Cadillacs I didn’t have any driver’s
and one day once Saturday afternoon
while I was at the radio station
a guy named Rock was breaking while he
was on the air I was the only one there
looking at him through the control room
windows walking back and forth young
ready and hungry
I will send ray kroc drink drag rock
either going to get him some more if
he’d ask me to
pretty soon the phone rang it was a
general manager and I answered the phone
I said hello he said unless this is mr.
Klein I said I know he said Rock can’t
finish his program I said I know he said
would you call one of the other DJs in I
said yes sir I hung the phone up I said
now he must be think I’m crazy I called
my mom and my girlfriend Cassandra I
said y’all turn up the radio and come
out on the front porch I’m about to come
I waited for about 20 minutes and I
called him back I said mr. Klein I can’t
find nobody he’s a young boy do you not
have worked in controls I said yes sir
he said going there no sitting on here I
say yes I couldn’t wait to get behind
those controls I put on old Stevie
Wonder record called fingertips I sat
down behind that turntable I said look
out this is me LV Triple P let’s round
your platter playing papa there were
none before me if there will be none
after me therefore that makes me the one
and only young and single Earl of
Domingo certified bona fide indubitably
qualified to bring his satisfaction a
whole lot of action look out baby I’m
you got to be hungry
so ladies and gentlemen if you want to
make your dream become reality the
people that are running at their dreams
know that it’s possible that you can
live your dream that’s it’s necessary
that you’re relentless that you have a
plan of action that you are creative the
people that are living their dream of
finding winners to attach themselves to
the people that are living their dreams
of a people that know that it’s if it’s
going to happen it’s up to them and
they’re resolving within themselves it’s
not over until I win the people that are
running after that dream know they’re
gonna have hard times they keep on
running because they’re saying within
themselves I’m the one I’m the one no
matter how bad it is or how bad it gets
I’m going to make it the people that are
running after their dreams of the people
that are hungry shake somebody’s head on
your right and left and say you got to
and as you run toward your dream I want
to dedicate this to you that I love very
much I want to thank Dexter and all of
you
it’s something that I’ve known by it’s
on our tapes call choosing your future
nets that’s simply this that if you want
to faint bad enough to go out and fight
for it to work day and night for it to
give up your time your peace and your
sleep for it if all but your dream and
scheme is about it and life seems
useless and worthless without it and if
you’re gladly sweat for it and fret for
it and plan for it and lose all your
terror of the opposition for it and if
you simply go after that thing that you
want with all of your capacity strength
and sagacity Faith Hope and confidence
and stern pertinacity if neither cold
poverty famish your gold sickness of
pain of body and brain can keep you away
from the thing that you want if dogged
and grim you beseech and beset it with
the help of God you’ll get it
this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy
Leslie Calvin Brown saying it’s going to
plumb pleasing pleasure as well as a privilege thank you
to experience life in the way you want
to Express
you can’t have it you can’t be it you
can’t do it until you activate it and
yes it’s all in there all your gifts all
your talents all your everything you
need to do to be what you’ve been called
to do what you’ve been birthed to do you
can’t do until you activated until you
recognize you matter everything about
you is great what the problem is you
have consciously chosen to be average
anybody could dream it but you’ll never
see it until you’re willing to be
committed to it I was telling somebody
the other day when I didn’t have
anything
Church didn’t have any members I’d get
off work working at carbide and drive up
the rulers and working on the church
till I had to turn around and go back to
work we worked when we didn’t have food
we worked when we didn’t have lights I
was putting my whole check in offering
all of it trying to keep it going when I
finally got some stats I went on the
road preaching and whatever I made on
the road preaching I brought it home to
make the payroll of the status and
sometimes I got them paid and couldn’t
pay me commitments
look like a fool didn’t have any clothes
suits was falling off me lied and wore
out my clothes couldn’t send him to the
cleaners
had to wash my suit in the washing
machine they laughed at me look like old
raggedy country preacher I had holes in
my shoes
I couldn’t kneel down and pray because
if I knelt down to pray they would see
holes in my shoes they laughed at me
they said that boys lost his mind he’ll
never be nothing he stutters he’s got a
list ready speech he’ll never be a
preacher I don’t care what in the
process of working on your dreams you
are going to incur an intern a lot of
disappointment a lot of failure a lot of
pain a lot of setbacks a lot of defeats
but in the process of doing that you
will discover some things about yourself
that you don’t know right now what you
will realize is that you have greatness
within you what you’ll realize is that
you’re more powerful than you can ever
begin to imagine what you will realize
is that you’re greater than your
circumstances that you don’t have to go
through life being a victim
I get it I’m getting like innately and
Nate me everything about you is break
greatness that means you’re okay with
being me do you consciously made a
decision to be average you are average
and spoon your average at your workplace
everything you do is average and not
because it’s average but because you’ve
made a decision you made a choice to be
average why cuz the people around you
are King bitch’s face we’re to an
average school or you work for an
average company and so you’ve decided
you’ve decided the gorgets if you do
what is easy your life will be hard
complain portentous circumstances give
up your power blame the government blame
the economy if you do what is easy
your life will be hard but if you do
what is hard your life would be easy
it’s hard to make a radical change
it’s hard to take ownership is hard to
swallow the bitter pill that wherever
you find yourself at some point in time
you made an appointment to be there as
hard stop doing things only based in
fear like the universe will assist you
when you are acting in love when you’re
acting in love you’re like a drop of
water and you have the ocean as your
army when you act in fear it’s just you
and your money that was born in Miami
Florida in the area called Liberty City
in an abandoned building on a hardened
Olien floor with my twin brother we were
six weeks of age we were adopted when I
was in fifth grade I was identified as
EMR labeled educable mentally retarded
put back from the fifth grade into the
fourth grade and stayed in that category
until I got out of high school I don’t
have any college training but I met a
high school teacher who one day changed
my life I was waiting on another student
and when he came in he said to me young
man go to the board and write what I’m
about to tell you and I said I can’t do
that turn he said why not I said I’m not
one of your students he said it doesn’t
matter follow my directions down I said
I can’t do that sir he said why not I
said because I’m magica bula mentally
retarded and he came from behind his
desk and he looked at me he said don’t
ever say that again
someone’s opinion of you does not have
and that man mr. Leroy Washington did
something for me he started planting
seeds in my mind that enabled me to
begin to dream as Dexter has been doing
for you and ladies and gentlemen I
started working on my dream and most
people don’t work on their dreams why
for many years I did one is because of
fear the fear of failure what if things
don’t work out and the fear of success
what if they do and I can’t handle it
the other thing is that most people
ladies and gentlemen they get
comfortable they stop growing they stop
working on themselves they stop
stretching they stop pushing themselves
and they end up becoming very cynical
about life and they throw in the towel
on themselves and on their families and
on their dreams and the other thing is
that most people don’t feel worthy what
I’m doing now I could have been doing
years ago but because I did not have a
college education because I didn’t
believe in myself because I allowed
other people’s opinion of me to control
my destiny I didn’t act on my ideas so I
applaud you for your dreaming for your
running towards your dream I applaud you
for believing in yourself because that’s
what life is about stretching and
challenging looking for ways that you
can begin to improve yourself and ladies
and gentlemen as a result of stretching
out of acting on my dream and I don’t
know what that dream is for you I can
tell you that it’s possible no one could
have convinced me that after just over
six years I will have my own book
entitled live your dreams just over six
years I will have five specials on
public television just over six years
I’ve done motivational speaking for AT&T
Procter & Gamble McDonald’s Corporation
Xerox IBM just over six years I will now
have my own talk show that will premiere
on Monday Labor Day I’m saying to you
your dream is possible but not only is
it important that you believe in begin
to know that it’s possible for you to
live your dream as you run toward it but
I’ve done something that I want to share
with you called choosing your future in
fact I’ve develop a set of tapes talking
about how to begin to create your own
reality by choosing your future and not
only is it important for you to know
it’s possible for you to choose your
future but it’s necessary that you work
on yourself that you develop yourself
it’s necessary that you get the energy
drainers out of your life people who
don’t want anything people who are not
striving people who are not challenging
themselves people who aren’t growing
people who have stopped dreaming it’s
necessary that you align yourself with
people and attract people into your
business who are hungry people who are
unstoppable and unreasonable people who
are refusing to leave life just as it is
and who want more my mother used to say
birds of a feather flock together if you
run around with losers you will end up a
loser it’s necessary that you get the
losers out of your life if you want to
it’s necessary to know that everybody
won’t see it that everybody won’t join
you that everybody won’t have the vision
it’s necessary to know that that a lot
of people like to complain but they
don’t want to do anything about their
situation that you are an uncommon breed
you know you have to know within
yourself that I can do this even if no
one else sees it for me I must see it
for myself that’s necessary it’s also
ladies and gentlemen necessary that you
be creative when you’re working on your
ideas that you understand the importance
of changing up of readjusting your
strategies many times we can have a
great idea but if you’re not advancing
it in the right way and things don’t
happen you become discouraged and think
the idea it doesn’t work no that’s not
true it’s necessary that we become
creative I remember when I was in New
York walking down the street and a guy
approached me and say hey mister can I
shine your shoes and I said no I’m in a
hurry I don’t have time I kept walking
someone else said hey man your shoes
look cloudy my shiny shoes I said no I
don’t have time I’m sorry I’m busy now I
was walking fast and many people
solicited me for my business and then
finally a young man stepped in front of
me needs excuse me and he started
counting 97 98 99 100 he says sir I said
yes he said come here please I said what
is it he said today is my birthday and
every year just to thank God for another
year of life the 100th person who passes
by shoeshine stand I offer them a free
shoeshine would you give me the honors I
said why sure I got up on the shoeshine
stand George and I sit there and he
shined my shoes diligently and when I
got down I looked at him they were
sparkly and I was walking away and I
said thank you and I stopped I said
excuse me but how much do you usually
charge
he said only two dollars I said tell you
what today is your birthday here it’s
5:00 keep the change he said thank you
as I was walking away looking in the
opposite direction and other people
coming he start counting again 97 98
it’s necessary that you’ll be flexible
that you are always thinking of how can
I improve this better this is a customer
driven economy it’s necessary for you to
always explore various ways in which you
can improve the quality of service that
you’re providing for the people in your
organization I remember something a
major company had talked about the extra
value service they were providing for
their customers and the lady who had the
news conference summarized it this way
she said it’s not our intention to
satisfy our customers or to please our
customers our intention is to amaze them
it’s necessary if you’re going to
compete today that you look for ways to
amaze your customers by being one of
those individuals that keep your
commitments they keep your word that’s
relentless it’s necessary as you work
with the people that you bring into all
your organization that they see that
you’re a good example of a person to
work with because you model integrity
and determination and ambition and truth
and honesty and the way in which you
conduct business the next step is that
is you that is you that no one can do it
for you but you and even though you face
disappointments even though you will
experience some setbacks it goes with
the territory you must understand that I
remember I was playing a game with my
nine-year-old son John Leslie and I beat
him ten straight games in a game called
Connect four and finally I said John
let’s down board I don’t want to play
you anymore and I got up I sound ready
to go to sleep now and repeat out to me
please let’s say do this together it’s
not over until I win John Leslie said no
you can’t go now dad I said why he said
it’s not over until I win that was his
attitude we sat down and we played
several other games and finally after
the 11th game John Leslie won and he got
up and he yawned and he said I’m ready
to go to sleep now and I’m saying to you
what if all of us took that
attitude after we face a rejection and a
no or we have a meeting and no one shows
up or somebody say you can count on me
and they don’t come through what if we
have that kind of attitude the car’s
repossessed
nobody believes in you you’ve lost again
and again and again
the lights are cut off but you’re still
looking at your dream reviewing it every
day and say to yourself it’s not over
life will yield to you now here’s the
next step repeat after me please it’s
possible I can live my dream it’s
necessary I work on myself surround
myself with winners become creative it’s
me I’ve got to make it happen it’s not
[Applause]
the next thing that’s important to know
yes it’s possible that you can choose
your future and direct the course of
your life as you run toward your dream
it’s necessary that you have goals that
you write those goals down that you plan
that you think constantly of how you can
begin to improve what you do is that
you’re doing if it’s your presentations
if it’s your recruiting skills whatever
that is it’s also necessary that you
look for ways to always find a way to
pull it out when everybody else think
that you are defeated that you’ve got to
take personal responsibility to know
that in order to become successful
you’ve got to make it your personal
business to do it but the next thing
ladies and gentlemen I want to share
with you that some of you already know
that it’s hard it’s not easy it’s hard
changing your life it was hard when just
over three years ago in the Penobscot
building in Detroit Michigan where I was
operating my business and I fell on some
hard times and I was sleeping in my
office
it was hard coming into the lobby and
the security said scuse me mr. Brown can
we see you for a moment
and I said yes and I walked up to the
counter and he gave me an envelope and
he said would you mind reading it here
and I opened the envelope and the
envelope was from management that says
this is an office tower it’s not a hotel
please do not sleep in your office and I
said excuse me sir I said I just worked
long hours and creating my business I’m
an entrepreneur and right now things are
bad for me but they’re not going to be
this way always and I just asked for the
opportunity to continue to operate like
I’m doing I’m not trying to make this my
home and it was hard coming through the
lobby and sometimes they would laugh
there’s a guy talking about becoming
successful and look at him he’s bathing
in the bathroom upstairs on the 21st
floor he sleeps on the floor him and two
other dreamers up there
look at him it was hard ladies and
gentlemen coming to speak to people and
I was facing financial difficulties in
my own life I was behind on my bills and
my dreams and I’m saying to them you can
live your dream it was hard ladies and
gentlemen it was very difficult to pick
myself up each day believing that I can
do it there were times that I doubted
myself and say God why why is this
happening to me I’m just trying to take
care of my children and my mother I’m
not trying to steal a Rob from anybody
how did this have to happen to me it was
very hard and here’s what I want to say
to you for those of you that have
experienced some hardships don’t give up
on your dream no one could have
convinced me by holding on by continuing
to push forward by continuing to run
toward my dream that one day I would
have my own talk show it’s a long shot
ladies and gentlemen from Liberty City
an abandoned building on the floor never
knowing my mother or father it’s a long
shot
being here with you today in this Dome
in Atlanta it’s a long shot no college
training labeled educable mentally
retarded but I kept running toward my
don’t stop running toward your dream
it’s very important as you hold on to
that dream there are moments when you’re
going to doubt yourself they’re rough
times are going to come but they have
not come to stay they have come to pass
it’s very important for you to know that
don’t say I’m having a bad day say I’m
having a character-building day
it’s very important for you to believe
that you are the one to make this happen
I remember this high school teacher mr.
Leroy Washington at the end of school
one June it was just a few days before
we were supposed to leave and I just got
my report card and it indicated that I’d
failed history and I’d fail English and
I would have to go to summer school and
I was feeling within myself that I was a
failure that I’m slower than most people
and getting paperwork and and I was
feeling down on myself and and and very
negative and mr. Washington was giving a
speech to the graduating seniors and I
was in 11th grade and even though I
wasn’t supposed to be in there I went in
there because the speech he was giving
that speech was for me and as he talked
my heart began to beat fast tears begin
to run behind my eyes and I was in the
back just listening to him because he
said and he was a very dramatic man I
still talk to him to this day he said as
graduating seniors of Booker T
Washington High School I want you to
know that you’re blessed and highly
favored and that as you go toward the
future begin to know that you have
greatness within you and if just one of
you here begin to envision yourselves as
being blessed and highly favored to
reach your goals if just one of you
capture the essence of what that means
that you have greatness within you and a
responsibility to manifest that
greatness that you can make your parents
proud you can make your school proud you
can touch millions of people’s lives and
the world will never be the same again
because you came this way and the
students gave him a rousing standing
ovation and as he left the auditorium I
ran down the steps and I caught him in
the parking lot I said mr. Washington he
said yes I said do you remember me sir
he said no I said uh my name is Leslie
Brown my mother she works in the
cafeteria here I’m one of the twins
Leslie Wesley I said mr. Washington but
you know you know I got these big dreams
you know I like talking to people I love
people I said I want to work with people
and I got this Bheema by my mama home
could could I do that mr. Washington
he said it’s possible mr. Brown and as
he walked away I called him again I said
mr. Washington he said what do you want
now
I said it all I’m the one sir
I said I’m the one you you remember me
sir I’m miss Mamie brows boy I’m the
and you must feel bad that that’s why
you’re here because you are the one and
I remember when PBS first played one of
my specials called you deserve one
Sunday afternoon in Miami Florida I had
some friends call him to tell him to
tune in and he watched the program he
called me in Detroit and I answered the
phone I said hello he said may I speak
to Les Brown please I said who’s calling
he said you know who this is I said Oh
mr. Washington it’s you he said you were
the one weren’t you I said yes sir
he said and you were so crazy I said I
know but I’m rich now
[Laughter]
[Applause]
ladies and gentlemen it’s not going to
be easy
it was hard laying on the floor of the
Penobscot building looking out of the
window daydreaming saying les can you do
this can you make this happen
I used to listen to tapes day in and day
out about see you at the top my great
friend Zig and and and Denis Waitley
different other motivational speakers
and dr. norman vincent peale and dex are
saying don’t let nobody steal your dream
I used to ask myself can I do this and
something said within me you’re the one
you’re the one and let me tell you
something ladies and gentlemen while
you’re here and before you go back home
to your respective cities and
communities write down at least five
reasons on why you deserve your dream
and why you won’t give up what’s going
to make you unstoppable why you must be
unreasonable because logical practical
thinking says you can’t do it today
but if you want to produce unreasonable
results in your life like living your
dream in taking charge of your destiny
you’ve got to be an unreasonable person
you’ve got to be an uncommon person so
write down the reasons of why you’re
here my first major goal was to buy my
mother a home and let me tell you
something ladies and gentlemen what what
will reasons do les Nietzsche said if
you know the why for doing you can in do
it almost anyhow what do you mean by
that if you know why you’re doing
something when the hard times come and
they’re going to come when the
disappointments and the rejections come
and they’re going to come by the
truckloads your reasons will be your rod
and staff to comfort you to pick you up
once again I got a saying on one of my
tapes of life knocks you down try and
land on your
back because if you can look up you can
get up let your reasons get you back up
[Applause]
I remember when I bought the home for my
mother and she came out of the car when
I opened the door said mom I think I
know these people in his house that was
my first major goal and then I couldn’t
conceal it anymore I said mom I got this
for you
and as she went from room to room
looking at the house and saying thank
you Jesus thank you Lord no one ever
could have convinced me that this could
have happened to me and she looked at me
she said Lesley and you cost me so much
problems as a boy you were always into
stuff she said no one could have
convinced me that day when I walked in
that house and this lady was holding you
and your brother and she said ma’am I
want you to promise me two things and
she’d say what is it
she says one promised me that you won’t
separate him she said I want him raised
together we want him to know each other
I got pregnant while my husband was away
in the wall and I can’t keep him promise
me that you won’t separate him she said
I promise I ward I’ve never had children
I promise I won’t separate him and she
said promise me that you never tell him
about Who I am because if my husband
ever found out he would kill me she said
I promise and she said that she gave him
to us and and she kind of cried and and
she was walking out the door and she
looked at my adopted mother she said
remember don’t use separated she said
swear to God I won’t
I won’t separate him I’ll keep them
together and she said as I held you all
in my arms I never had any children my
own I didn’t know how I was going to do
it but I knew what they helped up God
how will do it it ladies and gentlemen
my mother had a dream of having children
and raising us she didn’t know how she’s
going to do it you’re going to be just
like that in some of you are already
there well you don’t know how you’re
going to make this happen but you just
feel within yourself someway somehow
with the help of God I’m going to make
it happen 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 riding
so yes it’s possible for you to live
your dream it’s necessary that you
associate with winners that you work
your system that you are relentless that
you never give up it’s you you’ve got to
take personal responsibility you’ve got
to make it your personal business to
make it happen and you’ve got to resolve
within yourself that I can do this that
it’s hard but you’ve got to say I’m the
one I’m the one to make this happen I’m
the one to become successful in this
business as you work to help other
people to become successful that feeds
your success but you know it’s going to
be hard but find out what will make it
worth it for you I told mr. Washington I
wanted to become a disc jockey someone
asked me to tell this story and he said
Les Brown he said if you want to do
anything worthwhile in life you’ve got
to be hungry and so I started working to
develop myself he said I want you to
practice every day being a disc jockey I
said but I don’t have any job now he
said it doesn’t matter he said that it’s
better to be prepared for an opportunity
and not have one than to have an
opportunity and not be prepared so every
day I was working to develop myself and
that’s what you must do and as I was
working to develop myself I applied for
a job as a disc jockey WM VMI Miami
Beach I went to a guy named Milton
butterball I said how you doing mr.
butterball I like to get a job as a disc
jockey he looked at me said you have any
broadcast background I said no sir don’t
you have any journalism background I
said no sir I don’t
he said we don’t have any jobs available
I said yes sir
I went back to mr. Washington and I told
him he said don’t take it personally he
said most people are so negative they
will have to say no seven times before
they say yes he said go back again
so I went back again I said how you
doing mr. butterball my name is les
brown he said I know what your name is
what do you want
I said I’d like to know whether or not
you have any jobs at this jockey sir he
said didn’t I just tell you yesterday we
didn’t have any jobs I said yes sir but
I know whether or not somebody got laid
off or somebody was fired sir he said no
one was laid off a fight I get on out of
here I came back the next day hello mr.
butterball how are you he said fine what
do you want now
I said I like to know whether or not you
got any jobs sir they better tell you
the last two days we didn’t have any
jobs I said yes sir but I don’t know
whether or not somebody got sick of
somebody died sir he said no one got
sick and I don’t come back here and
threw me out again I came back the next
day like I was seeing him for the first
time and say hello mr. butterball how
are you he looked at me with rage he
said go get me some coffee I said yes
and I went to get him some coffee after
a while I would give their lunch and
dinner and I would go in the control
rooms and take the disk jockeys their
food and I would not leave until they
would ask me to leave then they’d
started trusting me to pick up
entertainers that came to town
entertainers like the Four Tops and the
temptations and Dinah Ross and The
Supremes I would drive them all over
Miami Beach in the disc jockeys big long
Cadillacs I didn’t have any driver’s
and one day once Saturday afternoon
while I was at the radio station
a guy named Rock was breaking while he
was on the air I was the only one there
looking at him through the control room
windows walking back and forth young
ready and hungry
I will send ray kroc drink drag rock
either going to get him some more if
he’d ask me to
pretty soon the phone rang it was a
general manager and I answered the phone
I said hello he said unless this is mr.
Klein I said I know he said Rock can’t
finish his program I said I know he said
would you call one of the other DJs in I
said yes sir I hung the phone up I said
now he must be think I’m crazy I called
my mom and my girlfriend Cassandra I
said y’all turn up the radio and come
out on the front porch I’m about to come
I waited for about 20 minutes and I
called him back I said mr. Klein I can’t
find nobody he’s a young boy do you not
have worked in controls I said yes sir
he said going there no sitting on here I
say yes I couldn’t wait to get behind
those controls I put on old Stevie
Wonder record called fingertips I sat
down behind that turntable I said look
out this is me LV Triple P let’s round
your platter playing papa there were
none before me if there will be none
after me therefore that makes me the one
and only young and single Earl of
Domingo certified bona fide indubitably
qualified to bring his satisfaction a
whole lot of action look out baby I’m
you got to be hungry
so ladies and gentlemen if you want to
make your dream become reality the
people that are running at their dreams
know that it’s possible that you can
live your dream that’s it’s necessary
that you’re relentless that you have a
plan of action that you are creative the
people that are living their dream of
finding winners to attach themselves to
the people that are living their dreams
of a people that know that it’s if it’s
going to happen it’s up to them and
they’re resolving within themselves it’s
not over until I win the people that are
running after that dream know they’re
gonna have hard times they keep on
running because they’re saying within
themselves I’m the one I’m the one no
matter how bad it is or how bad it gets
I’m going to make it the people that are
running after their dreams of the people
that are hungry shake somebody’s head on
your right and left and say you got to
and as you run toward your dream I want
to dedicate this to you that I love very
much I want to thank Dexter and all of
you
it’s something that I’ve known by it’s
on our tapes call choosing your future
nets that’s simply this that if you want
to faint bad enough to go out and fight
for it to work day and night for it to
give up your time your peace and your
sleep for it if all but your dream and
scheme is about it and life seems
useless and worthless without it and if
you’re gladly sweat for it and fret for
it and plan for it and lose all your
terror of the opposition for it and if
you simply go after that thing that you
want with all of your capacity strength
and sagacity Faith Hope and confidence
and stern pertinacity if neither cold
poverty famish your gold sickness of
pain of body and brain can keep you away
from the thing that you want if dogged
and grim you beseech and beset it with
the help of God you’ll get it
this is mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy
Leslie Calvin Brown saying it’s going to
plumb pleasing pleasure as well as a privilege thank you
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