and I said that you have something
special how many of you have some major
goes you’d like to achieve raise your
hands please
very good I know you do that’s why you
showed up I like to ask people who are
not they have goals that they’d like to
achieve and hopefully their goals that
are really a worthy of your efforts in
your talents I want you to shake
someone’s hand right now and your right
and left look them in the eyes and say
you have something special I like to ask
whether or not you have goals but I want
to ask you another question how many of
you know that if you had your life to
live over again you could do more than
what you’ve done that’s well raise your
hands please
now that proves a point that what we do
and what we accomplish in life is only a
tip of the iceberg that what’s possible
for us so I want you to think about some
goals that you’d like to achieve and I’d
like for you to let’s say break them up
in three categories number one I want
you to think about some personal goal
you’d like to cheat and I’d like for you
to think about some career goal some
business goal that you’d like to achieve
and what you think about some social
contribution some impact you’d like to
make with your life it was harsh man who
said we should be ashamed to die until
we’ve made some major contribution to
humankind
I believe we live in the greatest
country in the world that gives us an
opportunity to leave our mark to make a
statement with our lives and as you
think about these goals whatever those
goals are I want you to dramatically
increase those goals and I want to warn
you I don’t want you to think about how
you’re going to do it how is none of
your business
the most important thing is just to
increase those goals dramatically I’ve
found that most people fail in life not
because they aim too high and miss most
people fail in life because they aim too
low and
hit and many don’t aim at all so raise
the bar on yourself and don’t ask how
you do it how are you going to do it
I’ll never forget when I decided that I
wanted to jump a motivational speaker I
saw thee the late dr. Norman Vincent
Peale and and my heart said I can do
that but my mind asked the question how
and for over 14 years for 14 years I
would go sees things Ziggler and dr.
Norman Vincent Peale and Jim Rohn and
different speakers and that would be in
the audience and and my heart would
pounce and say you can do that you can
do that lesson then when I would leave I
would be going to the parking lot and my
mind said how you’re going to do it and
I spent so many years trying to figure
out how I wasted 14 years how many of
you ever procrastinate raise your hands
please yes see so so as you begin to
think about your goals the most
important thing is to write this down
commit yourself see once you commit
yourself the how will come the way will
come once you commit yourself you will
then figure it out and if you’re going
in the wrong direction all you have to
turn around and go in the other
direction you will figure it out you
want to begin to just challenge yourself
you want to stretch yourself because you
really don’t know what you can’t do I’ll
never forget the first day that I met
mr. Washington I was born in a poor
section of Miami Florida called Liberty
City I was born in an abandoned building
on a floor with a twin brother and when
we were six weeks of age we were adopted
and when I was in the fifth grade I was
identified as EMR labeled educable
mentally retarded put back from the
fifth grade into the fourth grade and I
fell again when I was in the eighth
grade I don’t have any college education
but because of my mother and I feel like
Abraham Lincoln who said all that I am
and all that I ever hoped to be I owe to
my mother I saw a sign once it said that
God took me from our biological mother’s
womb and placed me in the heart of my
adopted mother
so my first major goal was to buy my
mother a home to take care of my mother
and I did that took care of her until
she passed at 88 but I’ll never forget
when I met mr. Washington I was in a
class waiting on another student
and he came in he said young man go to
the board and work this problem out for
us
I stole Asura I can’t do that he said
why I said I’m not one of you students
he said look at me I said yes sir go to
the board and work the problem out
anyhow I said Sarah I can’t do what you
asking me to do he said why sir because
I’m a mágico bull mentally retarded sir
and as the students erupted and laughter
he came from behind his desk he looked
at me he said don’t you ever say that
again
someone’s opinion of you does not have
to become your reality and I was a
turning point in my life on one hand I
was humiliated but on the other hand I
was liberated because he looked at me
with the eyes of Goethe who said look at
a man the way that he is he only becomes
worse but look at him as if he were what
he could be then he becomes what he
should be
and so mr. Washington he challenged me
and I want to challenge you right now
about raising your goals and and I want
you to shake someone’s hand on your
right and left look him in the eyes and
say stretch yourself
yes II see I think that that you really
have to stretch yourself to discover
your stuff I think then we have to
really begin to experiment with life
I said that you have something special I
didn’t say that just to be kind of
courteous you do say I think that there
are not many people that come to
seminars and workshops who will watch a
program of this nature why I just think
that most people are just satisfied to
where they are
I’m reminded of a man one day walking
down the street he passed his porch were
some people on the port’s talking live
with the dog morning and groaning and he
was curious why the dog was morning
groaning if he he went back and he set
up excuse me ask the owner watch the dog
morning and gone I said because he’s
laying on a nail
oh why would he get off he said it’s not
hurting bad enough for him to get off
just hurting bad enough come on and
groan how many you know people who
should be here raise your hands please
how many of you know people all they do
is board or grow more than grown up I’m
not making enough money born and grown
up I’m unhappy with my job 87% of people
go to jobs that they ate and it in
addition to that you know that as we
know that that we have the dubious
distinction in this country that on
Monday morning the heart attack rate
increases over thirty five percent on
Monday morning between 6 o’clock and
nine people going to jobs that they hate
the heart said did not tell you I didn’t
want to go and attack them
some of you don’t want to go to work
next but yeah so the thing is this so
you want to find out what resonates with
you what is it you really want to do you
want to experiment with life and find
out what fits for you you have something
special you have greatness within you
you have the ability to do more than you
can ever begin to imagine see I believe
that anybody through observation and
practice can perform at the level of
excellence but when you’re pursuing your
greatness and this is worth writing down
you don’t know what your limits are and
you act like you don’t have any so I say
to you you have something special you
have greatness within you and I want to
make four things clear number one
everything that I’m going to say you
already know it if what I share the
message that that I’m going to express
right now and share with you if it
wasn’t a part of who you are already you
wouldn’t be in the audience that’s
number one that’s not that’s very
important it’s already in you I’m gonna
only confirm and validate that which is
a part of you anyhow the second thing is
everything I’m going to say to you
you’ve heard it before from people with
college degrees and credentials I can’t
hold a candle to it’s common sense but
not common practice third thing is I
don’t want you to agree with me and I
don’t want you to believe you I just
want you to be open to some things right
now I want you to think beyond that
which is commonly allowed you don’t tell
you what I’m up to
I want you to think about your goals and
I want to tell you what I’m gonna do
right now my whole goal is to get past
your mind that’s my whole challenge and
there’s nothing you can do about it I’m
gonna do that so your assignment was to
show up my assignment is to get past
your mind and get into your heart once
you think about the goals that you want
to achieve and I really want to
challenge you to make up your mind that
you’re gonna make that happen for
yourself and I hope that it’s some goal
that that really resonates with who you
are when I was a little boy my goal was
to do just by grow
is for family my mother worked on Miami
Beach she was a domestic worker and and
my goal was to to really be able to go
to the grocery store and purchase
groceries ourselves the families knew
that my mother had adopted seven
children and so they said maybe whatever
food is left over after we eat you can
take that home to the children they were
very kind very very considerate people
the mother my mother who when she worked
on Miami Beach the people were very kind
I was appreciative of their generosity
but as a little boy I said mama one day
when I become a big boy I want to be
able to buy groceries for us my goal is
a little boy
let’s buy clothes for my brothers and
sisters we wore the hand-me-down clothes
of the children that mama babysat for
when she went over in Miami Beach and if
the clothes were too small she would let
them out and if they’re too large mama
could sew and take them up and I’ll
never forget David Sedaris key his
father was very wealthy mama worked for
him but David is my buddy and so his
father gave him two gifts for his
birthday
gave him a brand-new boat but he also
gave me some motivational tapes Earl
Nightingale I’ll never forget so he said
David man let me tell you something when
I die you’re going to get everything I
want you to listen to these tapes and
when his father left the room David
threw those tapes in the wastebasket I
said David could I have those tapes he
said yes I said then your father said if
you listened to these you could get born
and do more than what he’s done you say
look out forget everything anyhow go and
take oh I’ve had two about children I’m
not leaving them anything you know if I
had a quarter and thought I was gonna
die a swallow it
ripeness down is not what you leave for
your children is what you leave in them
not what you leave for them what you
leave in them no absolutely not tell you
something else happened I don’t forget
mama came home one day and said Leslie
David sent you a new pair of shoes his
father got for him oh mama
thank you so much I can’t wear David
shoes well you tell my buddy that you
know I wear size than that nine and a
half he wear size 9 she said boy shut up
sit down and put those shoes on
she said my ran go get some Vaseline and
she came in there my sister started
rubbing the best Lidl about teeth she
said runs the water the bathtub and
she’s not going in and and put your feet
no shoes and don’t match the heel down I
said mama don’t dick shut up boy don’t
match the heel down and then she had me
to get in the way of just mama Lee she
was hurt she said getting that walk
around in the water I’m walking around
the bathtub they should try to distract
Nancy what she said how’d you do at
school today I did good that you’re
getting in fights no ma’am you know you
fought somebody
well I only hit 3 people today and and
then after a while she why are you doing
I said well they hurt do they hurt as
bad as they were before no ma’am they
feel look the better keep on walking
keep on walking and then after a while
when the leather soaked up a walk
the leather began
perfect nine and a half we think fortune
500 companies started talking about
doing more with less
my mother didn’t doing that for a long
time it’s amazing what you can do but
who does thought anybody looking in on
this kid and these seven children who
woulda thought and I look at you I say
you have greatness within you you have
the ability to do more than you can ever
begin to imagine no one could have
convinced me that I would be doing what
I’m doing right now you know the easiest
thing I do every year is go into a sales
organization and dramatically increase
their sales or go into a prison and
enable prisoners to see themselves
differently and teach them the methods
and techniques of how to plug into the
system or motivate young people to begin
to to see how they can have a vision of
themselves in future and fit that’s the
easiest thing I do that or train a
speaker to help them to leverage their
experience as our speakers and look
speaking as a projection of who you are
not who you think you ought to be and
come with power from a platform that’s
the easiest thing I’ve ever done
let me share with you the most difficult
thing I’ve ever done the most difficult
thing I’ve ever done was to believe that
I can do what I’m now doing no one could
have convinced me just given my
circumstances I earn millions of dollars
every year no one could have convinced
me if both my parents came up here right
now I would not know either one no one
could have convinced me being labeled
educable mentally retarded born an
abandoned building of law in Liberty
City poor section of Miami Florida
failing twice in school notes college
training never worked for major
corporation I did not know how I can do
what I’m doing right now I never forget
Mike Williams my mentor one I think a
lot of people fail in life because of
the fact that they need to mentoring
they need some coaching repeat out to be
pleased you need you need some coaching
yes
you see you can’t see the picture when
you’re in the frame I remember Mike
saying less you can do this bike huh
Mike how man wait a minute Mike how much
how much I’m not going to be able to to
to charge my less um Luke well you could
start out at $1,000 now
oh Mike I don’t make that working
for two weeks
come on Mike hey Mike man I appreciate
your belief in me Mike look Mike I work
for the – sanitation department that
I’ve I’ve been a garbage collector you
know you know I’ve done door-to-door
sales that was grading you know I’m here
as a disc jockey this good Mike but my
god I don’t think I can do that les you
can but Mike I don’t have any
credentials I’ve never I’ve never
written any book anything man I’m I’m
not rich how can I teach somebody to do
something I’ve never done but less why
don’t you just test yourself don’t you
stretch less come on man
Mike uh I don’t know
here’s something I realized write this
out sometimes you have to believe in
somebody’s belief in you until your
belief kicks in
I respect Mike Weir’s here this young
man he he saw something in me that I
didn’t see it in strong analytical mind
and I looked at him I always respect his
thinking and he looked at me and he made
me feel special and I said
okay Mike and I just kept holding on to
what Mike said to me I just kept holding
on to what mr. Washington said to me I
kept holding on to my mother saying
you’re specialist Lee when they said
you’re a Jew Keable mentally retarded
mama didn’t know what that meant she
only had a third grade education so she
said he’ll be all right are they hard
hit maker soft behind he’ll be fine but
she said you’re special baby you are
special and then they kept saying that
over and over again faith comes by
hearing and hearing and hearing and so
here’s what I want you to let us say
together as you think about your goals
of your dream let us say together it’s
possible together please say it like you
mean it
thank you write that down see see most
people never achieve their goals because
most people suffer from possibility
blindness they look about they look
around trying to think about the things
that they don’t have it Robert routes
young man who wrote a book about success
principles of the Three Little Pigs he
said it’s not what you don’t have is
what you think you need that keeps you
from being successful or happy in life
it’s not what you don’t have see I
always focus on what I didn’t have I
don’t have a college degree don’t have
any credentials never worked for a major
corporation I was focused on the
negative thing and said negative things
are the things that you see when you’re
not focused on your goal what do you
come with what is it that you have
within you that you showed up to bring
hey les you don’t know but my dream is
the long shot long shot friend of mine
Dexter Yeager said when a dream is big
enough the odds don’t matter
I’m reminded of a great man now it’s
reading Time magazine talking about some
of the great minds of the last century
they didn’t mention its name dr. Howard
Thurman one of the mentions of dr.
Martin Luther King jr. also an advisor
to Mahatma Gandhi and and Albert
Schweitzer
he said the ideal situation for a man a
woman to die is to have family members
standing around their bed praying with
them as they cross over but imagine if
you will being on your deathbed and
standing around your bed the dreams
given to you by life the ideas that you
never acted on the talents that gifts
the abilities that you never used and
there they are standing around your bed
looking at you with large angry eyes
saying we came to you and only you could
have given us life and now we must die
with you forever and the question is if
you died this very moment what will die
with you what dreams what ideas what
talents what leadership potential what
greatness that you showed up to brave
that you allowed fear of procrastination
to hold you back perhaps that’s why
hindered David Thoreau wrote the word Oh
God to reach the point of death only to
realize that you’ve never lived only to
realize that you’ve never scraped the
surface of your potential repeat out to
be pleased with power feeling and
conviction I refuse to die an unlived
life yes shake someone’s hand on your
right and left and say live your dream
yeah I think we should all resolve I
refuse to die and unlived like don’t
worry about the art you survive one out
of 40 million sperms you will never have
those are to give you’ll beat those odds
you can win anything here’s something
else stop most people know it is failure
let us say together I will fail my way
to success
yes write that down I will fail my way
to success the eight out of ten
millionaires have been financially
bankrupt 85% of people allow their fear
of failure jawed where their desire to
succeed and I believe that the reason
that most people go so far in life and
stop Maya Angelou said it best she she
wrote a poem she said that most people
go so far in life and then they park
they pull off the highway of life
especially when they get some hits
especially when they’ve been rejected
especially if they have an illness
especially if they lose something they
they pop and I take it further they
don’t even turn on their emergency
lights it’s not because that that they
are broken down they don’t want anybody
to stop and say hey look here I’ve got
to the jumping cables in my trunk you
need you need a jump
hey look here there’s a service station
ahead about three or four miles I have a
can I can take you up there and get some
gasoline oh no I’m just fine I had a
talk show once and highest-rated fastest
council talk show in the history of
television well at least I had one and
and I was excited at the you know when
time I came into television years ago in
televisions based upon conflict and
controversy son said I want a
solution-oriented talk show first
concept at that time high ratings and
the syndicated said you just got lucky
come on let’s do these other type of
shows you can be a Jerry Springer and
all no that’s not why I came here no I
believe that we live in the greatest
country world where we should sell hold
ourselves to certain standards huh I’m
not going to come here and sell out of
Who I am I’m not gonna compromise I’m
not gonna law my standards for you know
that’s how I showed up and so they fired
security walking out I said I can walk
by myself but let me tell you what
happened I took a hit and I parked it
wasn’t that I didn’t have the ability to
do more my concept was good but what
happened when I took the hit when they
canceled the show I cancelled myself
when they said this show is going to be
taken off television it won’t work I
told myself les you can’t succeed in
television and I parked you know what I
did I went back to my comfort zone as a
motivational speaker and Lisa I’m doing
better than most people that’s nothing
to compare yourself the worst that other
people are doing and then make yourself
feel better now I talked I didn’t have
my emergency lights on I didn’t want to
show up on the radar
I had plugged you know how long I parked
I parked for ten years do you hear me
now unlike Regis Philbin when his shows
were canceled he kept going he kept
going he kept going and he got other
shows I bet you somebody gave him a push
somebody said hey you need a lift I
didn’t even make that an option for me I
got off the highway I’ve looked back to
my comfort zone and I thought the show
failed and I identified myself as a
failure and guess something happened one
day of just flipping the channels
looking at PBS and saw Wayne Dyer my
friend Wayne Dyer
and watch it wait we’re both in our 60s
Wayne is still doing it while the little
hair he has it’s gray still there I said
hey I’ve got some more stuff in me I’ve
got another PBS special in me I’ve got
some other ideas you know you Oprah and
Phil they’re doing my stuff maybe I need
to come back out here and I went back
inside calling PBS and different people
I said les what happened to you I said
well I’m I didn’t know whether or not
anybody would be interested in me
because the show was canceled no no you
had some good ideas and when they said
yeah we’d love to do a show with you is
that you look they said yes and when I
went into the studio and people that
work with 10 years ago they were still
there
guys you know do you guys still have
except we have it do you have it I said
I think so and I did the show and I
wasn’t as good as I was ten years ago
because I had off the highway I’ve
gotten off the highway of life I’ve been
parked for so long it’s taking me some
time to get my strength back to find my
power to get my confidence back but at
least I’m back out there in the game
determined to dry empty
[Applause]
so I say to you see I only attract
millionaires of millionaires in training
let’s go get that in a minute you have
something special you have greatness
within you and the only reason you are
here you are my son you can feel me some
of you feel me right here in your heart
of heart and my goal in is to get past
your mind and enter your heart so it’s
necessary that you you have the mindset
that I can do this you’ve got to begin
to believe and to fortify that belief
and feed that belief by listening to
tapes going to seminars and workshops by
challenging yourself by stretching
yourself
it was Osbourne who said unless you
attempt to do something beyond that
which you’ve already mastered you will
never grow and as you begin to challenge
yourself you’ll discover some things
about yourself that you don’t know right
now the other thing is you begin to look
at yourself look at your dreams and and
begin begin to experiment and stepping
in to your greatness one of the things
that’s very important whatever goals and
dreams that you have repeat after me
please make your move before you’re
ready
you have priced pritchard is a great
great motivator and trainer he said make
your move before you’re ready we’re in
instructed in in life to walk by faith
and not by sight so you want to really
begin to stretch yourself you want to
become a risk-taker you want to raise
the bar on yourself most people won’t do
that see most people engage in low life
living low-risk living this God said if
you’re not willing to risk you cannot
grow and if you cannot grow you cannot
become your best and if you cannot
become your best you can’t be happy and
if you can’t be happy then what else is
there I like what Helen Keller said life
is short and unpredictable eat the
dessert first and so you want to begin
to take some chances you want to begin
to challenge yourself and make it okay
to fail and learn from your failures
don’t allow fear of failure and the
allure the attractiveness of playing it
safe in life to draw you in you can’t
get out of life alive you’ve got to die
to leave you other thing is you look at
yourself look at your dreams detoxify
your life write that down see I think
that most people never achieve their
true goals in life because they’re
surrounded with too many toxic negative
energy draining people you’ve got to
look at the people in your life that ask
yourself the question what is this
relationship doing to me how is it
impacting my life I’m a better person
Sidney Poitier wrote a book called the
measure of a man
it’s powerful but I’ve encouraged you to
get the tapes I love his voice and and
he said something and there he said when
you go for a walk with someone something
happens unconsciously it’s not spoken
either you adjust to their pace or
they’re just to your pace whose case
have you adjusted to so you want to
surround yourself my abduct my daughter
ona Brown who’s the speaker and coach
she says call forth your team but make
sure these are people that you can learn
from and never forget I’m on a special
board with it
Bishop TD jakes and we went into a board
meeting he looked at everybody before
opening the meeting he said as soon as I
know as much as you do you’re fine with
that the meeting is now open everybody
continued to learn that for trust me
that a friend of mine did his Kimbrough
motivational speaker out of Atlanta he
said of you the smartest one in your
group you need to get a new group so as
you look at yourself and look into the
future
call forth your team George Frazier says
your network determines your net worth
who do you allow to be in your ear what
kind of relationships are you developing
are then asset to you or their liability
do they elevate your spirits or do they
tear you down forget two types of people
nourishing people and toxic people
nourishing people they bring the best
out of you they encourage you to inspire
you they hold you accountable toxic
people they’re critical people always
telling you what you can’t do always
measuring your possibility it’s based
upon their failures
my mother said never let anybody tell
you what you can’t do son especially if
they haven’t done it they don’t know
what’s possible for you so you began to
look at yourself begin to identify the
relationships that you communicate with
most and say hey is this relationship
helpful to me and then think about some
people that you need to bring into your
life that you can learn from that you
can grow from I joined the National
Speakers Association when I decided that
I wanted to speak I wanted to be around
the people that were doing what I wanted
to do I’ll never
but I saw dr. norman vincent peale is it
you you have something special you have
greatness within you and you can do more
than you can ever begin to imagine and
Here I am in the audience oh my goodness
I dread the power of positive thinking
17 times my hero and I saw him backstage
and I said dr. Peale hi my name is les
brown I’ve listened to your tapes and I
and read your books they gave them to us
in special education sir
one day I would love to be on stage with
you and he looked at me and said it’s
possible young man it’s possible but
this man when he spoke he gave me goose
pimples deep baritone voice stoped spoke
from his diaphragm you have something
special you have greatness within you he
override the inner conversations in my
mind I’ll never forget the gentleman
what a brilliant man a Harvard graduate
dr. Carnegie would sit he said if you
can determine what a man shall think you
never have to concern yourself and what
he will do if you can make a man feel
inferior never have to compel him to
seek and adhere his status for he will
seek it himself and if you can make a
man feel justly an outcast never have to
all to have to go to the back door he’ll
go without being told and if there’s no
door his very nature will come back can
we live in a world where we’re told more
about our limitations rather than
tenshun how many have been told that you
couldn’t do something we answered your
chem I T did a study that if I say to
you you can’t do that that 16 people
have to come alone and say you can do
that you can’t do that you can do that
to neutralize that and the seventeenth
statement that you hear you can do it
will be the one that will finally stick
so you have to watch who’s speaking in
to you you’ve got to begin to monitor
your mind and you got to begin to
literally be proactive in programming
yourself to success be not conformed to
this world be a transformed by the
renewing of your mind you’ve got to take
responsibility to make that happen and
as you begin to do that you’ll begin to
see some incredible changes you live
understand now when Earl Nightingale
said all of us are self-made but only
the successful will admit it as you
begin to look at your dreams and look at
your goals write this down make know
you’re a vitamin C most people stop
short of their dreams in park and get
off the highway of life because of the
rejections of life you will always be
rejected it’s no big deal so I can’t
feel said rejection is a myth it’s not
like when somebody says no and then they
slap you know just you know to me make
know your vitamin get excited about that
know why because every time someone says
no that brings you another step to a yes
you’re getting closer trust me you will
win if you don’t quit you will win if
you don’t quit even a broken clock is
Right twice a day
the other thing is as you look at
yourself and look at you goes and look
at your dreams assess yourself what are
your strengths what do you weaknesses
what do you bring to the table when I
looked at becoming a motivational
speaker I looked at all the speakers and
I noticed that they were pretty much
scripted so I said what is it that can
make me stand out I don’t have any
college education I don’t have any
credentials I never worked for a major
corporation what is that I can do to
offset my weaknesses and then something
say well less and this is very important
mr. Washington mr. Brown yes there what
do you want to do it
I want to become successful good he said
you must be willing to do the things
that a others won’t do in order to have
the things tomorrow others won’t have
that’s why you said you have something
special see very few people go to
seminars workshop they’ll go to a
concert but showing up to get something
that could expand their minds and help
them to begin to see their lives
differently to give them a larger vision
of themselves they’ll be too busy or if
I said well how much does it cause well
information cost but it pays what sound
here’s the other thing is ladies and
gentlemen let’s say it’s me
yes see it’s it’s possible you can live
your dream it’s necessary that you have
the mindset that that I’m going to do
this but you’ve got to take ownership
you’ve gotta decide hey I’m gonna do
you’re gonna you’ve got to take
responsibility for your life George
Bernard Shaw said the people that make
it in this life they look around for the
circumstances that they want and if they
can’t find them they create then you’ve
got decided it’s me you’ve got to say
and say this with with conviction I
expect to win
yes I think it’s important that we say
that you know if you ask most people do
you want to become successful they will
say yes took my oldest son for walk my
name said you know we always expect our
children to do far more than what we do
said Calvin he wants his own identity
its Leslie Calvin Brown jr. stop him
look him in the eye and said do you want
to be successful son he said yes our dad
very good that’s walk son walk further
stop him again
Missy Calvin look in the eyes son yes
sir dad you expect to be successful son
and he said there and he looked at me in
his eyes got glassy you say let’s walk
and the reason that he said let’s walk
because my son is very bright of all my
children he’s perhaps the smartest one
but Calvin now over 30
Calvin now the single parent of two
daughters good father
Calvin now this stage of his life he’s
behind on his dreams a lot of talent a
lot of abilities very conservative one
of those people who great mind but just
just hasn’t developed that ah you know
things that we want our kids they have
that I want it Calvin Calvin you got to
kick it up a notch son you never thought
you’d be in your 30s you got to kick it
up a notch
you got to increase your energy in order
to to live your dream you can’t be
casual about your dreams Bill Bailey
said if you casual about your dream
you’ll end up a casualty check someone’s
hand on your right and left and say kick
it up a notch yes yes you’ve got to kick
it up a notch
what is it you bring and whatever you
bring you’ve got to kick it up a notch
what is your signature as you look at
where you want to go and what it is you
want to do as you look at your product
or your services repeat out to me please
provide more service than you get paid
for
yes and that becomes your signature when
you look at your goals and look at where
you want to go it’s your products that
your services that your industry you
want to set some high standards for
yourself
I had like what Henry David Thoreau said
do not go with a pathway lead but go
where there’s no path and leave a trail
how is it that your industry will be
done differently five years from now ten
years from now
what is your reputation in your industry
when you come into a room and you leave
what’s the scuttlebutt above you do
people say hey that’s a go-to person
that’s a person if you ask them to do
that job you’re talking about a job
being done it will be done extremely
well are you known for that person that
that stand out with what you do that
stand out with your quality of service
with your standards always looking for
ways to better your best are you one of
those people that believe well if it
ain’t broke don’t fix it Japanese
believe it ain’t perfect keep working on
it are you willing to keep working when
are you willing are you willing to
realize that you have not done your best
stuff yet that you can better your best
you’ve got to take responsibility for
that now let’s go to the next one not
only is it possible that you can live
your dream it’s the necessary that you
call forth your team and surround
yourself with people that you can learn
from and grow from that you must work
with yourself and monitor yourself and
train yourself that you’ve got to begin
to take total responsibility for the
outcomes that you want to produce in
your life but let us say together with
power and conviction it’s hard yes
ladies and gentlemen living a dream
changing your life is hard it’s hard
when you lose all your money when you
you you’ve given it the best that you
have and when you have some major
setback it’s hard when a doctor looked
at me and said to three horrible words
no one wants to hear you have cancer
it was hard to mobilize my mind in
spirit to listen to tapes and music and
read scripture and be around other
people in seeking out other prostate
cancer conquerors to believe that I
could do this it was hard
never forget my son said daddy are you
going to die why you asking me that
you’re not going out much
you’re not the bubbly personality that I
know you to be you’re not talking much
you’re spending a lot of time in the
room by yourself dad are you in a
surrender are you giving up are you
gonna let that that doctor’s opinion
become your reality
well my daddy see me graduate yes yes
yes yes I’m gonna fight no no I don’t
think it’s my time yet I’m gonna see you
graduate but more than that I’ve got
some other things that I’m gonna do with
my life and I thank you for asking me
that but I must tell you that I’m scared
I’m scared and I’ve never been in this
situation before it’s been easy for me
to talk to people and encourage people
when they’ve had challenges in their
lives but it’s me
and I don’t feel less than a man and let
and admitting this to you yes I’m scared
and I need some help
repeat after me please ask for help not
because you’re weak but because you want
to remain strong and ask for help and
don’t stop until you get it yes
see see life is hard and there are some
moments in life when you going to need
some help
you’re gonna need somebody to speak to
you you’re gonna need somebody to say
something to you I have a friend of mine
Willy jolly is a motivational speaker it
said a setback is a setup for a comeback
I had to listen to Willie’s tapes I have
another friend Kevin braces and who’s a
speaker he said les come on man you can
do this you can make this happen you can
hit a home run it’s a done deal
you are less proud I’ve Kansas got to
get out of your body I said talk to me
came to talk to me that’s what I need to
hear
I needed to hear those words okay who
you are many people want to allow
themselves to ask for help because of a
pride pride cometh before fall because
of ego ego means edging God no ask for
help not because you’re weak but because
you want to remain strong and ask for
help don’t stop until you get it I’m
here because a lot of people help me I’m
here because a lot of people believed in
me at a time when I was struggling to
believe in my
the other thing is let us say together
it’s worth it
Jessie I think and write this down you
got to find five reasons that will make
it worth it for you five reasons what
will make it worth it to you unless I
want to take care of my mother mine was
I want to do something with my life what
will make it worth it for you – I want
to leave a legacy – I refuse to die an
unlived life what will make it worth it
for you repeat after me please you got
to be hungry mister why she said mr.
Brown what do you want to do with your
life is Sara I want to become a disc
jockey is that right yes sir good mr.
Brown you got to be hungry instead I
want you to listen to Paul Harvey he’s
the world’s greatest communicator always
finding a coach or mentor someone that’s
doing what it is you want to do watch
them listen to how he does the rest of
the story listen to his voice mr. brown
develop your mind and develop your
communication skills because once you
open your mouth young man you tell the
world who you are and don’t forget mr.
Brown you got to be hungry take the time
to develop yourself I’ll start training
and working on myself then pretty soon I
came to him I said sir I’ve been working
on myself I’ve done the things that you
told me to do I listen to Earl
Nightingale
all the time and say again I’ve been
reading dr. Norman Vincent pills book
head and I’m ready huh I practice every
day two and three hours sir is that
right yes sir very good mr. Brown you
got to be hungry I said why do you
continue to say that so you people that
are hungry are unstoppable mr. brown
people that are hungry no excuse is
acceptable go out and face the music
young man and don’t forget stay hungry
make know your vitamin I went to apply
for a job on Miami Beach
Milton butterball Smith was the program
director hello mr. butterball how are
you sir my name is les francais I like
to be a disc jockey
he’s a young man you have in journalism
in your background who no sir don’t you
have any experience in broadcasting no
sir I don’t
he said I’m sorry we don’t have any job
for you I went back and I told mr.
Washington
deficit I said mr. Washington they said
no they wouldn’t even allow me to to
audition for them sir mr. Brown don’t
take it personally I told you may know
your vitamin most people are so negative
they have to say no seven times before
they say yes be unstoppable mr. Brown
you got to be hungry go back again yes
sir
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les Braun sir I like to get this
jockey young man weren’t you here
yesterday yes sir I was didn’t I tell
you no yesterday yes sir you did then
why are you back today well sir how
didn’t know the worth or not somebody
was laid off of somebody was fired sir
nobody was laid off a fire now get on
out of here I came back the next day
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les father I like to get
discharged I know what your name is
weren’t you here the last two days yes
sir I was did not tell you you know the
last two days yes sir you did didn’t why
are you back today well sir I didn’t
know whether or not someone got sick or
someone died sir
no one got sick who died no one was laid
off a fire now don’t you come back here
again
I came back the next day talking loud
looking happy like I seen you for the
first time
hello mr. butterball how are you he
looked at me with rage he said go get me
some coffee I said yes sir
so I became the errand boy for the disc
jockeys I’d go get their lunch in their
dinner and I stand in the control room
memorizing their hand movements on the
control board and all the instruments
learning everything that I could because
I expect it to be hard to be behind that
microphone then one day it was a
Saturday afternoon and a disc jockey by
the name but rocky and Roger was
drinking while he was on the air rocket
Roger got so drunk he started slurring
his words he’s about to fall off the
chair he obviously could not complete
his program and there was looking at him
through the control room window Saturday
afternoon I was the only one there young
ready and hungry
walking back and forth saying drink Rock
drain drank Rock ought to go and get him
some more if he’d asked me to then
pretty soon the phone rang it was a
general manager and answered the phone I
said hello he said young boy 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 and
I said yes sir I hung the phone up I
said are you love me think I’m crazy
I called ba-ba-ba-ba girlfriend
Cassandra said you’ll come out of the
front porch and turn up the radio I’m
about to come on air I waited for about
20 minutes and I called him back I said
mr. Klein I can’t find nobody he said
young boy you’re not to work the
controls I said yes sir he said gone and
segue the records but don’t say nothing
here I said yes sir I couldn’t wait to
get her a rock out of the way I put on a
fast record I said look out this is me
lb Triple P let’s brown your platter
playing Papa there were none before me
and there will be none after we
therefore that makes me the one and only
young and single and loved Domingo
certified bonafide BB qualified to bring
you satisfaction at a whole lot of
action look out baby I’m your lap man I
was offering
[Music]
people that want to step into their
greatness are hungry shake someone’s
hand on your right and left and say you
got to be hungry
what is your legacy what will your
statement be resolved every day read it
every day I refuse to die an unlived
life I’d like to leave this with you
the mommy used to love to hear me say
she say boys say that thing for me and I
dedicate this to you to the greatness
that’s within you because it’s there and
it’s there simply this if you want a
thing bad enough to go out and fight for
it to work day and night for it to give
up your time your peace and sleep
forward if all that you dream and scheme
is about it and life seems useless and
worthless without it and if you gladly
sweat for it in fretboard and plan for
it and lose are your terror of the
opposition for 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
family should go sickness a pain of body
and brain can keep you away from the
thing that you want have dogged and grim
you beseech and beset it with the help
of God you’ll get it this has been mrs.
Mamie Brown’s baby boy god bless you and
God bless america you have greatness in
you
you
special how many of you have some major
goes you’d like to achieve raise your
hands please
very good I know you do that’s why you
showed up I like to ask people who are
not they have goals that they’d like to
achieve and hopefully their goals that
are really a worthy of your efforts in
your talents I want you to shake
someone’s hand right now and your right
and left look them in the eyes and say
you have something special I like to ask
whether or not you have goals but I want
to ask you another question how many of
you know that if you had your life to
live over again you could do more than
what you’ve done that’s well raise your
hands please
now that proves a point that what we do
and what we accomplish in life is only a
tip of the iceberg that what’s possible
for us so I want you to think about some
goals that you’d like to achieve and I’d
like for you to let’s say break them up
in three categories number one I want
you to think about some personal goal
you’d like to cheat and I’d like for you
to think about some career goal some
business goal that you’d like to achieve
and what you think about some social
contribution some impact you’d like to
make with your life it was harsh man who
said we should be ashamed to die until
we’ve made some major contribution to
humankind
I believe we live in the greatest
country in the world that gives us an
opportunity to leave our mark to make a
statement with our lives and as you
think about these goals whatever those
goals are I want you to dramatically
increase those goals and I want to warn
you I don’t want you to think about how
you’re going to do it how is none of
your business
the most important thing is just to
increase those goals dramatically I’ve
found that most people fail in life not
because they aim too high and miss most
people fail in life because they aim too
low and
hit and many don’t aim at all so raise
the bar on yourself and don’t ask how
you do it how are you going to do it
I’ll never forget when I decided that I
wanted to jump a motivational speaker I
saw thee the late dr. Norman Vincent
Peale and and my heart said I can do
that but my mind asked the question how
and for over 14 years for 14 years I
would go sees things Ziggler and dr.
Norman Vincent Peale and Jim Rohn and
different speakers and that would be in
the audience and and my heart would
pounce and say you can do that you can
do that lesson then when I would leave I
would be going to the parking lot and my
mind said how you’re going to do it and
I spent so many years trying to figure
out how I wasted 14 years how many of
you ever procrastinate raise your hands
please yes see so so as you begin to
think about your goals the most
important thing is to write this down
commit yourself see once you commit
yourself the how will come the way will
come once you commit yourself you will
then figure it out and if you’re going
in the wrong direction all you have to
turn around and go in the other
direction you will figure it out you
want to begin to just challenge yourself
you want to stretch yourself because you
really don’t know what you can’t do I’ll
never forget the first day that I met
mr. Washington I was born in a poor
section of Miami Florida called Liberty
City I was born in an abandoned building
on a floor with a twin brother and when
we were six weeks of age we were adopted
and when I was in the fifth grade I was
identified as EMR labeled educable
mentally retarded put back from the
fifth grade into the fourth grade and I
fell again when I was in the eighth
grade I don’t have any college education
but because of my mother and I feel like
Abraham Lincoln who said all that I am
and all that I ever hoped to be I owe to
my mother I saw a sign once it said that
God took me from our biological mother’s
womb and placed me in the heart of my
adopted mother
so my first major goal was to buy my
mother a home to take care of my mother
and I did that took care of her until
she passed at 88 but I’ll never forget
when I met mr. Washington I was in a
class waiting on another student
and he came in he said young man go to
the board and work this problem out for
us
I stole Asura I can’t do that he said
why I said I’m not one of you students
he said look at me I said yes sir go to
the board and work the problem out
anyhow I said Sarah I can’t do what you
asking me to do he said why sir because
I’m a mágico bull mentally retarded sir
and as the students erupted and laughter
he came from behind his desk he looked
at me he said don’t you ever say that
again
someone’s opinion of you does not have
to become your reality and I was a
turning point in my life on one hand I
was humiliated but on the other hand I
was liberated because he looked at me
with the eyes of Goethe who said look at
a man the way that he is he only becomes
worse but look at him as if he were what
he could be then he becomes what he
should be
and so mr. Washington he challenged me
and I want to challenge you right now
about raising your goals and and I want
you to shake someone’s hand on your
right and left look him in the eyes and
say stretch yourself
yes II see I think that that you really
have to stretch yourself to discover
your stuff I think then we have to
really begin to experiment with life
I said that you have something special I
didn’t say that just to be kind of
courteous you do say I think that there
are not many people that come to
seminars and workshops who will watch a
program of this nature why I just think
that most people are just satisfied to
where they are
I’m reminded of a man one day walking
down the street he passed his porch were
some people on the port’s talking live
with the dog morning and groaning and he
was curious why the dog was morning
groaning if he he went back and he set
up excuse me ask the owner watch the dog
morning and gone I said because he’s
laying on a nail
oh why would he get off he said it’s not
hurting bad enough for him to get off
just hurting bad enough come on and
groan how many you know people who
should be here raise your hands please
how many of you know people all they do
is board or grow more than grown up I’m
not making enough money born and grown
up I’m unhappy with my job 87% of people
go to jobs that they ate and it in
addition to that you know that as we
know that that we have the dubious
distinction in this country that on
Monday morning the heart attack rate
increases over thirty five percent on
Monday morning between 6 o’clock and
nine people going to jobs that they hate
the heart said did not tell you I didn’t
want to go and attack them
some of you don’t want to go to work
next but yeah so the thing is this so
you want to find out what resonates with
you what is it you really want to do you
want to experiment with life and find
out what fits for you you have something
special you have greatness within you
you have the ability to do more than you
can ever begin to imagine see I believe
that anybody through observation and
practice can perform at the level of
excellence but when you’re pursuing your
greatness and this is worth writing down
you don’t know what your limits are and
you act like you don’t have any so I say
to you you have something special you
have greatness within you and I want to
make four things clear number one
everything that I’m going to say you
already know it if what I share the
message that that I’m going to express
right now and share with you if it
wasn’t a part of who you are already you
wouldn’t be in the audience that’s
number one that’s not that’s very
important it’s already in you I’m gonna
only confirm and validate that which is
a part of you anyhow the second thing is
everything I’m going to say to you
you’ve heard it before from people with
college degrees and credentials I can’t
hold a candle to it’s common sense but
not common practice third thing is I
don’t want you to agree with me and I
don’t want you to believe you I just
want you to be open to some things right
now I want you to think beyond that
which is commonly allowed you don’t tell
you what I’m up to
I want you to think about your goals and
I want to tell you what I’m gonna do
right now my whole goal is to get past
your mind that’s my whole challenge and
there’s nothing you can do about it I’m
gonna do that so your assignment was to
show up my assignment is to get past
your mind and get into your heart once
you think about the goals that you want
to achieve and I really want to
challenge you to make up your mind that
you’re gonna make that happen for
yourself and I hope that it’s some goal
that that really resonates with who you
are when I was a little boy my goal was
to do just by grow
is for family my mother worked on Miami
Beach she was a domestic worker and and
my goal was to to really be able to go
to the grocery store and purchase
groceries ourselves the families knew
that my mother had adopted seven
children and so they said maybe whatever
food is left over after we eat you can
take that home to the children they were
very kind very very considerate people
the mother my mother who when she worked
on Miami Beach the people were very kind
I was appreciative of their generosity
but as a little boy I said mama one day
when I become a big boy I want to be
able to buy groceries for us my goal is
a little boy
let’s buy clothes for my brothers and
sisters we wore the hand-me-down clothes
of the children that mama babysat for
when she went over in Miami Beach and if
the clothes were too small she would let
them out and if they’re too large mama
could sew and take them up and I’ll
never forget David Sedaris key his
father was very wealthy mama worked for
him but David is my buddy and so his
father gave him two gifts for his
birthday
gave him a brand-new boat but he also
gave me some motivational tapes Earl
Nightingale I’ll never forget so he said
David man let me tell you something when
I die you’re going to get everything I
want you to listen to these tapes and
when his father left the room David
threw those tapes in the wastebasket I
said David could I have those tapes he
said yes I said then your father said if
you listened to these you could get born
and do more than what he’s done you say
look out forget everything anyhow go and
take oh I’ve had two about children I’m
not leaving them anything you know if I
had a quarter and thought I was gonna
die a swallow it
ripeness down is not what you leave for
your children is what you leave in them
not what you leave for them what you
leave in them no absolutely not tell you
something else happened I don’t forget
mama came home one day and said Leslie
David sent you a new pair of shoes his
father got for him oh mama
thank you so much I can’t wear David
shoes well you tell my buddy that you
know I wear size than that nine and a
half he wear size 9 she said boy shut up
sit down and put those shoes on
she said my ran go get some Vaseline and
she came in there my sister started
rubbing the best Lidl about teeth she
said runs the water the bathtub and
she’s not going in and and put your feet
no shoes and don’t match the heel down I
said mama don’t dick shut up boy don’t
match the heel down and then she had me
to get in the way of just mama Lee she
was hurt she said getting that walk
around in the water I’m walking around
the bathtub they should try to distract
Nancy what she said how’d you do at
school today I did good that you’re
getting in fights no ma’am you know you
fought somebody
well I only hit 3 people today and and
then after a while she why are you doing
I said well they hurt do they hurt as
bad as they were before no ma’am they
feel look the better keep on walking
keep on walking and then after a while
when the leather soaked up a walk
the leather began
perfect nine and a half we think fortune
500 companies started talking about
doing more with less
my mother didn’t doing that for a long
time it’s amazing what you can do but
who does thought anybody looking in on
this kid and these seven children who
woulda thought and I look at you I say
you have greatness within you you have
the ability to do more than you can ever
begin to imagine no one could have
convinced me that I would be doing what
I’m doing right now you know the easiest
thing I do every year is go into a sales
organization and dramatically increase
their sales or go into a prison and
enable prisoners to see themselves
differently and teach them the methods
and techniques of how to plug into the
system or motivate young people to begin
to to see how they can have a vision of
themselves in future and fit that’s the
easiest thing I do that or train a
speaker to help them to leverage their
experience as our speakers and look
speaking as a projection of who you are
not who you think you ought to be and
come with power from a platform that’s
the easiest thing I’ve ever done
let me share with you the most difficult
thing I’ve ever done the most difficult
thing I’ve ever done was to believe that
I can do what I’m now doing no one could
have convinced me just given my
circumstances I earn millions of dollars
every year no one could have convinced
me if both my parents came up here right
now I would not know either one no one
could have convinced me being labeled
educable mentally retarded born an
abandoned building of law in Liberty
City poor section of Miami Florida
failing twice in school notes college
training never worked for major
corporation I did not know how I can do
what I’m doing right now I never forget
Mike Williams my mentor one I think a
lot of people fail in life because of
the fact that they need to mentoring
they need some coaching repeat out to be
pleased you need you need some coaching
yes
you see you can’t see the picture when
you’re in the frame I remember Mike
saying less you can do this bike huh
Mike how man wait a minute Mike how much
how much I’m not going to be able to to
to charge my less um Luke well you could
start out at $1,000 now
oh Mike I don’t make that working
for two weeks
come on Mike hey Mike man I appreciate
your belief in me Mike look Mike I work
for the – sanitation department that
I’ve I’ve been a garbage collector you
know you know I’ve done door-to-door
sales that was grading you know I’m here
as a disc jockey this good Mike but my
god I don’t think I can do that les you
can but Mike I don’t have any
credentials I’ve never I’ve never
written any book anything man I’m I’m
not rich how can I teach somebody to do
something I’ve never done but less why
don’t you just test yourself don’t you
stretch less come on man
Mike uh I don’t know
here’s something I realized write this
out sometimes you have to believe in
somebody’s belief in you until your
belief kicks in
I respect Mike Weir’s here this young
man he he saw something in me that I
didn’t see it in strong analytical mind
and I looked at him I always respect his
thinking and he looked at me and he made
me feel special and I said
okay Mike and I just kept holding on to
what Mike said to me I just kept holding
on to what mr. Washington said to me I
kept holding on to my mother saying
you’re specialist Lee when they said
you’re a Jew Keable mentally retarded
mama didn’t know what that meant she
only had a third grade education so she
said he’ll be all right are they hard
hit maker soft behind he’ll be fine but
she said you’re special baby you are
special and then they kept saying that
over and over again faith comes by
hearing and hearing and hearing and so
here’s what I want you to let us say
together as you think about your goals
of your dream let us say together it’s
possible together please say it like you
mean it
thank you write that down see see most
people never achieve their goals because
most people suffer from possibility
blindness they look about they look
around trying to think about the things
that they don’t have it Robert routes
young man who wrote a book about success
principles of the Three Little Pigs he
said it’s not what you don’t have is
what you think you need that keeps you
from being successful or happy in life
it’s not what you don’t have see I
always focus on what I didn’t have I
don’t have a college degree don’t have
any credentials never worked for a major
corporation I was focused on the
negative thing and said negative things
are the things that you see when you’re
not focused on your goal what do you
come with what is it that you have
within you that you showed up to bring
hey les you don’t know but my dream is
the long shot long shot friend of mine
Dexter Yeager said when a dream is big
enough the odds don’t matter
I’m reminded of a great man now it’s
reading Time magazine talking about some
of the great minds of the last century
they didn’t mention its name dr. Howard
Thurman one of the mentions of dr.
Martin Luther King jr. also an advisor
to Mahatma Gandhi and and Albert
Schweitzer
he said the ideal situation for a man a
woman to die is to have family members
standing around their bed praying with
them as they cross over but imagine if
you will being on your deathbed and
standing around your bed the dreams
given to you by life the ideas that you
never acted on the talents that gifts
the abilities that you never used and
there they are standing around your bed
looking at you with large angry eyes
saying we came to you and only you could
have given us life and now we must die
with you forever and the question is if
you died this very moment what will die
with you what dreams what ideas what
talents what leadership potential what
greatness that you showed up to brave
that you allowed fear of procrastination
to hold you back perhaps that’s why
hindered David Thoreau wrote the word Oh
God to reach the point of death only to
realize that you’ve never lived only to
realize that you’ve never scraped the
surface of your potential repeat out to
be pleased with power feeling and
conviction I refuse to die an unlived
life yes shake someone’s hand on your
right and left and say live your dream
yeah I think we should all resolve I
refuse to die and unlived like don’t
worry about the art you survive one out
of 40 million sperms you will never have
those are to give you’ll beat those odds
you can win anything here’s something
else stop most people know it is failure
let us say together I will fail my way
to success
yes write that down I will fail my way
to success the eight out of ten
millionaires have been financially
bankrupt 85% of people allow their fear
of failure jawed where their desire to
succeed and I believe that the reason
that most people go so far in life and
stop Maya Angelou said it best she she
wrote a poem she said that most people
go so far in life and then they park
they pull off the highway of life
especially when they get some hits
especially when they’ve been rejected
especially if they have an illness
especially if they lose something they
they pop and I take it further they
don’t even turn on their emergency
lights it’s not because that that they
are broken down they don’t want anybody
to stop and say hey look here I’ve got
to the jumping cables in my trunk you
need you need a jump
hey look here there’s a service station
ahead about three or four miles I have a
can I can take you up there and get some
gasoline oh no I’m just fine I had a
talk show once and highest-rated fastest
council talk show in the history of
television well at least I had one and
and I was excited at the you know when
time I came into television years ago in
televisions based upon conflict and
controversy son said I want a
solution-oriented talk show first
concept at that time high ratings and
the syndicated said you just got lucky
come on let’s do these other type of
shows you can be a Jerry Springer and
all no that’s not why I came here no I
believe that we live in the greatest
country world where we should sell hold
ourselves to certain standards huh I’m
not going to come here and sell out of
Who I am I’m not gonna compromise I’m
not gonna law my standards for you know
that’s how I showed up and so they fired
security walking out I said I can walk
by myself but let me tell you what
happened I took a hit and I parked it
wasn’t that I didn’t have the ability to
do more my concept was good but what
happened when I took the hit when they
canceled the show I cancelled myself
when they said this show is going to be
taken off television it won’t work I
told myself les you can’t succeed in
television and I parked you know what I
did I went back to my comfort zone as a
motivational speaker and Lisa I’m doing
better than most people that’s nothing
to compare yourself the worst that other
people are doing and then make yourself
feel better now I talked I didn’t have
my emergency lights on I didn’t want to
show up on the radar
I had plugged you know how long I parked
I parked for ten years do you hear me
now unlike Regis Philbin when his shows
were canceled he kept going he kept
going he kept going and he got other
shows I bet you somebody gave him a push
somebody said hey you need a lift I
didn’t even make that an option for me I
got off the highway I’ve looked back to
my comfort zone and I thought the show
failed and I identified myself as a
failure and guess something happened one
day of just flipping the channels
looking at PBS and saw Wayne Dyer my
friend Wayne Dyer
and watch it wait we’re both in our 60s
Wayne is still doing it while the little
hair he has it’s gray still there I said
hey I’ve got some more stuff in me I’ve
got another PBS special in me I’ve got
some other ideas you know you Oprah and
Phil they’re doing my stuff maybe I need
to come back out here and I went back
inside calling PBS and different people
I said les what happened to you I said
well I’m I didn’t know whether or not
anybody would be interested in me
because the show was canceled no no you
had some good ideas and when they said
yeah we’d love to do a show with you is
that you look they said yes and when I
went into the studio and people that
work with 10 years ago they were still
there
guys you know do you guys still have
except we have it do you have it I said
I think so and I did the show and I
wasn’t as good as I was ten years ago
because I had off the highway I’ve
gotten off the highway of life I’ve been
parked for so long it’s taking me some
time to get my strength back to find my
power to get my confidence back but at
least I’m back out there in the game
determined to dry empty
[Applause]
so I say to you see I only attract
millionaires of millionaires in training
let’s go get that in a minute you have
something special you have greatness
within you and the only reason you are
here you are my son you can feel me some
of you feel me right here in your heart
of heart and my goal in is to get past
your mind and enter your heart so it’s
necessary that you you have the mindset
that I can do this you’ve got to begin
to believe and to fortify that belief
and feed that belief by listening to
tapes going to seminars and workshops by
challenging yourself by stretching
yourself
it was Osbourne who said unless you
attempt to do something beyond that
which you’ve already mastered you will
never grow and as you begin to challenge
yourself you’ll discover some things
about yourself that you don’t know right
now the other thing is you begin to look
at yourself look at your dreams and and
begin begin to experiment and stepping
in to your greatness one of the things
that’s very important whatever goals and
dreams that you have repeat after me
please make your move before you’re
ready
you have priced pritchard is a great
great motivator and trainer he said make
your move before you’re ready we’re in
instructed in in life to walk by faith
and not by sight so you want to really
begin to stretch yourself you want to
become a risk-taker you want to raise
the bar on yourself most people won’t do
that see most people engage in low life
living low-risk living this God said if
you’re not willing to risk you cannot
grow and if you cannot grow you cannot
become your best and if you cannot
become your best you can’t be happy and
if you can’t be happy then what else is
there I like what Helen Keller said life
is short and unpredictable eat the
dessert first and so you want to begin
to take some chances you want to begin
to challenge yourself and make it okay
to fail and learn from your failures
don’t allow fear of failure and the
allure the attractiveness of playing it
safe in life to draw you in you can’t
get out of life alive you’ve got to die
to leave you other thing is you look at
yourself look at your dreams detoxify
your life write that down see I think
that most people never achieve their
true goals in life because they’re
surrounded with too many toxic negative
energy draining people you’ve got to
look at the people in your life that ask
yourself the question what is this
relationship doing to me how is it
impacting my life I’m a better person
Sidney Poitier wrote a book called the
measure of a man
it’s powerful but I’ve encouraged you to
get the tapes I love his voice and and
he said something and there he said when
you go for a walk with someone something
happens unconsciously it’s not spoken
either you adjust to their pace or
they’re just to your pace whose case
have you adjusted to so you want to
surround yourself my abduct my daughter
ona Brown who’s the speaker and coach
she says call forth your team but make
sure these are people that you can learn
from and never forget I’m on a special
board with it
Bishop TD jakes and we went into a board
meeting he looked at everybody before
opening the meeting he said as soon as I
know as much as you do you’re fine with
that the meeting is now open everybody
continued to learn that for trust me
that a friend of mine did his Kimbrough
motivational speaker out of Atlanta he
said of you the smartest one in your
group you need to get a new group so as
you look at yourself and look into the
future
call forth your team George Frazier says
your network determines your net worth
who do you allow to be in your ear what
kind of relationships are you developing
are then asset to you or their liability
do they elevate your spirits or do they
tear you down forget two types of people
nourishing people and toxic people
nourishing people they bring the best
out of you they encourage you to inspire
you they hold you accountable toxic
people they’re critical people always
telling you what you can’t do always
measuring your possibility it’s based
upon their failures
my mother said never let anybody tell
you what you can’t do son especially if
they haven’t done it they don’t know
what’s possible for you so you began to
look at yourself begin to identify the
relationships that you communicate with
most and say hey is this relationship
helpful to me and then think about some
people that you need to bring into your
life that you can learn from that you
can grow from I joined the National
Speakers Association when I decided that
I wanted to speak I wanted to be around
the people that were doing what I wanted
to do I’ll never
but I saw dr. norman vincent peale is it
you you have something special you have
greatness within you and you can do more
than you can ever begin to imagine and
Here I am in the audience oh my goodness
I dread the power of positive thinking
17 times my hero and I saw him backstage
and I said dr. Peale hi my name is les
brown I’ve listened to your tapes and I
and read your books they gave them to us
in special education sir
one day I would love to be on stage with
you and he looked at me and said it’s
possible young man it’s possible but
this man when he spoke he gave me goose
pimples deep baritone voice stoped spoke
from his diaphragm you have something
special you have greatness within you he
override the inner conversations in my
mind I’ll never forget the gentleman
what a brilliant man a Harvard graduate
dr. Carnegie would sit he said if you
can determine what a man shall think you
never have to concern yourself and what
he will do if you can make a man feel
inferior never have to compel him to
seek and adhere his status for he will
seek it himself and if you can make a
man feel justly an outcast never have to
all to have to go to the back door he’ll
go without being told and if there’s no
door his very nature will come back can
we live in a world where we’re told more
about our limitations rather than
tenshun how many have been told that you
couldn’t do something we answered your
chem I T did a study that if I say to
you you can’t do that that 16 people
have to come alone and say you can do
that you can’t do that you can do that
to neutralize that and the seventeenth
statement that you hear you can do it
will be the one that will finally stick
so you have to watch who’s speaking in
to you you’ve got to begin to monitor
your mind and you got to begin to
literally be proactive in programming
yourself to success be not conformed to
this world be a transformed by the
renewing of your mind you’ve got to take
responsibility to make that happen and
as you begin to do that you’ll begin to
see some incredible changes you live
understand now when Earl Nightingale
said all of us are self-made but only
the successful will admit it as you
begin to look at your dreams and look at
your goals write this down make know
you’re a vitamin C most people stop
short of their dreams in park and get
off the highway of life because of the
rejections of life you will always be
rejected it’s no big deal so I can’t
feel said rejection is a myth it’s not
like when somebody says no and then they
slap you know just you know to me make
know your vitamin get excited about that
know why because every time someone says
no that brings you another step to a yes
you’re getting closer trust me you will
win if you don’t quit you will win if
you don’t quit even a broken clock is
Right twice a day
the other thing is as you look at
yourself and look at you goes and look
at your dreams assess yourself what are
your strengths what do you weaknesses
what do you bring to the table when I
looked at becoming a motivational
speaker I looked at all the speakers and
I noticed that they were pretty much
scripted so I said what is it that can
make me stand out I don’t have any
college education I don’t have any
credentials I never worked for a major
corporation what is that I can do to
offset my weaknesses and then something
say well less and this is very important
mr. Washington mr. Brown yes there what
do you want to do it
I want to become successful good he said
you must be willing to do the things
that a others won’t do in order to have
the things tomorrow others won’t have
that’s why you said you have something
special see very few people go to
seminars workshop they’ll go to a
concert but showing up to get something
that could expand their minds and help
them to begin to see their lives
differently to give them a larger vision
of themselves they’ll be too busy or if
I said well how much does it cause well
information cost but it pays what sound
here’s the other thing is ladies and
gentlemen let’s say it’s me
yes see it’s it’s possible you can live
your dream it’s necessary that you have
the mindset that that I’m going to do
this but you’ve got to take ownership
you’ve gotta decide hey I’m gonna do
you’re gonna you’ve got to take
responsibility for your life George
Bernard Shaw said the people that make
it in this life they look around for the
circumstances that they want and if they
can’t find them they create then you’ve
got decided it’s me you’ve got to say
and say this with with conviction I
expect to win
yes I think it’s important that we say
that you know if you ask most people do
you want to become successful they will
say yes took my oldest son for walk my
name said you know we always expect our
children to do far more than what we do
said Calvin he wants his own identity
its Leslie Calvin Brown jr. stop him
look him in the eye and said do you want
to be successful son he said yes our dad
very good that’s walk son walk further
stop him again
Missy Calvin look in the eyes son yes
sir dad you expect to be successful son
and he said there and he looked at me in
his eyes got glassy you say let’s walk
and the reason that he said let’s walk
because my son is very bright of all my
children he’s perhaps the smartest one
but Calvin now over 30
Calvin now the single parent of two
daughters good father
Calvin now this stage of his life he’s
behind on his dreams a lot of talent a
lot of abilities very conservative one
of those people who great mind but just
just hasn’t developed that ah you know
things that we want our kids they have
that I want it Calvin Calvin you got to
kick it up a notch son you never thought
you’d be in your 30s you got to kick it
up a notch
you got to increase your energy in order
to to live your dream you can’t be
casual about your dreams Bill Bailey
said if you casual about your dream
you’ll end up a casualty check someone’s
hand on your right and left and say kick
it up a notch yes yes you’ve got to kick
it up a notch
what is it you bring and whatever you
bring you’ve got to kick it up a notch
what is your signature as you look at
where you want to go and what it is you
want to do as you look at your product
or your services repeat out to me please
provide more service than you get paid
for
yes and that becomes your signature when
you look at your goals and look at where
you want to go it’s your products that
your services that your industry you
want to set some high standards for
yourself
I had like what Henry David Thoreau said
do not go with a pathway lead but go
where there’s no path and leave a trail
how is it that your industry will be
done differently five years from now ten
years from now
what is your reputation in your industry
when you come into a room and you leave
what’s the scuttlebutt above you do
people say hey that’s a go-to person
that’s a person if you ask them to do
that job you’re talking about a job
being done it will be done extremely
well are you known for that person that
that stand out with what you do that
stand out with your quality of service
with your standards always looking for
ways to better your best are you one of
those people that believe well if it
ain’t broke don’t fix it Japanese
believe it ain’t perfect keep working on
it are you willing to keep working when
are you willing are you willing to
realize that you have not done your best
stuff yet that you can better your best
you’ve got to take responsibility for
that now let’s go to the next one not
only is it possible that you can live
your dream it’s the necessary that you
call forth your team and surround
yourself with people that you can learn
from and grow from that you must work
with yourself and monitor yourself and
train yourself that you’ve got to begin
to take total responsibility for the
outcomes that you want to produce in
your life but let us say together with
power and conviction it’s hard yes
ladies and gentlemen living a dream
changing your life is hard it’s hard
when you lose all your money when you
you you’ve given it the best that you
have and when you have some major
setback it’s hard when a doctor looked
at me and said to three horrible words
no one wants to hear you have cancer
it was hard to mobilize my mind in
spirit to listen to tapes and music and
read scripture and be around other
people in seeking out other prostate
cancer conquerors to believe that I
could do this it was hard
never forget my son said daddy are you
going to die why you asking me that
you’re not going out much
you’re not the bubbly personality that I
know you to be you’re not talking much
you’re spending a lot of time in the
room by yourself dad are you in a
surrender are you giving up are you
gonna let that that doctor’s opinion
become your reality
well my daddy see me graduate yes yes
yes yes I’m gonna fight no no I don’t
think it’s my time yet I’m gonna see you
graduate but more than that I’ve got
some other things that I’m gonna do with
my life and I thank you for asking me
that but I must tell you that I’m scared
I’m scared and I’ve never been in this
situation before it’s been easy for me
to talk to people and encourage people
when they’ve had challenges in their
lives but it’s me
and I don’t feel less than a man and let
and admitting this to you yes I’m scared
and I need some help
repeat after me please ask for help not
because you’re weak but because you want
to remain strong and ask for help and
don’t stop until you get it yes
see see life is hard and there are some
moments in life when you going to need
some help
you’re gonna need somebody to speak to
you you’re gonna need somebody to say
something to you I have a friend of mine
Willy jolly is a motivational speaker it
said a setback is a setup for a comeback
I had to listen to Willie’s tapes I have
another friend Kevin braces and who’s a
speaker he said les come on man you can
do this you can make this happen you can
hit a home run it’s a done deal
you are less proud I’ve Kansas got to
get out of your body I said talk to me
came to talk to me that’s what I need to
hear
I needed to hear those words okay who
you are many people want to allow
themselves to ask for help because of a
pride pride cometh before fall because
of ego ego means edging God no ask for
help not because you’re weak but because
you want to remain strong and ask for
help don’t stop until you get it I’m
here because a lot of people help me I’m
here because a lot of people believed in
me at a time when I was struggling to
believe in my
the other thing is let us say together
it’s worth it
Jessie I think and write this down you
got to find five reasons that will make
it worth it for you five reasons what
will make it worth it to you unless I
want to take care of my mother mine was
I want to do something with my life what
will make it worth it for you – I want
to leave a legacy – I refuse to die an
unlived life what will make it worth it
for you repeat after me please you got
to be hungry mister why she said mr.
Brown what do you want to do with your
life is Sara I want to become a disc
jockey is that right yes sir good mr.
Brown you got to be hungry instead I
want you to listen to Paul Harvey he’s
the world’s greatest communicator always
finding a coach or mentor someone that’s
doing what it is you want to do watch
them listen to how he does the rest of
the story listen to his voice mr. brown
develop your mind and develop your
communication skills because once you
open your mouth young man you tell the
world who you are and don’t forget mr.
Brown you got to be hungry take the time
to develop yourself I’ll start training
and working on myself then pretty soon I
came to him I said sir I’ve been working
on myself I’ve done the things that you
told me to do I listen to Earl
Nightingale
all the time and say again I’ve been
reading dr. Norman Vincent pills book
head and I’m ready huh I practice every
day two and three hours sir is that
right yes sir very good mr. Brown you
got to be hungry I said why do you
continue to say that so you people that
are hungry are unstoppable mr. brown
people that are hungry no excuse is
acceptable go out and face the music
young man and don’t forget stay hungry
make know your vitamin I went to apply
for a job on Miami Beach
Milton butterball Smith was the program
director hello mr. butterball how are
you sir my name is les francais I like
to be a disc jockey
he’s a young man you have in journalism
in your background who no sir don’t you
have any experience in broadcasting no
sir I don’t
he said I’m sorry we don’t have any job
for you I went back and I told mr.
Washington
deficit I said mr. Washington they said
no they wouldn’t even allow me to to
audition for them sir mr. Brown don’t
take it personally I told you may know
your vitamin most people are so negative
they have to say no seven times before
they say yes be unstoppable mr. Brown
you got to be hungry go back again yes
sir
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les Braun sir I like to get this
jockey young man weren’t you here
yesterday yes sir I was didn’t I tell
you no yesterday yes sir you did then
why are you back today well sir how
didn’t know the worth or not somebody
was laid off of somebody was fired sir
nobody was laid off a fire now get on
out of here I came back the next day
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les father I like to get
discharged I know what your name is
weren’t you here the last two days yes
sir I was did not tell you you know the
last two days yes sir you did didn’t why
are you back today well sir I didn’t
know whether or not someone got sick or
someone died sir
no one got sick who died no one was laid
off a fire now don’t you come back here
again
I came back the next day talking loud
looking happy like I seen you for the
first time
hello mr. butterball how are you he
looked at me with rage he said go get me
some coffee I said yes sir
so I became the errand boy for the disc
jockeys I’d go get their lunch in their
dinner and I stand in the control room
memorizing their hand movements on the
control board and all the instruments
learning everything that I could because
I expect it to be hard to be behind that
microphone then one day it was a
Saturday afternoon and a disc jockey by
the name but rocky and Roger was
drinking while he was on the air rocket
Roger got so drunk he started slurring
his words he’s about to fall off the
chair he obviously could not complete
his program and there was looking at him
through the control room window Saturday
afternoon I was the only one there young
ready and hungry
walking back and forth saying drink Rock
drain drank Rock ought to go and get him
some more if he’d asked me to then
pretty soon the phone rang it was a
general manager and answered the phone I
said hello he said young boy 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 and
I said yes sir I hung the phone up I
said are you love me think I’m crazy
I called ba-ba-ba-ba girlfriend
Cassandra said you’ll come out of the
front porch and turn up the radio I’m
about to come on air I waited for about
20 minutes and I called him back I said
mr. Klein I can’t find nobody he said
young boy you’re not to work the
controls I said yes sir he said gone and
segue the records but don’t say nothing
here I said yes sir I couldn’t wait to
get her a rock out of the way I put on a
fast record I said look out this is me
lb Triple P let’s brown your platter
playing Papa there were none before me
and there will be none after we
therefore that makes me the one and only
young and single and loved Domingo
certified bonafide BB qualified to bring
you satisfaction at a whole lot of
action look out baby I’m your lap man I
was offering
[Music]
people that want to step into their
greatness are hungry shake someone’s
hand on your right and left and say you
got to be hungry
what is your legacy what will your
statement be resolved every day read it
every day I refuse to die an unlived
life I’d like to leave this with you
the mommy used to love to hear me say
she say boys say that thing for me and I
dedicate this to you to the greatness
that’s within you because it’s there and
it’s there simply this if you want a
thing bad enough to go out and fight for
it to work day and night for it to give
up your time your peace and sleep
forward if all that you dream and scheme
is about it and life seems useless and
worthless without it and if you gladly
sweat for it in fretboard and plan for
it and lose are your terror of the
opposition for 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
family should go sickness a pain of body
and brain can keep you away from the
thing that you want have dogged and grim
you beseech and beset it with the help
of God you’ll get it this has been mrs.
Mamie Brown’s baby boy god bless you and
God bless america you have greatness in
you
you
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