tell he fell for me and he said son I’m
[Music]
Vinnie was involved in a very serious
car accident that nearly killed him it
I will tell you this there is no more
destructive belief in the world and to
the first thing you do is you play what
I call the blame game after months of
rehab against doctor’s orders he got
back in the ring you stop blaming
everybody for why you don’t have what
you want you blame the government you’ll
grin your family you blame your spouse
you’ll blame their boss you’ll blame the
economy you’ll be to blame anybody and
everybody when you think the world
happens to you Palance
it is because because of the economy’s
things it’s because of unfairly and I
looked at him I said no dr. Carter
they justified third this is the worst
[Music]
when you’re complaining what are you
[Music]
and everything again like most of life
comes down to psychology doesn’t it it
starts here when the internal world
before you can master the external world
you have to master your own internal
world that’s the true secret to success
you really have to have a passion about
it and you have to have a reason to
succeed you can’t it isn’t to be just
see you don’t understand what kind of
the number one thing that’s going to
change your life the only thing that
will change your life change your
business change your money change your
relationship because you must raise your
the only thing that changes our life
long-term is what we raise our standards
that all of us in life have things we
want we don’t get what we want we get
what we have to have
but when you no longer willing to
tolerate something that’s when your life
changes the difference in people is
their standards
period
every one of the woman
has a list of things they think they
should do I should lose weight I should
work out I should spend more time with
my kids I should work harder I should
make more calls I should I should I
should I shed and then you know why
people don’t do their shirts and they
get mad at themselves they’re deacons
help up about what changes people is
when your should becomes a bust
and suddenly the thing you said should
happen has to happen that’s when human
if you want to take the island and
you’re the head of the army you want to
take the iron island the most powerfully
to take the hour that’s burning the
boats but there’s no way to go back it’s
amazing what happens when it’s a must to
do something versus a shit that’s what
[Music]
you don’t get what we want we get what
[Music]
every human being is thirsty for a
everyone is and so few people happen to
what I do they gravitate towards someone
who has a vision for the future they
it’s gotta be something above your goals
and that’s your vision for the future
and it’s not just about it doesn’t have
like an ending points about the world
being a certain way and that’s inspiring
to you and you when you truly have a
vision for your future that inspires you
you’re gonna jump up out of bed in the
morning and feel great about going at
life versus being miserable and going
through a job you hate or living a life
that doesn’t empower you and just you
know everyday moving through just almost
like an automaton not really you know
having the zest and the great the
greatness of life
some I think I love it when someone says
that never no one has ever done this
before because then men I do it that
means that I’m the first one that has
done it so pay no attention to the
people who say he can’t be done it’s not
because you set your goals too high and
miss you set your goals too low and you
eat them
the difference in people is their
standards period
[Music]
and I looked at him I said no dr. Carter
it’s that extra inch that’s where you
want to set your goal want to set the
goals just above your comfort
and I’m talking about cut with your
parents and teachers money to be with
you I’m talking about figuring out for
yourselves what makes you happy no
matter how crazy it may sounds do the
people
[Music]
I don’t think it’s that hard I think
what happens though sometimes is that we
let our intellectual selves overrule
those passions and so that’s what needs
to be guarded against
to tell you how much power you have in
but I just want to remind you of the
you can create the outcome of your our
[Music]
you just have to decide in your mind
what you want it to be
[Music]
but there’s a little more power in the
mind then you probably like to think and
[Music]
and I looked at him I said no doctor
Katya wrong I am gonna box again and
this quote is about a young man it was a
young lawyer in New York he’d married a
beautiful girl and they had a lovely
this is what he wrote this was in his
diary he said she was beautiful and face
and farm and lovely are still in spirit
as a flower she grew and as a fair young
flower she died
and when my heart’s dearest I couldn’t
[Music]
he thought the life gone from his life
it’s only a beginning always the young
must know it the old must know it
because the greatness comes not when
things go always good for you but the
when you take some knocks some
disappointments when sadness comes
because only if you’ve been in the
deepest Valley can you ever know how
magnificent it is to be from the highest
always give your best never get
discouraged never be petty always
remember
others may hate you
those who hate you don’t win unless you
hate them
that a lobsters are soft bushy animal
that lives inside of the rigid shell
that rigid shell does not expend as the
lobster grows that shell becomes very
confining and the kind of the lobster
feels itself under pressure and
uncomfortable casts off the shell and
produces a new life
well eventually that shell becomes very
uncomfortable as it grows and the
lobster repeats this in the worst times
this stimulus for the lobster to be able
to grow is that it feels uncomfortable
now if lobsters had doctors they would
never grow because as soon as the
lobster feels uncomfortable goes to the
doctor gets a valium gets a percocet
is that we have to realize that times of
stress are also times that are signals
for growth and if we use adversity
these things happen to you and you think
you’ve been dealt a terrible hand we
have had that luck and when you just go
with it there’s a you just start
improvising suddenly you realize that
you stumble upon some of the best things
that have ever happened to you he
thought the life gone from his life
forever but he went on
[Music]
it’s sometimes yeah you’ve got to cut a
little piece of yourself
oh yeah no matter how much the earth in
I read some words that I found extremely
powerful that I’ve been carrying with me
not the man who points out how the
where the doer of Deeds could have done
them better
[Music]
[Applause]
the credit belongs to the man who was
whose face is marred by dust and sweat
and blood who strives valiantly
Aires who comes short again and again
because there is no effort without error
but who does all
actually strive to do the deeds who
knows great enthusiasts
the great devotions who spends himself
in a worthy cause
the best knows in the end the triumph of
if he fails at least fails while daring
greatly so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls who
you will have good days and you’ll have
bad days but you will always learn
something more or something new and you
will learn more overall on bad days than
I’m here to say you will make mistakes
along the way you will fall down
I have many times even Ali did but what
we do after that fall is how we make
history
because impossible is nothing these are
words to remember when anyone tries to
tell you to give up tell you to give in
because whatever you’re trying to do is
impossible is just a word thrown around
by a small men who find it easier to
live in the world they’ve been given
than to explore the power they have to
change it impossible is not a fact it’s
an opinion impossible this potential
impossible is temporary impossible is
nothing Muhammad always predicted from a
small boy that he would be the world’s
heavyweight champion
he always said told the kids in the
neighborhood I’m gonna be champ of the
Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected
by a hundred and forty-four publishers
144 publish we said we don’t want to
publish a collection of short stories
now have you ever told someone your
dream and hit him laughs out loud he
laughed out loud now if we had given up
after a hundred publishers have said no
I wouldn’t be standing here today and so
you’ve got to be willing to persevere
[Music]
because we didn’t take no see when the
wolf says no you say next
I think the biggest disability that we
have as human beings is unbelief
so what we have is this endless
possibility that you have the person
beer is as if the universe tests our
commitment
[Music]
and so today we have 147 titles in print
and sold over 115 million copies were in
47 languages
everything starts with the vision and
the man without vision dies a brass bell
that hangs in the center of the compound
for all the students to see all you have
to do to quit is ring the bell ring the
bell and you no longer have to wake up
at 5 o’clock ring the bell and you no
longer have to be in the freezing cold
swims ring the bell and you no longer
have to do the runs the obstacle course
the PT and you no longer have to endure
the hardships of training
all you have to do is ring the bell to
if you want to change the world don’t
ever ever ring the bell I have to shut
the noise it’s loud
you have to cancel out the noise I
I’m young I’m handsome I’m fair
I’m pretty and can’t possibly be beasts
[Music]
you will learn more about yourself do
you learn more about relationships who
learn about the line from principals and
you will build your character
[Music]
so if you’re willing to decide what you
want believe it’s possible consciously
envisioning the future
feel the feelings of whatever
if you would achieve this goal you could
have anything when you take action even
though I was having these troubles at
home and even though I know real I had
no job no you know I mean or whatever
didn’t know what I actually was you know
if it didn’t happen it didn’t happen but
I still was able to feel like it was in
it like a kid would use his imagination
I was basically just using my
imagination some people can see further
than others
[Music]
we all live a long world of limitations
some people can see far than others
I have a big vision I put a lot of
effort a lot of sacrifice in things I do
if I don’t do it it means I don’t
believe in it in this I believe very
strong and I will not give up until I’m
top of the world so that’s the way it
works you aim for the top
you don’t aim for the second second
place is the first place among the last
ones and that’s not my target
[Music]
I try to do it almost every day this is
when I’m 12 years old most of the people
told me because Sam you are very very
talented player but you are very skinny
very slim and I put it in my mind the
body we can improve can feel of June
duplication and not work you can improve
so I will improve myself a lot of times
people believed and same things that
they keep to themselves they don’t put
it out there you truly believe in it we
become vulgar with it you are creating
that law of attraction and it will
I want you to see yourself doing what
you want to do experiencing what you
everyone’s unique you know them you take
like Bruce Lee’s head you take from from
everyone and you use what is useful and
you discard what is not and you add what
is uniquely your own having what you
want to have doing what is that gives
your life some meaning at value
[Music]
people who go against the odds are
supposed to you know people who do stuff
that hasn’t been done before on people
who do stuff that people say they can’t
do that that inspires me hard workers
people people that are chasing their
dream no matter what people are saying I
matter what people think there’s a lot
of people just go do what they feel like
they should do and and live with the
status quo and and you know go live by
all these rules and hey this is gonna be
okay
you know just go except you your average
nine-to-five rather than striving for
something because the ultimate goal
isn’t to succeed or fail the ultimate
goal is to give it everything you have
for something that’s on your heart and a
dream and pursuing that and if you get
to live out your your dream every single
day then the result doesn’t matter I can
look back 20 30 years from now and be
able to look at this time and say you
know what I gave everything I had dreams
are based on something that’s in your
heart that are passions that are
something that you want to go try not on
chances
I’ve been on the end of many defeats of
mine in my life and I bros back so I
will not shy away from it and I’ll not
make excuses for it I will assess it
come on
if you can see it here and you have the
courage enough to speak it it will
happen I’ll never lose the fight it’s
impossible tell them it’s impossible
never lost a fight your life they see my
fans over the last time they lost I’m
too fast champion from the water if
you’d like to lose your money feel full
and battle and son
[Music]
saying I’m gonna do something say it
putting it out there for the world to
see I mean going out and doing it
there’s no better feeling in the world
than that and it’s as easy as that
say what you’re gonna do and go and do
it I still envision – I’m possibly three
bells I’m gonna go with Eddie Alvarez in
the main event Eddie I don’t see how
Connor can beat a heart like that
I think Alfred wins I think Eddie has
[Applause]
[Music]
the quarters of a mile the effort was
still barely perceptible the time was
three minutes more point seven say a
four-minute mile was possible somehow to
do it I had to run the last lap in 59
seconds I felt that the moment of a
lifetime
a few seconds he’ll never England faint
line of the finishing tape stood ahead
as a haven of peace after the struggle I
knew I had done it before I even heard
the time I said cause it is too close to
me and I remember thinking if I can get
through this
it’ll it may be as hard but there’s it’s
impossible for it to be hard and I’ve
had a lot of hard time since he thought
the life on from his life forever but he
went on when you take some knocks some
disappointments when sadness comes
because only if you’ve been in the
deepest Valley can you ever know how
magnificent it is to be on the highest
[Music]
given my circumstances if my birth
parents came down this out right now I
would not know either one if my daddy
came up here well my mother came up here
given the fact that I was born and
abandoned building on a floor being
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 said what
is it
she says one promised me that you won’t
separate him she said I want them raised
together I 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 them she said
I promise I won’t I’ve never had
children I promise I won’t separate him
and she said promise me that you’ll
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 doctor mother she said
she says swear to God I won’t
I won’t separate about keep them
together and she said if 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 and I know what they help of God
I will do it ladies and gentlemen i mama
had a dream of having children and
raising us she didn’t know how she’s
see when I was in the fifth grade I was
identified as EMR labeled educable
mentally retarded put back from the
fifth grade to the fourth grade I failed
again when I was in the eighth grade
I have no college training and a man
changed my life and I’ll never forget
his nameless to the Rye Washington he’s
in his 80s now and and he’s blind from
glaucoma but he he gave me a different
vision of myself I was in his class
waiting on another student he came in
and said young man go to Bordeaux work
this problem up for me I said oh sir I
can’t do that said why not I said I’m
I’m not one of your students said look
at me yes sir go to the board and work
the problem on anyhow that’s it sir I
can’t do that he said why it’s absurd
because I’m a jerk about mental retarded
sir I’m in special education and the
student started laughing they said
that’s Leslie
that’s not Wesley he’s DT Wesley is to
spot when he said what does DT stand for
I said um I’m the dumb twin sir and as
the students laughed at me he came from
behind his desk he looked at Ben he said
don’t you ever say that again
someone’s opinion of you does not have
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 it becomes
what he should be and so we developed a
relationship and one of the things that
I can just tell you as you think about
your goals and dreams all of us can say
in the spirit of integrity that it’s
possible that if anybody didn’t want it
to and live their dream then it’s
possible that I could live mine and what
I did was I made a mistake I looked at
my goals and dreams and my mind said how
will you do that I went from my heart to
my mind and I stayed up there for 14
years 14 years I can’t bring those 14
years back those years are gone and I’ve
made a mission in my life to help people
to stop putting it off and for Christ’s
the first time I set up the speech I
stood up and my mind set down I looked
at the audience and I panicked I had to
introduce a play at school will papa
ran up mr. Washington mr. Brown where
are you going on mister wash and I I
can’t think so I don’t know did you
I don’t know I just got it then I looked
at them and everything like we let me do
it another day please no go back out
there mr. promise to Washington comments
a plea circle don’t don’t don’t send me
out there now I mess up mr. Brown if you
run now you will always be running
anything that’s worth doing it’s worth
doing badly until you get it right mr.
brown
yes sir
I started playing
twelve million directed by mr. Leroy
Washington
that ran off the next day they dogged me
out they talked about me so bad
the next time another event came up mr.
Washington mr. Brown you were up I said
no mr. Washington everybody says no not
him
I said they’re right mr. Washington not
me he said mr. brown yes sir and I went
out and pretty soon with people laughed
at me didn’t bother me they would throw
paper and I could catch it without
losing my concentration and then one day
I came out and a hush went across the
audience because it must have been
something about me that indicated that I
had come to myself and mr. Washington
had been practicing with me to give a
presentation and I looked at the
audience and I said I choose not to be a
common man it’s my right to be uncommon
if I can
I seek opportunity not security I do not
wish to be a kept citizen humbled and
dull by having the state look after me I
want to take a calculated risk to dream
prefer the challenges of life to the
masta been to any threat it’s my
not having any college training I used
to feel
but people who had college degrees were
more intelligent than me I remember
going to see the late dr. norman vincent
peale the author of the book the power
of positive thinking and I used to look
at him up on stage and I said I could do
that I would love to talk to people I’d
love to talk to people and I said I
could do that but then when I started
going back to my car my mental
conditioning activated itself and it
said let’s Ron you can’t do that you
don’t have a college education less fine
you can’t do that you don’t have the
training you’ll never work for a major
corporation you can do that what makes
you think you can earn five ten fifteen
twenty thousand dollars in an hour you
don’t earn that not working for two or
three months I had to retrain my
thinking because of what I saw studies
indicating the decisions we make in life
is directly related to the things that
we saw the things that we experienced
the conversations who have been exposed
to between age zero and five and so as a
result of that my experience I had to
begin to engage in a process of
retraining my mindset and I don’t even
[Music]
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 with 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 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 the 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 by my eyes and I
was in the back just listening to him he
said as graduating seniors of Booker T
Washington high school I want you to
know the joke bless
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 and said mr. Washington
he said yes I said do you remember me
sir my name is Leslie Brown my mother
she works in the cafeteria here I’m one
of the twins
Leslie Wesley I said Miss Washington but
you know you know I got these big dreams
you know I like talking to people I love
people who said I want to work with
people and I got this beam behind my mom
our home cook could I do that mr.
Washington
he said it’s possible miss Brown
and as he walked away I called him again
I said mr. Washington he said what do
you want now
I’m the one sir I said I’m the one you
you remember these there and this baby
underwear
[Applause]
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 less Nietzsche
said if you know the rifle doing you can
endure almost any house 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 a 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 land on your
back because if you can look up you can
mr.bad really they do to legend that
said I could begin the district to that
sir because I went to bat not nether at
hand he said Jerry listen to Paul have
it here my party’s burning fire beauty
comes on every day why because if you
are the successor study the people that
are doing what you want to do he’s the
best in the world when it comes to
communication I suggest to you you look
at what you want to achieve look at the
top achievers understand and know they
are only an example they are not an
exception they’re an example of what you
can do because success leaves Clues
follow the system watch the leaders and
study them I did that and he said Mr
Brown detoxify your life let all the
negative people in your life go can I
change him no it’s a full-time job
changing yourself he’s right all my life
people have always compared me to my
brother because I’m not smart like him
it takes me longer to get things than
most people I have to hear it again and
again but once I got it sir I got it you
feel the only person that never called
me stupid or dumb you never called me DT
the dumb Tran you you look at me like
I’ve never had a father and I I watch
you and I want to be able to talk like
you I I get choked up sometime because I
I want to do what you do and I want to
make my mama proud he said you can do it
mr. Brown I’ve given you all you can get
from me now it’s on you if you want to
be a disc jockey go out into the
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
watching them move their hands knowing
my time will come one day it was a
Saturday afternoon a disc jockey by the
name of rock and Roger was drinking
while he was on the air he began to slur
his words he got to a drug he was about
to fall off the chair but I was the only
one there looking at him through the
control room window
then pretty soon the phone ringing with
the general manager in answer phone I
said hello he said Rock can’t finish the
show I said I know I called my mom and
my girlfriend Cassandra said y’all come
out on the front porch and turn on the
radio I’m about to come on the air he’s
a young boy
United worked at controls I said yes sir
he said gone and said wait the records
don’t you say nothing here I put on a
fast record I said look out this is me
lb Triple P what’s around your platter
I am Papa there were none before me and
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’s 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
I remember when I was in broadcasting
when I was a disc jockey I became very
controversial not only being a disc
jockey but I felt that radio was
something that you not only entertain
people with but you also empower them
you educate them and I got fired now to
just leave they fired me
they took my microphone I thought that
was who I was no no ladies and gentlemen
it wasn’t I had to do something else and
see life at will doorman said let’s
round you about Rome this is time for
you to do something else and so a guy
suggested to me he said les why don’t
why don’t you run for office I ran now
here’s what I’m suggesting I ran you got
to do what you can where you are with
what you have I didn’t have any money I
didn’t know anything about the political
process I didn’t even have any support
but here’s what the guy told me it’s
possible you could win
that’s all I had I was running against
endorsed candidate he wasn’t incumbent
he had the newspaper support all of the
leadership in the community and I was
challenging this guy so I had a saying
when I was on radio stand up for what
you believe in because you can fall for
anything and I would go door to door I
have my kids on one side of the street I
would be on the other not I’d knock on
door hello my name is Lester I’ll tell
everybody I’m still standing
see I’m saying just just keep moving
don’t stop feeling sorry for yourself
don’t spend time blaming and talking
about what happened to you see whatever
you talk about that’s what you multiply
and expand in your life experience so
don’t talk about stuff unless you wanted
to keep all happening to you all right
have my children with me we’re going
door to door didn’t have enough money
eventually we got close to the election
and something happened that really
surprised me guys who I thought we’re
going to even support me I’ll stay out
of it various powerful community leaders
they became involved in it and they
endorsed my opponent I felt devastated
that’s going to happen to you when you
want you
things are gonna happen that’s gonna
catch you on the blindside I was
shocking to me usually in the state
representative race maybe three or four
thousand people will come out to vote in
a primary and that primary race over
27,000 people came out and voted I wired
ladies and gentlemen so you’ve got to be
willing to stay focused to be creative
to be relentless because things are
going to happen to you when you’re
working on your dream and so the things
happen in life when you have goals and
dreams things happen had no idea Midway
of my third term my mother became ill
she was diagnosed with breast cancer my
brothers and sisters called me and said
they’re gonna put her in a nursing home
and I said no they said we thought you
would say that we’ve interviewed the
best nursing homes in Dade County I said
I said no it’s at a problem how can one
woman raised seven children who couldn’t
take care of themselves but seven grown
people could take care of one woman I
had a problem with that so I resigned
from the Ohio legislature and I came
back to Miami to take care of mama and
when I decided to become a speaker I
didn’t just quit my job and just ran out
and say I’m a motivational speaker know
what I did was I decided to start
looking at other people there were
involved in the speaking profession I
volunteered to work with some speakers
so that I could learn I’ve been an
entrepreneur for 20 years it’s my 21st
year I could have been speaking and
training for 34 years
but for 14 years I was living in my head
for 14 years I stopped myself for 14
years I used to go see Zig Ziglar that I
considered a number-one motivational
speaker on the planet Zig Ziglar and
Tony Robbins they’re the best on the
planet Bob Procter they are the best of
the planet Jack Canfield Mark Victor
Hansen TR Beckett I would go and see
them and then I would leave in my
conversation with myself was my heart
would say I can do that and then my mind
would ask how
what will they listen to me for and
that’s the way I felt and so I had to
visualize myself speaking before them
speaking before various audiences that
had more going for them than I did and
realize and appreciate my own value and
that I was a worthwhile person even
though I didn’t have all going for me I
didn’t have the money I didn’t have the
education that they had so part of the
I never worked for a major corporation I
want to speak for corporations I was
afraid I would I would be exposed
because I don’t have a college education
I felt inferior because of the fact that
I don’t have a college education I
allowed at that level of fear of failure
to stop me and because I never had an
experience in it I assumed that I could
not do it
I was paralyzing myself by believing and
assuming the limited part of myself as
opposed to believing that I had
something special 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 in 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 it 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 I
said God why
I’m just trying to take care of my
children and my mother I’m not trying to
steal a Rob from anybody how didn’t have
to happen to me
it was very hard and here’s what I want
to say to you but 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 hook show
it’s a long shot ladies and gentlemen
from Liberty City an abandoned building
Auto 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
[Applause]
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 gonna 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 and I
remember when PBS first played one of my
specials called you deserve one Sunday
afternoon in Miami Florida 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
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 your sleep for if all that you dream
and scheme is about it and the life
seems useless and worthless without it
and if you 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
strengthen sagacity Faith Hope and
confidence and stern pertinacity if
neither cold poverty famish adult
sickness a pain of body and brain can
keep you away from the thing that you
are that dogged and grim you beseech and
beset up with the help of God your giving