when you know within yourself that
there’s something you want to do and I
believe that all of us was born with a
purpose that all of us have something
that we are supposed to do that all of
us have some goodness within us and that
goodness gives us a responsibility to
manifest our greatness and when you know
that you can feel it in your guts and
you know that you’re deliberately
operating below your potential you’ve
gotten comfortable you stop expanding
you stop stretching you stop challenging
yourself let me share something else
with you not only it’s it’s possible for
you to have your dream but it’s
necessary it’s necessary that you have
it that you work on it that you develop
yourself that you go for what is yours
in the universe was in my comfort zone I
was doing just enough to get by working
on a job they paid me just enough to
keep me from quitting and I work just
hard enough to keep from getting fired
how many know people like that blink
your eyes if you understand what I’m
talking about I was parked I knew I
could do more well when my mama died it
took something out of me when I went
through a divorce it took something out
of me when and my best friend died it
took something out of me
iPod
and somebody said that life is like an
onion you have to peel it one layer at a
time and sometimes you cry
life’s going to happen to you when you
have a dream you’re gonna get slapped
around and don’t take it personally
don’t ask why did this have to happen to
me why not you who would you suggest you
want to give it some name some email
addresses and don’t tell everybody 80%
don’t care and 20% glad is you it’s
called life suck it up and move on get
over it
it happens to everybody
here’s the other thing is you look at
your goals and look at your dreams when
you’re going through some stuff repeat
out to be pleased when things go wrong
don’t go with them yes write that down
when things go wrong don’t go with them
when you’re working on a business deal
you’re counting on some money someone
said you will get the loan and it falls
through you have an event and the people
that you thought would be there and
support you they don’t come through but
someone turns against you or you get
ripped off it’s going to happen to you
happen to me
so let’s stole all my products my
database over a hundred and eighty
thousand names and addresses it’s not
personal it’s gonna happen to everybody
it does eight out of ten millionaires
have been financially bankrupt
Walt Disney had seven heap four filed
bankruptcy seven times and had two
nervous breakdowns
it’s called life but I got a saying when
life knocks you down try and land on
your back because if you can look up you
can get up you’ve got the power in you
to do that you’ve got something special
you’ve got come back power here’s the
other thing let us say together it’s
possible it’s necessary it’s me yes
write that down it’s me take ownership
for your life nobody can live your dream
for you but you nobody’s gonna take care
of your business like you stop coming up
with excuses don’t give yourself
permission to continue to live a small
life you can’t fit a big dream into a
small life give yourself permission to
go for it to test yourself to challenge
yourself to live fool I like to sing
always strive to get on top of life
because it’s the bottom that’s
overcrowded the reason you’re here is
because there’s something in you that
says I can do more this just can’t be it
there’s something in you there’s a
calling on your life there’s something
in your heart that costs you to get
dressed and and spend the money to go to
the seminar if the seminar listen to
message after message and speaker after
speaker because there’s something in you
that tells you this is not it for you
you have not peaked here there’s more in
you that you are expressing is not seen
here is not her nose enter to man heart
of mankind what’s in store for you if
you challenge yourself if you persist
and persevere if you take ownership 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 them create what you want
you have empowered you to do the more
than you can ever begin to imagine to
control your destiny to make a
difference in our children to make a
difference on the planet to make an
impact let us say together it’s me and
let us say together it’s hard said like
you know it’s it’s hard ladies and
gentlemen it’s hard that people who have
seen their retirements taken away from
them by the corporations that they work
for they’re within two or three years of
retiring
and they had it taken from them the
number one entrepreneurs in this country
now a senior citizens the number one
employer number two McDonald’s and
Walmart and there’s nothing wrong with
those jobs I guarantee you those people
did not have a plan to end up living
their lives at the end of life with
those types of jobs and they didn’t have
a plan like you have and why are you
investing in yourself not to and it’s
hard
they’re people making choices between
purchasing prescription drugs or paying
for gas or mortgage note it’s hard are
you working on a job for twenty years
thirty years give them some good years
and then they come in and tell you we’ve
downsized in other ways other words
you’re fired and then you have to start
all over again how many of you know it’s
hard raise your hands please it’s hard
and it’s not fair one of the things I
like about tea harvest he talks about
work and investing in yourself it’s not
fair but people are going up against
that kind of stuff to tell them just
faint positive and be enthusiastic and
everything will work out alright
ain’t that kind of party it’s hard life
we’ll put some nuts on your head I
bought my first home for my mother
I was rushing didn’t know what I was
doing and I bought a home that had a
lien against it and they called me mr.
Brown yes as a lien against your
property we need fifty five thousand
dollars if you’re going to stay there
wait a minute sir I just bought this
home the guy told me there were no liens
against it I’m not the one that owe you
the money you should have checked that
out mr. brown
come on I call my attorney we followed
up yes less there’s a lien against the
property but he told me there were no
liens
he lied obviously oh my god
he told me he wanted to help me because
he admired the fact that I was buying
this home for my mother and that he was
adopted he he identified with me less he
suck at you he played you man so what
well would they take payment
arrangements can I what about $5,000 a
month they want all the money less they
want all the money or you’re gonna have
to get out of the house is going up for
chef sale do you have it
no I I don’t have them can they give me
some time tell him to give me give me
three months please give me three my
tight my mother’s in her 70s man she has
a bad heart don’t do this to me this is
my dream don’t do this man
please let me talk to Les I’m talking to
their attorney they don’t want to talk
to you I’ve got to talk to the attorneys
do you have the money no will they give
me three months
no what about two months no less they
want the money in seven days oh my god
let me call you back I’m not sure and I
walked the floors thinking God how could
this happen to me I gotta figure this
out huh I gotta figure this out and seem
like the days are just ticking off
ticking off Thursday I had to call up
and let them know they called me les do
you have the money no I don’t Friday you
have to leave the sheriff will be there
you’d have to leave les they’re gonna
take my house what about my down payment
you lost it les you lost it okay I gotta
go yes
I prayed lord please if you show me that
you’re real if if it’s if you’re really
real you think Paul worked for you you
you haven’t seen anything don’t let me
lose this house and watch what I’ll do
for you I was trying to cut a deal
have you ever tried to cut a deal
it’s amazing how spiritual you’ll get
when you get in trouble you don’t leave
what I was diagnosed with prostate
cancer I was going this bed with the
with the Bible and the Holy Quran and
science of mind and Joel Goldsmith
everything I get fired I was banned to
Jesus Yahweh Melchizedek everybody I was
called it on everybody it’s amazing and
and here I was walking the floor three
o’clock in the morning and I had to go
and wake my mother up I got on my knees
and I said mama I said I need you to
wake up she said what’s wrong Leslie I
can I can hear you walking back and
forth I’m not sleep son I said there’s
something I need to tell you she said
your eyes are red while your eyes red
because I feel so stupid town why we got
to move tomorrow
why’d Leslie there’s a lien against the
property and they want fifty five
thousand dollars and I don’t have it and
we’re going to be set out tomorrow we
have to go back to Liberty City
so she said it’s okay I don’t like this
house anyhow I said why she said because
of my arthritic knees it helps it hurts
my knees when I go up the steps I said
why didn’t you tell me because you were
so happy I just said it because you were
happy I’ll live in a shack with you boy
I love you it’s not the house I love you
I love all my children as a thank you
mama thank you and the next day the next
day when we were in the truck going back
to Liberty City and we pulled out 68
terrorists the neighbors came out and
said well maybe maybe you’re coming back
are you back
yes what happened to the home you bought
bought for you those boys you adopted
Leslie didn’t do a title search he made
a mistake and boy I was I was so
humiliated how many ever made a mistake
that you would just give me later a
chance I was devastated I was taking the
furniture off the truck and my mother
came and I was crying and she said boy I
said yes Belle she said hold your head
up I said bum oh I can’t she said a hold
your head up
I said one look what I’ve done she said
it’s okay it’s okay you are gonna make a
lot of mistakes in life young man you’re
gonna fail your way to success you have
nothing to be ashamed of keep your head
up and take that furniture back in the
house I said yes ma’am and I learned
something for that if you ever go
through something hold your head up if
you ever make a mistake hold your head
up if you ever do something that
everything goes wrong like catch you on
the Blind Side hold your head up it’s
not over Goethe said that which does not
kill you will make you stronger hold
your head up shake someone’s hand on
your right and left and say hold your
here’s something else ladies and
gentlemen repeat after me please
you got to be hungry everybody together
you got to be hungry I’ll never forget
mr. Washington said Mr Brown yes sir
what do you want to do with your life
young man I said sir I want to be a disc
jockey said Mr Brown I said yes sir he
said you got to be hungry I said what do
you mean by that he said people that are
hungry are willing to do the things a
day others won’t do in order to have the
things tomorrow others won’t have people
that are hungry are willing to invest in
themselves people that are hungry will
go to seminars and workshops people that
are hungry always searching always
seeking higher ground so how do you want
to make it I said I want to be a disc
jockey that’s good here’s what to do he
said I want you to read 10 to 15 pages
of something positive every day he said
you don’t get in life what you want you
get in life what you are you must
program yourself to success he said once
you listen to around Nightingale and Zig
Ziglar listen faith comes by hearing and
hearing and hearing he said I want you
to change your relationships and I don’t
want you to ever lose your hunger I said
what do you mean by that he’s a deeper
that are hungry unstoppable
people that are hungry are no matter
what people they make it happen no
matter what is I want you to listen to
Paul Harvey who is he he’s the world’s
greatest communicator success leaves
Clues young man always listened and
follow people who are doing what it is
you want to do at the level you want to
do it and learn from them until t-hub
when we’re standing by the stage and
said hey man I want to work more with
you I want you to coach me I want to
learn from you see I found you’re never
too old to learn and you’re never too
young to teach always have a thirst for
learning so I listened to Paul Harvey
every day on the radio while in school I
would go out and listen in his car he
gave me his keys I was working to
develop myself
and I continue to listen to motivational
messages and he would take me to see the
late nor dr. norman vincent peale who
wrote the book the power of positive
thinking i toured with him before he
passed you you have something special
you have greatness within you don’t
allow your circumstances to determine
who you are don’t allow your negative
thoughts to hold you back you you have
something special you can do more than
you can ever begin to imagine dr. Peale
was an incredible man I I admired he
when he spoke he gave me goose pimples I
can feel him and my heart and and I
never forget we were coming back to the
school and mr. Washington said mr. Brown
yes sir
when dr. Peale spoke you didn’t move and
he spoke you were hanging on every word
he’d need when he spoke we didn’t have
to tell you to sit down and be quiet why
I said sir I could I could feel him then
he talked I felt like he was talking to
me sir he said he was I said but he
doesn’t know me but he was speaking to
you did you feel him in your heart I
said yes sir he said most people feel
him in their head if you felt him in
your heart he said listen to him son
follow him learn from him and I would go
to seminars and workshops anywhere I
would find where dr. Peale was I would
be in the audience
I’ve Drive two and three hundred miles
just to hear him speak and my dream and
vision was was to share the stage with
him I thought about it what is your goal
what is your vision I want you to hold
it in mind
it’s empower in that because
when I became involved in speaking I
never forget I got a call from odd man
Dino who wrote the book the greatest
salesman in the world he said last I’m
stuck in Philadelphia need to be a gay
cookie dr. Norman Vincent Phil’s
appearing I can’t make it heard you’re
in Chicago I said yes I am
can you go and open for me I said yes
man oh my god dr. field I said yes I’d
love to do it and I went there and I
came by – hi I’m I’m les brown he said
here not to Bandari now and I said no
I’m I’m mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy I’m
here to speak he said come backstage and
his wife Martha was there and she said
Papa Les Brown is here the speaker and
he said that’s brown Les Brown shoot for
the moon because even if you miss you’ll
land among the stars that’s it sir
that’s my quote I wrote you when I was
in the 11th grade I was a part of a
special special education class project
that’s my call he said I know I in all
my speeches with that goat and dr. Peele
had a great sense of humor young man is
backstage and I had so many questions to
ask him in my mind froze up and young
guy said dr. Peale how old are you and
he was up in age he’s at Sunny I’m I’m
92 young man looked at him said I don’t
know if I want to live to get 92 he said
that’s because you’ve never been 91 so I
did the things that mr. Washington
suggested I listen to motivational tapes
on a regular basis I would go to
seminars and workshops whenever Zig
Ziglar and dr. Denis Waitley and Jim Ron
would come to town and I said sir I said
what do you want me to do now he said
mr. brown
I’ve given you everything that I can
give you he said develop your mind put
your money where your mouth is continue
to learn how to be an effective
communicator because once you open your
mouth you tell the world who you are and
always surround yourself with oqp only
quality people so I went to apply for a
job on Miami Beach
WM B M radio station Milton butterball
Smith was the pro
I’m director hello mr. butterball how
are you sir my name is les Vaughn sir
I’d like to be a disc jockey he said
young man you have any journalism near
background that’s oh no sir I don’t you
have an experience in broadcasting I
said no sir but I practice all the time
sir let me audition for you sir let me
show you how good I am all I need is a
shot sir he says no we don’t have any
job for you I’ve never been rejected
raise your hands please
I was devastated I went back into total
miss wash I said mr. Washington they
said no he said don’t take it personally
most people are so negative they have to
say no seven times before they say yes
is that you got to be hungry make know
your vitamin go back again I said yes
sir
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les brown sir I like to be a
disc 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 I didn’t
know whether or not somebody was laid
off as 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 wrong sir I like to be a
disc jockey I know what your name is
weren’t you here the last two days yes I
was and I tell you no the last two days
yes sir you did why are you back well
sir I didn’t I don’t know what enough
someone got sick of someone died sir
no one got sick of died don’t one this
laid-off a find I don’t you come back
here again I came back the next day
talking loud looking happy like I was
seeing him for the first time as hello
mr. butterball how are you he looked at
me with rage and says go get me some
my favorite book says the greatest among
you will be your servant how many of you
serious about your goals and dreams
raise your hands
very good write this down provide more
service than you get paid for provide
more service than you get paid for I go
to a lot of seminars and workshops and
one of the things I know about T Harv
Eker and I was sitting in the class of
Robert Roy Appel and all of the other
presenters they hold themselves to high
standards and they provide more
information than anybody else in the
industry bar none they hold nothing back
because their commitment is for your
success and when you hold yourself to
high standards write this down
impact drives income that’s why you’re
here because the training the seminars
been making a difference in your life if
there did not have impact two or three
hundred people would be here if that
amount impact drives income so I became
the errand boy for the disc jockeys I
would go get their lunch in their dinner
and I would bring it to them in the
control room and I’d watch them working
the control boards knowing my time will
come write this down
I expect to reach my goal yes you want
to operate with a spirit of expectation
I expect to reach my goal so I started
preparing for the next position never
forget one quote that I heard as you
look at your life you look at your goals
and dreams it’s better to be prepared
for an opportunity to not have one than
to have an opportunity and not be
prepared if you expect to reach your
goal prepare yourself now
and so then pretty soon the guys at the
station they begin to take a liking to
me write this down
bill relationships as you aware people
deal with people that they know like and
trust and so they would say Leslie yes
sir come here yes
come outside who did this Oh your car
yes who cleaned my car I did sir
I would wax their cars in the weekend
inside and out how much do you charge oh
nothing sir I just wanted to help out I
was providing more service than I got
paid for I was building relationships I
said wow look here Donna Ross and The
Supremes are coming to town the Four
Tops and the temptations here hurt my
car keys pick them up for me take him to
the fountain blue hotel on Miami Beach
I said yes sir I would drive them all
over Miami Beach in the big long
Cadillacs I didn’t have any driver’s
license but I’ll Drive it like I had
some then 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 it was a Saturday afternoon
and I was the only one there Rock and
Roger got so drunk
he could not complete the show he
started slurring his words he’s about to
fall off the chair and there I was
looking at infant for control room
window walking back and forth young
ready and hungry I will send drink drink
Rock either go and get him some morphine
asked me to then pretty soon the phone
rang it was the general manager and I
answer the phone said hello is that
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 DJ’s in I said yes
sir I said to myself he must be think
I’m crazy I called my mom and my
girlfriend Cassandra said y’all come out
on the front porch and turn up the radio
I’m bout to come on air
I waited for about 20 minutes and I call
him back I said mr. Klein I can’t find
nobody he said young boy you not have
worked the controls I said yes sir
he said gone and segmented the records
but don’t say nothing here I said yes
sir I couldn’t wait to get a rock out of
the way I put on a fast record I said
look out this is me LD Triple P let’s
brown your platter playing Papa that
we’re not before me and there will be
none after me therefore that makes me
the one and only young and single and
loved Domingo certified bonafide DubLi
qualified to bring you satisfaction and
a whole lot of action look out baby I’m
your love man I was hungry
I was hungry get old man a round of
applause I was hungry I was hungry you
got to be hungry shake someone’s hand on
your right and left all around you and
say you got to be hungry you got to be
hungry to get those dreams out of your
head and step into your greatness you
got to be hungry to get those ideas that
talent that give out of your system you
got to be hungry to get up off the
canvas of life and understand what Willy
jolly meant that a setback is a setup
for a comeback you got to be hungry
people that are hungry willing to do the
things that they others won’t do in
order to have the things tomorrow others
won’t have how many of you got value out
of what you’ve heard that slow raise
your hands please
very good I’d like to leave this with
you I don’t know what your goals are I
don’t know what you want to do here’s
what I know about you you have greatness
within you here’s what I know about you
I can help you to live full and to die
empty I can show you what I’ve learned
if anybody told me that I would be doing
what I’m doing now I’ll leave here today
I go to New Orleans and speak there then
I’ll be flown to Barcelona if anybody
told me given my circumstances born an
abandoned building on a fault of course
section of Miami Florida called Liberty
City of both my birth parents stood up
and said hello son
I would not know either one being
labeled educable mentally retarded put
back from the fifth grade to the fourth
grade fail again when I was in the
eighth grade
no college training anybody told me the
principles that I would teach you that
they would have the impact that it has
had on my life this less problem that
you see I did not know he existed and I
tell you that you have greatness within
you you have the ability to do more than
you can ever begin to imagine come into
the room with me and I guarantee your
life will never be the same again I like
to leave this with you I don’t know what
your goals are mine is to find a cure to
artisan mine is to find a cure to breast
cancer to prostate cancer mine is is to
work with our youth and to reduce the
recidivism rate in our prisons and help
young people learn how to become an
asset to our society rather than a
liability mine is is to train speakers
to become great communicators to speak
from their heart not their heads and
teach them how to impact and create a
new conversation so people can see the
possibilities of life and overcome the
possibility blindness that held me
hostage for 14 years I don’t know what
your goals are but here’s what I know
about you and I don’t know you
you’ve got greatness within you and I
like to leave this with you something my
mother used to love to hear me say
Leslie yes ma’am mama said that thing
for me boy that makes me feel good I
dedicate this to you to the great dis in
you and to the dream that you showed up
on the planet to produce and it’s 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 your sleep for it 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 all
your terror of the opposition for it and
if you simply go after that thing that
you want with all of your capacity
strength and sagacity Faith Hope and confidence and stern pertinacity
there’s something you want to do and I
believe that all of us was born with a
purpose that all of us have something
that we are supposed to do that all of
us have some goodness within us and that
goodness gives us a responsibility to
manifest our greatness and when you know
that you can feel it in your guts and
you know that you’re deliberately
operating below your potential you’ve
gotten comfortable you stop expanding
you stop stretching you stop challenging
yourself let me share something else
with you not only it’s it’s possible for
you to have your dream but it’s
necessary it’s necessary that you have
it that you work on it that you develop
yourself that you go for what is yours
in the universe was in my comfort zone I
was doing just enough to get by working
on a job they paid me just enough to
keep me from quitting and I work just
hard enough to keep from getting fired
how many know people like that blink
your eyes if you understand what I’m
talking about I was parked I knew I
could do more well when my mama died it
took something out of me when I went
through a divorce it took something out
of me when and my best friend died it
took something out of me
iPod
and somebody said that life is like an
onion you have to peel it one layer at a
time and sometimes you cry
life’s going to happen to you when you
have a dream you’re gonna get slapped
around and don’t take it personally
don’t ask why did this have to happen to
me why not you who would you suggest you
want to give it some name some email
addresses and don’t tell everybody 80%
don’t care and 20% glad is you it’s
called life suck it up and move on get
over it
it happens to everybody
here’s the other thing is you look at
your goals and look at your dreams when
you’re going through some stuff repeat
out to be pleased when things go wrong
don’t go with them yes write that down
when things go wrong don’t go with them
when you’re working on a business deal
you’re counting on some money someone
said you will get the loan and it falls
through you have an event and the people
that you thought would be there and
support you they don’t come through but
someone turns against you or you get
ripped off it’s going to happen to you
happen to me
so let’s stole all my products my
database over a hundred and eighty
thousand names and addresses it’s not
personal it’s gonna happen to everybody
it does eight out of ten millionaires
have been financially bankrupt
Walt Disney had seven heap four filed
bankruptcy seven times and had two
nervous breakdowns
it’s called life but I got a saying when
life knocks you down try and land on
your back because if you can look up you
can get up you’ve got the power in you
to do that you’ve got something special
you’ve got come back power here’s the
other thing let us say together it’s
possible it’s necessary it’s me yes
write that down it’s me take ownership
for your life nobody can live your dream
for you but you nobody’s gonna take care
of your business like you stop coming up
with excuses don’t give yourself
permission to continue to live a small
life you can’t fit a big dream into a
small life give yourself permission to
go for it to test yourself to challenge
yourself to live fool I like to sing
always strive to get on top of life
because it’s the bottom that’s
overcrowded the reason you’re here is
because there’s something in you that
says I can do more this just can’t be it
there’s something in you there’s a
calling on your life there’s something
in your heart that costs you to get
dressed and and spend the money to go to
the seminar if the seminar listen to
message after message and speaker after
speaker because there’s something in you
that tells you this is not it for you
you have not peaked here there’s more in
you that you are expressing is not seen
here is not her nose enter to man heart
of mankind what’s in store for you if
you challenge yourself if you persist
and persevere if you take ownership 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 them create what you want
you have empowered you to do the more
than you can ever begin to imagine to
control your destiny to make a
difference in our children to make a
difference on the planet to make an
impact let us say together it’s me and
let us say together it’s hard said like
you know it’s it’s hard ladies and
gentlemen it’s hard that people who have
seen their retirements taken away from
them by the corporations that they work
for they’re within two or three years of
retiring
and they had it taken from them the
number one entrepreneurs in this country
now a senior citizens the number one
employer number two McDonald’s and
Walmart and there’s nothing wrong with
those jobs I guarantee you those people
did not have a plan to end up living
their lives at the end of life with
those types of jobs and they didn’t have
a plan like you have and why are you
investing in yourself not to and it’s
hard
they’re people making choices between
purchasing prescription drugs or paying
for gas or mortgage note it’s hard are
you working on a job for twenty years
thirty years give them some good years
and then they come in and tell you we’ve
downsized in other ways other words
you’re fired and then you have to start
all over again how many of you know it’s
hard raise your hands please it’s hard
and it’s not fair one of the things I
like about tea harvest he talks about
work and investing in yourself it’s not
fair but people are going up against
that kind of stuff to tell them just
faint positive and be enthusiastic and
everything will work out alright
ain’t that kind of party it’s hard life
we’ll put some nuts on your head I
bought my first home for my mother
I was rushing didn’t know what I was
doing and I bought a home that had a
lien against it and they called me mr.
Brown yes as a lien against your
property we need fifty five thousand
dollars if you’re going to stay there
wait a minute sir I just bought this
home the guy told me there were no liens
against it I’m not the one that owe you
the money you should have checked that
out mr. brown
come on I call my attorney we followed
up yes less there’s a lien against the
property but he told me there were no
liens
he lied obviously oh my god
he told me he wanted to help me because
he admired the fact that I was buying
this home for my mother and that he was
adopted he he identified with me less he
suck at you he played you man so what
well would they take payment
arrangements can I what about $5,000 a
month they want all the money less they
want all the money or you’re gonna have
to get out of the house is going up for
chef sale do you have it
no I I don’t have them can they give me
some time tell him to give me give me
three months please give me three my
tight my mother’s in her 70s man she has
a bad heart don’t do this to me this is
my dream don’t do this man
please let me talk to Les I’m talking to
their attorney they don’t want to talk
to you I’ve got to talk to the attorneys
do you have the money no will they give
me three months
no what about two months no less they
want the money in seven days oh my god
let me call you back I’m not sure and I
walked the floors thinking God how could
this happen to me I gotta figure this
out huh I gotta figure this out and seem
like the days are just ticking off
ticking off Thursday I had to call up
and let them know they called me les do
you have the money no I don’t Friday you
have to leave the sheriff will be there
you’d have to leave les they’re gonna
take my house what about my down payment
you lost it les you lost it okay I gotta
go yes
I prayed lord please if you show me that
you’re real if if it’s if you’re really
real you think Paul worked for you you
you haven’t seen anything don’t let me
lose this house and watch what I’ll do
for you I was trying to cut a deal
have you ever tried to cut a deal
it’s amazing how spiritual you’ll get
when you get in trouble you don’t leave
what I was diagnosed with prostate
cancer I was going this bed with the
with the Bible and the Holy Quran and
science of mind and Joel Goldsmith
everything I get fired I was banned to
Jesus Yahweh Melchizedek everybody I was
called it on everybody it’s amazing and
and here I was walking the floor three
o’clock in the morning and I had to go
and wake my mother up I got on my knees
and I said mama I said I need you to
wake up she said what’s wrong Leslie I
can I can hear you walking back and
forth I’m not sleep son I said there’s
something I need to tell you she said
your eyes are red while your eyes red
because I feel so stupid town why we got
to move tomorrow
why’d Leslie there’s a lien against the
property and they want fifty five
thousand dollars and I don’t have it and
we’re going to be set out tomorrow we
have to go back to Liberty City
so she said it’s okay I don’t like this
house anyhow I said why she said because
of my arthritic knees it helps it hurts
my knees when I go up the steps I said
why didn’t you tell me because you were
so happy I just said it because you were
happy I’ll live in a shack with you boy
I love you it’s not the house I love you
I love all my children as a thank you
mama thank you and the next day the next
day when we were in the truck going back
to Liberty City and we pulled out 68
terrorists the neighbors came out and
said well maybe maybe you’re coming back
are you back
yes what happened to the home you bought
bought for you those boys you adopted
Leslie didn’t do a title search he made
a mistake and boy I was I was so
humiliated how many ever made a mistake
that you would just give me later a
chance I was devastated I was taking the
furniture off the truck and my mother
came and I was crying and she said boy I
said yes Belle she said hold your head
up I said bum oh I can’t she said a hold
your head up
I said one look what I’ve done she said
it’s okay it’s okay you are gonna make a
lot of mistakes in life young man you’re
gonna fail your way to success you have
nothing to be ashamed of keep your head
up and take that furniture back in the
house I said yes ma’am and I learned
something for that if you ever go
through something hold your head up if
you ever make a mistake hold your head
up if you ever do something that
everything goes wrong like catch you on
the Blind Side hold your head up it’s
not over Goethe said that which does not
kill you will make you stronger hold
your head up shake someone’s hand on
your right and left and say hold your
here’s something else ladies and
gentlemen repeat after me please
you got to be hungry everybody together
you got to be hungry I’ll never forget
mr. Washington said Mr Brown yes sir
what do you want to do with your life
young man I said sir I want to be a disc
jockey said Mr Brown I said yes sir he
said you got to be hungry I said what do
you mean by that he said people that are
hungry are willing to do the things a
day others won’t do in order to have the
things tomorrow others won’t have people
that are hungry are willing to invest in
themselves people that are hungry will
go to seminars and workshops people that
are hungry always searching always
seeking higher ground so how do you want
to make it I said I want to be a disc
jockey that’s good here’s what to do he
said I want you to read 10 to 15 pages
of something positive every day he said
you don’t get in life what you want you
get in life what you are you must
program yourself to success he said once
you listen to around Nightingale and Zig
Ziglar listen faith comes by hearing and
hearing and hearing he said I want you
to change your relationships and I don’t
want you to ever lose your hunger I said
what do you mean by that he’s a deeper
that are hungry unstoppable
people that are hungry are no matter
what people they make it happen no
matter what is I want you to listen to
Paul Harvey who is he he’s the world’s
greatest communicator success leaves
Clues young man always listened and
follow people who are doing what it is
you want to do at the level you want to
do it and learn from them until t-hub
when we’re standing by the stage and
said hey man I want to work more with
you I want you to coach me I want to
learn from you see I found you’re never
too old to learn and you’re never too
young to teach always have a thirst for
learning so I listened to Paul Harvey
every day on the radio while in school I
would go out and listen in his car he
gave me his keys I was working to
develop myself
and I continue to listen to motivational
messages and he would take me to see the
late nor dr. norman vincent peale who
wrote the book the power of positive
thinking i toured with him before he
passed you you have something special
you have greatness within you don’t
allow your circumstances to determine
who you are don’t allow your negative
thoughts to hold you back you you have
something special you can do more than
you can ever begin to imagine dr. Peale
was an incredible man I I admired he
when he spoke he gave me goose pimples I
can feel him and my heart and and I
never forget we were coming back to the
school and mr. Washington said mr. Brown
yes sir
when dr. Peale spoke you didn’t move and
he spoke you were hanging on every word
he’d need when he spoke we didn’t have
to tell you to sit down and be quiet why
I said sir I could I could feel him then
he talked I felt like he was talking to
me sir he said he was I said but he
doesn’t know me but he was speaking to
you did you feel him in your heart I
said yes sir he said most people feel
him in their head if you felt him in
your heart he said listen to him son
follow him learn from him and I would go
to seminars and workshops anywhere I
would find where dr. Peale was I would
be in the audience
I’ve Drive two and three hundred miles
just to hear him speak and my dream and
vision was was to share the stage with
him I thought about it what is your goal
what is your vision I want you to hold
it in mind
it’s empower in that because
when I became involved in speaking I
never forget I got a call from odd man
Dino who wrote the book the greatest
salesman in the world he said last I’m
stuck in Philadelphia need to be a gay
cookie dr. Norman Vincent Phil’s
appearing I can’t make it heard you’re
in Chicago I said yes I am
can you go and open for me I said yes
man oh my god dr. field I said yes I’d
love to do it and I went there and I
came by – hi I’m I’m les brown he said
here not to Bandari now and I said no
I’m I’m mrs. Mamie Brown’s baby boy I’m
here to speak he said come backstage and
his wife Martha was there and she said
Papa Les Brown is here the speaker and
he said that’s brown Les Brown shoot for
the moon because even if you miss you’ll
land among the stars that’s it sir
that’s my quote I wrote you when I was
in the 11th grade I was a part of a
special special education class project
that’s my call he said I know I in all
my speeches with that goat and dr. Peele
had a great sense of humor young man is
backstage and I had so many questions to
ask him in my mind froze up and young
guy said dr. Peale how old are you and
he was up in age he’s at Sunny I’m I’m
92 young man looked at him said I don’t
know if I want to live to get 92 he said
that’s because you’ve never been 91 so I
did the things that mr. Washington
suggested I listen to motivational tapes
on a regular basis I would go to
seminars and workshops whenever Zig
Ziglar and dr. Denis Waitley and Jim Ron
would come to town and I said sir I said
what do you want me to do now he said
mr. brown
I’ve given you everything that I can
give you he said develop your mind put
your money where your mouth is continue
to learn how to be an effective
communicator because once you open your
mouth you tell the world who you are and
always surround yourself with oqp only
quality people so I went to apply for a
job on Miami Beach
WM B M radio station Milton butterball
Smith was the pro
I’m director hello mr. butterball how
are you sir my name is les Vaughn sir
I’d like to be a disc jockey he said
young man you have any journalism near
background that’s oh no sir I don’t you
have an experience in broadcasting I
said no sir but I practice all the time
sir let me audition for you sir let me
show you how good I am all I need is a
shot sir he says no we don’t have any
job for you I’ve never been rejected
raise your hands please
I was devastated I went back into total
miss wash I said mr. Washington they
said no he said don’t take it personally
most people are so negative they have to
say no seven times before they say yes
is that you got to be hungry make know
your vitamin go back again I said yes
sir
hello mr. butterball how are you sir my
name is les brown sir I like to be a
disc 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 I didn’t
know whether or not somebody was laid
off as 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 wrong sir I like to be a
disc jockey I know what your name is
weren’t you here the last two days yes I
was and I tell you no the last two days
yes sir you did why are you back well
sir I didn’t I don’t know what enough
someone got sick of someone died sir
no one got sick of died don’t one this
laid-off a find I don’t you come back
here again I came back the next day
talking loud looking happy like I was
seeing him for the first time as hello
mr. butterball how are you he looked at
me with rage and says go get me some
my favorite book says the greatest among
you will be your servant how many of you
serious about your goals and dreams
raise your hands
very good write this down provide more
service than you get paid for provide
more service than you get paid for I go
to a lot of seminars and workshops and
one of the things I know about T Harv
Eker and I was sitting in the class of
Robert Roy Appel and all of the other
presenters they hold themselves to high
standards and they provide more
information than anybody else in the
industry bar none they hold nothing back
because their commitment is for your
success and when you hold yourself to
high standards write this down
impact drives income that’s why you’re
here because the training the seminars
been making a difference in your life if
there did not have impact two or three
hundred people would be here if that
amount impact drives income so I became
the errand boy for the disc jockeys I
would go get their lunch in their dinner
and I would bring it to them in the
control room and I’d watch them working
the control boards knowing my time will
come write this down
I expect to reach my goal yes you want
to operate with a spirit of expectation
I expect to reach my goal so I started
preparing for the next position never
forget one quote that I heard as you
look at your life you look at your goals
and dreams it’s better to be prepared
for an opportunity to not have one than
to have an opportunity and not be
prepared if you expect to reach your
goal prepare yourself now
and so then pretty soon the guys at the
station they begin to take a liking to
me write this down
bill relationships as you aware people
deal with people that they know like and
trust and so they would say Leslie yes
sir come here yes
come outside who did this Oh your car
yes who cleaned my car I did sir
I would wax their cars in the weekend
inside and out how much do you charge oh
nothing sir I just wanted to help out I
was providing more service than I got
paid for I was building relationships I
said wow look here Donna Ross and The
Supremes are coming to town the Four
Tops and the temptations here hurt my
car keys pick them up for me take him to
the fountain blue hotel on Miami Beach
I said yes sir I would drive them all
over Miami Beach in the big long
Cadillacs I didn’t have any driver’s
license but I’ll Drive it like I had
some then 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 it was a Saturday afternoon
and I was the only one there Rock and
Roger got so drunk
he could not complete the show he
started slurring his words he’s about to
fall off the chair and there I was
looking at infant for control room
window walking back and forth young
ready and hungry I will send drink drink
Rock either go and get him some morphine
asked me to then pretty soon the phone
rang it was the general manager and I
answer the phone said hello is that
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 DJ’s in I said yes
sir I said to myself he must be think
I’m crazy I called my mom and my
girlfriend Cassandra said y’all come out
on the front porch and turn up the radio
I’m bout to come on air
I waited for about 20 minutes and I call
him back I said mr. Klein I can’t find
nobody he said young boy you not have
worked the controls I said yes sir
he said gone and segmented the records
but don’t say nothing here I said yes
sir I couldn’t wait to get a rock out of
the way I put on a fast record I said
look out this is me LD Triple P let’s
brown your platter playing Papa that
we’re not before me and there will be
none after me therefore that makes me
the one and only young and single and
loved Domingo certified bonafide DubLi
qualified to bring you satisfaction and
a whole lot of action look out baby I’m
your love man I was hungry
I was hungry get old man a round of
applause I was hungry I was hungry you
got to be hungry shake someone’s hand on
your right and left all around you and
say you got to be hungry you got to be
hungry to get those dreams out of your
head and step into your greatness you
got to be hungry to get those ideas that
talent that give out of your system you
got to be hungry to get up off the
canvas of life and understand what Willy
jolly meant that a setback is a setup
for a comeback you got to be hungry
people that are hungry willing to do the
things that they others won’t do in
order to have the things tomorrow others
won’t have how many of you got value out
of what you’ve heard that slow raise
your hands please
very good I’d like to leave this with
you I don’t know what your goals are I
don’t know what you want to do here’s
what I know about you you have greatness
within you here’s what I know about you
I can help you to live full and to die
empty I can show you what I’ve learned
if anybody told me that I would be doing
what I’m doing now I’ll leave here today
I go to New Orleans and speak there then
I’ll be flown to Barcelona if anybody
told me given my circumstances born an
abandoned building on a fault of course
section of Miami Florida called Liberty
City of both my birth parents stood up
and said hello son
I would not know either one being
labeled educable mentally retarded put
back from the fifth grade to the fourth
grade fail again when I was in the
eighth grade
no college training anybody told me the
principles that I would teach you that
they would have the impact that it has
had on my life this less problem that
you see I did not know he existed and I
tell you that you have greatness within
you you have the ability to do more than
you can ever begin to imagine come into
the room with me and I guarantee your
life will never be the same again I like
to leave this with you I don’t know what
your goals are mine is to find a cure to
artisan mine is to find a cure to breast
cancer to prostate cancer mine is is to
work with our youth and to reduce the
recidivism rate in our prisons and help
young people learn how to become an
asset to our society rather than a
liability mine is is to train speakers
to become great communicators to speak
from their heart not their heads and
teach them how to impact and create a
new conversation so people can see the
possibilities of life and overcome the
possibility blindness that held me
hostage for 14 years I don’t know what
your goals are but here’s what I know
about you and I don’t know you
you’ve got greatness within you and I
like to leave this with you something my
mother used to love to hear me say
Leslie yes ma’am mama said that thing
for me boy that makes me feel good I
dedicate this to you to the great dis in
you and to the dream that you showed up
on the planet to produce and it’s 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 your sleep for it 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 all
your terror of the opposition for it and
if you simply go after that thing that
you want with all of your capacity
strength and sagacity Faith Hope and confidence and stern pertinacity
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