Les Brown – Don’t Waste Your Life (Powerful Motivational Video)
LES BROWN >> and as I looked at my life I asked
myself a question and I want to ask you
a question
how many of you know if you had your
life to live over again you could have
done more than what you’ve done thus far
raise your hands please
now that proves the point of what we do
what we accomplish what we produce in
life is only a tip of the iceberg of
what’s possible for us
I want you to think about some major
goal that gives your life a sense of
meaning right now something that gives
your life a sense of meaning something
that will give your life a sense of
purpose and direction some personal go
that you’d like to achieve something
that gives your life meaning right now
and some career goal some financial goal
that you’d like to achieve and your
social contribution Horace Mann said we
should be ashamed to die until we’ve
made some major contribution to
humankind what’s your goal what’s your
dream what is it you want to do with
your life
doctor Joelle Mardon said something that
I love she said what would the world be
like if everybody lived their dream
here’s what I found about life
it’s not as complicated as I used to
make it I think that life is about
dreams and stories everything that
exists the world at one time was barren
but everything that exists Hotels planes
they weren’t here everything that we see
every day computers all of the things
that we see someone had a dream someone
had a dream of a person standing on
stage and the voice being amplified so
they don’t have to scream and yell and
can be heard by thousands someone had
that dream how to transport us from one
place to the other quickly and safely
the clothes you have on where you’re now
seated oh came out of somebody’s dream
the world’s greatest achievement
what is your dream I said that you have
something special I didn’t say that just
to be kind I said it because it’s true
you were God’s chosen vessel you were
chosen one out of four hundred million
sperm you have something in you that
when you were chosen when you showed up
there’s something in you that if you
don’t do it all of us will suffer repeat
out to me please live full died empty
let’s head again live full die empty
the ideal situation for a man a woman to
die is to have family members praying
with them as they cross over he said but
imagine if you will being on your
deathbed and standing around your bed
the ghost of the dreams the ideas the
abilities the talents given to you by
life and that you for whatever reason
you never went after that dream you
never acted on those ideas you never use
those talents you never to use those
gifts 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
I was riding with a friend the other day
and I I know this friend of mine who has
been working on a job where she’s been
miserable for a long time you she was
telling me about how she was miserable
on the job at home how she was so
unhappy so I said if there’s if it’s
that stressful and if it’s causing you
that much pain and I say why don’t you
just quit and do something else and she
said something that really put her in
the chorus line with a lot of other
people she said I would but and then I
started to thinking about that so let me
take a poll so I started talking to
other people and I would ask them what
they were doing and I said what is that
your passion and they would say no I
said then what’s your real passion and
they would tell me what their real
passion was then I said well then why
aren’t you doing what you really want to
do oh I can do it but and they would
continue on so this word you know but
just kept on coming up and then it also
has some friends like water and CUDA and
sugar
and one day I’m gonna have my own
business
those people who talk about one day I’m
gonna some of y’all know some of those
one day I’m going to people raise your
hand some of you get up in the morning
look in the mirror that person
I just teasin I just these are like so
how is it that many times we block
ourselves and we use these words almost
like we are in a trance like with
sleepwalking through life that we find
ways to cancel out our dreams that I
think that butt is a dream killer then a
lot of things that we want to do a lot
of places we would like to go a lot of
things we would like to experience and
we just stop at but and we build a case
in fact I was reading something the
other day that that talked about but it
says but is an argument for our
limitations and when we argue for our
limitations we get to keep them see but
will cost you to procrastinate good will
cause you to hide out behind fear God
will cause you to come up with all type
of excuses that you can validate you’re
in action and not acting on your dream
and right now more than ever people need
to look for ways to live their dream
people need to look for ways to make it
on their own there is no such thing as
job security there’s no such thing as a
storm proof or tragic proof life there’s
no guarantees the day ladies and
gentlemen the illusion is gone there was
a time when when we graduated from high
school you’re told go to college and get
out and you go and work for a
corporation for 30 or 40 years and give
your goal watching you’ll retire special
announcement that day is gone
that day is gone never to return again
so instead of people living in fear
feeling stressed out feeling powerless
feeling like victims I think it should
be a time that we should need to begin
to look at ways that we can become an
active force in our own lives look at
ways when we can decide to take charge
of our own destiny look at ways when we
can decide to design a life of substance
and begin to truly live our dreams and
it’s time for people to decide I’m ready
to get on with my life
shake somebody’s head on your right
enough a guy named Bob may say they say
don’t let nobody turn your Rob do that
right quick
now you’re not a lot of people say I’m
going to live my life one day when
things get right when I get all my bills
face when I give my feet on the ground I
say what have you been walking on see
there are no problem free moments guy
named dimples had a record one time
called if it ain’t one thing it’s
another and I say if it ain’t one thing
is twelve others always something there
to bilikiss and why you can’t move on
why you can’t grow to the next level why
you can’t begin to manifest your
greatness why you can’t begin to live
life on your terms always something
there to block you to keep you where you
are and keep you from beginning to
develop your true greatness always some
fear how do we handle it and I’m saying
that if you’ve been hiding out behind
but if you’ve been using the fact that
you don’t have enough money or you don’t
have the education take it head-on don’t
get the education I’m saying to a god
the other day who was saying he I said
how old are you it’s 47 years old I said
your sister tell me that you can’t read
he said that’s right I said why well you
know III didn’t go to school
excuse my role are you I’m 47 47 yes and
you can’t read or write yes have you
ever heard of adult school adult
education have you decided that you
should learn how to read to begin to
expand your world why are you using that
as a racket
why don’t you decide now that you can
expand your world that if other people
can learn you could learn too well it’s
hard for me how do you have you been and
sit in a class yet have you signed up
yet no I haven’t see a lot of people say
no ladies and gentlemen two things and
they don’t even know what they’re saying
no to haven’t even challenged himself he
hasn’t even gone to sit into a class
that say teach me how to read instead
it’s been easier for him to go through
life he thinks tried to play a whole con
game
pretending he knows how to do something
that he doesn’t know how to do and you
know what most of us go through life
like that most of us go through life
pretending pretending that we’re
satisfied where we are pretending that
everything is okay
pretending that that we don’t have any
special goals or ambitions or desires
when really deep down inside we do
really want more but if you look at our
behavior if you judge based upon what we
do that really will tell you some true
stories about people because you have to
judge a tree by the fruit it bears not
the fruit that it talks about see a lot
of people pretend that they want more
out of life but all you have to do is
watch their actions that will tell you
something so I used to pretend that I
want to lose weight but how could you
tell I was pretending watch me when I
have a piece of sweet potato pie
let me get within walking distance of
some peanuts some potato chips say I was
pretending that I really wanted to lose
weight no you didn’t watch what I eat
that tell you what I’m seriously
committed to people tell you all yeah
one day I want to have a restaurant see
they’re pretending they want to go into
business for them since watch what
they’re doing the proof is in the
pudding so if you want to do something
if you’ve thought about something you
want to do take it head-on decide that
you’re going to start looking at it
start doing research on it start
tackling it start becoming involved in
whatever and wherever it might lead you
to begin to explore the possibilities in
that particular thing that you’re
seeking so that you can begin to learn
all you can about it decide that you’re
going to face it that whatever
shortcomings you have that you’re going
to strengthen yourself there whatever
training is required that you’re going
to go get that training that you’re
going to get started right now the
George Washington Carver would say do
what you can where you are with what you
have and never be satisfied yes be fully
used to say are you heard Jo Dudley talk
about always trying to be more than that
which you are yeah don’t get satisfied
with yourself always know that wherever
you are you can enjoy more that you
deserve more but most people you know
what they do most people go through life
quietly and safely tiptoe in turn early
great find out what it is you want and
go after it as if your life depends on
it why because it does people that have
found their passion people that found
the things that they love people that
have found the things that they can pour
their lives into those people live
longer I was in New York and I had to do
a seminar at a special church in a guy
by the name of Reverend Johnny
Youngblood and I said how is it that you
were able to build this big housing
facility and got all of the various
community and religious groups together
to to have this dwelling for 2,000
residents that were were once homeless
how were you able to take on this
responsibility wasn’t it overwhelming he
said the kind of work I do he said it’s
in me I’ve got to live
what’s in me and I think that’s
everybody’s desire in life you got to
live what’s in you life is just too
short and unpredictable but what are the
what are we say but but there always be
tomorrow oh no there’s no guarantees
you’re gonna show up tomorrow a lot of
people who are here yesterday that
they’re not here today there are a lot
of opportunities that were around
yesterday they’re not here today oh you
can wait but you know what Abraham
Lincoln said well good things might come
to those or to who wait but all of the
things that have been left over by those
who hustle
so who want to go through life picking
up leftovers you deserve much more than
that the leftovers that somebody has
left you so take it head-on begin to
explore it here’s something else decide
to do it now decide whatever you want to
do that you are now going to become
actively involved right now exploring
the possibilities for you that you’re
going to look at it and do just a little
bit of it right now 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 no 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
whatever you want to do get your feet
wet gain some experience doing some
volunteer work in the area and find out
whether or not this thing you want to do
will fit for you friend of mine told me
he went to have a restaurant and say
have you ever operated restaurant before
he said no I said we’re really you don’t
even know if you want one I said what’s
your expertise what do you bring to the
table he said I can cook real good I
said well what about the management side
what about the business part of the
restaurant you’re not gonna be cooking
all the time
somebody’s got to receive the money
who’s gonna manage the personality said
you got all right you got a point there
so this guy got a job in a restaurant in
the evening time on a part-time basis
after doing that for a while he said you
know what I think I just want to be a
chef he said after working there people
that show up the working it’s hard to
find the help people weren’t responsible
they headaches the guest was just giving
him problems day in and day out they
weren’t ever satisfied he said no I just
think I’ll stick to cooking so you gotta
find out what fits for you because you
might decide after you go up in there
and examine it experience it and get
some experience at the about wonder well
you say this is really not what I want
this does not fit for me so decide that
you’re going to do that now Johnny
Johnson said something that’s very
important he said there’s no defense
against an excellence that meets a
pressing public need see whatever you
decide to do look at it and find out
what is it that I have that I could
bring to the table that can begin to
enable me to ensure that I could be
successful in this
where is the opening for you there’s
room for you out here out here in the
arena called life there’s room for you
to come out and live your dream don’t
allow but to keep you in the corner keep
you up in the bleachers looking at life
being a spectator not being a
participant making a difference in life
I believe that all of us came here with
something all of us showed up to give
something and that nobody but nobody’s
going to give that service that you have
to give no one’s going to produce your
product no one’s going to write your
book no one’s going to open your academy
no one’s going to begin to create your
date here with a special curriculum to
help to cultivate the high self esteem
and our children that’s your idea and if
you don’t bring your ID out here when
you die all of us will suffer because
we’ve been deprived of your genius
because you allowed but to keep you in
the bleachers and not pursuing your
greatness you take it to your grave with
you and that’s what most people do I
think that’s why the guys said that many
people die at age 21 and don’t get bear
to tell they’re 65 they’re Walking Dead
you can tell him by the way they walk
cut it look in the face when they speak
to you I was giving a speech of this
high school and a lady came after school
she said mr. brown
I want to talk to you about my son I
said what is it she said he’s not
motivated
I said I wonder why
you’ve gotta have energy ladies and
gentlemen you got to have life if you
excited about what you’re doing even in
the area of selling you know people
don’t buy because of logical reasoning
people buy because of your way of
feeling people don’t like the beer out
there people
oh no let the dead bury the dead no no
keep him away from before they grab you
what a whole load of you love so the
fact that that whatever you do you want
to be excited about it you want to have
the kind of excitement that is so
contagious that people want to be around
you because whatever you’re doing
whatever you talk to people about this
particular idea that you have they’re
looking at you and they want to know do
you believe it and are you the kind of
person they want to be in business with
and if you’re not positive if you’re not
energetic if you’re not fired up about
it how can you expect anybody else to be
fired up about your idea I’m all right
all right repeat after me please I’m
gonna be fired up about my dream I’m
gonna go at it with everything I got
shake somebody’s hand on your right and
left and say you got what it takes
there are a lot of people who say but I
tried once or twice and it didn’t work
out and so they use that as an excuse
not to ever come out again guys said if
at first you don’t succeed you’re
running about average so so if you have
come out here with an idea and it didn’t
work out two or three times well that’s
alright you’re running about average you
know I heard something a jarring
question it says why is it that people
prefer known hell’s to unknown heavens
you know why because it’s comfortable
ladies and gentlemen I remember I was in
a service once and I heard dr. Johnny
Coleman give this example she talked
about a man who had been captured behind
the enemy lines in a war and was
sentenced to to be killed or another
option the captain said to the guy
listen he said tomorrow morning at 6
o’clock you can face the firing squad or
you can go out this door over here and
the guy said what’s out the door he said
no one knows all we can tell you just
unknown horrors he thought and the next
morning he selected the firing squad
after the shots rang out the captain’s
secretary said what’s beyond that door
and he said freedom but very few people
would select to do it because it’s
unknown see a lot of people never live
their dreams a lot of people never do
the things they want to do a lot of
people stay on jobs where they’re
miserable I read an I don’t recall is
your job making you sick a lot of people
some of y’all know about that already
so they’re going to say hey man it’s
alright that one lady told me she said
last night when I used to go to work she
said when I stepped in the door felt
like a refrigerator dropped on my
shoulders how many all understand that
kind of feeling they were miserable just
hated to go after 60 minutes on Sunday
afternoon or come Monday morning my head
used to thrive I just couldn’t take it
didn’t wanna go sometimes just just for
the heck of I just drive on by I used to
hate to go to work many must choose an
active living death many of us are
Walking Dead The Walking Dead that we’re
not doing what we want to do many of us
stay in relationships where we’re dying
together rather than growing and
expanding and living together we’re
miserable but because we don’t have the
courage to see ourselves beyond that
relationship that has turned toxic we go
through life living dead people and you
can always tell couples that have been
together for a little while bought a
restaurant the one sitting side-by-side
giggling and talking to each other feed
each other with their focus food they
just got together for word we
you see them in the car they sitting all
up each other a hook in his or they’ve
been together about three days all right
but if you see people say the restaurant
till you don’t see a couple and they’re
sitting in front of each other take so
long for this food I wonder when they go
hurry up
those are Mary was four years living in
two separate rooms sleeping in two
separate beds well it’s cheaper to keep
it not necessarily it’s a quarter to the
price you want to pay see the price of
peace of mind the price of living the
truth of being honest with yourself
inside wait a minute it’s gotta be more
than this so you’ve got to decide wait
wait even if I I think don’t work out
even if I experienced defeat a failure
that does not make me a failure it’s a
difference between failing and being a
failure if you if things don’t work out
if you don’t produce the results you
want that’s all but don’t confuse who
you are with the results that you
produce I used to be a state legislator
in Columbus Ohio and I remember once I
was going to introduce some legislation
on the floor and after getting that
legislation passed a guy came up behind
me and he had some legislation that I
opposed him on that and I was about to
stand up to debate this guy and got next
to me said skew don’t don’t debate that
guy why do you know who that is I said
no it’s will Kowski from Toledo it’s a
bad dude he’s a lawyer unless that man
can debate I don’t care I’m Les Brown
maybe Browns
so I raise my hand nice mr. speaker he
said the gentleman from the 29th House
District say yes sir to tell the
gentleman I like to take him on
challenge him on this legislation
he said well cause he said I would more
than like to mr. speaker everybody say I
asked him some questions he responded I
say I wonder why instead of man that
question well cos he won’t be out I mean
I was up there and I’ll just limp it
back to my room I guess I can however
here’s what I learned when you win see
you if I win a debate I win because of
what I know when I lose I lose because
what I don’t know so I had to check out
what is it that I did not know I wasn’t
prepared I did not do enough research I
did not do my homework so he handed me
like he wanted to so I came back again I
waited on some other legislation did my
homework but he was more than able to
take me out again
but pretty soon each time it would take
him it would become a little bit more
difficult and a little bit more
difficult and the older guy say would
you argue in behalf of at this
legislation for me I said sure I start
volunteering to do work in the
legislative committees for the older
guys I said absolutely and the more I
did it the better I became and then
people began to start respecting me when
I would ask her said Mr Speaker I like
to speak on that bill so guys let’s
start wriggling and stuff like Jimmy
oh wait a minute do we have a problem
here
