7 Must-Read Success Lessons from Les Brown

“Les” Brown is a motivational speaker, former U.S. politician, popular author, radio DJ, and former host of The Les Brown Show.

Les Brown was born with his twin brother Wesley on February 17, 1945 in a low-income section of Miami, Florida in an abandoned building. He was subsequently given up for adoption and adopted by Mamie Brown, a then 38-year-old single woman who worked as a cafeteria attendant and domestic assistant. He was declared “educably mentally retarded” while in grade school. Despite the obvious self-esteem issues this created, with the encouragement of his mother and assistance by a helpful teacher in high school, he learned how to reach his full potential, a key point in many motivational speeches he gives now.

7 Must-Read Success Lessons from Les Brown:

1. Learn to Win

“There are winners, there are losers, and there are people who have not yet learned how to win.”

Know which battles you shouldn’t be trying to win. Play to your strengths, there are some things that you will never succeed in, more importantly, there are some things that ONLY you can succeed in.

2. Plant a Tree

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

This Web site has almost 8,000 subscribers because several years ago, I decided to start a self-development Web site, with 1 subscriber, myself.

To sit in the shade you must first plant a tree. Plant a tree today, though it be small, it’s latter end will be great.

 

3. Twice Every Day

“Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them. Goals help you channel your energy into action.”

Place your goals in a place where you see them every day. If you don’t see them, you will forget about them. If you forget about them, it is self-evident that you will not achieve them. Place your top three goals in a place where you will see them every day.

 

4. Stretch Yourself

“If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.”

To change your life, you must change the way you think.

In January of this year I listened to/read 27 books. On January 31^st, I saw things very differently then I saw them on January 1^st – my consciousness had expanded.

Stretch yourself, challenge yourself; challenge the way you think, challenge what you eat, what you read, how you spend your time – you change by stretching yourself.

5. Get Your “But” Out the Way

“The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today.”

…But I’m too old, too young, I’ve waited too long, I’ve messed up too many times, I’m misunderstood. Your path to success is being blocked by your “but.” Why you’re saying how and why something can’t be done, there’s somebody out there doing it. Get your “but” out the way!. Get on with it.

6. Land on Your Back

“When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up.”

You may have been knocked down, you may be convinced that you won’t succeed, but if you can look up, you can get up. Get up one more time! You are not your past mistakes; you have within you the ability to succeed, so look up!

7. Change

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.”

At the end of the day, these are just cute quotes if you don’t decide to change. You have to make a decision, you have to decide to maximize your potential.

Good is not good enough when you’re destined to be great. Get up, look up, and succeed!