You Have Greatness Within You :: Les Brown

Focus on positive choices that move you closer to your dream. Make a conscious and deliberate effort to do at least one thing everyday that represents the highest and the best in you. Keep in mind, this is going to be your greatest year ever!

Do not allow yourself or anyone else to sabotage you. Stay on track. Refuse to lower your guard or to be pulled off course. Keep the main thing the main thing. Honor yourself by keeping your word to yourself. Everything matters. It is your time to achieve your dream. You have the POWER! You have GREATNESS within you!

Say to yourself...NEVER AGAIN!!! Never again...will I find myself in this situation...or beat myself up because of my past mistakes. NEVER AGAIN will I give up on my dream because of what someone else has said or because I've been rejected or experienced failure or a setback. NEVER AGAIN will I not give my all or go all out, or represent myself as a powerless weak victim because of some tragedy that I have experienced.

NEVER AGAIN will I go back to a life, a lie, a relationship, or a situation that doesn't represent the best in me. I am better than this...bigger than this...stronger than this! Don't let a temporary situation cause you to make a permanent decision about your possibilities and your future. Keep pushing forward despite the odds or how you feel at the moment. Give out but don't give up!!! Dare to be GREAT!! You have GREATNESS within you!

See the challenges in your life as fuel to fire you up. You are bigger than any of the problems that you face. Look around, and you will find opportunities silently waiting for you to recognize them. Become unstoppable and determined to reach your goals.

Do not let anyone convince you that you can not achieve your dream. They do not know you like that! They have no idea of who you really are. Do not waste time trying to convince them. Keep working your plan and handle your business. Actions speak louder than words. Remember...you have GREATNESS within you!

The worst is over!! You have gone through a lot and you are still here! Despite how you may feel at this time, this experience will not break you. Whatever happened to you does not own you or determine your future. It is an experience that you must choose to grow through and not allow to shut your life down. No question...this is easier said than done. But you have the power in you to put this experience in your past, and not allow it to overwhelm your present or dictate how you show up in the world. Pause for a moment to get your head right and resolve to handle this. You know, life is like a roller coaster. Sometimes you are up and sometimes you are down.

Expect things to get better and they will. Do you know who you are? You are more powerful than you give yourself credit for being. In time you will overcome this and become more resilient than you have ever been before. Look at the road ahead, know that tomorrow will be better than today. Pull yourself together and take time to heal. Where your life goes from here is your call. Believe in yourself! You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!

Get centered and calm yourself down. An anxious mind can not take you where you need to go. Recognize that true power resides within you ~ never outside of you. Keep your eyes on the prize and do not allow yourself to be thrown off course. There is power in the pursuit of your dream.

Continue to go after your dream...regardless of the obstacles, rejection, or things that will be thrown in your path. Go around, go through, or leap over them and remind yourself what this dream really means to you. Going after your dream will give you power that you do not even know you have. Embrace the challenges because they build character, resiliency and faith. You were born to succeed. It's not over until you win! You have GREATNESS within you!

You can see what others can not see for your life and your dream. Make it okay to stand alone or apart from the crowd. You are the architect of your life. Give yourself permission to express the real you, or another part of yourself. It does not matter if others do not get you. Stay focused on what you want, even if it does not seem possible right now.

Your mind will try and convince you to be logical, realistic, and practical...given your age, finances, or life situation. Let your heart be your guide and have the last word. You can not get out of life alive, so be bold. Go after what you want. Commit to live an adventurous, significant and purposeful life. You have GREATNESS within you!!

Do not give in to the tough times if you are experiencing them right now. Do not give up on your dreams or the possibility that your situation can change in an instant. Determine for yourself...Ain't no mountain high enough, and ain't no valley low enough...to keep you away from your dream of a better future.

Kindle the fire of hope and blow on the flames of possibility. You are bigger than any fear and stronger than any doubt about your future. Hold on...keep looking up. It's not over until you win!! You have GREATNESS within you!!

Express yourself. There is something in you the world needs now! Don't allow your own self-doubt, fear, and the negative opinions of others to stifle your gifts. Express yourself! If you know what your passion is, use it in every way you can to be of service to others.

If you don't, experiment with a variety of things until you find out what resonates with your mind, your heart, and your spirit. The world needs people who are on fire about their dream...who are hungry to make their mark....who are determined to leave a legacy. EXPRESS the GREATNESS with you!

Just stop! Take a moment to think before you act so that you are in control of yourself, your emotions and your responses. It is easy to justify unpleasant or rude behavior with excuses of being tired, overworked, or stressed. Sometimes we take out the irritations of the moment or the day on our family, children, co-workers, or even the family pet. What is the emotional tone of your family or your life? Is it harsh, cold, unforgiving, withdrawn, or warm, loving, open and embracing?

Take time each day to build and generate new verbal and non-verbal responses that will allow you to build your capacity to be a gentler, kinder, more compassionate, peaceful and loving person. This is a skill set that takes intentional rehearsal and practice ~ just like playing sports or working out. If you find yourself acting often out of irritation, anger, or even rage, reflect on what excuse you use to make someone else the brunt of your bad attitude or worse ~ your bad behavior. Decide that no excuse is worth the cost of emotional venting in public or in private ~ especially on those you love. Do the hard work and the heart work to hold yourself to a higher standard. Raise the bar on yourself, your attitude and your behavior. You have something special! You have GREATNESS within you!

Kick it up a notch! In order to reach your goals, pay off your bills, get unstuck or get rid of that toxic relationship, it will require a commitment on your part to kick it up a notch. It will take more work, more diligence and a greater commitment to create a life that you can be proud of and feel good about. Kick it up a notch!

Focus on recharging your batteries, and clearing out all of the things in your life that no longer fit or do not represent who you are. Move with a sense of urgency to create a space that allows you to become centered, grounded and connected with your mental, emotional and spiritual power. Kick it up a notch! You have GREATNESS within you!

Sometimes life will knock you flat on your back and it may seem like all the problems in the world gang up on you to hold you down. You may feel trapped, but you know you can't give up. Listen to me. You've got to find a way out of the situation. Get an attitude. Make the decision that you will overpower whatever you are going through. Don't stop to complain. Focus all your time and energy on getting ahead.

Give yourself one reason everyday why you are better or bigger than the place in which you find yourself. You don't have the luxury to get depressed or feel sorry for yourself. Look all around you relentlessly....search for ways to free yourself. Keep moving...keep fighting...keep falling forward. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for being. Affirm to yourself over and over again.."I will persist until I succeed. It's not over until I win!" You have GREATNESS within you!!

In every moment of life, you have the power to choose who you are and who you are becoming. This happens primarily in small ways...the conversations you hold; the way you honor your commitments; the practice of telling the truth, and being present with yourself; and the mindfulness and caring that you bring into your daily actions and activities. It is not too late to choose to become the person you always wanted to look up to and admire.

Look at the people who are in your life. Do they cause you to examine yourself, your life, and your vision for yourself. Are you being stretched to go beyond what is safe, familiar, and comfortable...and do something BOLD with your life? Or are they pulling you back to the self that you left long time ago? You build a GREAT life by the choices you make and the chances you are willing to take! Commit to the GREATNESS within you!

Do not give advice to people who have a history of not listening. Save your time, energy and words. Some people may complain about their life, but they have no intention of changing. STOP!! You can not change others - only yourself.

Love and/or pray for others and release them to their own life journey. Put your main focus and energy in creating greater movement and impact in your own life. You have GREATNESS within you!

Give yourself a priceless gift – the real you. Let go of the pretender - the person you have been hiding behind, and have the courage to live your truth. You are an unrepeatable miracle! Dare to live beyond the good opinions of other people. Follow your heart.

Live in your own life and shut down the need to live someone else’s version of your life. Go ahead ~ gift yourself first. You have the ability to step into the life that you have always wanted and that you were intended to live!! Always remember ... You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!! Live from this place.

You were born to win. Use your energy to find solutions instead of blaming yourself or others. Let go of your excuses and don't give yourself a pass. Take responsibility and ownership for your life. You are greater than your circumstances. You have the power to put your life in a different position.

Remind yourself that you are intelligent, talented and greater than anything that you have gone through! Tell yourself.."It is time to make a change!" Move forward with faith, confidence and firm determination to live your dream because it is your destiny. The world is waiting for you. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!!

Stand up for yourself. Do not allow someone, just because they have had a few drinks, or because they are going through hard times, to take out their frustrations and anger on you. Require others to honor your space, and respect your dignity as a person of worth. Let the people in your life own their choices, and do not give them permission to dump their problems or crises on you. This includes your grown children, parents, relatives, people you work with or go to church with, and/or friends.

Refuse to buy into the guilt trips; pay for their consequences. Stop taking on their responsibilities. If you were not there, they would have to figure it out, and they would. Sometimes helping is actually hurting them, and keeping them from helping themselves. Take the time to focus on your own needs for a change, and let others do the same! You Deserve!

You are stronger than you think you are. It does not matter what you are facing...a lost relationship, job, bankruptcy, foreclosure, health challenge or financial situation. You have the power in you to create it all over again from scratch. It does not matter how old you are. Do not beat yourself up. It is natural to feel sorry for yourself or feel frightened and want to give up. It does not even matter if the people that you thought would have your back have deserted you. You are still breathing. You are still here and you have the power to win.

You are more powerful than you think you are. Remind yourself of this. Stand up within yourself. Gather your mental, emotional and spiritual strength. Speak from deep within your spirit and your soul. Take back your power Say..."I will survive. I will thrive. I am coming back. Giving up is not who I am. I will stay the course, and persist until I succeed." You might have to do this while down on your knees, praying, crying, screaming at the top of your lungs. Resist the feeling of being overwhelmed, powerless or being a victim. You will survive and thrive again!!! You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!

Do not let anyone steal your dream! The world is full of dream killers - people whose sole mission in life is to sabotage you and your dream. They look for ways to crush your energy and deaden your life force by highlighting uncertainty, reminding you of what you don't have or what you may need. They point out weaknesses, mistakes, setbacks and past losses when you turn to them for encouragement.

Sometimes dream killers appear in the faces of people closest to you and other times they whisper and hide out in the deep recesses of your own mind. Safeguard your mind. Preserve your energy. Do not answer them or entertain their conversations. Leave them alone! Say to yourself over and over again...I got this! I was born to win. Keep moving toward your dream and imagine the feeling of having accomplished your dream. Remember above all, do not let anyone steal your dream. You can make it happen. You deserve to win. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!

RESPECT YOURSELF!! Listen to your own voice, the one in your heart that is the keeper of your dreams. Never let someone convince you that you can not do something ~ especially if they have not done it. Take the time to find your own path and trust your inner voice. Know what is true for you!

Respect yourself by limiting access to people who are negative and unhappy. Many times they project the anxiety and dissatisfaction with their own lives onto your life. One negative comment can be more damaging to you than one positive comment. Own the responsibility for your life and your journey. Give yourself the gifts of experiences and relationships that strengthen your deepest convictions about your dream and honor the calling on your life. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!

Give your dream a chance to live! Nurture it daily with the seeds of determination, inspiration, drive and creativity. Feed it with passion, faith, patience and positive expectation. Allow it to blossom by surrounding yourself with people who are doing things with their lives, and who believe in working hard to make things happen.

Many people allow their dream to die from negative conversations, procrastination, lack of preparation and most of all, from doubt and fear. Hold yourself to higher standards and build resiliency skills everyday that will allow you to overcome your next challenge. Keep your dream alive! You have GREATNESS within you!

Have you ever had a door of opportunity slam in your face? A job application...that you did not get; a loan...that was turned down; a friendship or relationship...that ended; a proposal...where the answer was no.

When this happens in pursuit of your dream, do not focus on the closed door. Crawl through a window or tear a hole in the roof! Step back and do an assessment. What happened? What did you discover about yourself? What do you need to do? Who must you become to move forward in your life?

Whatever you do...do not give up simply because it becomes challenging. Do not ask for life to make it easier for you to reach your goals. Make the decision to become a better person in order to accomplish your goals. Believe this - there will be other doors and more opportunities. Know that you will be stronger, wiser, more capable and better prepared to take advantage of them, because of what you have discovered about yourself, and how you have changed in the process. You have GREATNESS within you!

It is hard. it's hard changing your life. It's hard picking up the pieces and starting all over again. It's hard getting your mind together after you have gone through a life shaking experience (being a primary caregiver for someone; hearing a diagnosis you didn't want; starting over again from a loss of any kind; being alone in a new place; wanting a friend.) But you can do hard. You can weather the storm. You will come through this.

Affirm to yourself every day ~ several times a day. No matter how hard it gets...I am going to make it!! Stand up and look yourself in the eyes..and say "I can do hard!!" Exercise, pray, seek solitude, allow for periods of sadness...but know that you will get through this. Keep the faith; continue to work; and expect to make it through. You may not be able to change your circumstances or situation...but you can change yourself! Hold on..You can do hard! You have GREATNESS within yo

Regardless of what challenge you are facing right now, know that it has not come to stay. It has come to pass. During these times, do what you can with what you have, and ask for help if needed. Most importantly ~ never surrender. Put things in perspective. Take care of yourself. Find ways to replenish your energy, strengthen your faith, and fortify yourself from the inside out.

There is a power in you that is stronger than anything that you are facing. Go within. Tap into this power. Know that you will find courage, strength and resolve to go through any valley experiences. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!

Never let what you want prevent you from appreciating what you have. The human condition can be a roller coaster. You will lose friends, relatives and jobs. That's life. However, we cannot lose self and not be thankful for what you have.

If you can wake up with the ability to breath, put one foot in front of the other, have faith, hope and use your voice, you can change your circumstances by realizing how much grace you truly have in your life. Use that as a stepping stone. Far too often, we take the simple things for granted. You Have GREATNESS within you. Be thankful.

LET GO...or be dragged!! Decide to release the hold on what you have been hanging on to that has kept you stuck, frozen, ashamed, or indecisive. Let go of the clutter in your life, and decide not to do harm to yourself in your own mind. Give yourself permission to release any memories of experiences that keep you from creating your GREATEST life.

Look around the spaces of your life, and take time to clean up, clear out, and throw out what does not serve you. Do you own the stuff in your life...or does it own you? Learn to live with less. The more you release...physically and mentally, the more space you will create for new energy, new relationships and friendships, and brand new perspectives on life. Sometimes ~ less is more! Free yourself to live a life you love! You Deserve!

Embrace every possibility to move beyond the problems of today, the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. Stay present to the opportunities around you and what can be done right now. Stamp out worry, shake off disappointments and set-backs, clear your mind and lunge forward into your unfolding future.

Trust that the road ahead will be better than anything in the past. Tap into your power and expand your imagination for what is possible. Broaden your skills, increase your knowledge and upgrade your strategy. Commit to creating a life that demonstrates your gifts, your passion and your greatness. This is your time! You have GREATNESS within you!!

You have something special. You have greatness within you. I recently had a close encounter with death. For several weeks I did not know who I was or where I was. During that time, my children and grandchildren prayed over me and around me. While fighting the medication that made me groggy I called friends to pray for me to get me through this experience. As I was going in and out of consciousness I had a glimpse of my past and my future.

This year I turned 72, they say seven and two equals nine which means a new chapter. I don't know about you but here is what I do know.... I'm creating a new chapter in my life. I don't know you, but here is what I know about you, based upon my own experience. I'm convinced that there is a presence and hunger in you that causes you to seek out the messages I post because they are in your heart. These messages speak to your soul, urging you to live the life that is awaiting you.

You have an assignment on your life to hold the vision you have in your heart. Don't look to the right or to the left. Turn a deaf ear to those who doubt you and criticize you. Separate yourself from the toxic relationships that compromise your power. You are here for a reason and your life has meaning and purpose. Now it is time for a radical change in your life. It might be people, circumstances, or going to another city, as I did, I don't know.

You don't have forever. We are only here for a limited amount of time. If you don't have the insight, courage, or desire to fulfill your earthly assignment, there will be consequences. Life will move on you as it did me because I was out of alignment with my purpose. I almost died and I am struggling to get out of a wheelchair I use everyday. When just a few weeks ago, I was walking and speaking on stages all around the world, I now struggle with pain on a regular basis. God didn't slow me down, he stopped me. Take it from me, it is no accident that you are reading this. Take the time everyday to discipline yourself to create a deep spiritual connection if you haven't. Go within, shut the world out, get still, and listen to the small voice within. Commit yourself to live full and die empty. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you! That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Learn to say no to you! Identify the distractions in your life, and let them go. This may mean letting go of comfort foods, pitiful excuses that fuel procrastination, or unhealthy relationships that are stealing your dream and your new life away from you. Self control is like a muscle. The more you use it ~ the stronger it gets.

It will require everything in you, and more, to stay in charge of your own life. Look at your life and ask ~ "What areas of my life require more focus, discipline, restraint or persistence?" Use the majority of your time, energy and resourcefulness to deliberately move your life forward. You Deserve!

Use your voice as a hammer to stamp out toxic, dis-empowering, negative thoughts that can come into your mind. You can not control the thoughts that come through your mind, but you can control the ones you choose to dwell on. Talk back to yourself and challenge the negative thinking that is robbing you of energy and focus.

Use your voice as an instrument to inspire you and to change the trauma into positive feelings. Look at yourself in a mirror and say "I love myself unconditionally." Do this daily for the next 21 days. You will experience a new love and appreciation for your higher self which will begin to express itself. Your mind and ego will tell you that this is foolish, childish, or that you do not need to do this. Do not be duped. Negative thoughts don't want to die and will struggle to remain alive.

Speak life to yourself with power, feeling and conviction. Choose positive words that will transport your mind to a new reality. You Deserve! You have GREATNESS within you!