The FACTS of Life

Looking back on my youth, I can remember at the age of sixteen, when I started my career in the music business as an intern at the world famous nightclub, Harlem World. Back then interns were not called “interns,” we were called “gofers.” In the very early eighties of Hip hop music, you had to be quick on your feet or lose your spot to someone who wanted it more than you. One day I bought a new Adidas jacket and put the name of the nightclub on the back of my jacket. The managers were so impressed with what I did; they brought me over to the owner to show him what I’d done on my own. Later that year, management gave me more responsibilities in the club, which led me to asking if I can start up my own dance school at the nightclub in the summer months. The owner and managers gave me the green- light and with my friends Larry Love, Jerome and Dwight, we started the Harlem World Dance Troupe. I tell this story because, when opportunity knocks on your door, just by taking the simple action of answering it will open so many doors for you. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale the author of “The Power of Positive Thinking.” says: “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” Before I started my career as a motivational speaker, taking immediate action on a project was always the plan. Now, following through on that project was sometimes a different story. When working for someone else, I am known as a man of action. But, when it came to working for me, I would sometimes procrastinate, and move on to a new idea when things got a little bit tough. Instead of moving forward on a project, I would move on to the next easy thing, in fear that I might be making a big mistake. But I’ve learned through the years, that making mistakes is just growth; and it’s your mistakes that will be your greatest teacher. Henry J. Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He said: “When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.” I was recently talking to an old friend of mine, and we got on the subject of putting words into action. She asked me, “Why can’t men say what they mean, and mean what they say?” I told her words are an emotional tool people use to communicate. We all, (at one time or another), said to someone, or to ourselves things like, “I’m going to do this, or I’m going to do that. Or, I’ll get around to it.” All of us at one time said things that had no action behind them. Our words indicate what we think and our thoughts create our world. In order for things to move forward in your life, you have to start putting some verbs in your sentences and follow through with vigor. Vince Lombardi, one of the NFL’s greatest coaches, once said: “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer. He was also the developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. He said: “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.”