You Gotta Be “Hungry!”
According to acclaimed speaker, Les Brown, “The people who are ‘hungry’ will do the things others won’t do so they can have tomorrow the things that others won’t have.” In short, in order to achieve lasting success, you have to have the hunger to do so.
So what exactly does that mean? It’s the drive to do the hard work each day – from when you wake up, to when your head hits the pillow. It’s the dedication to plug away at your daily lead generation, even when you just don’t feel like doing it. It’s the faith that all of the sacrifices you make now will pay off over time. It’s the confidence you have in yourself that you will do what you’re called to do. It’s the commitment to learning and understanding that while you may know a lot, you can always learn more.
So, are you hungry?
Although many of us have high aspirations for ourselves, we often let the opinions of others color our perception. These opinions linger in the back of our minds and we make excuses as to why we won’t or can’t achieve what we want. We feel we don’t have the experience, knowledge, the “right” education, the proper pedigree and family connections and more. In reality, the only thing holding us back from achieving our true potential and finding our calling is us.
Before becoming a world-renowned motivational speaker, Les Brown was labeled “educable mentally retarded” at school and cruelly dubbed “The Dumb Twin” by his classmates. It took the wise words of a concerned teacher to make him realize “someone’s opinion of you doesn’t have to become your reality.” Growing up, Les learned from the personal development masters, including Earl Nightingale, and became a radio personality and a politician. However, he soon aspired to inspire others as a motivational speaker. The one problem? He felt he didn’t have the education and experience to be as successful as the legends he looked up to.
Instead of giving up his dream, he worked hard to study the competition. When he noticed most others would recite the same script, he trained himself to personalize his talk and adapt it to his audience. He committed to continuous learning and reads at least three books a month. He sets himself to a higher standard and always looks for ways to amaze his audience. He’s never stopped being “hungry” and, as a result, his wisdom is highly sought after.
How to be hungry
- Develop a growth mindset. Renewing your mind is an ongoing process. A commitment to growth will help you persevere when you face challenges and will help you keep your skills sharp so you can always offer your clients the best version of yourself.
- Cultivate the right methodologies. In addition to surrounding yourself with supportive people, seek out the wisdom and advice of successful people who have been in your shoes and thrived.
- Have a system. Motivation and knowledge only take you so far; you have to have a system that allows you to put it all into action.
Les Brown says, “Life is about experimenting and finding out ‘what is your sweet spot?’” Listen to It’s a Good Life, episode #101: You Gotta Be Hungry and get inspired by Les Brown’s story and wisdom. The episode is so chock full of great advice, you’ll want to listen to it several times to get the most out of it. Whether you’re new in your career, trying to make a change or a seasoned pro, there’s something in this episode for everyone.
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