You have time You have the knowledge
and the willpower and the discipline to get it done. Your heart, your life, your happiness is your responsibility and your responsibility alone. One day you're going to realize
your life is yours, and there's a lot of people
important to you that surround it but ultimately it's yours. Then you must decide Where you want to invest this life Invest in something worthwhile. You have to picture yourself there wherever it is,
you've got to picture yourself there. Alright, the next step
is you've got to believe it. Number one in your
life's blueprint should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your own worth and your own somebodiness. Don't allow anybody to make you feel that you are nobody. See sometimes,
we can't say, "I can do that" but what we can say, "that it's possible, that I can have my dream" as we run toward it, as we work on it, day in and day out. They were going to make a change and then they made it. This is your moment It's not tomorrow It's not next year. It's not when you're going to graduate It's right here, right now and every choice you make
you're impacting that thing. We're going to be lions You know when a lion is injured when a lion is bleeding he licks his wounds and he keeps walking. Your time is one of the most powerful tools you'll ever have. Lay hold of it And when that thing tells you to quit you look at it in its eye and say
"I ain't going nowhere I will break you before you break me." You would be like a shark. You would think like a shark. And you can't go backwards,
and if you stop swimming, you will die. If life knocks you down try and land on your back because if you can look up,
you can get up this is the year to what? - Breakthrough!
- Act like you hear me! - This is the year to what?
- Breakthrough - This is the year to what?
- Breakthrough Act like it!
Breakthrough! The moment and the time
for you to change your life is now. Always feel that you count Always feel that you have worth and always feel that your life has ultimate significance. You choose what you're looking for because what you look for you find that's how life works. Make good choices,
great things happen But you've got to believe in you. So believe. When I look at people,
I always ask the question I say, "Man, tell me
what Nike stands for?" They said,
"Oh, Ink that's easy, just do it". I said, "Tell me what Adidas stands for?" "Oh, Ink that's easy man,
impossible is nothing." I said, "Now tell me what you stand for?" When people look at you,
do they think excuses? When people look at you,
do they think victory? When people look at you,
do they think that's a person that's going to give me
everything they got, not on some days but on every day and it's not going to be predicated upon if I feel like it
because I think we all know if we only worked on
the days we felt like it none of us would get much accomplished. I'm talking about
the real level of commitment not the commitment that falls
in line if everything goes right. I'm speaking of the commitment that says, I am going to stay true to what I said, I would do long after the mood
that I've said it in has left. See most people ladies
and gentlemen are stoppable. Most people all you have
to do is tell them no. All you have to do is
make it inconvenient for them. All you have to do is
make it difficult for them and they'll stop. See, when you go to get your goal don't think that all you
have to do is think positive and everything's going to
work out hokey dokey for you. When you're going to get your goal, you are sending a telegram to Murphy's Law to visit you personally. You thought you were just
going to have a dream and a goal and you were just going to wake up
and just walk into the sunset. You're like Dream, BOOM. It don't work like that. You have a dream and then life punks you. Life punks you and says,
do you really want this? You're going to lose friends,
do you really want this? Do you really want this,
cousins are going to abandon you People that you
used to be like this with, going to think you boujee
and don't want to deal with you. It's a part of it but I paid too much. If I was going to quit,
I would've quit in the abandoned building when I wanted to commit
suicide and take my life. I should have quit when
I heard my voice say, your mama don't want you,
your Daddy don't want you take your life. I got through that. So why am I going to
quit over an F on a grade? Come on, and so I'm telling y'all you have come too far to quit now. You have invested too much to quit now. You have lost too much to quit now Don't cry about it, don't whine about it. Get a reward for your pain. And so by being committed
to everything that I started I finished it,
it built a certain type of spirit, it built a certain type of mentality,
it built a certain type of individual and so now I couldn't
quit even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop even if I wanted to, I had too much sweat equity in my life and everything
that I was doing. You're too close to quit. Now you got to take another lap. You got to take another lap
cause you never know this might be the one. You can't stop cause you're tired, you can't stop cause
you got your feelings hurt. You got to take another lap, keep walking, keep walking, keep walking. You're going to make it,
you're going to do it. You got an unstoppable fire. Come on,
take another lap. Don't you stop. Don't stop walking. The people who dream
and those people who dream big have a different kind of life
than the people who don't dream. If you do not do what
you're doing right now well your goal is just going to
be a fancy desire, isn't it? Whether it's fear or anxiety,
whatever it may be I believe that every single person
is going out to chase their dreams has those voices in their head. I think it's part of the human experience. Stay strong, have faith,
keep pushing through. I've said this before
and and I'm living proof of it is that On the other side of your
struggle is something good, on the other side of your
struggle is something better, on the other side of your struggle
is some sort of success. So I'm here to tell you today that you can have anything you want, be anyone you want but you're going to have to work. See dreams, aspirations they're not easily obtained but one of the hardest things to do is to keep going, is to keep chasing. You don't realize your
dreams are so important because your DNA,
who you are as a person is wrapped up in your dreams. Go after this thing called life. Don't look back and have regrets. Understand that you're at
a place and a position right now when hard work and valuing people nothing can stop you. I promise you. You have got to make a declaration that this is what you stand for. You're standing up for your dreams, you're standing up for peace of mind, you're standing up for health. You want it and you're going to go all out to have it. See, your dream will
cause you to go insane because what you want it haunts you every single night. See the big dogs they won't give you the opportunity you going to have to take it. Keep striving, never give up. Fall down seven times, get up eight. No matter what happens, you will not quit because quitting is not an option
because you have a Why, you have a passion, you have a purpose. The people that are
running after their dream know they're going to have
hard times, they keep on running because they're saying within themselves "I'm the one, I'm the one no matter how bad it is
or how bad it gets I'm going to make it." I have a dream today. Your DNA is in your dream. This is your moment and you got to look
in the mirror and believe that. Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. So take advantage of today, take advantage of tomorrow, take advantage of every
opportunity that you have to do what you want in life. It's time to ignite the dream. It's time for you to stop
settling for just money and really open your game up. Dreams require sacrifices. Like my city is expensive.. move. My car payments are high..
Sell your car and take the bus This is dreams we're talking about. We're talking about dreams Success can be a lonely road. It can be a tough road. It can be a hard road. It's not for everyone. Those who follow others like sheep, will never know who they truly are. Only those who follow their own path can discover their true potential. Those who fly alone
have the strongest wings. Those who walk alone
have the strongest direction. The rest will always be in need of others for their survival. They will always need attention, need recognition to survive. I am at peace alone needing no attention, no recognition and still I thrive I'm not saying those
who have support or weak I'm not saying you must go at it alone to gain strength. This is just for those
who have fought battles alone. Those who have felt
like they don't fit in. Those who have never had
support in anything they do. All of those who feel
no one believes in them you don't need them to believe in you if you believe in you. You don't need their support
if you've got your own back. The best part is when you truly live
the life you want to live, when you speak your truth, When you embrace who you are then you gain real respect and real love. People love those who have
the guts to be themselves. Those who have the courage
to follow their heart. Why? it's rare. Why? because most people
wish they could do the same. Show them the way, keep going, believe in yourself. It will all come good in the end. And when it does You won't have only
inspired yourself to be more, you will have inspired so many others. I had to learn to fight alone and because of that I am strong alone. I am strong. Full-stop I developed inner strength
that can't be broken. I am unbreakable. Because of the pain I am strong. Because of the struggle I have
character most will never know. I appreciate others more than ever. I have more compassion than ever. I had to go deep into the darkness. Now I have more depth. Now I can see clearer. I had to face huge internal challenges. Now I can defeat any challenge. I will destroy every challenge. I am proud of who I've become. I am proud I have overcome. I am proud I kept going. I am proud of who I am, who I've become. I am proud I stayed true to myself because now I can live as myself with respect from others and most importantly pride
and respect from myself. I see everyday people with this mentality that the world owes them something. The simple answer here is
that you need to work harder and faster. There's really nothing else. Life is a series of choices. At that moment that choice was quite honestly, hard work. Put your head down and do the training and take the pain
and eventually, it's going to pay off. And on those days where you just
got to get to an impossible to-do list You really have to feel that if you put your head down
and you take the pain it's going to pay off. And since I'm going to do this,
I'm going to harness my will and I'm not going to let anything stop me. I deserve this. Hard work is the most
precious asset you have. You know while the other guys sleeping I'm working, while other guys eating I'm working. But it don't work if you don't work. I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Nothing There is no in between. You're either growing or you are decaying. If you want something You have got to be relentless. This is a winner's quality, you have that quality within you when you're hungry
you don't care about the facts, you don't care about the odds. If you want to be an anomaly you got to act like one. Why are you only giving 50%?
What's wrong with you? You said your goal was
to pass every class. You said your goal was to
never again finish last. Most people, what they're doing is they're all at this mountain called success and they're all strolling around
the bottom of this mountain and they're looking for an elevator
to carry them to the top. See they haven't realized yet
that there is no elevator and I'm already halfway up the stairs. I'm not getting up on time. I'm not going to work on time. I'm not putting in 120%
when I'm at work. I let me down. Alright, if you work hard
and you never give up you can literally achieve anything. Break it down and add
just a little more effort. Add just a little more focus. Add just a little more time management. Add just a little more patience. Add just a little more studying. Add just a little more listening. Add just a little more discipline. To get something you never had you have to do something you never did. You will fail your way to greatness. Waiting miraculously
for when the calendar flips, to start making your life better is silly at best
and pisses me off at worst. It is your life. Nobody else can tell you
what's best for you and only you will have to
deal with the consequences. As you go through the challenges of life and you look at it and embrace
whatever comes to you. Don't run from it, step toward it. Don't try and duck it like most people do. See most people want it easy. See, if you easy come easy what? Easy go. When you actually decide
to make a change in your life whether about weight or a job or going out with
somebody or relationships that's when you actually pull it off. It's religion not tactics. You should never want to
hang with a person if they don't add value into your life. You should never want material stuff that don't add value into your life. You should never want to worship your other people's dream
more than your dream. This means you've got to work. This means you have to grind. You've got to grind
when you don't feel like it. And this is in all areas of life school, sports, your religion. Consistency is the tunnel to greatness. There are a few people
who have decided within themselves "I'm going to make it" Some people aren't waiting to be cut. Some people are moving on their own because they feel within themselves "I've got what it takes to make it." You're growing up with nothing and you're growing up with-without I want you to look at the mirror
and I want you to say these words I want you to say that "I am Royalty" I speak into existence
that you will understand that you are a billionaire. I changed my name to
Billionaire when I was broke. You'll always be what you decide to be. My freshman year I don't play a lick And before I know it
I lost my mindset again. And I begin to recalibrate, you know everybody
doesn't play in the NBA I'll graduate in four years, You know what?
I'll just go get a good job. It's okay. It's okay And the end of my freshman year, my Daddy called me on
the phone, he asked me a question. He said "son, you're
not playing, why not?" "Politics Dad" "It's political" My father asked me a question, he said, "how does your coach get paid?" - I said, "Daddy he gets paid to win".
- He said, "Okay son." "If your coach gets paid to win, won't he play the players
who give him the best chance to win?" He said, "Son you got recruited,
you took all your visits, you chose Minnesota. You took the time
and you chose Minnesota. You told me that you're going to
turn that program around. You told me you're
going to graduate in 4 years. You told me you're going to make more money
in business than you did in sports." One of the core values of our training and development called "Family" was accountability That was a core value of
their training and development organization called
"The Bond family accountability" He said, "so go back and do
what you said you're going to do". My father reminded me of
what I said I was going to do. I went back to my coach's office I said, "Coach, what do
I need to do to play in the NBA?" He looked confused. That's when I told him "I'm going to become somebody different. What do I need to do
to play in the NBA? I'm taking this thing to the next level. We're about to rise up." So for you to be passionate your logic and your emotions
need to be intertwined. See, some of you guys have the intellect and some of you guys have the passion but you have to have both to be successful in this business. Sharks are hunters and predators,
they never stop swimming. In fact, if a shark stops
swimming it will die. If the shark goes backwards it will die. Think like a shark, act like a shark and behave like a shark. Can I ask you a question right now? Can I ask you a real question? Not your neighbor, I'm talking to you. What kind of student
are you right now in life? You're in charge of your promotion If you do 5 million
and you want to get to 10 you're in charge, in order for you to rise up you better take your
game to the next level, your mindset needs
to go to the next level, your information needs
to go to the next level, your relationships need
to go to the next level. Take your money and give
information and access and you'll get good
habits and good rituals and you will go to next level. Coach, what do I need
to do to play in the NBA? He said, "You can't run, you can't jump,
you can't dribble, you can't shoot, and you can't rebound son." Next year I'll be
your most improved player. I going to think, I'm going to execute and I'm going to win. I'm going to think, I'm going to execute and I'm going to win. I'm going to execute
what I've been trained to do. I'm connected to a shark, I'm connected to
the greatest training organization in the world. And when I get home,
I'm going to become somebody different What do I need to do? You didn't have an honest self assessment about what your weaknesses are. And that's how you get to the next level. My sophomore year rolls around. We go all the way to the sweet 16 and I'm in the top 6 men in the country. I go back to my coach, "what do I need to do
to play in the NBA?" The list gets shorter. The next year we went
all the way to the Elite 8. We were one shot away from the Final Four and I was in the top six men in the country. I carved out a niche. And that's what impact players do. They make their community better,
they make their city better, they make their town better,
they make realtors better. Be an impact player
and anyone in your life if they need a shark
you become their shark. All I had to do is have one good year and I'll walk right into the NBA. My senior year, everything lines up but the first game of
my senior year I break my foot. I come back in six weeks
and I break my foot a second time. In my mind my college career was over and my NBA dreams were dead. I averaged 7 points a game. I got offered a $75,000 job because one of our season
ticket holders liked me. Right before I took the job,
my Daddy called me on the phone. He would always ask
the right questions at the right time. He said, "You had a tough
year son, what's next?" I said "Daddy, I'm going to be
a hospital administrator, $75,000 job." He said, "Not bad son,
but can I ask you a question? Do you believe you're an NBA player?" Come on now Dad,
I only averaged 7 points a game Dad. We're not like these
other black families that just lead basketball Dad. We're educated Dad, we're not dependent on basketball Dad we're boundless Dad,
we're educated Dad. I got a $75,000 job Dad. Do you believe son? He was checking my mindset. He was checking to see
was I thinking like an A student? Or was I falling back
into that C mindset. Do you believe you're an NBA player? I said, “Yeah, Dad, I do”. - He said, "Well go for it son."
- But but Dad I never started at college, but but but My father said, "You told me son that you're going to turn their program
around and you did it from the bench son. You told me you're going to
graduate in 4 years son. The average student graduates in 5. I'm proud of you. But you told me that you are going to play in the NBA. And you told me you are going
to make more money in business than you did in sports. Do you believe you are an NBA ball player?” "I do, Daddy." "Go for it, son." Go for it. I go back to my coach's office and I said, “Coach what do
I need to do to play in the NBA?" He teared up. I teared up. He said, “I'll be honest with you son. When I recruited you, I heard you was a mama's boy but you’re not. In fact, you’re one of
the toughest players I've ever had." I'm a Hall of Fame motivational speaker. I go all over the world running my mouth, but he gave me the greatest
compliment I've ever received. He said, “You're just like your Daddy." My Daddy was a shark and I was a sucker fish, but that moment was my opportunity to turn into a shark myself. If you hang around sharks long enough, they will transform your
mindset and I promise you you will be like a shark,
you will think like a shark and you can't go backwards
and if you stop swimming, you will die. He can't go backwards and if he stops swimming, he will die. So, ladies and gentlemen if you're connected to the right shark all you need to do is
be a good sucker fish. Success is all around you, just pay attention. Every time you leave the business meeting consciously and subconsciously
that person is debriefing you. Are you likeable? Do you brighten up
a room when you enter? Or do you brighten up
a room when you leave? Are you good with people? And don’t you ever be a parasite which means don't you ever
come to this conference and go back home and do nothing. And then claim,
“Oh, I tried it, and it didn't work." No! My college basketball coach said, “Son, I think you should be
a motivational speaker." I said, “Coach, I can
talk the rest of my life. What do I need to do
to play in the NBA?” He said, “If you do these two things you will play in the NBA. You gotta better shoot
the three-point shot with range and you got to lose about 15 pounds because you don't pass the eyeball test." When I talk about the eyeball test, I'm not talking about you,
I'm talking about me. He said, “The NBA thinks
you're a football player trying to play basketball. You've gotta lose weight
to change the perception." I lost 15 pounds and I became the first-ever
undrafted rookie free agent in the history of the NBA to start opening night.
