What’s Your Story?
July 3rd, 2009
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by BobTheTeacher · Filed Under: Bob The Teacher Training · Mindset
About 13 years ago I got my teaching start at Hammond High School. I recently got to go back which reminded me of where I came from.
Where did you come from? Tell it! People love stories and yours could be just the antidote that someone needs to help them move forward in their business.
Give it a try right now, tell me your story below. It can be the condensed version of course. :)
Bob Jenkins
For more tips check out my teaching library at IMSuccessLibrary.com
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| Bob Jenkins is an internet business marketing teacher, with ten years experience teaching teenagers and teachers. He is the creator of several online training courses that teach you how to get better customers and increase your profits. Specializing in social networking strategies for business and creating information products from teleseminars, Bob can help you use internet marketing tools and strategies to promote your business online. |
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The field of inspirational speaking is new, and yet not so new to me; having grown up with a mother who unknowingly practiced inspirational speaking (as well as inspirational living) every day! I like to think of my inspirational speaking as a gift from her, a legacy passed on lovingly from mother to son.
I first started speaking in 1995. I was divorced, disillusioned and broke when a friend invited me to a seminar held by the legendary motivational speaker Les Brown. Before that day, I spent almost every day feeling sorry for myself, crying on the floor, and participating in a never-ending pity party.
I heard Les Brown tell the story of how he, years ago, while waiting on a fellow student, was asked to solve a problem on the board, to which he responded, “I-I can’t sir!”
The teacher answered, “Of course you can, I will show you what to do.” The young Mr. Brown replied, “No, I can’t sir…I’m EMR (Educably Mentally Retarded).”
The teacher came from behind his desk and said these words: “Don’t EVER say those words again…Someones opinion of you does NOT have to become your reality!”
(Those words empowered me in ways I find difficult to describe to this day)!
At the end of the seminar, we were all given the opportunity to ask questions. I could not help but notice that all of the questions were just about the same…”Mr. Brown, I just lost my job…house…wife…money…etc…do you think I can make it?”
I could not help but wonder–Did ANYBODY GET IT?
Soon came my turn, and to be honest, I wondered what I was going to say–I had NO IDEA! All I know is that I just opened up my mouth, and this is what came out: “Mr. Brown, do you recognize me?” I had no idea what I was saying! I had never met him before!
His response was, “I don’t have my glasses on.”
Just as quickly came my reply, “Well, please put them on and allow me to introduce myself. I am the NEXT ONE!”
What was I talking about?, I thought to myself
Suddenly, I heard a loud noise. I just knew it was Security rushing to remove me, but instead, it was the applause of 1000 people! By the end of the evening, people were coming up to me, recognizing me as the “next one.” Asking me for my autograph,or commending me.
“Next One WHAT?” I thought to myself.
As everything was drawing to an end and we were all either leaving or purchasing a copy of Mr. Browns book LIVE YOUR DREAMS (Which I encourage all to read). I went to the line to have him autograph my copy. The strangest thing happened as I stood there on line a woman who stood directly in front of me turned to me and asked…”Excuse me, May I ask you a question? I said yes Ma’am. She asked:
“where will your organization be located will it be on the east or the west coast”?
Not wanting to appear as ignorant as I was, being geographically challenged.
I said will actually it will be international!
she said I will be looking for you..I thanked her.
Immediately after, a young man standing directly behind me asked me for my autograph. I can’t even imagine the look I must have had on my face! let’s just say it couldn’t have been cute…smile
He handed me his copy of live your dreams and wanted me to sign it, I really don’t know how I found the clarity of mind to find a table but I did and secretly wondered what could I write?..so I wrote to my # 1 fan and then I signed it.
Not knowing what to do having NEVER been asked for anything close to this I awkwardly handed him MY copy of Live Your Dreams and asked for his autograph on which he wrote See you at the Top! Brian Gerber I could never forget this day.
Right about then I was about to enter the small office where Mr Brown was signing Live your dreams also. (heck, everybody else was signing it)…lol
It came my time to have Mr Brown sign the book and as I went to say something to him he looked up and said Ah, The next one I was stunned.
Outside we had been handed a short survey as to whether we would come to see Mr brown speak again or if we in fact wanted to do speaking ourselves. I remember being so very very excited that I remember saying yes to everything that I read.
Note: We had already been warned NOT to give ours to Mr brown individually but to his assistance as he had many people to signed for this night.
But did I LISTENED??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I folded up my paper and put it in my pocket when I reached his desk I said excuse me Mr, Brown for breaking protocol (First time I had ever used THAT word in a sentence)
but, I felt since you are going to employ me I figured I would hand this directly to you. he folded the paper up and put it in his pocket.
He said to me “When I call you don’t say Les who? Well, I just thought of his words as something famous people say to people who were not (famous).Well, I was really energized for the happenings of that night. I was truly not myself or WAS I?
You see the things that I had done was certainly not the kind of things that I had ever allowed myself to do in times past. But look here I was speaking with someone successful not to mention someone I had made an impact with.
That night passed and I was now no one different but, I felt better about possibilities as well as what I had accomplished which was really more of an old adage implemented which says If you set yourself on fire then the world will run to see you burn.
Life went on and about six days later, I was at home back to being the couch potato when my phone rang. I answered it “Praise the lord” to which the voice on the other end asked me. “Marvin has God touched you today”?
I answered he touched me many years ago and hasn’t taken his hands off yet. Well, being the motor mouth that I am usually accused of being I went on and on about whatever came to my heart and mind then I decided to ask, who was calling.
He responded Mamie Browns baby boy. This is a way he signs off his motivational talks by attributing everything he has become to his mother who adopted him and his brother as infants.
You really ought to read this soul stirring and inspiring book as it has changed my life forever. But when I heard these words…Mamie Brown’s baby boy. My mind went into a whirlwind and I did not know what to say next but as usual it didn’t stop me.
“I never let a subject get in the way of what I want to say”
Mark Victor Hansen
I just went on and on again it went something like this:
Oh my God! here it is Les Brown calling me. and yet I’m doing all of the talking.
why am I doing all the talking when you are calling me and you are paid to speak to fortune 500 companies around the world and here it is I am doing the talking yadda,yadda, yadda
I caught myself and said, Mr Brown I’m sorry!
I will never forget what he said to me next he said, You’re doing just what I want you to do. He went on to say every since that night I
haven’t been able to get you off of my mind…WOW!!
I am often still amazed at this eventful night and am equally inspired as I was that very evening every single time I repeat it.
I would carry that book Live Your Dreams with me everywhere I went for two years on the job, in the lunchroom whenever, the guys would go into the main lunchroom I would seclude myself where ever I was alone and read just enough to keep the dream alive sure the locker room was smelly but it didn’t matter, sometimes I stood out in the cold but kept reading taking notes and constantly thinking about becoming a motivational speaker
Well, two years later I had prematurely quit my job to become a motivational speaker
and les Brown was coming to town again and this time. I WAS DETERMINED TO SHOW MY STUFF… Never knowing I would end up on stage myself… And that’s how I came to write how to find success by LOSING your MIND
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hiya bob,i was born and bred in liverpool england im sure some people have heard of the footie team and the beatles,i have no experience of internet marketing i just thought i would give it a bash cos i could do with earning a few quid i must say you yourself have been very helpful but im afraid to say mostly anyone else has been after a sale from me but im going to give people what they want if i ever get a web site up high enough in google im an honest person….mostly too honest for my own good but hey i will die with a good clear concience lol anyway rant nearly over,ive found it very hard to get the real good info for a newbie very hard to comebye but now ive noticed a change hmmm wonder why lol what do you think of this technology where you can advertise on peoples mobile phone instead of bugging them with the worn out email campaigns hehe. john gledhill… remember me folks you will see more of me and no bullll oh and im not trying to sell something lol