On the summer of 2016 a student approached me and said, “I like public speaking.”  He went on to say, “I want to be a motivational speaker. Would you mentor me?”  I had been teaching for twelve years and I never had that question put forth.  My first piece of advice, “Don’t quit your day job.”

 

After thinking about it for two weeks, I said, “Why not.”  The question was, How?  How do we start from scratch to become known as Motivational Speakers.  The Millennial’s have no voice.  But perhaps they need to hear from one another.  A new voice speaking about things that are old, new and true.

 

During my time as a pastor I wanted to make people leaders in their own right.  I taught people, from within their own personality, how to lead a successful life.  In turn, they could have an impact on themselves and on those around them.  My formula was easy to learn.  Just do, with a mentor. However, for a variety of reasons, it is hard to master.  

 

We learn to lead by Knowing what we need to know, By Being who the ideal person is locked away inside and by Doing what we are called to do in practice. Knowing, Being, Doing. 

 

Being successful is a lifelong process.  I define it as: Being involved in a process of learning to make yourself better for its own sake and for the sake of others. This involves lifelong learning from both positive and negative events throughout life.  We have to be sold out to being overcomers.  All this requires is a willingness to change.

 

It is a small step to put our name out there.  It is a huge step for us to claim credibility in an age of cynicism and skepticism.  Behind our stories are real people who are excited about our lives.  We are leaders seeking an audience who wants to KNOW in our knower, how to BE in the abstract, to DO in practice each day.  Knowing, Being, Doing. Well, you are on your way to what…? You decide in the end.