Les Brown is a success story on steroids.

I’m a huge fan of motivational quotes – and Les delivers them in spades. Some of my favorites would be:

“You Have Greatness Within You!”

“It’s Possible!”

“It’s not over until I win.” 

“Act the way you want to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.” 

“If you don’t program yourself, life will program you.” 

And of course, the name of his 2019 tour is “You Gotta Be Hungry”

Those quotes say a lot about the man that is the one and only, Les Brown.

Born alongside his twin brother Leslie in an abandoned building in an undesirable suburb in Miami, he was adopted and raised by a single mother who struggled financially.

He was diagnosed with a serious learning disorder as a child, never got a college degree, was sleeping on a cold linoleum floor in his office in 1986 seeking success… and despite the odds stacked heavily against him, he shook off all the adversity and created the life of his dreams. 

Amongst too many successes to list, he’s been a radio personality, television host, multi-term Ohio state representative from 1976 to 1981 and recognized as one of the worlds top motivational speakers… teaching people how to follow their dream and achieve greatness within themselves. 

“I believed in my goals, I believed in myself and I stayed persistent.”

Les Brown

Here’s my take on the Top 5 Coaching Secrets From Les Brown.

Money Should Not Be Your Only Goal

“There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning and yearning.”

It makes sense you’d like to be successful to build wealth for you and your family. But making money is a poor and shallow primary goal.

Money is a by-product of success, but it’s not a sustainable goal. If all you track are the dollar signs, you’ll lose your sense of self and the happiness you seek will allude you.

A more successful approach is focusing on building a life of fulfillment.

Do what you love and are passionate about and let the by-product be wealth.   

Worded differently, help yourself by helping others.

Most businesspeople operate to get what they want without concerning themselves with what happens to the other person.

That will sometimes land you short term financial success but that success will be short-lived and “hollow.”

Operate with a high level of integrity, be considerate of what your actions mean to others and your success will grow.

Self-Mastery

“Life has no limitations except the ones you make.”

A dog can’t be anything but a dog.

There are some key differences between animals and humans. Humans usually live a much longer life, take a long time to fully develop and we usually stop reproducing halfway through our life span. But the primary difference is our ability to work on ourselves 

To be “self-aware”.

You, therefore, should always strive to work on yourself constantly, never allow yourself to become satisfied with where you’re at. Investing time and effort on you… that’s the greatest ability that human beings have above animals.

Don’t waste it.

By concentrating, developing and working on “Self Mastery” you’ll be amazed at how far you’ll be able to get. Regardless of where you are now.

You have unlimited potential.  

Stop Settling

“We are settling for less than we actually deserve.”

Les Brown

Most people settle for far more than they deserve. It doesn’t feel good but we somehow reconcile it in our minds.

What have you settled for recently?

It’s like someone making an out of court settlement. It means they took less than they wanted to avoid court in fear of not getting what they felt they deserved.

Many of us are making an ‘In-life Settlement’. You could be much further ahead but you’ve been letting fear hold you back.

The best time to have planted a tree is 20 years ago, the second-best time is right now.

Your dreams are no different, get started right now.

Read the books, watch the videos, affirm the thoughts you need.

Put in the work and success can be yours.

No longer put limitations on your dreams, you’ve got the right stuff right now.

Nurture Your Vitality, Energy and Life Force

“Never forget that you are an unrepeatable miracle!”

Les Brown

Great things are supposed to happen for you and through you. Fall in love again… with your dreams and your life.

Silence your own unforgiving spirit and extreme self-criticism that steal your joy, harms your health and stunts your personal growth.

Give up looking for the magic solutions or shortcuts to your success. You can’t pull up a plant from its roots to help it grow.

You can’t perform at an optimum level if you don’t have good health. Develop a health plan and a plan that you’ll follow.

You only get one vehicle to carry you through this experience we call life. Look after it, daily.

You either ‘sing hello or sing goodbye’. You are either ‘on your way or in the way’. You’ve got a lot to be thankful for.

Smile, you want to be happy.

The things that matter most in life take proper planning, time, energy, time, love and care.

“It’s Possible!”

Monitor Inner Conversations

“Live your legacy in order to leave a legacy!”

Les Brown

How you’re living your life is a result of the story you’re telling yourself, about yourself.

What is your life story?

Do your actions, thoughts and inner conversations and relationships reflect the value you place on your own life story?

Les Brown encourages you to grab a pen and blank piece of paper and write an unforgettable epic life story with your own hand. Make it worthy of an Oscar or a Nobel Prize!

See your own life as an amazing discovery and adventure into the extraordinary versions of you!

Subsequently, monitor and take charge of your thoughts and the things that you say to yourself.

Your brain is designed to protect you and keep you safe.

Its function is not to make you happy.

Therefore, strategically override the conversation that’s in your head where necessary. It’s likely that 90% of that conversation is negative and operating from a place of fear.

No longer allow fear to drive your inner conversation or your life.

“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.”

– African Proverb

So, there you have it… my take on the top five coaching secrets from the one and only, Les Brown.

No longer seek magic solutions nor shortcuts. 

Always remember you’re an unrepeatable miracle destined for great things.

Great things are supposed to happen for and through you.

Fall in love again… with your dreams and your life.

Obsessed with your success,

Karl Bryan