I think it’s safe to say almost everyone has listened to a motivational speaker at one point during their life.

Whether it was on YouTube or an Instagram Reel, you’re eventually going to come across Tony Robbin’s cussing at you through the screen or Les Brown’s life-changing story.

It’s inevitable.

But there’s one guy that stands out in particular.

Eric Thomas.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Eric didn’t have the best upbringing as he had dropped out of highschool and became homeless at the age of sixteen.

This guy was eating out of trashcans and living out of abandoned buildings just to stay alive.

But one day the reality of his life and where it was heading hit him, so he decided to go back to school to earn his GED and eventually went on to get a Ph.D. in Education Administration from Michigan State University.

He became a preacher and educator for the youth and used his experience of living on the streets to inspire others to turn their own lives around.

Today, he’s one of the most highly sought, and highly paid motivational speakers bringing in around $50k - $100k per speaking engagement.

That’s quite a jump from eating out of trashcans to getting paid $100k for a day’s work.

And it’s because of that he hears the question “What changed?” a lot.

Do you know what he responds with?

I got tired.

Let me give you an excerpt out of one of his speeches to give you a better idea.

I love this speech because it’s more real compared to what you typically hear nowadays.

Eric was just a teenager who got tired of his life and decided to do something about it.

He didn’t have help. He didn’t have money. He didn’t even have a home.

And he harnessed that loss to push for a life that would be filled with those things.

But I believe this excerpt provides a great lesson.

You’re never going to feel compelled to change your life if you’re comfortable where you’re at.

Until you get tired, you’re going to keep living the life you’ve been living.

As Steve Harvey said, "If you keep doing what you've been doing, you're going to keep getting what you've been getting."

So get tired. Hell, get angry with your life.

Because that’s going to be your fuel to push you to greatness.

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading: I’m now reading A Self Help Guide For Copywriters by Dan Nelken. A book on strategies for writing headlines and page flipping ads.

Quote Of The Week: "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." — Zig Ziglar