Les Brown, oh Les Brown, I will listen to you again and again. You’re down an enlightened path I will gown, that I will continue down again and again. You had pulled me out of a dark place, where I fell to the ground. You never met me, but when you speak, I feel as if you are talking to me. When your voice goes into my ears, I am reminded of how you helped me see the giant in me that I found. You had taught me never to listen to my inner-critics, but it is because I wanted to get even with them that I keep your voice in my presence.

Naysayers, oh naysayers, I’ll never listen to you again. You’re down a shadowy road that I don’t want to go down, and I don’t want to go down again. I was once amongst the crowd, or so I hoped to be. I wanted to have that girl to me. I listened to the same music as her, but she didn’t even want to look at me. She spent time with other deadbeat boys, and I could feel my blood boiling inside of me. I listened to the same Soulja Boy like the rest, but they still treated me like a pest. Someone even stuck to the back of my neck a piece of gum! They called me a geek, a doofus, and that I will always be nothing but dumb. The special someone I was chasing after did not have the same feelings that were in my chest. She ran away at the sight of me, even though she practically could not see. I was down, I was down, I was tumbling down a road I didn’t want to go down.

 I left behind middle school, but the boiling blood was still hot. Next minute I look, it’s my first class at college. I bit off more that I could chew, and I failed my first term. Next thing I know, I am in a mental hospital, and I did not see a way back from this dark turn. The monsters from before came back to torture me. The curse that followed me was cruel and unusual, until I met my guardian angel. I was returning from the shadowy road that I didn’t want to go, that I didn’t want to go down again. A man by the name of Leslie Brown appeared in my life. He began to hold my hand and guide me through my strife.

“Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality!” was the first lesson he taught me. My deadbeat ‘friends’ opinions of me do not have to control my destiny. Naysayers, oh naysayers, I’ll never listen to you again. You are down a shadowy road that I don’t want to go down, that I don’t want to go down again.  I wanted revenge, but I didn’t know where to peel the orange, where to begin.

“The best revenge is massive success” was the second lesson he taught me. He taught me that the best revenge against naysayers is to become famous for a good work and to also create a big bank account of money. This form of revenge is never easy, but it’s worth it. It is not a cinch, it takes hard work, but it’s worth it. They had their fun, now it’ s time for my success.

Les and I have a similar ground in which we started. Brown’s school district labeled him as ‘educable mentally-retarded’. He decided to prove them wrong, to show them who is really dumb, and who really can master the drums. He became a successful and famous DJ, then his boss threw him away. He decided to run for office, the Ohio Legislature. He defeated his opponent, even though the latter had the support of all the newspapers. He decided to get creative and asked his mom to come on air and say nothing about him except what’s nice.

“When Les went outta line, I whopped his behind!” was her speech and it became the laughing stock and the spice. Les Brown won the election, and his opponent was so shocked, it seemed like he was frozen in ice. 

Les Brown heard the words most feared.

‘You have cancer, your departure is near’ were the words his doctor said to him. He felt that he was no longer in control of his destiny.

“Can I get a second opinon?” Les Brown asked

“You’re also ugly!” the doctor said. Les began to feel it was over, and he began to withdraw. For him, life was ending, but he didn’t know it was still his draw. He still felt that he wasn’t in control of his destiny.

“ARE YOU GONNA LET THAT DOCTOR’S OPINION BECOME YOUR REALITY?!”, he was asked by his family. He knew it wasn’t his time, he was still in his prime. He began to listen to positivity via cassette tapes. He began to return to a healthy state. He went to the hospital one day, and the results were a shock.

“You have no cancer in your body”, were the words of truth. The master motivator won against the angel of death’s door knock.

Les Brown’s humor and jokes bring me to grin, but his message of ambition and confidence drives me to win!

My boss wanted higher numbers in my area of sales. I decided to send a message to my friends online, and lo and behold, in front of my store, there stood a long line! My co-workers needed to take some online classes, but they weren't willing to learn. I went to the rest of the building, and the other employees took the classes in big masses. Starbucks, Olive Garden, and Fandango gift cards, are now what they earn. My demons of the past had their chance with their sick play, now it’s my time to make them pay! This new giant in town no longer listens to nay, it only hears yay!

I used Les Brown’s words to turn up the heat! My naysayers in the past had their fun, now it’s my turn to have my treat! This lightened path of success is the revenge I am exacting, and oh boy does it taste so sweet! Naysayers, oh naysayers I’ll never listen to you again. You are down a shadowy road that I don’t want to go, that I don’t want to go down again! I will not be beat, time to crank up the heat, and taste the treat of success that is oh so sweet! I thank Les Brown for growing the giant within me. I thank Les Brown for helping me harness my inner-energy! Naysayers, oh Naysayers, I’ll never listen to you again. You’re down shadowy road that I don’t want to go down, and I don’t want to go down again. Les Brown never stop repeating my favorite message.

“When you do what is easy, your life will be hard, but if you do what is hard, your life will be easy!”.