I Will Not Be Defeated

You will encounter many obstacles and obstacles that will advise you to quit. You will also encounter individuals and situations that will make you feel like giving up since you will feel like life is bashing you down repeatedly. The highs I've experienced were only possible because of how I recovered from the lows, from those moments when I questioned whether it was worthwhile, whether I was wasting my time, or whether I was good enough. People are going to think you're crazy, and sometimes you're going to think you're crazy, but legends are defined by how they bounce back from their failures.

It takes guts, ladies and gentlemen, to go through that. In Detroit, people used to make fun of me for sleeping on the floor of my office in the Penobscot building. It was rough, ladies and gentlemen, and it was not easy. As I lay on the floor and stared out the window, I questioned myself, "Bless you, can you do this?" When you have a dream, the one thing you have to be on the lookout for are those out there. Ladies and gentlemen, it's imperative that you consider to know the people that you are surrounded by.

You must stop looking to others for support and look within yourself. The lion in you never retreats. Imagine us taking the lion approach to life. A lion doesn't walk backwards for nothing, do you? It's imperative, ladies and gentlemen, that you get the energy drainers out of your life. The dream busters get them out of your life. They will sap your energy and laugh at you.

You are more capable than you can ever imagine and you can withstand more than you believe you can. I'm telling you when you're facing those rejections day in and day out don't say I had a bad day today say I had a character-building day we can be active participants in our being here or we can be victims before anything can take place you've got to believe in your heart of hearts that it will. It took me a lot of rejection, laughter, and nose to get here to enjoy the level of success it took me a lot of nose to face that.

You can be this, and at that point, your mindset must shift. You must begin to believe that you are the world's biggest egotist. You must begin arming your mind. You must begin to get ready for what is ahead. You must develop self-assurance. The hardest thing in the world is to believe in yourself, to believe you're special, to believe you're different, to believe you're meant to be someone. The hardest thing in the world is to pick yourself up off the floor one more time, despite all of your fears, worries, doubts, and feelings of inadequacy. Anyone can believe when the odds are against them.

I want to talk to some people who are in the struggle and you still believe. I know you're tired, I know your arms hurt, I know your mind is frustrated, I know you feel like it's not fair, I know you feel like throwing up your hands, and I know you're depressed. You've lost loved ones. You've experienced heartaches. It's not the best time of your life. All hell may be breaking loose in your head.

I can do it if you leave me; I can do it if you betray me; you have to tell yourself, "I can do this; I have what it takes; I will not be defeated." Wouldn't it be amazing if you believed that; wouldn't you sleep well tonight; wouldn't you walk around with your head held high and your back straight; wouldn't you not be intimidated by anyone anywhere at a time if you believed that.

You must mobilize your mind and spirit in order for me to find a solution. I'm not through yet; I still have a purpose to fulfill; I still have work to do; I still have an assignment that's unfinished; I'm not through yet; I'm going to fight; and it's imperative that you take charge; that you start to stand up within yourself; that you dry your tears; and that you're not giving up.

You must enter combat mode. You have to fight back, stand up, and ask, "Wait a minute, what do I need to do?" Your belief must be so strong that when people doubt you, mock you, and come against you, it's only a minor inconvenience. You must really practice prayer, journaling, affirmation declarations, and be around people who don't really give a damn about what other people think.

Your belief, faith, desire, discouragement, persistence, and spirit are bigger than everything else in you or in this world, and opinions of others prevent you from living a life that will go down in history.