you see most people are waiting waiting for permission waiting for the right time waiting for someone to come save them but here's the truth being broke is temporary being tired is temporary being alone that's your superpower and you know what fascinates me the number zero most people see Zero and think nothing but let me tell you something profound about zero it's the most powerful number in existence why because from zero you can only go up let me share something personal with you years ago I found myself staring at zero in my bank account zero opportunities zero connections zero idea of what to do next I was sleeping on a worn out couch in a tiny apartment eating sandwiches that cost less than a dollar my friends thought I was crazy for leaving a steady job my family worried I was throwing my life away but here's what I discovered about zero it strips away all your pretenses when you've got zero you've got Clarity you see when you're starting from zero you don't have the luxury of fake Solutions you can't throw money at your problems you can't rely on connections to open doors all you've got is your mind your time and your two hands and that my friend is pure power let me explain something about having nothing to lose when you've got nothing to lose you've got everything to gain most people are trapped by their possessions their positions their Prestige they're so afraid of losing what they have that they never reach for what they could become but when you're at zero you're free completely free free to try free to fail free to try again no one expects anything from you so every step forward is pure profit think about this every major business every great Fortune every remarkable achievement started at zero that fancy restaurant chain it started with one person cooking in a tiny kitchen that worldwide retail Empire it started with one small store in a small town that Innovative technology company it started in somebody's garage now let me tell you why being broke is your secret weapon when you're broke you can't buy answers you have to think them up you can't purchase Solutions you have to create them being broke forces you to use the most powerful tool you'll ever have your creativity I remember when I couldn't afford to buy business cards you know what I did I learned to make such a strong first impression that people wouldn't forget my name couldn't afford advertising I learned to tell stories so compelling that people would spread the word for free couldn't afford fancy office space I learned to make every coffee shop my office and every Public Library my University that's what zero teaches you resourcefulness and let me tell you something powerful resourcefulness is worth more than resources because resources without resourcefulness will always diminish but resourcefulness without resources will always find a way to create more resources here's a truth that most people don't understand starting from zero is your competitive Advantage why because zero teaches you lessons that Comfort never could zero forces you to be Innovative in ways that wealth never would zero builds muscles that money can't buy when you're starting from zero every dollar you earn is a lesson in value every connection you make is a lesson in human nature every solution you create is a lesson in Innovation you're not just building a business or a career You're Building yourself and that my friend is the real power of starting from zero it's not just about what you're building it's about who you're becoming in the process so next time you look at your circumstances and C zero don't get discouraged get excited because zero isn't your limitation it's your launching pad zero isn't your enemy it's your teacher and zero isn't your burden it's your opportunity remember great story starts from zero and right now you're holding the pen to write yours let me tell you about the most dangerous phrase in the English language I'll start when I'll start when I have more money I'll start when I have more time I'll start when the kids are older I'll start when the market is better you know what that really means it means never I was at a seminar once and a young man came up to me he said I've Got This brilliant business idea I'm just waiting for the right time to start I asked him how long have you been waiting his answer 5 years if think about that 5 years of waiting for the right time 5 years of watching other people build their dreams while his gathered dust five years of making excuses instead of making progress here's what most people don't understand about timing there's no perfect moment life doesn't send you an engraved invitation saying your time has arrived the perfect moment is a myth that keeps Ordinary People from becoming extraordinary let me share something profound with you time will pass anyway the clock is ticking whether you're taking action or not the calendar pages will turn whether you're moving towards your dreams or just dreaming about moving you see while you're waiting for the perfect moment someone else is out there making imperfect progress while you're waiting for all the lights to turn green before you leave your driveway someone else is navigating the intersections of Life One turn at a time now let's talk about something powerful desperation most people run from desperation they see it as something negative but let me tell you about the gift of desperation desperation is Nature's way of telling you it's time to move it's life's way of saying enough waiting I know a man who lost everything in his 40s he's his job his savings his confidence he was desperate but instead of being paralyzed by that desperation he used it he couldn't afford to buy inventory for a traditional business so he created a service business that required no inventory he couldn't afford an office so he became mobile bringing his service to his customers his desperation didn't break him it transformed him that's the power of desperation it forces Innovation when you're desperate enough you don't have the luxury of waiting for the perfect moment you have to create your moment you have to turn your someday into today here's a truth that changed my life the best time to plant a tree was 20 years AO ago the second best time is now same goes for starting your business writing your book changing your life the best time was years ago the second best time right now think about this every day you wait is a day someone else is getting better getting stronger moving closer to their dreams every day you wait as a day you'll never get back so let me ask you something what are you waiting for what perfect moment are you hoping will arrive because I I'll tell you something that perfect moment is right now right here this minute this second the time for waiting is over the time for Action is now because if not now when remembers life rewards action not intention it rewards progress not Perfection and it definitely doesn't reward waiting your moment isn't coming it's already already here the question is what are you going to do about it you know what most people are afraid of more than failure being alone they'll stay in bad relationships keep toxic friends work at jobs they hate all because they're afraid of being alone but let me tell you something powerful sometimes alone is exactly where you need to be I remember walking in my backyard one evening just me and my thoughts no phone ringing no people talking no distractions and in that Solitude I heard something remarkable my own voice not the voice of my parents telling me what I should do not the voice of my friends telling me what I could do not the voice of society telling me what I ought to do just my voice clear as a bell telling me what I must do you see being alone isn't a punishment it's preparation it's Nature's Way of forcing you to build your own Foundation think about this a tree that grows in the middle of a forest is surrounded by other trees it's protected supported but that same protection makes it weak now look at a tree that grows alone on top of a hill wind beaten rain battered Sun scorched but oh what strength it develops what Deep Roots It Grow that's you standing alone building strength that Comfort never could give you let me tell you about decision making when you're alone something magnificent happens you learn to trust yourself you see when you're surr Ed by people it's easy to lean on their opinions their judgments their wisdom but when you're alone you have to develop your own wisdom you have to sharpen your own judgment you have to trust your own instincts I know a woman who started a small business everyone told her she needed Partners needed investors needed advisors but she chose to go It Alone was it harder you bet did she make mistakes plenty but every mistake was her teacher every decision made her stronger every challenge built her character here's what most people don't understand about being alone it's not about isolation it's about independence it's not about loneliness it's about leadership starting with leading yourself when you're alone you can't blame anyone else for your failures but guess what you also don't have to share credit for your successes when you're alone you can't rely on anyone else's motivation but that means you develop your own fire your own drive your own reason to get up in the morning think about this every great inventor every revolutionary thinker every transformational leader had to stand alone at some point they had to believe in their Vision when no one else did they had to trust their judgment when everyone else doubted that's the blessing of being alone it forces you to become complete it pushes you to fill your own Gap solve your own problems answer your own questions and here's the Magnificent Paradox once you learn to be strong alone you become better at being with others because now you're coming from a place of strength not need you're choosing companions not seeking saviors remember this alone doesn't mean lonely alone means uninfluenced undiluted unborrowed pure so next time you find yourself alone don't run from it don't fill it with noise don't crowd it with people embrace it because in that Solitude you're not just spending time with yourself you're building yourself and that's strange You're Building nobody can ever take it away from you now let me tell you about two men I once knew the first had a mansion three cars and a bank account that would make most people envious the second had a modest home rode the bus and lived paycheck to paycheck but here's what fascinated me the the second man was Far wealthier than the first you see he understood something profound about wealth that most people never Gras true wealth isn't about what's in your bank account it's about what's in your mind your heart and your character now let me share with you the six assets everyone has whether they're living in a penthouse or a basement apartment pay close attention because this might be the most important lesson about wealth you'll ever learn first you have time 24 hours each day the same 24 hours that every millionaire and billionaire gets no more no less that's your first asset second you have energy the physical and mental capacity to take action some days you might have more some days less but you have it third you have creativity the ability to solve problems to see opportunities where others see obstacles to make something out of nothing fourth you have relationships not just family and friends but every person you meet is a potential connection to opportunity fifth you have your mind the capacity to learn to grow to understand to innovate your mind is like a field whatever you plan in it will grow sixth you have your integrity your word your character your reputation this might be the most valuable asset of all because once it's gone all the money in the world can't buy it back now here's what most people don't don't understand about these assets they're not fixed they can be developed invested and multiplied but they can also be wasted squandered and lost let me tell you about converting time into value most people spend their time successful people invested think about this when you're watching the clock at work waiting for the day to end you're spending time but when you're learning a new skill building relationships solving problems your investing time I knew a young man who worked as a janitor every day while he cleaned offices he listened to educational tapes While others complained about their jobs he was investing his time today he owns a successful Consulting business he didn't have more time than anyone else he just understood how to convert his time into value here's a profound truth about we money is not the root of all wealth value creation is the more more value you create for others the more wealth flows back to you it's like a farmer planting seeds you don't get the Harvest the same day you plan but if you understand the seasons of wealth you know the Harvest will come you share something that changed my life poor people work for money wealthy people have money work for them but before you can have money work for you you must work on yourself you see most people are so busy earning a living that they forget get to design a life they're so focused on the next paycheck that they miss the opportunity to create true wealth want to know the fastest way to become wealthy solve big problems the bigger the problems you solve the more value you create the more value you create the more wealth flows to you remember this your bank account is a reflection of how much value you've created for others want a bigger bank account create more value solve more problems serve more people that's the secret of true wealth it's not about what you get it's about what you give not about what you have but about who you become here's a paradox that most people never understands energy doesn't create action action creates energy you're waiting to feel energetic enough to change your life but that energy will never come from waiting it comes from breaking the inertia of your old patterns let me explain what's happening in your body right now you feel tired depleted maybe even exhausted your brain is telling you rest first change later but that's just your body being efficient with its energy trying to maintain the status quo it's perfectly happy staying in its comfort zone running the same programs it always has because familiar patterns require less energy than creating something new but here's the fascinating thing about human biology your body has energy reserves you've never tapped into scientists studying the phenomenon of second winds have discovered something remarkable when athletes push past their perceived energy limits their bodies actually start producing more energy not less their mitochondria the power plants in their cells become more efficient they create more AP more this isn't just about physical performance the same principle applies to mental and emotional energy when you push past that first wall of fatigue when you override those old programs telling you to stay small and safe you activate dormant Energy Systems in your body your cells literally start producing more energy because you're demanding more from them think about the last time you were too tired to do something but you did it anyway maybe it was a workout a project or helping a friend what happened after the initial resistance you found energy you didn't know you had that wasn't just psychological you literally created new energy through action here's what's actually happening when you take action despite feeling tired you send a signal to your body that this new activity is important for survival your body responds by upregulating your energy production system your brain releases chemicals like neuropen and dopamine that increase alertness and motivation your cells start producing more mitochondria you're literally creating new energy producing capabilities through your choices but most people never experience this because they're caught in the energy trap they're waiting to feel energetic before they take action they're letting their body's efficiency programs which are designed to conserve energy make their decisions for them they're literally programming themselves for fatigue by constantly reinforcing the I'm too tired pattern breaking this pattern requires understanding that energy is not a limited resource you need to to conserve it's a dynamic Force you can generate through your choices every time you choose action over inertia you're not just using energy you're creating it every time you override the too tired program you're training your body to produce more energy not less this is why waiting for the perfect moment when you feel energetic enough to change your life is a biological impossibility that energy will never come from waiting it comes from choosing from acting from demanding more from your body and your life the energy you're waiting for is waiting for you to choose it let me tell you something that took me years to understand success doesn't come from one giant leap it comes from a thousand tiny steps taken consistently most people are waiting for the big moment the grand opportunity the perfect chance but let me share with you what I call the simple success formula it starts with this truth what you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while let me break this down for you imagine you have two people the first one works out intensely for 5 hours on January 1st then doesn't exercise again for 6 months the second person walks for just 15 minutes every single day who do you think will be in better shape by June it's not even close you see success works exactly the same way it's not about the intensity it's about the consistency let me give you the daily disciplines that changed my life first wake up early not occasionally every day even Saturdays even when you don't feel like it especially when you don't feel like it the early morning hours have a magic about them while the rest of the world is sleeping you're building your future second read 10 pages every day not at 100 pages one day and none for a week 10 pages every single day that's about 3600 50 pages a year do you know what happens to a person who reads 3650 pages about their field their craft their dreams they become Unstoppable third write down your goals every morning not once a year not once a month every single morning you see goals aren't just destinations they're compasses they tell you which way to walk today now let me tell you about The Compound Effect most people overestimate what they can do in a day day and underestimate what they can do in a year small actions repeated consistently create extraordinary results think you about this if you improve just one every day at the end of the year you're 37 times better not 365 better 37 times better that's the power of compound growth but here's the catch get we're worse every day and by the end of the year you're almost at zero let me share something about momentum success is like pushing a heavy wheel at first it takes everything you've got just to make it move an inch but once it starts rolling it becomes easier and easier that's why the hardest day is always day one the hardest rep is always the first rep the hardest page is always the first page but here's what most people don't understand about momentum it's not about intensity it's about consistency one small action repeated daily builds more momentum than a thousand grand gestures done occasionally I knew a man who wanted to write a book he tried sitting down to write for eight hours straight every Sunday know what happened he quit after 3 weeks then he tried something different writing for just 15 minutes every morning while his coffee was brewing one year later he had a finished manuscript That's The Power of daily disciplines that's the magic of The Compound Effect that's how you create Unstoppable moment momentum remember this success is never owned it's rented and the rent is due every day every single day you're either building momentum or losing it there's no standing still in life you want to know the secret to guaranteed progress show up every day do the work every day take one small step every day because small disciplines repeated with consistency become huge accomplishments let me tell you about the day everything changed for me I was sitting at my small kitchen table bills piled up dreams piled even higher when I realized something that shook me to my core nobody was coming to save me nobody was going to show up with an opportunity wrapped in a bell nobody was going to tap me on the shoulder and say your time has arrived and you know what that was the best news I could have received because the moment you realize that no one is coming to save you is the moment you realize something powerful you don't need saving you need to start saving yourself let me share something profound with you your life will never change until you change not until circumstances change not until the economy changes most people are waiting for their lives to change they're waiting for their ship to come in but here's what they don't understand you've got to build the ship first you've got to be the captain first you've got to chart the course first let me tell you about personal responsibility it's the most powerful force in the universe for personal change why because the moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you gain total power to change anything in your life think about this every morning when you wake up you have a choice you can either rise as a victim of your circumstances or rise is the creator of your circumstances both positions are available both will create completely different lives I knew a woman who lost her job during an economic downturn most of her colleagues spent their time blaming the economy blaming the company blaming the government but she did something different she said this is my responsibility my life my future my problem to solve within 6 months she had started a small business within a year she was earning more than her old job ever paid that's the power of personal responsibility when you stop blaming you start building you start commanding you start creating now let's talk about creating opportunities most people are waiting for opportunities to appear but here's what I've learned opportunities don't appear they're created they're manufactured they're built from the ground up W know how to create opportunities solve problems the bigger the problem you solve the bigger the opportunity you create want more opportunities solve more problems want better opportunities solve bigger problems here's something that changed my life success is not a matter of chance it's a matter of choice not one big Choice made once but thousands of small choices made daily the choice to get up early the choice to study While others sleep the choice to persist While others quit your personal Revolution begins the moment you decide that your life is your responsibility not partially not mostly totally every success every failure every outcome It All Belongs to remember this life doesn't happen to you it happens through you through your decisions through your actions through your responses to challenges the revolution isn't out there it's in here in your mind in your heart in your willingness to take complete ownership of your your life and your future this is your moment your Revolution your time to rise right now in this very moment something extraordinary is happening you're standing at a Crossroads not tomorrow not next week right now and this moment this exact second could be the moment everything changes let me tell you something powerful every great life every remarkable achievement every extraordinary story started with one moment one Decision One Heartbeat when someone decided enough today everything changes you see most people think success is about timing Talent OR luck but let me share a truth that changed my life success happens the moment you decide that where you are is not where you're going to stay I don't remember sitting in a small Diner drinking cheap coffee when I made my decision I still had the same problems the same obstacles the same challenges is I had 5 minutes before but something had shifted inside me in that moment I wasn't the same person anymore here's your challenge stop waiting for permission stop waiting for the perfect moment stop waiting for someone to validate your dreams the time for waiting is over think about this every second you spend waiting is a second someone else is spending doing while you're planning to start someone else is already building while you're thinking about your dream someone else is living theirs let me tell you about Legacy most people think Legacy is something you leave behind when you're gone but that's not true your Legacy isn't what you leave behind it's what you build right now every action every decision every moment is a brick in the foundation of your legacy I knew a man who always talked about someday someday he'd start his business someday he'd write his book someday he'd make a difference you you know what happened someday never came because someday isn't the day of the week it's not on any calendar here's something profane the future dreaming about it's created by the actions you take right now not tomorrow not next week right want to know the most powerful moment in your life this one right here because this is the moment you have complete control over this is the moment you can change everything this challenge is simple but it's it's not easy take action right now not after this speech not after lunch not after you feel ready if you want to start a business make your first plan today if you want to get in shape do your first pushup today if you want to write a book write your first word today if you want to change your life make your first change today because here's the truth about change it happened in an instant the moment between who you were and who you become is just that a moment one decision one action one step remember this 20 years from now you won't regret the failures you had you'll regret the actions you never took the dreams you never chased the life you were too afraid to live so here's my final challenge to you when this speech ends Don't Clap don't wait don't plan take action make that call write that plan take that first step because your life your real life the one you've been dreaming about it's waiting for you on the other side of action this is your moment this is your time this is your life what are you going to do with it