SPEAKING.APP

At 11 years old, I wanted to enter my first talent show. I had big dreams of being a star. I wanted my moment, my spotlight, my chance to be great. My mom looked at me and said, “That’s nice, but your sister performing with you.” And you’ve got to understand, my little sister Rayon was very smart, but no talent. Let me ask you something. Did you have a sibling that had to go with you everywhere? And be honest. Were you that sibling? So there I am, heading into showtime, forced to share the stage, already frustrated because in my mind, greatness meant doing it on my own. It’s showtime. Rayon goes out first, looking like a deer in headlights, shaking like Bambi. Then I come out like a proud peacock. I’m feeling myself. But when I look into the crowd, I see this shocked look on my mom’s face. Why? Because I had a wardrobe change. Off went my tie. Shirt open wide. This 11-year-old bird chest screamed, “Superstar.” I’m singing my heart out. “Baby, you’ll find there’s only one love, yours and mine. I got so much love.” And I’m thinking, wow, not bad. Then it’s her turn. And she starts singing: “All I want is to hold you. Let me show how much I love you, baby. Show me.” Nails on a chalkboard. She ruined the whole song. After the show, I’m visibly upset because I wanted to be great. And my mom tells me, “You were great. But while you were worrying about you and only you, you didn’t see that Rayon stepped out of her comfort zone for the first time because you inspired her.” That’s when it hit me. Being great isn’t about you. It’s about how you inspire others to find their greatness. The next year, we went on stage again, but this time I made her dance. No singing here. And she was different. She was dazzling. She danced like a star. And now, somehow, Rayon is inspiring me. That got me thinking. Do you believe greatness lies within you? I do. But I also believe it takes inspiration to bring it out. So who inspires you? For me, from an early age, Mom was my inspiration with her words of wisdom. Now my dad? Don’t get me wrong, Dad was no pushover. Between you and I, Dad can outtalk a politician. But as a teenager, he and I would often clash. While he was focused on building the family business, I just wanted him to focus on building me. I resented him. I thought he didn’t care. So at 19, I left home thinking life would be better out there. And Dad did what any other great father would do. He celebrated. He even renovated. But for two years, I found myself in risky situations. Wrong place, wrong time. One night at a club, a fight broke out. We had absolutely nothing to do with it. My best friend Jay tried to break it up and we thought it was over. But when we left the club, bullets rang out. I was shot twice. Jay was killed instantly. Wrong place, wrong time. All I could think was, why me? All I wanted was to go home. But how could I face Dad knowing that I failed being on my own? And then I saw him. With outstretched arms, no words, my father welcomed me home. I spent so much time trying not to be him that I didn’t see his great qualities. Perseverance, persistence, patience. Dad led by example, and he inspired me to do the same. What I learned was this. Dad wasn’t just building a business. He was building a legacy that I was too blind to see. When I finally understood what my parents had been showing me all along, everything changed. Rayon kept growing too. Today, she performs on a different stage as a politician and a business owner. And yes, she can outtalk Dad, from screechy to preachy. The best part is she stopped singing, but she never stopped inspiring me. And me? I have taken over the family business. Every once in a while, Dad still sticks his head in and acts like he’s in charge. So I did what any great son would do. I fired him. No. I retired him, so he could enjoy the legacy he built. So let me ask you, have you ever been too blind to see who inspires you? My mother always said, “Being great isn’t about you. It’s about how you inspire others to find their greatness.” And she couldn’t be more right. And Dad taught me that even in the strength of silence, your actions can speak volumes. You have the power to inspire others through your words and actions. Greatness does lie within you. And if I could do it all over again, today I would say, “Rayon, come up on stage with me. And you, come join us.” Because together, we could put on the performance of a lifetime, to inspire others to find their greatness and become superstars.