Defy the Odds

Fly - Win

One day, I heard that the bumblebee with the way its body is shaped and its small wings, aerodynamically, should not be able to fly. And for every butterfly we see, hundreds and thousands more didn’t survive the many predators and stages that the caterpillar has to go through in order to transform into a beautiful butterfly. I thought, “If the bumblebee is not supposed to be able to fly, yet it'' defies the Odds” and flies anyway. And If the caterpillar “Defies the Odds” and transforms into the beautiful butterfly, then the things that you and I were not supposed to be able to do; we can “Defy the Odds” and do it.

So, what are your current dreams and goals? What is it that you have in your heart to do, be, achieve, accomplish or do more of?

Along the way, like most of us, you may have heard how hard, challenging, and difficult it will be. You may hear about others who attempted something similar but didn’t succeed.

Like Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express, you may even be told it is impossible to do what you desire to do. But guess what, some of the most successful people I know and have studied, and probably everyone who has achieved success in any field, like Oprah, Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com, Walt Disney, Les Brown, and others were told some of those things, but they decided to “Defy the Odds” and do it anyway. So can you!

Let me share some of my story and things I and other successful people have learned and applied to encourage you to “DEFY the Odds” and achieve your goals, live your dreams and become the success you desire to be.

Over my lifetime, I have had to "Defy the Odds" in many ways in order to be here today.

When I started in radio, women were primarily placed as a midday personality or sidekick to the lead male jocks. Very few women had their own morning show or got contracts and good salaries.

But, over the next few years, as I applied these keys, I began to be noticed and recognized. My voice began to stand out as being unique, distinctive and versatile. I became one of the few African American Women in my area to be offered a contract and given my own morning show. Now, I have enjoyed a successful career in the Radio and Music Industry for 33 years. I have authored several books, (including “How bad do you want to be blessed.”), I’ve traveled and worked with legendary motivational speaker Les Brown and business coach Jack Canfield.

But, as a child, I was insecure. My parents divorced when I was 8 years old, because my dad drank too much and became combative. Fights broke out every weekend. I developed a nervous condition and would break out in hives. I later developed severe eczema, migraine headaches and at the age of 12 years old; I was molested.

Yet, instead of being another statistic, following in the pattern of my dad, becoming an alcoholic, or spiraling downward into drugs and other destructive behavior, I defied the odds. I started going to church, developed a relationship with God and began to reach out to encourage others. Even before I ever achieved any success, I believed I could and I would. I believed others could as well..

Looking back over my life, encouraging and empowering people so that they will tap into their potential and walk in their greatness, is more than something that I am passionate about, it is what I believe I am called to do. So, I say to you today, that if I can “Defy the Odds,” and make it. So can you.

Now, I will agree that going after your dreams and goals may not be easy, but it’s possible. So, here are a few keys that I and countless other successful people have utilized to reach their goals and live their dreams.

In order To “Defy the Odds,” and Succeed:

You must believe that “It’s Possible”

When all of these devastating things were happening in my life, I could have gotten stuck in hurt, pain, hopelessness and despair, because I didn’t know what the future had in store for me. But, I believed that better was possible for me. So, you have to believe that better is possible for you. Believe that you can follow your dreams. Believe that you too can become successful.

Be clear on what you want

In the movie, “Space Jams,” starring basketball great, Michael Jordan, the scene starts with a young Michael outside in his backyard bouncing and shooting the basketball. His dad comes outside and sees Michael shooting the ball and making the shots. Young Michael already has thoughts of what he wants to do when he gets older, so he asks his father, “do you think I can play (college) ball at UNC?” His dad tells him that’s a fine school and he thinks it’s possible. Then Michael says, (after playing college ball), he wants to go to the NBA. His father lets him know “It’s possible.” And then young Michael says, “and after I do all of that, then I’m going to go play Major League Baseball”. And at that point, his dad tells him to slow down. It’s time to go inside.

Now, in the movie, during the dialogue between Michael and his dad, there are photo clips and footage of Michael playing ball in college at UNC, playing in the NBA and then playing Major League Baseball.

That scene shows us what it looks like to have a clear goal and believe. But, though we now know Michael Jordan as the great basketball player, he didn’t start that way. The first time he tried out for the basketball team in High School, he was cut. So what did he do, quit? No!

Be Determined and Diligent

Michael knew he wanted to play basketball. So, he became Determined and Diligent and did what he needed to do in order to accomplish his goals.