Author: Marko Vidrih

“You got to become a risk taker! If you’re not willing to risk, you can’t grow. If you can’t grow, you can’t become your best, and if you can’t become your best, you can’t be happy, and if you can’t be happy, then what else is there?”

These are the words of a famous politician, a radio talk show host, a best-selling author and a motivational speaker Leslie Calvin Brown, more commonly known as Les Brown.

Les Brown moved through the adoption system, suffered the opinions of naysayers and even survived cancer several times.

He used to sleep on the cold ground of his office in Detroit. But he kept his hope. He knew it was only a moment in time, and that moment would pass. And guess what? He was right! He kept trying and he found success. Or rather, success found him.

For over 41 years Les Brown has been one of the top speakers in the world. He has helped change the lives of millions of people all across the world through his motivational speeches and his coaching.

He continues to be a student of success. But the reality is that he went through a lot of trial and error to find his passion and to discover what his talent and gifts were.

In School He Was Deemed “Mentally Retarded”

Les Brown credits his success and reaching his full potential to his mother and his high school teacher, who supported him along the way. Having that support made him commit to rising from various positions in life – from radio host to radio station manager and from club MC to one of the most respected keynote speakers, among others.

He has been active in many fields of life, from a motivational speaker to a bestselling author, business owner, and former politician. In all his positions, he has spread his positive energy and enthusiasm about life.

He loved being a disc jockey, but what he was even more passionate about was social change. He wanted to make the world a better place. So he spoke about it on the air. At that point, he was told that maybe being a DJ wasn’t enough for him; maybe he should run for public office.

That idea seemed crazy. He had no experience, but he decided that it was time for him to run as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.

He was also terrified to run for office. However, after some campaigning, guess what? He won! He became a legislator, and he was able to start making the changes that he always dreamed of making.

Les Brown Laws of Success

This is only one story of dozens in which he was scared to death. But he didn’t let that fear ruin his chances of changing the world. From that point on Les Brown became a best-selling author and the world’s leading motivational speaker. Les Brown has 12 laws of success, which you can read about in his book of the same title.

However, of particular note, is the importance of listening to your heart, leveraging your talent and gifts, and letting go of your fear.

Today, Les Brown is a multi-millionaire and successful speaker and author who inspired millions of people through his talks. A feat that took him 13 years to accomplish.

To shape your reality in a powerful way, Brown says you have to maintain an unshakable belief in your abilities. Never let the naysayers or setbacks control your narrative; it’s all about the story you choose to believe about yourself.

Featured image by Dominick Brady.

IT expert and investor Chris Reining decided to become a millionaire at the age of 29. Work got on his nerves. He wanted to be financially free. Now, the 39-year-old American has finally made it. Today he has $1.2 million in his stock portfolio and can enjoy his early retirement on the beach.

Many people live their entire life with financial limitations. At the age of 50 or 60, they realize that they’ll have to work until they are so old and sick that they simply cannot work anymore. This is a miserable life and Chris Reining knew that and wanted to achieve something better.

He Turned into a Super Saver and Became a Millionaire

IT Specialist Chris Reining is 39 years old and lives in Wisconsin. He’s a millionaire. When he was 29, he decided to get rich because the job he was doing got on his nerves. For his 35th birthday, he wanted to have a million dollars in his stock portfolio. At that time he earned $75,000 a year.

He spent no more than $1,000 for flying lessons a month. He didn’t go to the expensive eco-supermarket anymore. He went to the restaurant less often. He started a kind of spending diet.

Yes, it’s hard at the beginning to change habits. But once you get used to it, saving isn’t a problem. No one has to eat dog food, of course. Life stays pleasant. Today, Reining has $1.2 million in his portfolio. He describes how he earned the money in his

Many people believe that they can’t do it. But you know what? It is possible. You just have to want it. People like Reining who started early can now enjoy their retirement somewhere on the beach.

Reining knows the feeling of financial independence; for him, it’s about much more than just money itself. It means “having the freedom to design your life according to your wishes,” as Reining explains on his

He learned the advantages of investing at an early age when he was introduced to the world of equities by his father. Today he wants to pass on his knowledge to those who cannot cope with their financial life or have questions about the confusing world of the stock market. Therefore, he decided to launch his own site.

His own life proves best that his concept works: Reining gave himself the goal of achieving financial independence at a young age. He retired at age 37.

How Did He Do That?

His way is simple and follows the advice his father already suggested: he invested in stocks. “Stocks are not just for rich people,” Reining says and reinforces his advice with a simple example in the language of the farmers under which he grew up as a boy in Wisconsin:

“Imagine, you buy yourself a young, frail foal for $500. You maintain it for many years, you let it graze on a lush pasture and see how it increases in strength and size. After a few years, your once-small foal is suddenly worth $2,500 (and you did not even have to spend money on the grass).”

The same applies to shares as it does to the foal. Of course, there are always setbacks in the case of foals. Sometimes they get sick and requires more care and protection. But in the long term, they mature into a strong horse, that one day will be worth a lot more on the market than the once-acquired young animal.