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would
you sell your sofa to get
closer
to your dream?
a
short story about doing
whatever it takes.
I
gave a sermon recently at
Marie Forleo’s now-legendary
annual event, Rich Happy
& Hot LIVE. (Get on
the "let me know"
list for RHH
Live 2013. You'll thank
me for it.)
Russell
Simmons took the stage after
me. (Russell Simmons, the
founder of Def Jam Records,
not Richard Simmons of Sweatin’
to the Oldies.) It was Q&A
time.
A
gorgeous young black woman
steps up to the mic. She
introduces herself, "I'm
RuDee
Sade", and delivers
a cocktail line that is
tight and on target. She
briefly describes that she
has an event planning company
that works with non-profits
and marketers to further
good causes. She was full
of that raw, anxious, delightful
energy that is a gift to
witness. 100% loveable in
her eager reach.
And
then the arch of her story
came: “...And my
mother let me sell our couch,
and our end tables, to afford
the ticket to come here.”
The audience starts to whoop
and holler. “Go, sister!”
someone next to me said.
We welled up.
“But
I could only sell the furniture
on one condition, Russell,”
she said. We all leaned
forward. “That I had
the courage to give you
my business card and ask
for a meeting with you.”
She was slightly out of
breath at this point, heart
racing in front of one of
her heroes. She held her
business card up in the
air like it was gold for
the Pharaoh. Then all eyes
were on cool cat Russell
Simmons. “Sure,”
he said, “Yes, I’ll
take a meeting with you.
My assistant is in the green
room. Go talk to him."
She
did it! She recruited people
into her dream. She got
in the door. She stepped
to the front of the line.
It's a good thing she doesn't
have any living room furniture
left, because she's going
home to do back flips and
turn her family home into
a small empire.
Fledgling
or founded, we’ve all
got a metaphorical sofa
to sell, a risk to take.
Something to put on the
line.
Sell it. Do what it takes.
Whatever it takes.
Go without so you can go
for the gold.
Grab the mic.
Make the ask.
Whatever happens, the results
will be unforgettable.
.M
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