You can be yourself in this world.
You don't have to conform, and you don't have to change who you are. When I began my motivational speaking career, I didn't feel like I had any support. No one was bringing me in to speak, but let me tell you something—there were organizations and people out there who said they'd have me if I changed myself. They wanted to change my appearance, or they wanted me to change my truths. When I first started in this business, there was no one handing me platforms. I felt as though no opportunities existed for me the way I was, but did I change myself? No! I said to myself, "Trent, you are not going to change who you are. You are not going to sell out."
Never change because of someone else's opinion.
That being said, change is sometimes necessary. If you need to change, are you able to do so? A lot of people out there will try to sell you success, but in my opinion, the greatest success possible is success as yourself. For me, everything changed when I realized the truth behind that. When I understood that the greatest success possible was already within me, I stopped waiting for opportunities. I stopped sitting around asking for handouts.
I started building myself from the ground up, and because I put in that work, I've been blessed in innumerable ways. I can sleep better at night knowing that I've been able to find success and peace as myself, not as whoever anyone paid me to be.
When they won't let you in the building, build your own.
When they won't share your platform with you, create your own platform. Yes, that will take longer, and don't get me wrong—it's not going to be easy. At the end of the day, though, it's very much worth it. I've been doing this for ten years, and trust me—all the effort becomes worth it when you can stand on top of that mountain without depending on handouts or the opinions of other people.
It's up to you to fix your life.
There's one question I get all the time in person, in the comments section of my YouTube, and in my email inbox. The main question I get is, "Come on, Trent. Fixing your life is a lot easier said than done." If you've been following me for a while, you know how I feel about those words. A lot of people come to me and say, "That's too hard. It's too hard to make a change." Let me tell you something—this is your life, not a game. You can't afford to give up, and you can't afford to never stop.
What are you waiting for?
It all starts with you.
