Motivation Manifesto: Inspire Greatness (Declaration 8of9)

Hey friends, it's Brandon. And this episode is part of a special 10 part series that I'm doing right here on the podcast exclusively where I'm going to release the major parts of my audiobook of my book, the Motivation Manifesto. Yes, I'm releasing 10 full chapters of the audiobook right here on the podcast. So make sure that you're subscribed to the podcast and you download these episodes. You'll see these episodes designated as Motivation Manifesto and then the chapter name. And here's the deal, these are only going to be posted until June 3rd. So I'm giving you 10 days to go through the entire Motivation Manifesto audiobook of the major declarations of the book. Anyway, I don't, I won't include like the introduction or forward or stuff like that. So just jumping right into the declarations that made the Motivation Manifesto so famous. The book spent 36 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list when it came out a decade ago. Why am I releasing such a huge.

Part of the audiobook right now?

Well, literally was a decade ago. So this is the 10 year anniversary and I just wanted to say thank you and celebrate it with. Celebrate all your support. Frankly, you guys have been amazing to me in this last decade and that book kicked off such a magnificent part of my life. And I'll never forget the support you gave me, not only making it a major New York Times bestselling book, but just the love of that book around the world. It led to, you know, an interview with Oprah and doing courses with Oprah Winfrey Network. It led to some coaching some of the best teams in the world. It was an extraordinary experience of my own. And many know the story that initially the publisher turned down the book. I had to go find another publisher. And that journey alone was a reason to always fight for your art. With no further ado, we'll play this audiobook section of the Motivation Manifesto. If you'd like to get the book, you can still find it on Amazon and I encourage you to go there and get it as well. Because nothing like reading that book. But you'll hear me and my voice from 10 years ago reading this book. Please enjoy.

Declaration 8 We shall inspire greatness. I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve Albert Schweitzer. When a people begin to perish for apathy, indifference or a lack of vision, a voice of leadership must arise from the squalor of a contaminated moral environment must surface an honorable few unafraid to challenge mediocrity and change the direction of the world. Let us be among those brave few as so many choose lives of indolence. Let us be unafraid of the demands of greatness and choose to pick up the dimming golden torch of human excellence and ignite it once more with life and power for all to see. Each of us serves as a living example to others. Our character and conduct can cast either the bright glow of greatness and service to the far corners of our influence or a shadow of smallness and selfishness to the unfortunate few nearest us. Our striving for a better life and a better world can leave others inspired if it comes from a genuine place of service or diminished if it comes from a place of greed. We must have the courage to ask in this confused era, am I seeking to be a role model on a daily basis for all those I love and serve? Am I lifting up those around me? Am I in some way elevating humanity by leading others to see and activate their potential? Am I living a truly great life seeking greatness and doing the work to deserve it must come back into our collective consciousness. Let us now awaken that powerful force within that seeks to lift some of the weight of the world from the backs of those struggling. Let us take our position as generals of generosity, as leaders of the highest caliber who give a damn about others and the world. Let us declare with firm intent to the world and ourselves, we shall inspire greatness. A Troubled World the world's people are in peril. We no doubt live in a noisy, numb, narcissistic age. The talents and attentions of the majority are not invested in personal mastery and social responsibility, but squandered on games, voyeurism and base sensationalism. We have recklessly abandoned what truly the striving to be great as individuals and as a society for the glamour and thrill of speed, convenience and vain expression in a kind of humanity wide midlife crisis. Gone are the big visions. Here are the quick wins and the sure things. Effort has lost out to entitlement in the transition to our age of self adoration and conceit. The page turned long ago on the dreams to rise as a people. Greatness is so rarely sought and generation after generation fail to hold the line of human goodness and and advancement. Why? Because most people don't want to hold themselves or others to a higher standard because the former requires discipline and the latter invites conflict. And so they excuse their poor behavior and don't call out social wrongs. They no longer firmly expect themselves or others to act with virtue, compassion, excellence, or wisdom. They look away when their bosses do something wrong. They don't tell their children to improve their behavior because they don't want to be too controlling. They can't tell the team to shape up because they don't want to appear bossy. Without more people deciding to serve as role models and leaders, our society has become a suffering case of the silent and bland leading the silent and bland. There is a confused complacency. Everyone knows there is more for us, but it's just too much trouble to organize ourselves to chase it. It is easier to indulge in our comforts, our profits, our easygoing ways. Such habits have reduced our individual greatness and led to a worldwide failure in leadership. This is evident when we see an apathetic populace, unjustifiable poverty, unconscionable greed, and a world ravaged and booby trapped by war. If we continue on this path, history will not be kind to us, and a cheated destiny will exact its revenge. Is there not a person among us who does not think that we can do better if we tried? The naysayers will tell us nothing can be done. They say that the world is going to hell. It is unrecoverable. They imagine that humankind is simply too sad and selfish to be able to right its wrongs. But is this true? Perhaps some people are indeed so buried in their life's challenges that they can hardly inspire themselves, let alone inspire others. But it is also true that there are some people who are doing their damnedest to improve the world. These people wake each day and fight hard to have a better tomorrow, actively seek learning and challenge in order to grow and contribute, and deeply care about their integrity and the character of their children and communities. If the majority of the world's populace didn't work hard, care for one another, or carry the bright flame of goodness within their souls, then this earth would have perished long ago, having mastered the atom and the machinery of death that is modern warfare. The mere fact that we are alive now reveals a vast preference toward life and. And virtue. And now we are at a fascinating place where billions of us so desperately want the world to improve. And we want something to give to. To believe in, to fight for. We are looking forward to contributing our creativity and sweat and fire to something that matters, to something that improves our lives and the lives of others. We are now tired of waiting. So let us lead. Righting our ship, we must begin at home. Let us sit down tonight with our families and take an unflinching look at whom we have become. Are we being solid lovers and parents, good and true children, faithful supporters of those we care for? Is our own house in order? What could we be doing better in the world as a family? Good people often fail to become great people because they avoid looking honestly at their personal lives. They try to lead others, but do not lead themselves. And at some point, that incongruence catches up with and derails them. So let us ask, what must I finally face and fix in my own life? Do I need to eat healthier? Then let me do it. Do I need to treat my kids with greater patience and kindness? Then let me begin. Are there tasks I have been putting off that could help my family? Then let me complete them. In addressing our own lives, we ready our minds and spirit to address the world. As we seek more influence and attempt to change the world, we will draw more attention to our lives. This should inspire us to care about being a role model and motivate us to write our lives. If we are to be solid for our collaborators, let us be solid for our families. If we want people to have energy for their tasks and duties, then let us take care of ourselves so that we are their inspiration. There is no great philosopher or leader who has not taken care to remind us that we must be the change we seek in the world. Standing apart Once we get our homes in order, we must seek to reconnect with the world. Our aim must be to help others find their own meaningful projects and causes. This is a vital distinction in an age when so many leaders are shoving their own agendas down the throats of their people. They have forgotten that service is not a selfish act. Should we succeed at becoming great, we will need to be very different than the egoists and extremists who have stolen the mantle of leadership and infiltrated the world's psyche. Look at how sad so many of our so called leaders have become. They fear becoming unpopular so they do not make tough or expedient choices, preferring instead endless talk, constant compromise and obedience to party lines versus party public needs. While they are fearful, we shall stand out by being brave. They are dismissive of those who do not have equal or higher power than themselves, rarely speaking with common people and those on the front lines. While they are elitists, we shall be humble and in the field with those we lead. They avoid passionate debate and any demonstrations of emotion or hoping to appear. Always buttoned up, logical, their humanity becomes that of a computer, dispassionate and disconnected from the heart. While they have abandoned feeling, we shall live with fire and draw in the world. So desperate for authentic emotion and connection, they appeared tired, much older than their age, unable to maintain buoyancy in their voice and carriage. Long faces and distant gazes betraying exhaustion. While they lack vibrancy, we shall exude it. Their public discourse and policies cater to the loudest complaining derelicts and extremists around them, perpetuating language and beliefs that are of the lowest common denominator while separating us into camps of stupid stereotypes. While they bow to the extremists and communicate with low intelligence, we will bring a third perspective that is collaborative and conscious. They tend to be reactionary fools, bending and breaking at the whims of a shallow media. And so they stand for nothing and seek to be compliant with the low brow nature of mass communication. While they lack dignity and integrity, we shall maintain ours. They shirk responsibility, always pointing and blaming like spoiled children. While they have remained unaccountable and refused to own their actions and results, we shall always own ours. They are greedy for the spotlight and the money, and so they stump for more dollars and power. While they are greedy, we shall be simple and fight for those who suffer from lack. They favor the experts and the comforts of the status quo, forgetting to listen to the youthful and inexperienced who might view the world and its problems from a fresh vantage point. While they dismiss the uninitiated, we shall make them our friends and advisors. They are cynical, believing that change can come only slowly or through formality and tradition. While they have not experienced the power of a movement, we shall begin a movement of our own. We must demand these things of ourselves. Let us be so bold as to lead in new ways, standing apart from those who have been failing to raise our businesses, communities and nations to higher levels of excellence and greatness. No matter the position we hold at work, at school, or in our community, we shall show the world an alternative example by always caring enough to to be remarkable and unifying. In a world struggling for hope and wanting for light and leadership, we shall seek to shine as beacons. Few argue that the world is in need of new and different leaders. So let us sit down tonight and write our manifestos for how we will be different. Let us write and write some more. What beliefs and causes will we support? How will we approach the issues and problems of the world? And in new ways. What will inspire a new movement? How can we rise?

Hey, it's Brendan. Sorry to interrupt the audio book here for you. But a quick reminder, make sure you subscribe to the show and you download this episode or all the episodes in this 10 part series or frankly just set it so that all of my episodes always download to your phone because this series goes away on June 3rd. Okay? Other than that, in this little mid roll spot, I'd love to tell you about our Ultra group. I'd love to see if maybe this is the time for you to become more ultra successful in your own life, in every area of your life. And I always believe that to do that you've got to have a new level of performance edge. You've got to optimize your health, you've got to adopt some wealthy habits, and you've got to get around a higher caliber of network people who are striving and working really hard to achieve great things. If that sounds like something you're interested in, I'd love to invite you into Ultra. Just go to Ultra vip. That's literally the website, just Ultra vip. There's no other part of that website. Just go to Ultra VIP for the invitation to see if you're right for my private network working group Ultra VIP.

Demand Higher Standards if we will make our difference, it will not be alone. And so we must learn soon not to fear demanding that others rise to higher standards should they wish to march with us. If we are to inspire real change and progress, then we must expect more from those around us than others do. This is not new territory. There is a well blazed trail to greatness from a long line of hard working and honorable men and women who gave us the freedoms we enjoy today. What were their secrets to success in achieving great things and inspiring others to contribute? They were unfailing in their demands for action and excellence. Similarly, much of the impact of our legacy in this world hinges on our willingness to demand more from people. Demand does not mean to be pushy or commanding, though a leader should not shrink from this. Demand means setting expectations, communicating with candor, constantly holding people to high standards by incentivizing those who rise to the challenge while simultaneously calling out and coaching those who do not. Because many people do not like the concept of reprimanding others. In today's overly tolerant environment where people want to be friends, not leaders, we must revisit the concept. A society that lacks good people willing to speak against evil or low standards can only devolve into darkness and mediocrity. When people do something wrong, they need to be told they are doing something wrong. If not, standards slump the teenager who is hurting others needs to be told to stop without apology lest we desire an entire generation of selfish and cruel adults. The politician who is lying needs to be called out lest we desire a nation led by liars. The co worker who cuts corners and needs a talking to, lest we desire a workplace full of cheaters and schemers. This is what a virtuous world requires candid people willing to hold high standards for themselves and others. We must learn to shape and confront others beliefs and behaviors so that everyone is moving forward to a meaningful goal. This often means telling people that they are not measuring up or that they could be contributing in better ways while terrifying for many and unpopular In a world that tells its people not to rock any boats or expect anything significant from others. What is the alternative? To keep quiet as the world becomes increasingly apathetic and dishonest and debased? Some people will tell us not to expect much from others. They will tell us it is unfair to desire more from people. Those who doubt the power and potential of people say the go easy on others. They are weak and weary, so set small goals for them or they will feel overwhelmed and too often disappointed. These are the catcalls of mediocrity. We must not listen to doubters or allow our small imaginations to cast others as less vital and powerful than their potential, no matter their current state. Who are we to question someone's ability to grow or be great or to diminish the latent powers of God's children? Let us note the challenges people face, but let us always hold them in high regard and respect. From this place alone we will gain their favor and willingness to rise. The nine Virtues of Greatness what exactly shall we demand of others? The same we demand of ourselves. Conduct becoming of a noble character, attention to both our shortcomings and our strengths. A ready willingness to be excellent in our service to the world even when it becomes tiresome and difficult. We will do this by inspiring and challenging others to act with wisdom and virtue in any part of their lives upon which we have influence. If we have their ear, let us sow the seeds of greatness by inspiring the nine virtues of greatness. 1. Let us demand honesty. All people want to live proud, upright lives of integrity. They want to be truthful. They hate having to lie, being exposed as liars and getting caught in the web of others falsehoods. Yet how easily do these same people make small false claims and get away with it by an indifferent society? Let us be the ones to hold the line of honesty and call out wherever it is breached. Let us be the ones to push people to be straightforward in their lives. If someone lies, let us speak to them immediately, saying, I'm concerned about your level of honesty. This is called candor and it demonstrates a willingness to hold people to high standards. We must be uncompromising regarding truth and we must inspire others to be the same. 2. Let us demand responsibility Many people have an innate sense of responsibility for their actions, but too many avoid it in the name of ease. They know they should finish the report they promised, but they would rather go to the game. They know it is wrong not to pay their child support, but they prefer to keep the money for their own rent. They know they should be responsible for their actions, but it's easier to duck their duty and blame their parents or culture for their bad behavior. But when someone favors ease over duty, many suffer. Our job as leaders is to activate and encourage a more responsible nature in those we encounter. When those we influence fail to do their duty or to own their reality, we must help them see the full canvas of negative consequences they are creating for themselves and others. We shall say, do you realize that when you failed to complete your responsibility and turn in that report, your entire team was put on hold and left uninformed at the last meeting, are you aware of the fact that by you not paying child support, your son is taken to stealing food from the corner grocer? Can you see that all this blaming of your parents and culture isn't getting you anywhere, and that you alone are responsible for your actions and direction in life? For regardless of the past, it is difficult to point out the mistakes or failings of others. But we must do this if we seek to lead. We can be kind and understanding, but let us be direct and passionate in helping them improve for the future. If we are unwilling to point out when someone is being irresponsible in their duties and behavior, then we are unfit to lead. 3. Let us demand intelligence. The world has grown full of people ignorant of the grave matters affecting their lives and communities, and only superficially informed in their areas of expertise. Yet as people become more ignorant, they become more cynical. They have not taken the trouble to learn what is true, so they reject the facts that they were too lazy or biased to examine. We must not continue celebrating ignorance in our society. Our modern culture adores the moron on television, the brainless face in the magazine, the thoughtless extremist on the airwaves. We mustn't be blind to the fact that our children are seeing this and becoming blind themselves. If we are to be great, we must take responsibility to help others learn, explore, think critically and grow grow in wisdom for all those we influence and lead. We must be role models and expect more thoughtfulness and intelligence. Let us not fail to ask our children to study more, our co workers to do more research, our media to present more balanced and informed news. If someone asks us an ignorant question, we must encourage them to spend more time preparing. If a co worker acts ignorantly, we must we must advise them to become more knowledgeable and assign them a mentor. And should we witness true wisdom, genius or creativity in any area in which we serve, let us be its ultimate champion and incentivize brilliance. 4. Let us demand excellence for those destined for greatness. All things must be done well and to completion. We must strive for the highest levels of work and achievement in all we do and no one within our sphere should be allowed to approach their work with half interest or occasional effort. Should we find such a person in our midst, let us be candid with them about our higher expectation and do all that we are able to help them meet it. But should they fail to meet it swiftly, we should send them as swiftly away. We have no time for mediocrity on our march. Those who do not share our interest and excellence must be left behind as they will not contribute meaningfully and they cannot be led on our particular path. We have no need to worry about cutting poor performers loose. They will quickly be picked up and find their own place. This is not being dismissive or cruel or unappreciative. It is simply allowing people to find out where their level of contribution and talent is really needed. We do not judge them and we do not need to seek to fix them on our own journey. We are merely choosing to surround ourselves with those who align with our values and our mission. We must never be shy in setting the expectation for world class performance widely shared. It becomes an unwavering standard that inspires everyone to a higher quality of action. 5. Let us demand courage. The world's fate lies with the number of its people dedicated to courageous and action in all areas of influence. We must defeat our own fears and instill the same strength into those we care for and serve. We must motivate people not to talk but to act, never allowing others to let words substitute for actual effort. We can help others favor action by asking what have you done about it? As much as we ask what do you think about it? When we see others shrink in silence or back off the from their dreams, we should ask why? If their response grows thick with excuse and weakness, we should take it upon ourselves to remind them of their innate powers of will and strength. Courage is often cultivated through confrontation, forcing others to face fears and injustices, teaching people to help rather than hide, asking for candor over quietness, urging others to stand up rather than back down. 6. Let us demand respect for others. The glow of respect nurtures all other virtues of human connection, kindness, compassion, fairness, empathy, love. We must show tremendous respect to those we seek to inspire, even if we are being strong and demanding with them. And we must ask them to give others the same respect. The more people we lead, the more we can anticipate that there will be disrespect in our ranks, whether toward us or toward others. We shall be kind to the perpetrator, yet uncompromising in asking for apology and redress. Give the disrespectful person affection and patience, but also clear warning. Do not tolerate any behavior that is dismissive or cruel or condescending. Should we fail in this, then we ourselves become unworthy of respect. 7. Let us demand vigilance among the great There is a healthy paranoia, a heightened concern of the dark shadows of apathy that could at any moment overtake a shining cause. All that makes consistent success possible. Drive, discipline, persistence, commitment come from a vigilant awareness of what we are fighting for, of what might make us fail, of our ethics, of how successfully we are progressing. We ask for vigilance by focusing everyone's attention on the things that matter and by being honest about progress toward those things. We must constantly say, pay attention, know what we are doing, know where we must do better, and know what stands in our way. Great leaders are on edge in a conscious way. They are alert yet calm. 8. Let us demand service. Too many have forgotten the charge that our ancestors left us to direct our energy, knowledge, and talent toward making a difference. What are we all fighting for if not to improve one another's lives? For our families, communities, and world, we must rise in service once more. Service is the intent to do good and do well for others to be of genuine, warm assistance in their time of need. Do the people around us care deeply for others? Do they want to help people? Do they worry about getting it right and wowing those we strive with and serve? Those without this virtue in their hearts must not be within our circle. Remove them at once, as the selfish and unconcerned will rip us from glory. 9. Let us demand unity. The pillars of a community cannot be strong when corroded with Gossip and pettiness. We must inspire in others their natural tendencies for tolerance, bonding and community. We must always remind others we are in this together. This is the most basic expectation of all leadership, once the proper people are involved, that we are on a march together toward something important, that we must work together, stay together, struggle together, and achieve together. We must never be the weak, small leaders who start fights within our ranks. Our communication must always carry the theme of togetherness. Do not gossip. Do not divide the team. Do not make one division seem more important than the others. Should we witness others becoming selfish or demonstrating narrow interests, we shall remind them of their greater connection and service to others. We can praise an individual, yet still draw her attention to her positive impact on the team and culture. The moment we succeed is when our people say us or we more than I or me. When we see our people celebrating wins together, dining together, crying together, striving together. Honesty, responsibility, intelligence, excellence, courage, respect, vigilance, service, unity. These are the virtues of greatness that we must exemplify and and expect. These are the virtues that forge remarkable people and may be wielded like a sword against many of the world's ills. The demands of such virtues are stark and difficult. Some people will question how we can simply leave behind those who fail to meet such high standards. But let's stop the grand delusion that says everyone has to be on every journey we take. The reality is, some people won't want to join our march and and they should be allowed to excuse themselves without shame or regret. Not everyone needs to be part of every initiative. And not everyone can live up to the standards of excellence we need in order to achieve the remarkable. And so let's find those who are truly committed and capable and leave the rest to find their own passions and pursuits. The death of darkness. If we inspire ourselves and those we strive with and serve to such greatness, what will be its end? Nothing less than the death of mediocrity in our circle of influence. Perhaps it is true that there will always be low standards in an immense society. And perhaps because worldwide change takes so long, only the dead see the end of war and poverty and all other dark social failings. But we, the living, must nonetheless try. Let us at least strive toward ending many of society's ills. For if we do not, then who will? And when? What will history say if we do not do better? Can there be a new dawn of humankind in which more of us become great men and women of character and conscience? If we doubt it, we are doomed to fail. But if we lift this mantle from previous generations, carry it further, and share both its burden and its splendor more widely, then we shall become examples of greatness that the children of the future shall celebrate and aspire to. Let us then, out of respect for the blood and hard won triumphs of those who have inspired us, and in duty to those who we love and serve, and those we shall never know who await inspiration, arise now and become great.

Okay, it's Brendan, the modern day Brendan here, jumping back in. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of the Motivation Manifesto. If you did, yes, you can still find the book for sale on Amazon and I would encourage you to if.

You'Re not yet a member of Growth.

Day, maybe this is the day that you join. There's actually a 12 week advanced motivation course based on the Motivation Manifesto in Growth Day. It's unlocked for any of our Mastery members. How do you know if you're a Mastery member? Well, just go to growthday.com and get yourself signed up. If you're already in Growth Day, just go to the search bar and type in motivation manifesto and BAM. That 12 week course will pop up for you free. Just from being a Mastery member in Growth Day. Again, you can go to growthday.com and you'll find an entire course 12 week online motivational course unlocked for all Growth Day Mastery members. We'd love to have you in Growth Day if you're not already. Again you can just go to growthday.com I want to thank everyone for listening to this episode of the Motivation Manifesto Audiobook. Again. Make sure you download this episode and all the episodes, otherwise you will lose these on June 3rd. This is a 10 day preview of 10 chapters of the Motivation Manifesto. My thanks for the 10th anniversary of the release of the Motivation Manifesto.