In this motivational speaker reel, Bernadette Boas recounts the shock of being laid off on November 26, 2007, after a long career with a mentor‑turned‑boss. She uses the experience as a springboard to outline distinct stages of personal growth that anyone can apply in their career or life. Boas emphasizes the critical role of setting clear, daily goals—a habit she attributes to growing up in a large Philadelphia family where her father taught planning and goal‑setting. Interwoven with personal anecdotes, she delivers an energetic call to action, urging the audience to seize their one‑life opportunity, define purpose, and pursue the riches and successes they deserve. The talk blends storytelling, practical advice on goal discipline, and a passionate motivational appeal.
Chapters
It was November 26th, 2007, a glorious Monday morning following the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. I was so excited about both the holiday season and closing out some critical projects that I raced into work and was seated at my desk by 6 AM. Just anxious to get it on. By 8:05, I was standing in the middle of a parking lot with a pink slip in my hand and a single box of my 25-year career. Imagine how shocked I was, how angry I was— actually, I was pissed. How betrayed I felt. After all, it was my boss and mentor of 12 years who basically showed me to the door. So, through this journey, I was able to figure out and uncover very distinct and unique stages of personal growth, ones that everyone can use, even yourselves, day in and day out in your career, business, or life.. And I want to share that with you. How many defined a goal for this month? Oh, very few. How many defined a goal for today? How many have a goal for why you walked in that front door? And like Avi was talking about, you have to have goals for everything that you do. And I'm a huge proponent in that. A little bit about myself, I am one of 12 children. Out of Philadelphia. I have 6 brothers and 5 sisters. My parents have been married for 52 years. Well, you can imagine having 12 children, a lot of planning had to take place to manage 12 kids. And we didn't go without much, at least not that I can recall, at least didn't seem like that to me. But what my dad was really good in is instilling in us the ability to plan and set goals. It was just because the fact that I wasn't sure, you You know, how to kind of step out and own that security, that confidence, that smartness, that beautiful, that everything. And how many of us deal with that? Hey again. Hi! Stop! Stop! The worst part of sharing the corporate bridge is take off the shoes and get your feet hurt because that makes you bitchy. It is. It is, it is, it is. All right, we're gonna have fun. You only have this one life to live. It goes really, really fast. How do you want to spend it? How do you want to experience it? Live it? What I want for each and every one of you is for you once and for all to achieve all the successes and all the riches the world has to offer, and that you deserve deserve. Thank you.
