This transcript captures a motivational speech by Lisa Nichols in which she recounts feeling 'broke and broken' and excluded from representation, then urges listeners to stop asking others for permission to be themselves. She issues a repeated call to 'give the world notice'—showing up unapologetically and embracing an audacious, contagious presence—and frames individual quests (parental presence, forgiveness, service) as ways to serve and inspire others.
Chapters
I was broke and broken. I was that kid that was always struggling with self esteem. Am I good enough? Am I smart enough? No one looks like me makes it anywhere. I'm chocolate, mocha skin, full lips, round hips and kinky hair. You just don't see me on tv. You don't see me glorified. You don't see me representing beauty. You don't see me. So the world didn't give me permission to be here, but I didn't ask for it either. So some of you are still asking for permission. And sometimes you have to stop asking for permission. And it's just time to give the world notice. So I just showed up to invite you to give the world notice that you're coming. Give the world notice that you've been here. Give the world notice that you've played polite long enough. Now it's time to play full out. Give the world notice that unapologetic just showed up. Give the world notice that non negotiable just showed up. Give the world notice that if they can't handle your light, that you're tired, you're no longer going to dim your light. If they can't handle your light, put on some shades. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, are you willing? Because when you become that bold, when you become that audacious, when you become that unapologetic, all of a sudden you become infectious. All of a sudden just the mere glimmer of you when I can catch a glimpse of you, when getting your hemisphere and your atmosphere and your zip code, something happens to me because I'm in proximity. And then you become absolutely aware of the true assignment on your life. That you were here to save us, you are here to inspire us. By the way you walk with assistance, by the way you rise above your own uncertainty. By the way you push past your religious conversation, your cultural conversation, your economic conversation, your gender conversation. By the way you show up and say, how can I serve humanity? By the way you recognize that your human spirit is unbreakable. Your human spirit is unshakable. Your human spirit is unstoppable. Your human spirit is unavailable to the relationship that's not going right, to the finances that don't look right. Your human spirit is unavailable. Your human spirit is simply asking for you to give it a command. Who will we serve next? What will we do? And what mountain will we require to bow down? And when you get that and you operate with that knowing, all of a sudden you become contagious. And people just want to be in your space and share your oxygen because you make them believe again. So what is your quest? It just be to go home and be a thousand percent present with your children. Your quest might be to love an unlovable sibling. Your quest might be to forgive an ex so you can truly be present with your next. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I was broke and broken and all I was committed to do was not spend the next 25 years in that brokenness. So I didn't decide my quest out of a pursuit of serving the world in a big way. I stepped into my quest becoming committed that I won't have it that way anymore. So however you step, just step. Sam.
