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You Owe You: Ignite Your Power, Your Purpose, and Your Why
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Eric Thomas moves, inspires, encourages, and challenges people to reach their full potential. You Owe You is flat-out brilliant, and he ain’t lied yet!”—Deion Sanders, Coach Prime
No matter your story or your struggle, Eric Thomas—celebrated motivational guru, educator, and problem-solver to many of the top athletes and business leaders—will “help you work harder, discover your real motivation, and crack the code of enduring success” (Ed Mylett, #1 bestselling author of The Power of One More )
If you feel like success is for others, that only certain people get to have their dreams fulfilled, Eric Thomas’s You Owe You is your wake-up call. His urgent message to stop waiting for inspiration to strike and take control of your life is one he wishes someone had given him when he was a teenager—lost, homeless, failing in school, and dealing with the challenges of being a young Black man in America.
Once he was able to break free from thinking of himself as a victim and truly understand his strengths, he switched the script. And now, with this book, Thomas reveals how you, too, can rewrite your life's script. With support, he recognized that his unique gift is being able to capture the attention of all kinds of people in all kinds of settings—boardrooms, locker rooms, churches, classrooms, even the streets—thanks to his wealth of experiences and command of language. Today, Thomas considers himself blessed to speak to an audience that is as large as it is diverse, from the rich and famous to kids struggling in school to young men in prison hoping for a new start.
Thomas’s secrets of success have already helped hundreds of thousands on their journey, but this is his first guide to show you how to start today, right now. These critical first steps include deeply understanding yourself and the world around you, finding your why, accepting that you may have to give up something good for something great, and constantly stretching toward your potential. No matter where you are on your journey toward greatness, you owe it to yourself to become fully, authentically you. And Eric Thomas’s You Owe You can help get you there.
No matter your story or your struggle, Eric Thomas—celebrated motivational guru, educator, and problem-solver to many of the top athletes and business leaders—will “help you work harder, discover your real motivation, and crack the code of enduring success” (Ed Mylett, #1 bestselling author of The Power of One More )
If you feel like success is for others, that only certain people get to have their dreams fulfilled, Eric Thomas’s You Owe You is your wake-up call. His urgent message to stop waiting for inspiration to strike and take control of your life is one he wishes someone had given him when he was a teenager—lost, homeless, failing in school, and dealing with the challenges of being a young Black man in America.
Once he was able to break free from thinking of himself as a victim and truly understand his strengths, he switched the script. And now, with this book, Thomas reveals how you, too, can rewrite your life's script. With support, he recognized that his unique gift is being able to capture the attention of all kinds of people in all kinds of settings—boardrooms, locker rooms, churches, classrooms, even the streets—thanks to his wealth of experiences and command of language. Today, Thomas considers himself blessed to speak to an audience that is as large as it is diverse, from the rich and famous to kids struggling in school to young men in prison hoping for a new start.
Thomas’s secrets of success have already helped hundreds of thousands on their journey, but this is his first guide to show you how to start today, right now. These critical first steps include deeply understanding yourself and the world around you, finding your why, accepting that you may have to give up something good for something great, and constantly stretching toward your potential. No matter where you are on your journey toward greatness, you owe it to yourself to become fully, authentically you. And Eric Thomas’s You Owe You can help get you there.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published September 13, 2022
About the author
Eric Thomas
9 books54 followersEric Thomas, Ph.D., is an Educator, Best-Selling Author, Motivational Guru, and international business phenom. Eric's unique brand of pragmatism continues to take the world by storm. It has made him the preferred "go-to" problem-solver for many of the world's largest corporations, sports franchises, colleges, and universities. Through a thorough examination and application of these same principles, his conference attendees continue to maximize their successes both in the office and at home. This trusted and proven approach to sustained personal and professional growth and success has made his firm, Eric Thomas and Associates, LLC., one of the most highly sought-after consulting agencies globally. Husband, father, and philanthropist, ET, as he is known in the wider world, aims to improve the lives of others through self-empowerment, self-assessment, and consistent execution.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
October 15, 2022
Generic self help stuff with tons of filler and not much to actually help you attain what it says.
Its basically "put yourself first, you owe it to yourself to accomplish your goals. You are responsible for your own success, take ownership and go for it". The table of contents gives you really everything you need.
Avoid buying this book & just rent it from the library or get it for free from Hoopla/libby/app of choice. Or just look at a summary online. You will get all the points without the excessive filler
Its basically "put yourself first, you owe it to yourself to accomplish your goals. You are responsible for your own success, take ownership and go for it". The table of contents gives you really everything you need.
Avoid buying this book & just rent it from the library or get it for free from Hoopla/libby/app of choice. Or just look at a summary online. You will get all the points without the excessive filler
March 1, 2023
Synopsis: The life story of Eric Thomas and the struggles he went through to become who he is today. He grew up without his biological father, in the ghetto , with learning disorders and no role model to show him the possibilities out there in the world for professionals. This book is about his journey and all of the lessons he learned along the way.
Quotes that caught my attention:
"Only when you want to succeed as bas as you want to breath will you succeed"
- If you can truly adopt this into your life, you will be successful. Us humans NEED oxygen in order to stay alive, it is a necessity. If you focus your mindset to the point were success is essential to you, you will do what ever it takes to achieve this.
"On the road to success you cannot afford to make excuses"
- You have to stay focus on what your goal is and stay on the path of success, everything else you do is an excuse.
"You can change environments, but until you change yourself, nothing will change"
- The environment is important, but most important is who you are. How you allow the environment to influence you. As long as you stay true to yourself you will succeed. This is why your changes, disregarding your environment are what matter most.
"Meaningful success begins when we take ownership and responsibility for our part in the shortcomings of our life"
- You need to stop blaming others and put yourself on the drivers seat. No one is responsible for you, you are responsible for you. You need to take action and take responsibilities for your actions.
"Look in the mirror, thats your competition"
> "You have to take ownership of yourself"
> "You have to own your decisions"
> "Set standards"
> "No Excuses"
- The only person standing in the way of your success in you. You need tell yourself, this is what i am going to do and not stop until you get it done. Take action, make decisions to reach you goal. Make sure to set rules for what you will conduct yourself. Do not allow yourself to deviate from your plan, no excuses.
"People either inspire you to greatness or pull you down in to the gutter. No one fails alone and no one succeeds alone"
- It is important to be cognizant of the role others play in your life. People are important and their influence can either propel you to greatness or sink you into mediocrity.
"Surround yourself with people who can support you, build you up in order for you to reach your goals"
- Your community is important. Make sure to have people that give you the support you need to succeed.
"A real friendship is not about what you can get, but what you can give. Real friendship is about making sacrifices and investing in people to help them improve their lives"
- It is important to be selfless in your relationships. It is not about you, it is about them. More is acquired by helping others than solely thinking of yourself.
"You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your live, at some point you have to unleash the potential and make your move"
- You need to stop, take a good look at yourself and analyze what it is that you are good at and what is your game plan. What do you want to do in life and start taking action. You can't live in the what if, you need to make your move and take responsibility for your actions.
"If you want to shine like a diamond, you have to get cut like a diamond"
- This is deciding what to do, and getting the required skills to achieve it. Once you achieve IT you need to continue to work on your skills in order to shine in your field.
"You don't reap what they sow, you reap what you sow"
- Stop worrying about about others are achieving, only actions you take towards bettering yourself will benefit your actions. Work towards bettering yourself and you shall reap the benefits.
"You are the most powerful when you are the most you"
- Become comfortable in your own skin, do and exploit the things you like and are good at. This will give you the most benefit and satisfaction.
"I don't let go of people, I outgrow them"
- It is okay to change your social circle as you grow. There are certain people that are not growing with you, near you or at your speed and those people stay behind.
"When you take care of something good, that something good takes care of you"
- Make sure to keep assets in your life, these assets will take care of you. The assets can be people, relationships, equity valued items etc.
"When you focus on the internal the external fades away"
- When you focus on you, you will begin to forget about the external forces affecting you. Many of these external forces are the limiters in your life stopping you from become who you are meant to be.
"When you find your way, you find a way to it happen"
- This is similar to Viktor Frankles "He who has any WHY to live can endure any HOW". Essentially once you figure out what you want to do, you can get motivated enough to figure out how to achieve it.
"Success is not a destination, its a journey"
- Meaning it not an end goal, but a continuous process towards fulfillment.
"Miracles happen when you put yourself in the way of them"
- You need to put yourself out there. This increases the chances that your path will intersect with opportunities.
"To get to the next level, you have to learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable"
- You will not learn and grow if you stay in your comfort zone. You need to get comfortable with uncomfortable to push yourself past your boundaries into greatness.
"The difference between those who succeed and those who fail, is not taking advantage of opportunities"
- There is some risk associated to this. Only by taking chances when opportunities come up will you succeed.
"Fall in love with the process and the results will come"
- As James Clear states in his Atomic Habits book, the system is more important than the goal. The goal steers the way by the system is what gets you there. The system/process gets you all the small wins that make the end goal possible. It is what continuously keeps your drive.
"Your mind is the tool, education is the sharpening stone"
- You need to continuously exercise your brain by educating it in order to achieve greatness.
"A setback is a set up for a comeback"
- A setback isn't your downfall, it is a lesson, a hurdle that you will overcome and in order to spring forward.
"You must be willing to sacrifice what you are for what you will become"
- You must analyze yourself and your goals and continuously shed the habits and decisions that are not aligned with your goals. This is the narrow mind set that will allow you to a become great.
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just the first step- MLK"
- This is important when ever thinking a goal or task is too large to reach. Focus on the small steps ahead of you, not the hill that follows. Remember that the distance will be traveled one step at a time.
"Dont think about what can happen in a month or a year. Focus on the 24 hours in front of you, and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be"
- Similar to the previous quote, its about taking small steps that get you closer towards where you want to be.
"I don't wake up everyday to get paid. I wake up everyday to walk in my purpose"
- The focus should not be the monetary value, but instead staying inline with your purpose.
"You wont be successful until I don't have to give you a dime to do what you do"
- Do the things that you enjoy in life. The things that both provide financial benefits as well as enjoyment.
"Even after acquiring success, it is important to keep perspective"
- Once you have reached "success" it is important to stay humble and stay hungry. Do not settle, keep your focus on the journey ahead and not the goals reached.
"Comparison is the thief of happiness - Les Brown"
- This is huge, comparing yourself will always lead to insecurity. There is always someone doing better than you. There is no reason you want to live a life where you are continuously looking at the other side of the fence. Stay true to yourself, be happy for what you achieve and keep grinding. This will give you fulfillment. Comparison will always keep you from being happy.
"No one is going to value you if you don't value yourself. Its up to you to tell people what you are worth"
- Know yourself, know your worth and intentionally show it to the world. No one know who you are and what you are about, you need to get out there and prove yourself to you and to others.
"To get what you want you have to know what you want"
- This sounds obvious, but you can not achieve something you are not chasing. You need to figure out what you want to do with yourself before you can chase it.
"When you don't know who you are, you look to other people to impress their values and value system upon you"
- You need to take time to yourself in order to get to know yourself. By doing this you will understand the values that make you who you are. Otherwise you are constantly looking at others for what makes them who they are and you aren't giving yourself the chance to be authentic. Its hard to be happy when you are living other peoples lives and not your own.
"Losers focus on winners, winners focus on winning"
- You need to focus on the goal and not how others reach their goals. Keep the winners mentality and keep your focus on winning.
"You should not be willing to give up your identity for someone else"
- Stay true to yourself, don't compromise who you are for others. This can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
"Stop looking for permission to pursue your dreams. They are your dreams. You don't need a co-signer to chase them"
- You have the power to do as you please in your life. Your dreams are your WHY, get out there and pursue it.
"There is no growth without pain"
- Most things in life that worth chasing require sacrifice. Time being being the minimum. There will always be a hurdles in order to reach your goals.
"If you are willing to sacrifice you can have, be and do what you want"
- As long as you are willing to focus on less you will achieve more. You will leave behind the things that are holding you back in order to make leaps in your life that will get you closer to your goals.
"Nobody can embrace being you, unless you embrace being you"
- Only you have the power to be yourself, no one can do it for you. This is true for happiness, success and other endeavors in life.
Quotes that caught my attention:
"Only when you want to succeed as bas as you want to breath will you succeed"
- If you can truly adopt this into your life, you will be successful. Us humans NEED oxygen in order to stay alive, it is a necessity. If you focus your mindset to the point were success is essential to you, you will do what ever it takes to achieve this.
"On the road to success you cannot afford to make excuses"
- You have to stay focus on what your goal is and stay on the path of success, everything else you do is an excuse.
"You can change environments, but until you change yourself, nothing will change"
- The environment is important, but most important is who you are. How you allow the environment to influence you. As long as you stay true to yourself you will succeed. This is why your changes, disregarding your environment are what matter most.
"Meaningful success begins when we take ownership and responsibility for our part in the shortcomings of our life"
- You need to stop blaming others and put yourself on the drivers seat. No one is responsible for you, you are responsible for you. You need to take action and take responsibilities for your actions.
"Look in the mirror, thats your competition"
> "You have to take ownership of yourself"
> "You have to own your decisions"
> "Set standards"
> "No Excuses"
- The only person standing in the way of your success in you. You need tell yourself, this is what i am going to do and not stop until you get it done. Take action, make decisions to reach you goal. Make sure to set rules for what you will conduct yourself. Do not allow yourself to deviate from your plan, no excuses.
"People either inspire you to greatness or pull you down in to the gutter. No one fails alone and no one succeeds alone"
- It is important to be cognizant of the role others play in your life. People are important and their influence can either propel you to greatness or sink you into mediocrity.
"Surround yourself with people who can support you, build you up in order for you to reach your goals"
- Your community is important. Make sure to have people that give you the support you need to succeed.
"A real friendship is not about what you can get, but what you can give. Real friendship is about making sacrifices and investing in people to help them improve their lives"
- It is important to be selfless in your relationships. It is not about you, it is about them. More is acquired by helping others than solely thinking of yourself.
"You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your live, at some point you have to unleash the potential and make your move"
- You need to stop, take a good look at yourself and analyze what it is that you are good at and what is your game plan. What do you want to do in life and start taking action. You can't live in the what if, you need to make your move and take responsibility for your actions.
"If you want to shine like a diamond, you have to get cut like a diamond"
- This is deciding what to do, and getting the required skills to achieve it. Once you achieve IT you need to continue to work on your skills in order to shine in your field.
"You don't reap what they sow, you reap what you sow"
- Stop worrying about about others are achieving, only actions you take towards bettering yourself will benefit your actions. Work towards bettering yourself and you shall reap the benefits.
"You are the most powerful when you are the most you"
- Become comfortable in your own skin, do and exploit the things you like and are good at. This will give you the most benefit and satisfaction.
"I don't let go of people, I outgrow them"
- It is okay to change your social circle as you grow. There are certain people that are not growing with you, near you or at your speed and those people stay behind.
"When you take care of something good, that something good takes care of you"
- Make sure to keep assets in your life, these assets will take care of you. The assets can be people, relationships, equity valued items etc.
"When you focus on the internal the external fades away"
- When you focus on you, you will begin to forget about the external forces affecting you. Many of these external forces are the limiters in your life stopping you from become who you are meant to be.
"When you find your way, you find a way to it happen"
- This is similar to Viktor Frankles "He who has any WHY to live can endure any HOW". Essentially once you figure out what you want to do, you can get motivated enough to figure out how to achieve it.
"Success is not a destination, its a journey"
- Meaning it not an end goal, but a continuous process towards fulfillment.
"Miracles happen when you put yourself in the way of them"
- You need to put yourself out there. This increases the chances that your path will intersect with opportunities.
"To get to the next level, you have to learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable"
- You will not learn and grow if you stay in your comfort zone. You need to get comfortable with uncomfortable to push yourself past your boundaries into greatness.
"The difference between those who succeed and those who fail, is not taking advantage of opportunities"
- There is some risk associated to this. Only by taking chances when opportunities come up will you succeed.
"Fall in love with the process and the results will come"
- As James Clear states in his Atomic Habits book, the system is more important than the goal. The goal steers the way by the system is what gets you there. The system/process gets you all the small wins that make the end goal possible. It is what continuously keeps your drive.
"Your mind is the tool, education is the sharpening stone"
- You need to continuously exercise your brain by educating it in order to achieve greatness.
"A setback is a set up for a comeback"
- A setback isn't your downfall, it is a lesson, a hurdle that you will overcome and in order to spring forward.
"You must be willing to sacrifice what you are for what you will become"
- You must analyze yourself and your goals and continuously shed the habits and decisions that are not aligned with your goals. This is the narrow mind set that will allow you to a become great.
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just the first step- MLK"
- This is important when ever thinking a goal or task is too large to reach. Focus on the small steps ahead of you, not the hill that follows. Remember that the distance will be traveled one step at a time.
"Dont think about what can happen in a month or a year. Focus on the 24 hours in front of you, and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be"
- Similar to the previous quote, its about taking small steps that get you closer towards where you want to be.
"I don't wake up everyday to get paid. I wake up everyday to walk in my purpose"
- The focus should not be the monetary value, but instead staying inline with your purpose.
"You wont be successful until I don't have to give you a dime to do what you do"
- Do the things that you enjoy in life. The things that both provide financial benefits as well as enjoyment.
"Even after acquiring success, it is important to keep perspective"
- Once you have reached "success" it is important to stay humble and stay hungry. Do not settle, keep your focus on the journey ahead and not the goals reached.
"Comparison is the thief of happiness - Les Brown"
- This is huge, comparing yourself will always lead to insecurity. There is always someone doing better than you. There is no reason you want to live a life where you are continuously looking at the other side of the fence. Stay true to yourself, be happy for what you achieve and keep grinding. This will give you fulfillment. Comparison will always keep you from being happy.
"No one is going to value you if you don't value yourself. Its up to you to tell people what you are worth"
- Know yourself, know your worth and intentionally show it to the world. No one know who you are and what you are about, you need to get out there and prove yourself to you and to others.
"To get what you want you have to know what you want"
- This sounds obvious, but you can not achieve something you are not chasing. You need to figure out what you want to do with yourself before you can chase it.
"When you don't know who you are, you look to other people to impress their values and value system upon you"
- You need to take time to yourself in order to get to know yourself. By doing this you will understand the values that make you who you are. Otherwise you are constantly looking at others for what makes them who they are and you aren't giving yourself the chance to be authentic. Its hard to be happy when you are living other peoples lives and not your own.
"Losers focus on winners, winners focus on winning"
- You need to focus on the goal and not how others reach their goals. Keep the winners mentality and keep your focus on winning.
"You should not be willing to give up your identity for someone else"
- Stay true to yourself, don't compromise who you are for others. This can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
"Stop looking for permission to pursue your dreams. They are your dreams. You don't need a co-signer to chase them"
- You have the power to do as you please in your life. Your dreams are your WHY, get out there and pursue it.
"There is no growth without pain"
- Most things in life that worth chasing require sacrifice. Time being being the minimum. There will always be a hurdles in order to reach your goals.
"If you are willing to sacrifice you can have, be and do what you want"
- As long as you are willing to focus on less you will achieve more. You will leave behind the things that are holding you back in order to make leaps in your life that will get you closer to your goals.
"Nobody can embrace being you, unless you embrace being you"
- Only you have the power to be yourself, no one can do it for you. This is true for happiness, success and other endeavors in life.
May 17, 2023
Great book about finding your purpose and taking care of yourself before taking care of others.
February 18, 2023
Such an inspiring story! Eric was homeless at one time, but he grew up and became a very successful motivational speaker. If you need inspiration, consider reading it.
February 21, 2023
3 Stars - I love ET. This book is stories of his life mixed with some motivational speaking and advice. The biggest problem with this book is that it is simplistic. It’s probably better if you never heard of ET but overall, I’m always a fan of ET.
May 7, 2024
Fluff.
I've seen what a great average rating this book has. Maybe if it's someone's first self-help book, they'll appreciate the content. Maybe my motivational-memoir-meter got saturated with Goggins. I don't know.
But there was not much actual, useful content for me to extract. I'd recommend people to go look elsewhere. Or only read the action points at the end of each chapter - that will summarize what each story's teaching is supposed to be.
I've seen what a great average rating this book has. Maybe if it's someone's first self-help book, they'll appreciate the content. Maybe my motivational-memoir-meter got saturated with Goggins. I don't know.
But there was not much actual, useful content for me to extract. I'd recommend people to go look elsewhere. Or only read the action points at the end of each chapter - that will summarize what each story's teaching is supposed to be.
June 5, 2023
This motivational book about doing hard stuff is the truth. This details ways you can challenge yourself every day to being uncomfortable until you get to where you wanna be in life. And once you get to where you wanna be, there’s also a section on how to avoid complacency by continuing to climb upwards. There’s endless levels to self improvement. “If you strive to be 1% better every day, you’ll be 365% better in a year”
June 3, 2023
Confirmation of things I needed to remind myself of.
March 16, 2023
Many of the reviews I have read mention this is a typical generic self-help book, which is the same reason I am leaving the rating of 4 stars rather than 5. While I wish there was greater depth and strategy presented, Eric Thomas (ET) does provide the motivational factor through his writing that many other writers do not. If you have not listened to one of his motivational speech clips, I’d suggest you do as you will see how his voice comes through in his writing. ET relates successes and failures he’s experienced to many of the often touched on self-help topics, giving a new perspective on the ideas. I’ve followed ET for some time and he tends to be appealing to those who have similar experiences/backgrounds as his own. Through this book he relates to those individuals, and offers a new perspective on self-help, the You Owe You mindset.
“You must be willing to sacrifice what you are for what you want to become.”
“You must be willing to sacrifice what you are for what you want to become.”
April 6, 2023
If you’re a teacher who has been gaslit multiple times by your administration…this book will give you anxiety with all the “find your why” rhetoric.
It was a solid 3 stars until the end when he talks about how women who become mothers lose their identity and basically condemns single mothers who have the inability to simply “put themself first before children”. He’s one of those people who would look a single mom in the face and tell her that she is making excuses because he was lucky enough to have a wife who fully supported his children so he could advance his career.
I do find him inspiring for everything he has been through and his mindset of losing the victim mindset (love that honestly). The book was just not for me.
It was a solid 3 stars until the end when he talks about how women who become mothers lose their identity and basically condemns single mothers who have the inability to simply “put themself first before children”. He’s one of those people who would look a single mom in the face and tell her that she is making excuses because he was lucky enough to have a wife who fully supported his children so he could advance his career.
I do find him inspiring for everything he has been through and his mindset of losing the victim mindset (love that honestly). The book was just not for me.
January 5, 2023
As a non-American reader, I didn’t feel like the book helped me in anything to be honest. It’s mostly directed to the black American youth. In addition, the book was all about the author and his life stories and how he made it in life. I expected a direct approach and that was not what I found in this book. Do your self a favor and don’t spend your money on it. Read the summery and that’s more than enough.
September 18, 2022
This book was not just inspirational but gave good practical steps on how to maximize your potential. Eric Thomas weaved his personal story into it in a way that kept me engaged while giving principles that I could apply to my life. I highly recommend it to anyone serious to achieving their dreams.
October 13, 2022
Focused for black people, waffly. Stopped at 20%
October 25, 2022
The overall theme is in the title and not much else here unless your interested in The author’s biography. Lots of name dropping for no reason at all. Glad I got this from the library.
Read
September 26, 2022As Stevo’s Novel Ideas, I am a long-time book reviewer, member of the media, an Influencer, and a content provider. I received this book as a free review copy from either the publisher, a publicist, or the author, and have not been otherwise compensated for reviewing or recommending it. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 9/25, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. You owe it to yourself to become fully, authentically you.
Do you feel like your life is scripted and you have little say in its direction? Eric Thomas (call him "ET") has been there: a high-school dropout living on the streets of Detroit for two years, he met a street preacher who got him back in school, where he found the drive to begin rewriting the script of his life.
It didn't come easy or fast, but his teachers at school and preachers at church helped him find his personal superpower and his work with underprivileged kids inspired him to develop inspiring coaching programs that he presents to schools and businesses.
His latest book, "You Owe You," gives readers the confidence and tools to make the life decisions that only they can make. Thomas's confidence came from his decision to stop thinking of himself as a victim, his tools came from finding his why and getting out of his own way. His book focuses on things that can be accomplished immediately or in a short time: holding yourself accountable, taking ownership, finding and directing your superpower, living with a purpose, becoming good and then great, and using what you have learned to help others.
As Thomas says: "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful." "You Owe You" will give you many reasons to keep breathing and a lifetime of fresh air.
Find more Business Books of the Week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more reviewed and recommended books and products by searching for me on Google.
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 9/25, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. You owe it to yourself to become fully, authentically you.
Do you feel like your life is scripted and you have little say in its direction? Eric Thomas (call him "ET") has been there: a high-school dropout living on the streets of Detroit for two years, he met a street preacher who got him back in school, where he found the drive to begin rewriting the script of his life.
It didn't come easy or fast, but his teachers at school and preachers at church helped him find his personal superpower and his work with underprivileged kids inspired him to develop inspiring coaching programs that he presents to schools and businesses.
His latest book, "You Owe You," gives readers the confidence and tools to make the life decisions that only they can make. Thomas's confidence came from his decision to stop thinking of himself as a victim, his tools came from finding his why and getting out of his own way. His book focuses on things that can be accomplished immediately or in a short time: holding yourself accountable, taking ownership, finding and directing your superpower, living with a purpose, becoming good and then great, and using what you have learned to help others.
As Thomas says: "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful." "You Owe You" will give you many reasons to keep breathing and a lifetime of fresh air.
Find more Business Books of the Week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more reviewed and recommended books and products by searching for me on Google.
March 19, 2023
Didn’t expect this book to be an autobiography but I stuck with listening to it. The author narrates the book and it’s a little rough to listen to. About halfway through it got better in the message it provided, but I was hoping for perspectives of many different people rather than just the authors story.
October 12, 2022
I have always been a fan of ET motivation videos and where I don’t feel like I picked up any skills from this, it was a great reminder to stay motivated and moving forward and to stay positive. Perfect listen for driving or grocery shopping
March 25, 2023
It was OK. A "put you first" self help book but his story was interesting
November 4, 2022
Challenging, insightful, fresh perspective.
January 17, 2023
Leverage your superpower to achieve success and fulfillment in your personal and professional life.
Many people feel powerless over the decisions that shape their lives. This is even more common when they’re part of a marginalized group.
It’s easy to embrace victimhood and blame everyone else for what’s happening to you when you have no control.
But motivational speaker, Eric Thomas strongly disagrees. He turns that mentality on its head and implores you to take full responsibility for your circumstances.
Why?
Because you owe it to yourself to be independent, successful, and abundantly fulfilled. Now, this might sound daunting, so let’s put it in a more empowering way: your task is to crown yourself the CEO of your life.
Take the time to understand your talents and apply them to fulfill your purpose. Taking this path will guide you to your why, that intrinsic, intangible thing in your life you value over everything else.
Your why could be the satisfaction you get when you take care of your family, solve a puzzle, contribute new knowledge, or advance your community.
Matched to your purpose, your talent and passion will lead you toward excellence.
So, let’s get started!
---
Become the CEO of your life.
Long before becoming a regular guest inside NBA locker rooms, Eric Thomas was a troubled young man who’d left home to escape family trauma. Growing up, opportunities were rare. Segregation, preceded by slavery, had locked Black people into particular neighborhoods and jobs.
The most people in his community could hope for was a job on the car assembly lines in Detroit. But, Thomas’s story changed when he became the boss of his own life.
Based on his own story, Thomas advises the following to take control of your own life.
The first step is to shed your victim mentality.
Nobody owes you anything. Playing victim undermines your ability to act. Be courageous enough to take responsibility for your shortcomings. In many ways, you can be your own strongest adversary.
Here are some practical tips which build on this idea and help you shed victimhood.
To begin, own your decisions, including your mistakes, and be accountable for them. Once you’ve decided you’re the author of your own fate, set goals and standards to give you direction.
Next, don’t be a loose cannon. Clarity and direction will help you decide what series of activities you need to complete each task. Build a structure, a regime, and follow it strictly.
Third, once you have standards, you should have no excuse for not sticking to them.
Finally, before deciding you’re in it alone, take a look around. Find the people who want to see you succeed and reach out to them for help, advice, and leads. Learn to accept help and lean on the experience and knowledge of kind people. Don’t be too quick to assume people want to see you fail.
Shedding victimhood is the crowning act that makes you the CEO of your life. When you get here, you’re ready to wear your cape and discover your superpower!
---
Use your superpower to walk in your purpose.
Now that your future depends on you, how do you pick the most important tool you’ll need along the journey? In other words, what is your superpower?
Finding your superpower isn’t just about picking what you’re good at. It’s an active process. So here’s how to find it.
Write down the things that give you wings when you do them. Your superpower should energize you and put you in the zone. It’s that activity you’re naturally drawn to and can lose yourself in for hours.
For example, as a kid growing up, Thomas was drawn to the eloquence of luminaries like Barbara Walters, James Earl Jones, and Maya Angelou. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was drawn to speaking. That was his potential superpower.
The logical step after identifying what your superpower might be is to try it out.
Practice and see where you can improve. Keep honing your skills to the point where these talents consume you. Fall in love with doing it and initiate an intimate, daily obsession with your superpower.
This is all progress but it’s not enough. We can all agree that you need more than just having power. You need to be able to use it to make an impact. To do this, you need to find your why – that intrinsic, intangible thing in your life you value over everything else.
So, shut out the noise and take time to evaluate those things that matter the most to you. Ask yourself: What do you value most?
Is it independence, freedom, intellectual curiosity, family, a cause, or the deep desire to advance your community?
Knowing what you value and focusing on it will give you the intensity that is needed to elevate your work and take it to the next level.
The best thing about finding your superpower is that it leads you naturally to your purpose. Your purpose is the area where you’re making the most of your gifts and living to your fullest potential.
To do this: Build a plan and a structure that permits you to use your superpower every single day. Find places where you can hone your skills – it doesn’t matter if that’s a job or volunteering. Know what you’re good at, understand where you can improve, and research what others in your field are doing.
This is the kind of laser focus that puts you in miracle territory! And we’re going to talk about that in the next section.
---
Put yourself in miracle territory.
When Thomas was asked to introduce the famous African-American psychologist Dr. Na'im Akbar at a conference, he didn’t go there for a paycheck.
The passion he put into the work, however, drew the the attention of Murray Edwards and Rodney Patterson who admired his delivery. The two men were leaders of the Black Male Initiative, a program that offered support to Black men in the majority-white Michigan State University.
Thomas got a job advising young Black students. While at Michigan State, he got offered a fellowship and then went on to get his master’s and PhD.
So how did all this happen?
From the surface, it looks like luck, but Thomas had been grinding for years and taking advantage of every opportunity to showcase his talent. He’d show up uninvited at events and talk his way into seeing the main speaker.
When he preached in churches, helped students pass their GED, or suffered friction in personal relationships, he kept working, learning, and meeting people who eventually became business partners, mentors, and collaborators.
Along the way, these people introduced him to bigger opportunities and then he went corporate.
A few things stand out here.
First, these free gigs were opportunities to practice and hone his skills. The gigs went on to become networking opportunities. When the kids he inspired became successful, they started inviting him to their locker rooms to talk to their NBA, NFL, and corporate mates. Some even paid Thomas out of their own pocket.
When the teams and corporations understood his value, then they started inviting him to talk to them and paid him more.
With endless practice, connections, and the ability to visualize what success looks like, you’ll be well-equipped to pounce on opportunities when you place yourself in miracle territory.
The point here is that miracles are intentional!
As unlikely as that sounds, they’re born of the will to practice your gifts daily and with intention up to the point where things start to happen. And then you do some more.
That’s how you place yourself in miracle territory.
---
Become a triple threat.
When you’ve placed yourself in miracle territory, you need to elevate your game to maximize opportunities. To become a potent force for your convictions you must become what Thomas calls “a triple threat.”
A triple threat is a professional who combines mastery in their field with the ability to perform and express themselves with supreme clarity.
How do you become one?
First, you have to embrace knowledge. Knowledge is the new money. Knowledge is an ATM machine inside your head.
Learning doesn’t always involve going back to school. Read as much as you can about your craft, theories, structures, and the people who excel at it. Attend events, talk to people, and take advantage of free resources on the internet. Also, study yourself and your family to avoid recurring patterns that can stand in your way.
One key element of education is the ability to understand the language of your trade. Every trade has a code. Lawyers should be familiar with the technical terms that are encoded into legalese. People in finance use terms that are understood in their circles. Industries, neighborhoods, and cultures all have language that is particular to them.
Your peers will welcome you when you’re fluent in their code. They’ll also feel comfortable enough to share new knowledge with you.
Are you a newcomer in a field where people use language you can’t understand?
Don’t fret!
Find translators, people who’re comfortable with the code of your domain to translate for you. This will open up opportunities you never knew existed.
Understanding the code doesn’t mean you ditch your own unique style. Know the language in the room, understand what you’ve inherited from your background, and fuse these to forge your unique expression.
The second ability that will turn you into a triple threat is your performance. Whatever skills you possess, elevate them to the level where people get inspired by your excellence.
The third aspect is expression. Eloquence in speaking, writing, or any other form of communication will push you into the mainstream.
People will want to listen to you and understand what you’re explaining to them. Mastery of your subject and proficiency will elevate you to new domains.
Let’s recap: to become a triple threat, gain new knowledge, become a top performer, and bring clarity and proficiency into your expression.
---
Transform yourself into a business.
When Thomas started getting paid for his speaking, he approached it from a point of gratitude. When a company paid him $140,000 plus perks for 14 engagements a year, he thought he’d made it!
A mentor advised him to demand more. To his surprise, he found people were willing to pay. He’d transformed himself into a business!
Not everyone wants to make money from their superpower and that’s okay. But even if you’re trying to advance a cause, you’d need to make a minimum to sustain it.
This requires you to think like a business person.
Here’s what you need to do.
First, be available. In today’s world, that means having an online presence, being seen, and showing up. You need people to be able to find you and do business with you.
Next, remember that perception is everything. Tell the world who you are and what you’re about. Stick to that narrative. The world will see you the way you want to be seen as you walk in your purpose.
Of course, there are no perfect conditions. Start where you are with the resources you have. The path will become clearer as you move forward. When experiments work, deconstruct your success and build models until you have a template.
The next tip is to study what’s out there, evaluate if you add any value, and tailor the solutions to your needs. Thomas and his team sold 300,000 copies of their books without a publishing contract! They did this out of the trunk of their cars and using the mailing services that were available to them.
Finally, how much you’re worth. Keep tabs on the market rate, but know your own rate and ask for it. Continue to raise your rate as you gain more skills and experience.
There are positives to being different. You bring something new into the room and everyone wants to learn from that. Take advantage of being the left-handed pitcher in a right-handed game!
---
Nobody owes you anything. You owe you.
When you become the CEO of your life, you shed victimhood and eliminate your disadvantages. Take time to discover your superpower, that unique talent you can improve with practice and dedication.
Applying your skill will open up room for your purpose. When you operate in this domain, you can make the most of your opportunities and thrive as a performer who understands their value in society and on the market. Understand your worth, gain knowledge, become a top performer, and express yourself in ways that will transform you into a triple threat.
You’ll then be operating in miracle territory where you’ll become a viable business. More than anything else, you’ll be doing fulfilling work that will elevate the experience of everyone you come across.
Many people feel powerless over the decisions that shape their lives. This is even more common when they’re part of a marginalized group.
It’s easy to embrace victimhood and blame everyone else for what’s happening to you when you have no control.
But motivational speaker, Eric Thomas strongly disagrees. He turns that mentality on its head and implores you to take full responsibility for your circumstances.
Why?
Because you owe it to yourself to be independent, successful, and abundantly fulfilled. Now, this might sound daunting, so let’s put it in a more empowering way: your task is to crown yourself the CEO of your life.
Take the time to understand your talents and apply them to fulfill your purpose. Taking this path will guide you to your why, that intrinsic, intangible thing in your life you value over everything else.
Your why could be the satisfaction you get when you take care of your family, solve a puzzle, contribute new knowledge, or advance your community.
Matched to your purpose, your talent and passion will lead you toward excellence.
So, let’s get started!
---
Become the CEO of your life.
Long before becoming a regular guest inside NBA locker rooms, Eric Thomas was a troubled young man who’d left home to escape family trauma. Growing up, opportunities were rare. Segregation, preceded by slavery, had locked Black people into particular neighborhoods and jobs.
The most people in his community could hope for was a job on the car assembly lines in Detroit. But, Thomas’s story changed when he became the boss of his own life.
Based on his own story, Thomas advises the following to take control of your own life.
The first step is to shed your victim mentality.
Nobody owes you anything. Playing victim undermines your ability to act. Be courageous enough to take responsibility for your shortcomings. In many ways, you can be your own strongest adversary.
Here are some practical tips which build on this idea and help you shed victimhood.
To begin, own your decisions, including your mistakes, and be accountable for them. Once you’ve decided you’re the author of your own fate, set goals and standards to give you direction.
Next, don’t be a loose cannon. Clarity and direction will help you decide what series of activities you need to complete each task. Build a structure, a regime, and follow it strictly.
Third, once you have standards, you should have no excuse for not sticking to them.
Finally, before deciding you’re in it alone, take a look around. Find the people who want to see you succeed and reach out to them for help, advice, and leads. Learn to accept help and lean on the experience and knowledge of kind people. Don’t be too quick to assume people want to see you fail.
Shedding victimhood is the crowning act that makes you the CEO of your life. When you get here, you’re ready to wear your cape and discover your superpower!
---
Use your superpower to walk in your purpose.
Now that your future depends on you, how do you pick the most important tool you’ll need along the journey? In other words, what is your superpower?
Finding your superpower isn’t just about picking what you’re good at. It’s an active process. So here’s how to find it.
Write down the things that give you wings when you do them. Your superpower should energize you and put you in the zone. It’s that activity you’re naturally drawn to and can lose yourself in for hours.
For example, as a kid growing up, Thomas was drawn to the eloquence of luminaries like Barbara Walters, James Earl Jones, and Maya Angelou. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was drawn to speaking. That was his potential superpower.
The logical step after identifying what your superpower might be is to try it out.
Practice and see where you can improve. Keep honing your skills to the point where these talents consume you. Fall in love with doing it and initiate an intimate, daily obsession with your superpower.
This is all progress but it’s not enough. We can all agree that you need more than just having power. You need to be able to use it to make an impact. To do this, you need to find your why – that intrinsic, intangible thing in your life you value over everything else.
So, shut out the noise and take time to evaluate those things that matter the most to you. Ask yourself: What do you value most?
Is it independence, freedom, intellectual curiosity, family, a cause, or the deep desire to advance your community?
Knowing what you value and focusing on it will give you the intensity that is needed to elevate your work and take it to the next level.
The best thing about finding your superpower is that it leads you naturally to your purpose. Your purpose is the area where you’re making the most of your gifts and living to your fullest potential.
To do this: Build a plan and a structure that permits you to use your superpower every single day. Find places where you can hone your skills – it doesn’t matter if that’s a job or volunteering. Know what you’re good at, understand where you can improve, and research what others in your field are doing.
This is the kind of laser focus that puts you in miracle territory! And we’re going to talk about that in the next section.
---
Put yourself in miracle territory.
When Thomas was asked to introduce the famous African-American psychologist Dr. Na'im Akbar at a conference, he didn’t go there for a paycheck.
The passion he put into the work, however, drew the the attention of Murray Edwards and Rodney Patterson who admired his delivery. The two men were leaders of the Black Male Initiative, a program that offered support to Black men in the majority-white Michigan State University.
Thomas got a job advising young Black students. While at Michigan State, he got offered a fellowship and then went on to get his master’s and PhD.
So how did all this happen?
From the surface, it looks like luck, but Thomas had been grinding for years and taking advantage of every opportunity to showcase his talent. He’d show up uninvited at events and talk his way into seeing the main speaker.
When he preached in churches, helped students pass their GED, or suffered friction in personal relationships, he kept working, learning, and meeting people who eventually became business partners, mentors, and collaborators.
Along the way, these people introduced him to bigger opportunities and then he went corporate.
A few things stand out here.
First, these free gigs were opportunities to practice and hone his skills. The gigs went on to become networking opportunities. When the kids he inspired became successful, they started inviting him to their locker rooms to talk to their NBA, NFL, and corporate mates. Some even paid Thomas out of their own pocket.
When the teams and corporations understood his value, then they started inviting him to talk to them and paid him more.
With endless practice, connections, and the ability to visualize what success looks like, you’ll be well-equipped to pounce on opportunities when you place yourself in miracle territory.
The point here is that miracles are intentional!
As unlikely as that sounds, they’re born of the will to practice your gifts daily and with intention up to the point where things start to happen. And then you do some more.
That’s how you place yourself in miracle territory.
---
Become a triple threat.
When you’ve placed yourself in miracle territory, you need to elevate your game to maximize opportunities. To become a potent force for your convictions you must become what Thomas calls “a triple threat.”
A triple threat is a professional who combines mastery in their field with the ability to perform and express themselves with supreme clarity.
How do you become one?
First, you have to embrace knowledge. Knowledge is the new money. Knowledge is an ATM machine inside your head.
Learning doesn’t always involve going back to school. Read as much as you can about your craft, theories, structures, and the people who excel at it. Attend events, talk to people, and take advantage of free resources on the internet. Also, study yourself and your family to avoid recurring patterns that can stand in your way.
One key element of education is the ability to understand the language of your trade. Every trade has a code. Lawyers should be familiar with the technical terms that are encoded into legalese. People in finance use terms that are understood in their circles. Industries, neighborhoods, and cultures all have language that is particular to them.
Your peers will welcome you when you’re fluent in their code. They’ll also feel comfortable enough to share new knowledge with you.
Are you a newcomer in a field where people use language you can’t understand?
Don’t fret!
Find translators, people who’re comfortable with the code of your domain to translate for you. This will open up opportunities you never knew existed.
Understanding the code doesn’t mean you ditch your own unique style. Know the language in the room, understand what you’ve inherited from your background, and fuse these to forge your unique expression.
The second ability that will turn you into a triple threat is your performance. Whatever skills you possess, elevate them to the level where people get inspired by your excellence.
The third aspect is expression. Eloquence in speaking, writing, or any other form of communication will push you into the mainstream.
People will want to listen to you and understand what you’re explaining to them. Mastery of your subject and proficiency will elevate you to new domains.
Let’s recap: to become a triple threat, gain new knowledge, become a top performer, and bring clarity and proficiency into your expression.
---
Transform yourself into a business.
When Thomas started getting paid for his speaking, he approached it from a point of gratitude. When a company paid him $140,000 plus perks for 14 engagements a year, he thought he’d made it!
A mentor advised him to demand more. To his surprise, he found people were willing to pay. He’d transformed himself into a business!
Not everyone wants to make money from their superpower and that’s okay. But even if you’re trying to advance a cause, you’d need to make a minimum to sustain it.
This requires you to think like a business person.
Here’s what you need to do.
First, be available. In today’s world, that means having an online presence, being seen, and showing up. You need people to be able to find you and do business with you.
Next, remember that perception is everything. Tell the world who you are and what you’re about. Stick to that narrative. The world will see you the way you want to be seen as you walk in your purpose.
Of course, there are no perfect conditions. Start where you are with the resources you have. The path will become clearer as you move forward. When experiments work, deconstruct your success and build models until you have a template.
The next tip is to study what’s out there, evaluate if you add any value, and tailor the solutions to your needs. Thomas and his team sold 300,000 copies of their books without a publishing contract! They did this out of the trunk of their cars and using the mailing services that were available to them.
Finally, how much you’re worth. Keep tabs on the market rate, but know your own rate and ask for it. Continue to raise your rate as you gain more skills and experience.
There are positives to being different. You bring something new into the room and everyone wants to learn from that. Take advantage of being the left-handed pitcher in a right-handed game!
---
Nobody owes you anything. You owe you.
When you become the CEO of your life, you shed victimhood and eliminate your disadvantages. Take time to discover your superpower, that unique talent you can improve with practice and dedication.
Applying your skill will open up room for your purpose. When you operate in this domain, you can make the most of your opportunities and thrive as a performer who understands their value in society and on the market. Understand your worth, gain knowledge, become a top performer, and express yourself in ways that will transform you into a triple threat.
You’ll then be operating in miracle territory where you’ll become a viable business. More than anything else, you’ll be doing fulfilling work that will elevate the experience of everyone you come across.
November 15, 2023
This book is amazing and so motivating... I could not put it down...
October 31, 2022
know yourself, craft your legacy
Powerful and moving this book urges you to look within and enact change, to build your legacy, make a difference in your life, present, and an impact on future generations. It gives hope that yes, one person can make a difference in these ugly times we live in, but also build on that collectively by leaving a legacy for future generations. Make a difference, read the book, make a blueprint for your life!
Powerful and moving this book urges you to look within and enact change, to build your legacy, make a difference in your life, present, and an impact on future generations. It gives hope that yes, one person can make a difference in these ugly times we live in, but also build on that collectively by leaving a legacy for future generations. Make a difference, read the book, make a blueprint for your life!
November 2, 2022
A great book to help get you into a productive and success-forward mindset. Loved the authenticity that shines through in ET’s writing. Easily one of the better self development books I have read this year.
October 26, 2022
Wow! Eric Thomas wraps his story, and advice while motivating readers with every page. I could hardly put this down and finished reading cover to cover in just a week. Thomas captivates readers with his experience and includes advice for analyzing personal growth through his paradigms. The language used to deliver the message of growth and personal accountability is authentic and easy to comprehend. I would recommend this book to all ages and guarantee you will gain valuable insights in every chapter.
June 26, 2023
4.5 stars, Eric Thomas writes as he speaks, powerful and inspiring 🔥🔥👏🏾👏🏾
October 30, 2022
Great read
A must read for anyone who wants to get the most out of life. Could not recommend this book any higher!
A must read for anyone who wants to get the most out of life. Could not recommend this book any higher!
August 23, 2023
This is a great read on finding yourself.
June 18, 2023
Outstanding book from motivational speaker Eric Thomas that serves as a how to and gives background on how he became the Hip Hop Preacher. Many jewels and nuggets were dropped which can serve and help many get unlocked.
November 5, 2023
It took a minute for me to really get into this book. But, when I did it turned out to be really good!
June 7, 2023
This is not a book to read leisurely and expect the message to hit you like a ton of bricks ... this book is meant to be dissected , it is meant to pause, meditate, and answer the questions truthfully and painfully !
Even through the so called “fluff” the hater on the previous post mentioned , there is still something to learn from it . If you are an entrepreneur or someone who wants more out of life but you feel a little stuck or unsure , this book is the shove you need to get yourself more ! It has a link to a quiz to help with self actualization, this book is a tool and not meant to just read and carry on about your day of comfort and mediocrity ! It is meant to bring out a beast !
At least that’s what it did for me !
Even through the so called “fluff” the hater on the previous post mentioned , there is still something to learn from it . If you are an entrepreneur or someone who wants more out of life but you feel a little stuck or unsure , this book is the shove you need to get yourself more ! It has a link to a quiz to help with self actualization, this book is a tool and not meant to just read and carry on about your day of comfort and mediocrity ! It is meant to bring out a beast !
At least that’s what it did for me !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews