752 How to Empower Others with Tererai Trent

UBUNTU: I AM BECAUSE WE ARE, AND, SINCE WE ARE, THEREFORE I AM. What do you do with your dreams? Do you even take time to dream? So many of us are afraid to even admit to ourselves what we really want. But if you write your dreams down, magic happens. You’ll be shocked at how they will make themselves into reality. Write them down. The best kind of dreams, though, are the ones that will help others. On today’s episode of The School of Greatness, I’m sharing an inspiration speech from The Summit of Greatness from a woman who broke the cycle of poverty and returned to better her community: Tererai Trent. Dr. Tererai Trent is one of today’s most internationally recognized voices for quality education and women’s empowerment. Distinguished as Oprah Winfrey’s “All-Time Favorite Guest,” Tererai is a scholar, humanitarian, motivational speaker, educator, author, and founder of Tererai Trent International. Tererai wrote down her dreams and buried them in a can in Zimbabwe. She went on to accomplish them all. She visualized her dreams so fully that when she actually experienced them, it gave her a feeling of deja vu. So get ready to learn all about Tererai’s amazing journey from child bride to scholar and how you can achieve your dreams on Episode 752. Some Questions Asked: How do you, as a woman, let your voice be heard every day? (4:18) Where are your children today? (5:41) How can we inspire men to empower women? (6:55) What’s one thing we could all do different? (9:08) How do you continue your mindset? (10:08) In This Episode You Will Learn: How she defied the rules of her people (4:23) When we inspire more men, women are healed (7:22) How to believe in our dreams (9:26) How she focuses her mind on daily rituals (10:56) Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Lewis Howes?

  This is episode number 752 with Terri Wright.

• 0:06Lewis Howes?

  Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week, we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin.

• 0:31Lewis Howes?

  Albert Einstein said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." I want you to think about that for a second. Are you going through a difficult moment in your life? Do you feel like everything is falling on top of you? Do you feel like you're stressed and overwhelmed more than you've ever been before? If so, look at this as an opportunity. Look at this opportunity to learn, to grow, to develop, to shift something that isn't working and start developing something new that will work for you in the future. Your obstacles will lead to opportunities if you allow them. If you allow them to hold you down, then it will always be an obstacle.

• 1:12Lewis Howes?

  And today's interview is with Dr. Terri Trent, who is one of today's most internationally recognized voices for equality and quality education and women's empowerment. She's distinguished as Oprah's all-time favorite guest. She's a scholar, humanitarian, motivational speaker, educator, author, founder of the Terri Trent International Foundation. She's an adjunct professor. She's done it all, guys. This woman is incredible. We had her speak at the Summit of Greatness this last year, and she blew people away. I like to think that all the speakers blew people away, but she brought a sense of fire and passion that was just palpable throughout everyone in the auditorium.

• 1:56Lewis Howes?

  And we have the Q and A from that interview. Again, she did this magnetic, mind blowing, passionate interview. And at the end of the interview, we sat down for a Q and A. And we talk about the power of daily rituals to help maintain your mindset. Talk about how Tara Rye makes her voice heard every single day, even when she was silenced her entire childhood. How to recognize talent in ourselves. How to believe in our dreams, no matter what, and the beauty between working together as one. This is a game changer. Make sure you share it with your friends. LewisHowes.com/752 to listen to the full interview. Watch the video. Check out the show notes and all the information.

• 2:40Lewis Howes?

  But share this on your Instagram stories. Tag me at Lewis Howes and at Tara Rye Trent.

• 2:51Lewis Howes?

  Name what you're grateful for and your quick question.

• 2:53Speaker 01

  Hi, my name is Olympia again. I'm very grateful for woman empowerment, of course. And my question is, how do you, as a woman, make your voice heard every day?

• 3:07Speaker 02

  I defy the rules of my people. I think it's about refusing to have someone define you and to say, I'm not going to be silent. I have to maintain my authenticity because it is in how we give our voice, allow, give ourselves permission to speak our truth. That's what's going to change our world and the world around us. To recognize the gifts in you, the talents in you. Because sometimes we numb those talents because we are always afraid,

• 3:49Speaker 02

  because we want to listen to what others say about us. But it's important to dig deep within you. Sit still. And I always say, my sister, come home to yourself. When you do come home to yourself, then you own who you are and you own your voice.

• 4:18Speaker 03

  My name is Janice, I'm from Toronto. You're a very powerful woman and I thank you for sharing. Where are your children today?

• 4:26Speaker 02

  So, when my mother said, "If you achieve these dreams, not only are you defining who you are, you are defining every life that comes out of your womb and generations to come." When I came to the US, I had, um... I brought with me three daughters. First one, when she came, she was hardly nine years old. And today, she graduated with mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University.

• 4:59Speaker 02

  If that had not happened... So, I'm always saying, I'm passing on a different baton. I redefined it. And I have another daughter, she's at Western Michigan University. She's doing biomedical sciences. And another one, she's doing a degree that I can't pronounce.

• 5:24Speaker 04

  I'm Marco, from, originally from West Africa, Togo, but I live in Omaha, Nebraska. And that's my third year to the summit. Louis, thank you so much for bringing us together. Very grateful for my family and for the terrari. Thank you for being here.

• 5:37Speaker 02

  Thank you.

• 5:38Speaker 04

  So, how can we inspire men to empower women?

• 5:48Speaker 02

  How can we inspire men? By coming to these forums. And thank you, Louis, for doing this. Because this is how we all get inspired. And I think it's important that when we inspire more men, it means more women are healed. We need to do that, we need to do that. Men should give more voices. You know what's happening in America? Sometimes people say the silencing of women is only in Africa. And I say, "Nah, nah, nah." It's here. So, we need men who can vocalize, men who can stand up with their sisters. But also, remember, I read a Lewis book.

• 6:32Speaker 02

  There are also men who are being marginalized. So, we also need to recognize that. And I think there is beauty when there is that intersection between men and women. There is that energy when we work together as one. I think we can achieve much more than women on their own than building silos. I think we need to be more of a family. Collectively, we can do more.

• 7:09Speaker 05

  I'm so excited right now. I'm sorry. I'm trying to recall.

• 7:15Speaker 05

  My name's Nay Cook. I'm from Michigan, Grand Rapids. It's too bad. Pardon? It's too bad.

• 7:24Speaker 05

  Hey, you said that when we were one-on-one in the inner circle, too. It's all good. We let you here. Yeah, yeah, it's all about love. So, I won't. I'm not gonna take that, but...

• 7:37Speaker 05

  I'm grateful for each and every person in here because you guys are seriously a blessing. And I think you guys are gonna do huge things, each person.

• 7:48Speaker 05

  My question now is, you covered a lot and you have a phenomenal story. What's like, if we can leave with one thing to do, different, or to add into our lives, what do you feel like that is? Just that one thing we can take away?

• 8:06Speaker 02

  Ti no gona. It is achievable. We have to believe in our dreams, no matter what, because we are here on earth for a purpose and we just have to believe in it.

• 8:28Speaker 06

  Hey, my name is Matt Givens and I'm from Atlanta, but Oklahoma State graduate as well, so, thank you. And I'm grateful for everybody here, this is my third year, grateful for all the people I've met, and very grateful that you made it through what you went through to impact so many people's lives. And so what I wanted to find out was, while you're there, you're going through that struggle, all of us have similar type dreams, we want to get out of whatever we're thinking, whatever we're in, not nearly what you were in, but we all have that, so how did you, unlike everybody else in, you know, where you were, how did you continue to keep that mindset, drive through it?

• 9:12Speaker 06

  Even when you got here, how did you continue that mindset? Because it seems like nobody else around you was able to, and with all odds against you, you know, how were you able to just keep that and hold it and push through?

• 9:24Speaker 02

  You know, there's something about our minds, they wobble.

• 9:30Speaker 02

  We fear pain.

• 9:34Speaker 02

  But I always maintained my dreams by focusing on daily rituals. And I talk about daily rituals, you have to have your own daily rituals. Something that grounds you, some, they call it meditation, whatever you have that can ground you. Because I can tell you, there were many times I wanted to give up, there were many times I wanted just to go back to Africa, but then I would go back to those rituals. I would visualize those dreams throbbing with life, deep down under the ground,

• 10:18Speaker 02

  encouraging me to say, "Go on, you're on a journey."

• 10:24Speaker 02

  To redefine this pattern. That alone grounded me. And I never wanted to go back. So it's important to have something that you believe in. And I also say surround yourself with individuals who give you energy. Run away from toxic environment. Run. You can't change someone unless if you want to change yourself.

• 11:06Lewis Howes?

  I want to acknowledge you. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Can we acknowledge Tara Wright for being here? Give it up for her.

• 11:19Lewis Howes?

  There you have it, my friends. Powerful woman who is up to big things in the world. Make sure you share this with your friends. Tag me at Lewis Howes on Instagram. Let me know you're listening and I'll send a reply if I see you. Tag Tara Wright Trent as I'm sure she would love the shout out as well over on Instagram and Twitter. And make sure to check out the full show notes. LewisHowes.com/752. Guys, 752 episodes continues to blow me away. We are on track to just taking over with a movement of possibilities, a movement of potential, a movement of love and support. That's what this community is all about. I love you guys so very much. And as the great Einstein said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Look at the challenges in your life.

• 12:04Lewis Howes?

  Look at the difficulties in your life. Look at where you might be struggling. That is the juice. That's where the greatest joys can come from if you're willing to take a look and dive in. All the great things happen on the other side of fear. Dive into it, be aware of it, and move into an incredible life. I love you so very much, and you know what time it is? It's time to go out there and do something great.