Keion Henderson - Imaginary Audience

The audience, let me introduce you to my father. I’d like to believe we owe God a praise. This is my topic for today. Those of you watching online and those of you in the building, I want to talk about the imaginary audience because I think some of you are performing for people who are not watching. I wish this mic was working because I don’t feel like holding it. Can we try it one more time? Let 's try it again because I need to use my hands; I feel like fighting. Come here, W, and tell me if this light is on for me. Is it on? Yes, sir! Alright, we will try this one more time; if not, I’ll go back to you. Can y’all hear me? Good! Alright, perfect. So, we’re going to talk today about the imaginary audience.

I want to see any book readers in here. Does anyone like to read? Okay, here is my first book suggestion for today: I want you to read a book called «From Strength to Strength.» The author’s name is Author C. Brooks. Yes, that’s right; I didn’t misspeak. His name is Author. He’s an author, but his name is Author. Author C. Brooks writes a book, «From Strength to Strength,» and the subtitle is «How to Win in the Second Half of Life.» Let me tell you something-your 20-year- old mindset isn 't going to work in your 45-year-old destiny. It’s just not going to work if you’re going to get there.

I want you to interact with me today. I just need you to say, «It’s going to take a different version of me.» Just say that: «It’s going to take a different version of me.» Alright, how many of you can speak that into your spirit? It’s going to take a different version of me! I want you to act today as if you’re at a TED Talk and that you paid $115,000 to be in the room to hear someone tell you how to elevate your life and your business to the next level. So, I want you to drop all of the assumptions; I want you to drop all of the walls that you have built up. We know that God is real, but I’m getting ready to tell you how to adjust your mind so much that you could literally make it almost depression-proof.

I’m not saying you won’t have some bad times, but I’m going to get you to the point where you have bad moments-not bad weeks. If you 're mad from Monday to Saturday, you need to make an adjustment. I can understand being frustrated from 4 to 9, but from Monday to Saturday? That 's just too long!

He tells the story about a man on a plane. Has anyone ever taken that red-eye flight from LA to DC? Yeah, it’s like flying to London-it feels like forever. He tells a story about a man on the plane who is having a conversation with his wife. He looks at her and says these words: «I wish I were dead.» As a spouse, how would that make you feel? If your husband or significant other looked you in the face, despite your best efforts to make them happy, and said, «I’d rather be dead»? She starts crying; he starts crying. Those four words-those are the only four words that have been recorded, and this is a true story. A lady sitting across heard the voice and recognized it from just those four words.

The flight attendant comes by and sees the man in the night of the flight and says, «Oh my God, it’s you! Can I have an autograph?» An hour into the flight, the pilot comes out of the cockpit to go to the restroom. He sees the guy around the corner and says, «Oh my God, you’ve been my hero ever since I was a kid!» Wow! Imagine being so famous that your voice is recognized in just four words, and your face is so known that it can be seen in the dark.

My God! Imagine being so financially stable that you’re sitting in first class flying from LA to DC, having everything a man could want, and all he wants is to be dead. This tells me that no matter how much money you make, you’ll never be happy. Now, let me say this: you can put a down payment on happiness, but it won’t be enough to make you happy. It means that you can be famous and still be insecure. My God! It means you can live in a mansion and not want to go home. It means you can have a $10,000 mattress and still not be able to sleep. It means you can have a calling and feel like you have nowhere to go. It means you can have friends and still feel lonely. It means you can be in a relationship and still feel like you’re by yourself.

Hear me: life is not built on what you achieve; life is built on how you see yourself. You better listen! There is no shopping spree that can take away anxiety. That 's right! You can have a Birkin bag, but it won’t make you feel good about yourself. Yes, once all the people ask for the autograph and start telling him…