In the wake of the death of Chad Boseman, my wife and I cued up Get on Up, the James Brown biopic that he stared in.

James Brown has an unbelievable story.

Born in abject poverty, abandoned by his parents, incarcerated at 17, he followed the only thing he loved. Music.

But the thing that moved me about the story, the thing I can’t get out of my head, was the way Brown overcame every barrier put in front of him.

While repeatedly being told no, no, no, Brown just kept on making them into YES.

• You can’t take a gospel show into honky-tonks. But he did.
• You can’t leave the Chitlin’ Circuit and headline in white venues. But he did.
• You can’t break Payolla and get played on the radio, or promote your own shows. He did both.

James Brown didn’t want to be just the “Show,” he decided to be the “Show” and be the “Business” too.

How is this about me?

It made me think about the story I’m living in… About the barriers I face.

• Who’s telling you ‘no’ right now? What if you decided not to listen?
• What stories are you telling yourself about how you can’t, it won’t work, I don’t have enough… What if you told a different story?
• In what ways do you feel like you are “less than,” held back or limited? Where are you playing small where a bigger game is available to you?

If answers are popping into your head as you read those questions, hit reply. I’d like to talk with you about those answers and see if we could write a new story together.