Presenting the Book Club book for October:
For those who have seen Russell Simmons in action, you cannot deny that he just is who he is at all times. Catching glimpses of him on Run’s House and seeing him firsthand at a book signing at Emory University, what I most appreciate is that Russell Simmons simply says what he thinks, with no apologies. From his casual demeanor one would not detect that he is a multimillion dollar mogul, as the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of Phat Farm, backbone of the hip hop pioneers Run DMC, among numerous other accomplishments, but his wisdom reveals a powerful and successful individual. What is even more admirable, Simmons is a selfless philanthropist, initiating tremendous efforts like Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. Simmons is undoubtedly a hardworking man who is not often seen in the forefront of the celebrity limelight but is commonly acknowledged and always respected for his work that has propelled hip hop to what it is today.
Russell Simmons shares his wisdom from his years in the industry in his book Do you!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, which opens with a foreword by Donald Trump expressing his utmost respect for Mr. Simmons. With no false promises to provide a quick and easy 12-step plan to guaranteed success and no attempt to impress readers with forced scholarly jargon, Simmons simply shares his knowledge in 12 laws:
- See your Vision and Stick With It
- Always Do You
- Get Your Mind Right
- Stop Frontin’ and Start Today
- Never Less Than Your Best
- Surround Yourself With the Right People
- There Are No Failures, Only Quitters
- Science of Success: Plant the Good Seeds
- You Can Never Get Before You Give
- Successful People Stay Open to Change
- Be Powerful, Be Heard
- Spit Truth to Power
He reiterates simple concepts that we have learned but neglected and draws attention to those that lay the foundation for a mentality for success. With a voice that has already gained tremendous respect in the hip hop community, Russell Simmons speaks directly to an audience who may not have otherwise been granted this information as plainly and clearly as Simmons presents it. He shares stories from his career, making references that our generation can certainly relate to. He shares his lessons learned with humility but shares his wisdom with bold messages. Be forewarned that there may be many times when you are inclined to put the book down and run out to pursue your dreams immediately.
Russell Simmons draws from various sources of inspiration, some of which may be foreign, but please do not let that deter you from the overall messages. Simply continuing reading and take from it what you will. You may not agree with it all but at the end you will be equipped with a mentality set for success. His passion is contagious, and his message is inspirational. Not only does he build the foundation of a success driven mindset but he also ignites the passion within you until it is ready to burst out of you to pursue your dream whatever it may be. This is certainly a book you can read time and time again to discover new lessons or rekindle sparks once felt.
Do You yall!
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Sounds good to me. I’ll have to check it out.
I highly recommend it. I read it a while back but while skimming through my notes for this post, I got the urge to delve into it again.