Les Brown: Don't Know How to Start? Learn and Go Into Action

Share this post

Video by Les Brown, from his official YouTube channel, @LesBrownSpeaks. I'm not affiliated with him. I just love this message.

Have you ever said "I don't know how to do it" and let that be the end of the conversation? In this short video, Les Brown answers that sentence with one word: learn. As the video's description puts it: "Do whatever is required. I want you to go into action."

It's a short one. Watch it first, then come back.

The idea in plain words

Not knowing how is not a reason to stop. It's a reason to start learning.

The description lays out what that looks like:

• Be willing to experiment.
• Be willing to fail and to succeed.
• Be willing to form and develop new relationships.

And then the line that stings a little: "Nobody's going to bring it to you on a silver platter." He also says plainly, "Yes, it's hard. And it's worth it."

In other words, the "how" is something you go and get. It doesn't show up first.

Why this matters if you're building something online

This one hits home for a lot of us starting later in life. We see people with websites, videos, email lists and link pages, and we think, "I don't know how to do any of that." So we wait until we feel ready.

Here's how I think about it:

• Pick one thing to learn this month. Not everything. One. A link page, a capture page, a short video.
• Expect the first try to be rough. Being "willing to experiment, willing to fail" means your first page or first video won't be your best one. That's fine.
• Build relationships, not just pages. Les talks about forming new relationships. Online, that means replying to comments, joining a community and following up with people.
• Own the next step. He says, "It's on you to make that happen." Nobody can click publish for you.

If short video is the thing you don't know how to start, my plain plan for what to post on Facebook Reels without showing your face is a good first step. And if you need a simple place to send people, here's how to set up one link page for everything.

None of this promises results. You can learn, act and still not get what you hoped for right away. But waiting until you already know how almost never gets you started.

One small action step for this week

Write down the one thing you keep saying "I don't know how" about.

Then spend 20 minutes this week learning the very first step of it. Not the whole thing. Just step one. Watch one tutorial, read one guide or ask one question in a community.

Then do that one step before Sunday. Write it down: "This week I learned and did ___." Next week, do step two.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main message of this Les Brown video?

That "I don't know how" is not a reason to quit. Learn, do whatever is required, go into action, and be willing to experiment, fail, succeed and build new relationships.

Where can I watch the full video?

It's a YouTube Short on Les Brown's official channel, @LesBrownSpeaks. The link is at the top of this post.

What is Motivation Sunday?

It's a weekly post on this blog. Every Sunday I share a short video from a speaker I respect, from their official channel, and what the message means for anyone building something online.

Your turn

What's the one thing you keep telling yourself you don't know how to do? Tell me in the comments, and tell me the first step you'll learn this week. I read every one.

Results vary. Your results depend on your own effort, skills and situation, and many people earn nothing.