Today we’d like to introduce you to Sylvester Long.
Sylvester, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was younger, I was always the kind of person who was optimistic and liked to encourage my friends, family, classmates, etc. My grandfather was a pastor, and every time I saw him, it made me smile because of how much he cared for the people. He was such a true humanitarian. He didn’t just care for the church people, but he also cared for people in the community. He truly had a big heart. He was one of my main role models growing up, and he still is even though he passed five years ago. I find comfort in knowing that although he passed away, I gained a guardian angel in him. At that time, that is when my journey to motivational speaking began. I wanted to continue his legacy in my way, and make sure that it still lives on through me.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. One thing I have learned in life is that it’s not always going to be easy. There will trials and tribulations, heartaches, and pain and suffering. For me, I’ve dealt with bullying, lack of confidence and self-esteem, depression, you name it. When I was in kindergarten, I had to go to Special Ed because I never spoke to anyone. The only person I would talk to was my mom. My teachers were worried about me, and my parents were concerned about me. I also have dyslexia, which was also something I have been battling to this day for a very long time.
When I was in elementary and middle school, I was called all sorts of names like ugly, geeky, nerdy as well as being told things like “I would never get a girlfriend” or “no girl would ever like me”. I never understood why they called me names and bullied me so much because I was such a nice guy. It got so bad to the point where I thought about suicide. My mom had to convince me otherwise, and she told me: “it doesn’t matter what people say about you. You keep doing great. You continue being a nice guy. Don’t let their words affect you”. At the time, I didn’t understand what she meant, but as I got older, I gained a better understanding of it.
I’ll never forget the feelings I had about not being able to graduate on time while I was working on my undergraduate degree at Columbus State University. I finished my degree in 5.5 years. Before that, I felt ashamed and embarrassed because of all the setbacks that occurred to prevent me from graduating in 4 years. From that experience, I learned that it’s not about how long the race is; it’s about the fact that you keep pushing to the very end. And that is exactly what I did.
Through all of the pain and struggles I have experienced, I managed to stay strong, keep pushing, and believe that God would bring me out of it. The thing about challenges is that they are put in our lives to test us and see how resilient we are and how faithful we are to God. I knew that despite my struggles, I couldn’t just give up. With each experience, I strongly believe that I have come a very long way in my life and through it, all my faith in God, my strength/fortitude (physical, mental, etc.), and my determination have greatly increased more and more.
I learn every day that the trials and tribulations in my life do not build character; they define it. Whenever the world got darker, I looked for my inner strength and shined in the process. My strength developed from my struggles because I decided not to surrender; that is my definition of true strength. I would not blink even once when facing adversities in my life. I was raised to be tough and strong-willed, but there were days, I felt weak and vulnerable and wanted someone to hold me and say, “It’s ok to be weak.” Strength is not the absence of weakness; it is the courage to exist while you are facing your fears. I am a firm believer that God will use my adversities to position me for greatness.
Please tell us about your work.
The idea behind “Out of Pain, Into Purpose” is to help others turn their pain into the purpose that God has for them. It’s also going to be the title of the book I am in the process of writing too. I am a motivational/public speaker, and I talk about a variety of topics, including purpose, vision, and the power of the mindset. I am most proud of whenever someone comes up to me, and they tell me that they love what I do. My thought is: If I can help at least one person in life, then I must be doing my job right.
Every motivational speaker has unique life experiences that make their brand who they are and what they stand for. For me, what sets me apart from others is the foundation that I use to build my business. That foundation is God. Standing on His Word at all times. I watch different motivational speakers like Eric Thomas, Tony Robbins, Jeremy Anderson, DeMarcus Smith (who is a great friend of mine), and others who have paved the way for me to be able to do what I love. The vision and purpose that I have for my life, as well as what God has in store for me, is going to come into fruition, and I believe that with all of my heart and soul.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
When people think of success, they think about tangible items like money, new cars, new houses, fame, etc. There’s nothing wrong with having nice things. For me, I define success as being able to help others succeed. As I am able to succeed, I want to be able to pull others with me and see them succeed too. That’s why I surround myself with like-minded individuals who are just as hungry, if not more hungry, like myself. We all want to do great things and impact lives. It’s about making a difference in someone’s life. Success can pursue my passions in life and enjoy doing it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/anointed_blackkingdrummer
- Phone: 706-573-5604
- Email: outofpainintopurpose@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anointed_blackkingdrummer/, https://www.instagram.com/outofpainintopurpose/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longsylvester
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0VM8jVKDFwV1Z30GCi4frg (YouTube)
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