Today, I interview Cedric Crumbley who grew up in Georgia. When he was an infant, his father passed away. So unfortunately, he didn't get to know his Dad. However, his father's siblings saw so much of his father in Cedric that they truly treasured him. He was certainly given a lot of attention and had great connection with the adults in his family. He was even teased a little in school because he had such an adult-like way of speaking. 

He naturally had a positive outlook (which was rare among his peers) and although he looked to God to be his father figure, he also later gained a stepfather who fully believed in him and encouraged him to shoot for the moon. His new dad taught him that he could do anything and that if there was any trouble, it was because he wasn't being true to himself. 

In high school, Cedric didn't like being the tall skinny kid, so he read a bodybuilding book and put on quite a bit of muscle over the summer, coming back to school feeling more confident and proud of himself. Cedric had a vision for success. He wanted to find ways to make lots of money, and fast. But his mother encouraged him to slow down and focus on learning and developing himself. He fought that idea, ended up in a little trouble, and a judge recommended the military because he felt that learning that level of respect would do a great deal to help him develop his character. He says the Army changed his heart. While he didn't want to go, he did learn about hard work, being faithful, and the meaning of respect. 

And so, it turns out that Cedric's talent is learning. He says that whether you find a book or a course, whatever it is you want to learn or become or do, it can be done. He encourages us to find the thing about us that is most special and to use that gift to thrive. 

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Cedric Crumbley went into the army when he was still a teenager. After 20 years in uniform, he hung up his boots and started a new chapter in life. He says one of his biggest thrills was to retire at a young age, and he's taken what he's learned to become the author of Proven Sales and Recruiting Methods. 

Find Cedric here: 
[email protected]  
https://cedriccrumbley.com/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedcrumbley/ 
https://twitter.com/CedricCrumbley 

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I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. 

Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.   

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I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.