How to Unlock Your Full Potential and Achieve the Impossible Dr. Tererai Trent shares her story.

By Lewis Howes Edited by Dan Bova

This story originally appeared on Lewis Howes

graphicstock

I've learned that greatness can come from anywhere, everywhere or anyone. It all starts with a dream or a vision. Of course one of the secrets is never giving up, but the biggest one is that it needs to be yours. You need to know that your goals are your goals, not something pushed onto you by someone else.

No matter where you are in your life or what obstacles appear in your way, you can achieve your dreams. I believe this now more than ever after sitting down with our most recent guest, Tererai Trent.

Trent was born in Zimbabwe, was forced into marriage as a child and even gave birth to four children by the time she was 18. She came from a place where education wasn't an opportunity given to women.

Trent ended up pushing through so many obstacles and now has a PhD, however that's just the beginning of her incredible accomplishments.

Trent was named by Oprah as her "All-Time Favorite Guest" and received a $1.5 million donation to rebuild her childhood elementary school in recognition of her tenacity and never-give-up attitude. With the firm belief that education is the pathway out of poverty and a desire to give back to her community, she founded the Tererai Trent International. Through her foundation, 11 schools are being built in Zimbabwe and education has been improved for over 5,000 children so far. And this is only the beginning.

Today, Dr. Trent is invited to speak all over the world, to share her remarkable story and the valuable lessons she has learned along the way. She just came out with a new book about empowering women to awaken to their full potential (she is the poster child of this). Her favorite motto is "Tinogona," meaning, "It is achievable!"

Discover all of that and much more on Episode 596.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play or TuneIn.

Lewis Howes

New York Times Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Coach

Lewis Howes is a New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness and The Mask of Masculinity. He is a lifestyle entrepreneur, high performance business coach and keynote speaker. A former professional football player and two-sport All-American, he is a current USA Men’s National Handball Team athlete. He hosts a top 100 iTunes ranked Apple podcast, The School of Greatness. Howes was recognized by the White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. Details magazine called him one of “5 Internet Guru’s that can Make You Rich.”  Howes has been featured on Ellen, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, People, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health and other major media outlets.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Thought Leaders

Cultural Fit Can Make or Break an M&A Deal

One of the most critical components for success -- cultural fit -- often falls by the wayside.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Buying / Investing in Business

Big Investors Are Betting on This 'Unlisted' Stock

You can join them as an early-stage investor as this company disrupts a $1.3T market.

Productivity

You Can't Beat Procrastination With Time Management or Productivity Hacks. Here's What Actually Works.

Procrastination isn't about time — it's about emotion. Here's how to work with your brain to navigate emotions and overcome procrastination.

Business News

This ChatGPT Agent Predicted a Viral Trend in 15 Minutes — Then My Content Took Off

Most creators are still guessing what to post. I used ChatGPT's new Agent to predict what would go viral — and it took off in just 48 hours.