For more than two decades, Les Brown was a constant presence in Dustin Plantholt’s life—long before the two ever met.
From Dustin on Instagram:
“Les Brown: The Mentor Who Ran Beside Me Before We Ever Met
It only took me 20 years to finally sit down in front of a live audience and interview a mentor I had never met, never spoken to. But I had been on a journey with him. For over 500 miles, he had been in my ear while I pounded treadmills around the world—pushing me, reminding me to keep going, not to quit, to push through the pain. To stay locked in on the goal, because if I did, it would be there waiting for me at the finish line.
On January 31, 2025, I took the stage with Les Brown in Atlanta. Mr. Brown, as I called him. He looked me in the eye, and with that unforgettable voice, he told me how happy he was to see me. And in that moment, I felt safe. I felt alive. Meeting my role model and being treated as his equal—that will stay with me forever. This man, a legend at 79, who has spoken to crowds of 80,000, made me feel like it was just the two of us, talking about life and purpose.
And then today, on my way to the airport, my cell phone rang. It was Les Brown. He called to tell me I did a good job. That he was proud of me.
So to anyone out there chasing a dream, hear me when I say—it can come true. But if nothing changes, nothing changes.
Life’s tough. You can be tougher.”
