The life-changing story of a mother who couldn't afford diapers and became a millionaire

“Every time I get paid, I give myself a check with a note that says, ‘This is for my dream,’” Lisa Nichols writes.

Nearly 20 years ago,Lisa Nichols was a single mother living on government assistance with less than $12 in her bank account. She turned her life around and is now a self-made millionaire, bestselling author of seven books, and a popular speaker who inspires others to overcome hardships and pursue their dreams.

Nichols grew up in a poor area of ​​southernLos Angeles (USA). She never achieved average grades in school and raised her child alone at the age of 27 when the child's father was imprisoned.

At that time, she had toLiving on welfare, she was increasingly financially exhausted. One time, she needed to buy diapers for her son Jelani but had only $11.42 (VND 259,000) left in her account. "I had to wrap him in a towel for two days straight. On the second day, I put my hand on Jelani's belly and said: 'Don't worry, honey, I will never be this poor again,'" she recalled.

Millionaire, speaker, bestselling author Lisa Nichols. Photo: Risen Magazine.

And that day changed her life. "This may sound crazy, but at that moment, I was willing to die to every part of me so that I could give birth to the part of me that I wanted to become," she shared in a conversation with the television audience.

She went looking for a job and was hired by a large school district inLos Angeles.Every morning, she stands in front of the mirror and tells herself three things:

1. Lisa, I'm proud of you because... (7 things to be proud of about yourself)

2. Lisa, I forgive you for... (7 past mistakes)

3. Lisa, I promise you that... (7 commitments to myself)

Every day, she leaves her son at daycare, works 9 hours, and picks him up at the end of the day to take him to the office. She only takes a 30-minute break from 6 to 6:30 to pick him up, then works until midnight, every day the same. She puts her son in the office, wrapped in colorful blankets, and lets him play with whatever he can.

"I stopped going out to dinner, stopped going dancing, stopped getting my nails done, my hair done... And every time I got a paycheck, I would send myself a check to the bank, with the note: 'Investment money for my dream,'" she recounted.

Lisa Nicholsdid so for three and a half years. SheShe challenged herself to make each check 5% larger than the last. She worked day and night, and even took on a second job so that the check could get bigger.

She also learned to change her life, to live on less. She sold her car to buy an older one, and moved out of her three-bedroom apartment to a shared one. "I chose to be uncomfortable so I could get a check every other week," she says.

Then one day, she went to the bank to check her account after three and a half years of not touching it. "When I said 'my name is Lisa Nichols,' everyone in the bank was shocked: 'Are you the one who 'invests in my dream'?' and they all wanted to know what that dream was. I shrugged: 'I don't know! But it must cost money,'" she recalled of the unforgettable moment in her life.

When she saw the number 62,500 USD (about 1.4 billion VND) written on the piece of paper given by the bank employee, she did not believe that it was her money. "In my family, no one has ever had 5,000, 10,000 in their account. At that time, I looked down at my child,She was five years old at the time, and said: 'Jelani, our lives are going to change from now on,' she recalled.

She then started a motivational program for teens (Motivating the Teen Spirit). She also attended seminars and lectures on entrepreneurship and branding and was soon getting paid to speak about herself.

Nichols also founded Motivating the Masses, a massive training resource for personal and professional development. Her lectures are featured in the best-selling book "The Secret." She has also written six other popular books.

Lisa Nichols said, nToday, she brings great value to her family and to the community because back then she dared to leave everything behind to start again.One reason so many people don’t succeed is because they don’t realize that the door ahead is only big enough for one person. We all want to bring everyone else through that door. But you have to help yourself first.I went through the door alone, I studied by myself, I changed myself, then came back to everyone," she said.

According to VNE