Jonathan Sprinkles gives a motivational speech to a group of NOVA students at the Annandale campus.

If one needed encouragement to counter balance the negative daily news regarding the employment and the economic downturn, the Ernst Cultural Center Theater on the Annandale campus was the place to be on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Author, entrepreneur and public speaker Jonathan Sprinkles was the special guest speaker on that afternoon.

Still a believer that the United States is the land of opportunity, Sprinkles said that he loves visiting this part of the country. One can talk to someone expecting one thing and get something completely different, the answer could come in any language under the sun.

This was evident during the course of conversation with one taxi driver from Ghana. Sprinkles asked the man why he had come so far to pursue his education. “In my country if you’re born poor you die poor,” the man replied. “Here no matter where you start out, you can choose where you finish.”

In America more money is spent on trash bags annually than all accumulated goods purchased yearly in some of the world’s poorest nations. “Somewhere in the world someone is praying for your problems,” Sprinkles asserted. According to him, immigrants to the United States are four times more likely to become millionaires than natural born citizens because of one word – choice.

Though many have experienced pain and disappointment and may ask, “Why me?” the motivational speaker turned the question on its head asking, “Why not me?” Obstacles shape us into the people we will become. Once one has suffered, that person is less likely to judge someone else in the same situation and more likely to help solve problems.

Eight years ago Sprinkles walked away from an $82,500 salary as a sales representative at Dell, Inc. to embrace an unknown future pursuing his passion, public speaking. A couple of years ago that same company hired him to speak at an event on leadership.

People may discourage noble endeavors, asking “Have you finished that associates? How is that business going? Have you gotten rid of that credit card debt?” Sprinkles told his audience to reply, “Stay tuned, it’s coming. The end is better than the beginning. Don’t let an underachiever determine what you can or can’t do. You were born an original – don’t be a copy.” If we accept the best and worst things that happen to us happen for a reason, then it is easer to take chances in life. As Sprinkles told his audience, “Why live a good life when you can live a great one?”

You can learn more about Jonathan Sprinkles at www.jsprinkles.com.

By: Annie Ryan

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