In 2018, Snoop Dogg was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You could say it was a long time coming. Snoop Dogg didn’t just make rap cool, he defined it. In a career spanning over 30 years, he has sold more than 35 million albums — a piece of concrete is the least we can do.
In his acceptance speech, Snoop thanked the committee and his fans. He thanked his wife, mother, and aunties. He also thanked his fellow rappers, both the ones rapping with him and the ones facing him in lyrical battle. Snoop particularly called out Warren G, his bandmate and producer, Dr. Dre, who believed in him when no one else would, and showbiz legend Quincy Jones, who served as his mentor.
And then, in the last 30 seconds of his four-minute speech, Snoop thanked the person we all so easily forget when we hand out credit and praise — himself:
“I want to thank me. I want to thank me for believing in me. I want to thank me for doing all this hard work. I want to thank me for having no days off. I want to thank me for never quitting. I want to thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive. I want to thank me for trying to do more right than wrong. I want to thank me for just being me at all times.”
Isn’t this a speech you’d want? I think it’s a speech you deserve — and so does Snoop. My only suggestion? He should have led with that part. So should you, by the way.
Thank yourself first — and not just when you’re winning. Thank yourself first every day.
30 years before Snoop’s speech, Michael Jackson released Man in the Mirror. It was the fourth single from his album Bad, an album produced by none other than Quincy Jones — and that sold 35 million copies, as many as Snoop sold in his whole career.
I’m sure you know the lyrics:
I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
Backed by a gospel choir, Michael’s incredible voice, and a slowly swelling crescendo that culminates around the three-minute mark, it’s a song that inspires hope, courage, and belief. It’s also a stark reminder to sweep your own doorstep before you point out your neighbor’s is dirty.
We all need to remember to “grab our own nose” at times, as we say in Germany. Most of the time, however, I think most of us are already trying our best — and we’re not giving ourselves enough credit for it.
What about the fan in the mirror? Where are they? Where’s the version of ourselves that cheers us on the loudest? We’re all familiar with the critic. We can hear them loud and clear. I say it’s time we give the pundit a worthy opponent!
How about these lyrics?
I’m starting with the fan in the mirror
I’m asking him to boost my sway
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Thank yourself at first, and then win the day
When you don’t feel like going to work in the morning, thank yourself for getting out of bed.
When you’re too exhausted to cook, thank yourself for making enough money to order in.
When Five Guys gets your order wrong, thank yourself for not yelling at the cashier.
When your mind goes blank all morning, thank yourself for showing up.
When you collapse during the last set of push ups, thank yourself for opening your workout playlist.
When the haters berate you in the comments, thank yourself for closing the tab and calling it a night.
When the interview goes badly, thank yourself for dressing up.
When your kids are on the verge of driving you nuts, thank yourself for your usual patience.
And when one day all your hard work pays off, then too remember to thank yourself. Thank yourself first, then hold up the award — and praise others to your heart’s content.