Steve Harvey's Barber . . . Says It All!
An Extra Ordinary Look at Hair Care
by
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CHAPTER 1
Why This Book?
When I was a young man, my father explained the term "extra ordinary" to me. This simple yet grammatically incorrect phrase has become the foundation of both my professional life and my personal life. My father believed that the quality of your work was just as important as the work itself. And I have found this to be true. So I am putting some of my life experiences in this book, with the hope that you too will come to appreciate the power behind this phrase and as a result you will tap into that unlimited reservoir of power that you have within you. My father told me that he saw greatness in me. He explained that the difference between what people do and what they accomplish is the extra that they put into it. That is what makes an ordinary person extraordinary. To help me understand his point, he used my homework as an example. Just like most kids, I did just enough to get by. When my father realized that I was doing this, he took it upon himself to show me a better way. Unbeknownst to him, he did far more than show me a better way. He reshaped the course of my life. My father told me that when I am assigned a project, I shouldn't just write a report. I should add pictures; add more pages; add props; add the extra effort that would make my work special. I understood what he said and I applied it. I remember a specific history project that was assigned to me in school. My project was about the Aztec Indians. The first thing that I did was write a great report on the subject. But to give my project that extra touch, I also drew a picture, colored it, and made a tee-pee. When I turned in that project, my teacher made such a big deal of it! She put it on display; called me up in front of the class; and pointed out to the other students how wonderful my project was. My father's lesson took root. Not only was his lesson crystal clear to me at that point, I also reveled in the praise that my teacher placed upon me. I loved it! There was a situation with the kids in my neighborhood that also reinforced my father's lesson. In my neighborhood, we liked to play football. I always wanted to be a wide receiver, but there were several guys much faster than me. At the time, my chances of becoming a member of the neighborhood team seemed futile. But my father's belief in my greatness had already been seeded and I refused to let anyone or anything deter me. So I came up with a plan. Every day after school, I would throw a tennis ball far, high, and fast; and then I'd run to try to catch it. I spent countless hours doing this every day trying to improve my speed. Eventually, I did improve my speed and I made the team. I put in the extra that I needed and as a result I achieved my goal. I am not saying that everyone who chases a tennis ball will become a wide receiver. Individuals are different and so are the goals that they set for themselves. I am saying that you should do something; say something; write something; or maybe build something that will make others say . . . "I can't believe that you did that!" Webster has defined extraordinary as "going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary." In this case, the word extra does not mean `more' of something. It doesn't mean doing the expected over and over and over. It means doing the unexpected once. The following quotes are from the American writer, publisher, and philosopher Elbert Green Hubbard. This man lived in the late 19
- Folks who never do any more than they are paid for, never get paid more than they do.
- How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience would have achieved success?
- One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.
I continued to apply my father's lesson throughout the rest of my childhood and I also began to recognize this "extra ordinary" quality in others. For example, I read that during practice Walter Peyton would sprint in the bleachers while his team was sprinting on the field. Michael Jordan would show up for practice three hours before it started just to work on his shot. Jerry Rice who was known for his legendary off-season workout regimen would run up a steep five-mile trail on a course called The Hill. He would pause at the steepest section to do ten 40-meter wind sprints followed by a heavy duty weight workout in the afternoon. This was a painful routine that paid off for him during games; often in the fourth quarter.
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About the Book
"Steve Harvey's Barber Says It All (An Extra Ordinary Look at Hair Care)” is a motivational tool for hair care industry professionals and it is a short autobiography that reveals the impact the Steve Harvey has had on the author's career and his personal growth. It gives the reader a broad view of the hair care industry through the personal experiences of the author. The book highlights a 12 step action plan for industry professionals that can help them achieve greater success in the industry and at the same time it also highlights areas of improvements for the industry as whole. Although the author targets hair care industry professionals, the self-improvement techniques that he presents in this books can be adopted by professionals in any field.
About the Author
JAMES THOMAS James Thomas also known as “J. T.” to the stars, has been Steve Harvey's legendary barber for over 20 years. Most noted for his “Steve Harvey Lining,” James is regarded as one of the best Master Barbers of all time. In the world of glamour and glitz, his client list has included celebrities such as Rickey Smiley, Cedric the Entertainer, Kirk Franklin, the late great Bernie Mac, and more. In addition to The Kings of Comedy Tour, James has worked on a number of movies and television shows. After listening to the many issues and concerns of his clients about their hair care products, he was inspired to create his own line of products to meet their needs. He is the founder of the Thomas Hair Internal System (THIS) hair care product line. James is also the Chief Operating Officer for “Against the Grain” magazine and he has started a weekend segment on the Steve Harvey radio show entitled “Ask James” where he provides hair care tips to radio listeners. www.thishaircare.com REVONNE LEACH-JOHNSON Revonne grew up in Yazoo City, Mississippi. She holds a BS in Computer Science from Jackson State University and a Masters of Science from Johns Hopkins University. She has self-published two poetry books with her sister Cassandra entitled “A Poetic Tribute to the Legends Who Lunched with Oprah” and “A Poetic Tribute to the Young'uns Who Lunched with Oprah.” She is currently working on a book that details the injustices experienced by the 1980 Yazoo City High School Girls Basketball team. She lives in Maryland where she is a wife and mother of two. www.legendspoetry.com