“Stay Focused, Remain Humble, and Keep Working” – Bryan Majors Visits Seton Hall

Andrea Hebel
Managing Editor

Bryan Majors brands himself as a modern-day hope dealer. Former Harlem Globetrotter, author, owner of a growing clothing line, and seasoned public speaker, Majors is on a mission to help students of all ages find their purpose and passion by sharing his own. On November 18, Majors came to Seton Hall University to bring that passion to the Buccino Leadership Institute, an interdisciplinary group of students from across the university. 

Majors spoke to the students on the importance of self-accountability and direction, starting and ending his lecture by having all attendees stand up, raise their right hands, and repeat after him: “I am strong, I am powerful, I am wealthy, I am excellence – stay focused, remain humble, and keep working, keep working, keep working.” This mantra set the tone for Majors’ message – with passion and dedication, any small dream can become a reality.

Originally from Harrisburg, PA, Majors graduated high school with the hopes of becoming a star Division 1 and NBA basketball player. However, when that dream did not materialize, he found a different way to transform his love of basketball into a career. Attending Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, he become the first African American male in the school’s history to graduate with an Elementary Education degree. While at Susquehanna, he was a star basketball player, setting several university records. He has a master’s in public administration from Penn State Harrisburg, and a “PhD in common sense” that he’s gained from speaking his mind, listening carefully to others, and observing the world around him. 

Majors also comes from a family that lives up to its last name. He was the fourth person in his family to get a graduate degree, and he told attendees that he has great pride in being named Majors– it inspires him to do everything in a major way. However, he faced his first major struggle in 2008 when his dad, whom he called his biggest supporter, passed away after complications from surgery. He had to learn to move on from the pain and turn it into purpose. For Majors, this meant learning that his father would always be with him spiritually.

After graduating from Penn State, Majors dove into making his vision a reality, simultaneously starting three businesses focused on basketball coaching, leadership, and an apparel line. Though the road was not always smooth, he found that preparation was the key to pushing through adversity. Majors discussed learning the importance of treating every day as an opportunity to learn, physically becoming well enough to take on life’s journey, emotionally learning to believe in himself, and spiritually standing on what one believes, whatever it may be. He has found that with these preparations, he is able to persevere through adversity.

To Majors, emotional preparation is the most important part of becoming successful, because, in his words, “it’s gonna be hard as heck for anyone to believe in you if you don’t believe in you.” He emphasized that this takes time to develop, and he spoke to the importance of speaking positive affirmations every day. A sense of self is the most important skill to develop because it gives you the faith that you can accomplish anything, according to Majors.

However, he added, time will happen regardless of what one does with it. Every day is gameday, and it’s up to you to execute. Time is limited, so he has adopted the goal to “go all in before [he] goes out.” With enough passion, dedication, and work, any small dream can become a reality – one should not be afraid to make large goals and let nothing stop them from achieving them, because it’s up to oneself to go and get it. Even the biggest companies are just someone’s dreams and goals that they executed, so fear of failure should never be a reason to not do something.

Majors ended the session by giving out several copies of his book, Training for Triumph, and led the group in one final chant of his mantra. His talk was filled with passion, purpose, and motivation for everyone listening to go out and become their best self.