Eric Thomas, aka The Hip Hop Preacher, is a motivational speaker who has connected with the Millennial generation. Formerly homeless, his transformational story is a “rags to riches” where he found hope in his faith and eventually became a minister.

He is associated with many of the “hustle and grind” crowd who preach the idea of hard work and overcoming adversity. In his famous speech “How bad do you want it?”, he inspires his audience to dig deep and find their “why” and purpose for what drives them in life.

In his “You Owe You” talk, he delves deep into asking his audience if they truly know what they want.

Here is the video along with some reviews:

This brought tears to my eyes. Facing myself in the mirror and demand explanations from myself is the toughest thing I’ve ever gone through.

This guy’s on a different level to all other motivational speakers…. I’m sure I’ve seen this 100000 times

Eric Thomas you have literally inspired and motivated me so much and really blessed my life! I listen to you pretty much every day.

Dr. Eric Thomas helped me change my life. It’s because of his inspiration that I completed my independent insurance adjuster state license test successfully on my 5TH tries, after 4 consecutive fails. Now, I am a licensed IIA, and nearly a year after first stumbling across the Dr, I have been self-employed in my own right and making more money per month than I ever did in my life. Thank you, Dr. Eric Thomas, for helping me improve my life and the lives of those most important to me.

I watched this…and started tearing up! I’m a paid speaker….and ET moves me.

This blessed my spirit today!! I can’t keep waking up like an accident!! I gotta get harder on me than I am on others!! I want greatness for me and I shall have it!

He always makes me cry because I’m always like your so right. its true and I didn’t want to face the truth sometimes. I always blamed the circumstances. You cant change the circumstances but you can change the way you react on them!

This, along with his other videos, gave me the motivation to start college. I deal with depression and anxiety and this helped me so much. I’m taking my placement test at my college tomorrow and watching this has eased some nerves.

This man’s words and wisdom holds more weight than any wannabe black activist of today. He’s lived through the struggle and faced adversity on so many levels. He didn’t make excuses or chose to remain a victim to the injustices of the world. He is indeed living proof that life can deal you a shifty hand, but how you play that hand is the difference between success and failure.

5 years ago i listened you when i was 19 and hoping to get into college and now i´m a year to finish mi career and I’m telling you íve been 25/240 most of my career and i tell you by the end of my career I’m planning to be in top 10.

Thank you Eric! Once again your words help me a lot to address a difficult situation in my life. You are 100% right. We need to take a look at ourselves instead of blaming other people for our poor choices.

1st year college i got an E in Chemistry. I was gutted and realized things needed to change. 2nd year came. I watched this video every day when I woke up at 4am. I worked hard. At the end of the year, results day came. Overall I got a B (Year 1 Resits in addition to Year 2)! From an E to a B in 1 year is the biggest achievement I have ever gotten. Winners win, losers lose. Yes 100%. Thank you ET for inspiring me.

I just started my own trim carpentry company I’ve put in 14 hour days 6 a week working and learning now it’s time to move forward at beast mode speed I’ve finally taken the finally part of my life into my own hands the production of my own work so I never have to rely on another to provide for me this video started this trip and I figure it’s a good place to stop and fuel up for the final push 5 am about to hit the road first day to the rest of em thanks for getting me here Eric Thomas I will be at one of your conventions after I move into a new home and get my dog back to try to give you back some of what I got through your message

P.s my saw table looks like it belong to a crazy cave dweller but it’s is full of useful things you’ve said again thank you for dragging this barely got out of high school cant stand a desk job blue collar boy to over 100 k a year on nothing but pure grind and hard work I’ve outworked everyone I know and I would still be broke not knowing wtf to do if it weren’t for you.

That philosophy of “you owe yourself an explanation for where your at” has been more influential in my life then anything I learned at school & it’s like a 7 min video lol thanks for the content as always! You help me to shine brighter when I’m unable

You move me to pieces. My favorite thing about you is that unlike other successful black men and women. You acknowledge the system of racism as an issue, and how it puts all black people at a disadvantage but you CHOOSE to rise above it.

You have helped me start pushing hard towards a my dreams I now have my own YouTube channel, my own martial arts school and I’m back at college learning personal training! All thanks to the motivation you installed in me!

I agree with him, most important listen too no man until you listen to your spirit first and your spirit will guide you and answer and direct you too all the questions you need for yourself. He is just reassurance that is already in you that is saying it in physical form.