You have to be vigorous. That's the only way you are going to get

The words of Nick Cannon, though spoken in the rhythm of modern ambition, carry the timeless heartbeat of perseverance: “You have to be vigorous. That’s the only way you are going to get it because everybody has dreams and everybody has goals, but the only people who achieve them are the ones that go after it and don’t take no for an answer.” In this declaration, Cannon speaks not only as an artist and creator, but as a warrior of purpose — reminding us that dreams are not granted by chance, but conquered through vigor, persistence, and an unyielding spirit. His words call us to awaken the dormant fire within, to understand that wishing is nothing without will, and that destiny favors those who dare to pursue it with relentless heart.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the crucible of experience — the hard-won lessons of a man who built his career through adversity, doubt, and determination. From humble beginnings to the heights of fame as an entertainer, Cannon’s journey was not marked by privilege but by persistence. He speaks as one who knows that talent alone is not enough. The world is filled with dreamers, but only a few become doers. His words echo the law of life itself: that creation — whether in art, in success, or in one’s soul — demands energy and motion. Nothing comes to the one who waits; all comes to the one who acts.

To be vigorous is to live with intensity, to meet every challenge with both courage and consistency. The ancients knew this truth well. In the pages of history, we see the same fire burning in figures such as Alexander the Great, who, before the age of thirty, carved an empire from the edges of the known world. His victories were not the gifts of luck or inheritance, but of tireless will. He was told again and again that his ambition was too great, that the mountains and deserts of Persia would break his armies. Yet, he pressed forward, never accepting “no” as his answer. His vigor was his power — a force that turned vision into reality. Such is the essence of Cannon’s message: that those who persist beyond doubt become architects of their own fate.

And yet, Cannon’s words do not glorify aggression; they celebrate commitment — the inner strength to rise after every fall. For in the pursuit of any dream, rejection will come. Doors will close. The world will test the purity of one’s desire. But the one who succeeds is not the one who avoids rejection, but the one who endures it, learns from it, and turns it into fuel. The sculptor does not abandon his marble when the first strike fails; he continues, chisel in hand, until beauty emerges. So too must the dreamer carve their destiny from resistance, with patience and persistence as their tools.

The world, Cannon reminds us, is full of those who want but few who work. Many speak of greatness, but their energy fades when met with struggle. True vigor is not a fleeting enthusiasm; it is sustained passion — the daily discipline to move one step closer to the dream, even when the path is long and lonely. Consider Thomas Edison, who failed thousands of times before inventing the light bulb. When asked how he could continue through so many failures, he replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” That is vigor — the refusal to be conquered by the word no.

Cannon’s wisdom, then, is both motivation and mirror. It asks each of us to examine our own lives and ask: Do we chase our dreams with vigor, or do we simply wish for them? Do we let fear of rejection silence us, or do we persist until our vision becomes real? His words are a challenge to awaken the strength of the spirit — to understand that the universe does not yield to hesitation, but to determination. Dreams are not ethereal gifts meant for the lucky few; they are promises that must be earned through effort, resilience, and self-belief.

So, my children, let this be your lesson: if you would see your dreams made flesh, you must chase them with the strength of your whole being. When the world says no, let your soul say yes. When obstacles rise, let your energy rise higher. Be vigorous in purpose, unwavering in faith, and fearless in pursuit. Do not wait for permission — forge your own path. For it is not brilliance alone that shapes destiny, but persistence. Every mountain bows to those who climb it; every door yields to those who knock long enough.

And remember always Nick Cannon’s eternal truth — that everybody has dreams, but only those who pursue them with unstoppable vigor will bring them into the light. Let your life, then, be a living act of persistence — a testament to the power of belief coupled with action. For the dream belongs not to those who imagine it, but to those who never stop going after it.