VIP Mini-Story Text

Hello, this is A.J., welcome to the first mini-story for the VIP Global Leadership Program.
Shall we start? Okay.

*****

There is…no, let’s do the past tense. There was a rich, successful and handsome
man.

What kind of man was there?

A rich, successful and handsome man.

Who was the rich, successful, handsome man?

Well the rich, successful, handsome man was…Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt was the rich,
successful, handsome man.

But Brad Pitt had a problem.

What was his problem?

Well his problem was that he was unhappy. Brad Pitt was rich, successful and
handsome…he was rich, successful and handsome, but he was not happy.

Who wasn’t happy?

Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt wasn’t happy.

Was he happy or was he unhappy?

Of course, he was unhappy.

In fact, Brad Pitt was miserable. Miserable means super unhappy; very, very
unhappy.

Who was totally miserable?

Brad Pitt, of course. Brad Pitt was totally and completely miserable.

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Was he super happy?

No, he was not super happy. He was miserable.

Was Brad Pitt rich?

Yes, he was rich. He was super rich.

Was Brad Pitt successful?

Yes, he was super successful!

Was he handsome?

Oh yeah, he was super handsome. He was super successful. He was super rich.

So what was his problem?

Well, he was miserable. He was super unhappy.

Brad Pitt had everything in his life externally. Externally means outside himself.
He had a beautiful wife.

Did he have an ugly wife or a beautiful wife?

He had a beautiful wife, Angelina Jolie. His wife was beautiful.

What kind of wife was she?

She was a beautiful wife and he had lots of money. He was rich and he was famous
and successful, but he was unhappy. He was miserable.

Why was he miserable?

Well, he didn’t know. He didn’t know why he was miserable. He thought and he
thought and he asked himself, why am I so unhappy? Why am I so miserable?

What did he think about?

Well, he thought about the question: why am I so unhappy? Why am I so miserable?

Every day he asked himself this question.

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How often did he ask himself this question?

Every day he asked himself this question.

Who asked himself, why am I so miserable?

Well, Brad Pitt, of course.

Was Brad Pitt handsome?

Yes, he was.

But how did he feel?

He felt totally miserable.

Why did he feel totally miserable?

We don’t know.

Did Brad Pitt know why he felt totally miserable?

No, he didn’t. Brad Pitt didn’t know.

So, he was living in L.A.; so at that time, maybe one year ago.

At that time, one year ago, where was he living at that time?

Well, at that time, when he was totally miserable, he was living in Los Angeles, in L.A.

At that time, when he was totally miserable, where was Brad Pitt living?

Well, he was living at that time in L.A.

Was he living in New York at that time or was he living in L.A. at that time?

Well, at that time, when he was totally miserable, he was living in L.A.

Who was living in L.A. at that time?

Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt was living in L.A. at that time.

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When was he living in L.A.?

When he was totally miserable. When he was feeling totally miserable. When he was
feeling totally miserable, well, about a year ago, he was living in L.A.

So he was living in L.A. and he thought why am I miserable? Why am I

miserable? Why am I miserable? Why am I so totally miserable? And then he
thought maybe it’s because I live in L.A., hum.

So what reason did he think of?

Well, he thought of this reason. Hum, maybe it’s because I’m living in L.A. or maybe it’s
because I live in L.A.

Why did he think he was miserable?

Well, he thought, maybe, that he was miserable because he was living in L.A.

Who thought this?

Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt thought maybe I’m miserable because I am living in L.A.

So, what did Brad Pitt decide to do?

Well, obviously, he decided to move. He decided to leave L.A.

Where did he decide to go? Did he decide to go to México, to Mexico?

No, he didn’t decide to go to Mexico.

Did he decide to go to Europe?

No, he didn’t decide to go to Europe.

Why not?

Well, he wanted to go to a beautiful, colorful place with mountains.

What kind of place did he want to go to?

He wanted to go to a beautiful, colorful place with mountains.

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When did he want to go to a beautiful, colorful place with mountains?

Well, immediately, as soon as possible. As soon as possible Brad Pitt wanted to leave
L.A. and go to a beautiful, colorful place with mountains.

And who wanted to go to a beautiful, colorful place with mountains?

Brad Pitt, of course.

And so he decided to go to Nepal, to Nepal.

Which country did Brad Pitt decide to go to?

Well, Brad Pitt decided to go to Nepal.

Ah, Brad Pitt decided to go to Nepal. Now did Tomoe, my wife, did she decide to go to
Nepal?

No, no, no, Tomoe did not decide to go to Nepal.

So where was Tomoe living at that time, about a year ago?

Well, at that time she was living in Osaka, Japan.

So about a year ago who was living in Osaka, Japan?

Tomoe. Tomoe was living in Osaka, Japan, about a year ago.

And at that same time who was living in L.A.?

Well, Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt was living in L.A. at that time, about a year ago.

Where was Tomoe living?

In Osaka, Japan.

And where was Brad Pitt living at that time?

Well, at that time, Brad Pitt was living in L.A.

Where did Brad Pitt decide to go?

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He decided to go to Nepal.

Why? Why did he decide to go to Nepal?

Well, because he wanted to go to a colorful, beautiful place with mountains.

Where did Tomoe decide to go?

Well, she decided to go to Canada, to Vancouver, Canada.

Was Tomoe miserable?

No, no, no, Tomoe wasn’t miserable. Tomoe was very, very happy. She felt wonderful.

So why did she want to go to Vancouver?

Just for a vacation. Tomoe wanted a vacation.

Did Brad Pitt want a vacation?

No, no, no, no, he didn’t want a vacation. Brad Pitt was miserable. He wanted to
become happier.

So where did he go?

To Nepal. Brad Pitt went to Nepal and Tomoe went to Vancouver.

So Brad Pitt got on a plane and he went to Nepal. He arrived in the Nepal Airport
in Katmandu.

Which city did he arrive at?

He arrived at the Katmandu Airport, right? He arrived at Katmandu.

And he arrived at the airport and then he went through Immigration and Customs.

What did he go through?

Well, he went through Immigration and Customs in Nepal, in the Nepal Airport.

Who went through Immigration and Customs in the Nepal Airport?

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Brad Pitt did, of course. Brad Pitt went through Immigration and Customs in the Nepal
Airport.

Did he go through Immigration and Customs in the L.A. Airport?

No, no, no, he was leaving L.A. He didn’t go through Immigration and Customs in the
L.A. Airport. He went though Immigration and Customs in the Katmandu Airport.

Where did Tomoe go through Immigration and Customs?

Well, in the Vancouver Airport. She arrived in Vancouver and then she had to go
through Immigration and Customs, Canadian Immigration, Canadian Customs.

And which Immigration and Customs did Brad Pitt go through?

He went through Immigration and Customs in Katmandu, Nepal, in Nepal, of course.

So he went through Immigration and Customs and he arrived in Nepal. There

were beautiful mountains. It was a colorful, interesting place.

How did he feel?

Aaahhh, poor Brad. He was still miserable. Brad Pitt was still totally depressed and
miserable in Nepal. Aaahhh, he thought, I’m still miserable. I’m in Nepal. It’s colorful,
it’s beautiful, great mountains, but I’m still miserable.

Was Brad Pitt happy?

No, he wasn’t. Of course not, he was totally miserable.

How did Tomoe feel?

Tomoe felt great. She was happy.

In fact, she was ecstatic. Ecstatic means super, super, super happy.

Was Brad Pitt ecstatic?

No, he wasn’t. He was miserable.

Who was ecstatic?

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Tomoe was ecstatic. She was so ecstatic, totally ecstatic. She felt ecstatic!

Why did she feel ecstatic?

Well, she felt ecstatic because she was on vacation in a new place. She was so happy
and excited! Tomoe went through Customs and Immigration in the Vancouver Airport.
She went to her nice hotel and she felt ecstatic, excited and happy.

Was Brad Pitt ecstatic?

No, he wasn’t. Brad Pitt was miserable, totally miserable. So he thought oh, my God,
what’s wrong? I’m miserable still. I’m still miserable.

So he thought and he thought why am I miserable? Why am I miserable? Why

am I miserable? And then he thought aaahhh, what do I need to do to become
happy? What do I need to do to become happy? And he thought and he thought
and finally he thought maybe I need to help other people. Maybe if I help other
people I will feel happier. And so he decided to return to L.A. to help other
people.

Where did Brad Pitt decide to go?

He decided to go back to L.A.

Who went back to L.A.?

Brad Pitt went back to L.A.

Why did he decide to go back to L.A.?

To help other people. To help other people, that’s why he decided to go back to L.A.

Who did he want to help?

Well, Brad Pitt decided to help homeless people. He decided I will help homeless
people.

Did Tomoe decide to help homeless people?

No, no, no, no, no, Tomoe didn’t decide to help homeless people. Brad Pitt decided to
help homeless people.

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What did Tomoe decide to do?

Well, Tomoe always helps people. In Japan she was always helping people all the time.

So, on her vacation she decided to relax and go to a spa. She decided to go to a
spa.

Did Tomoe decide to help homeless people in Vancouver?

No, no, she didn’t.

Why not?

Well, because she was always helping homeless people. Always in the past, all the
time, she was always helping homeless people and other people. She was always
helping people in general, so in Vancouver she was on vacation. She decided to relax
and take care of herself, just for a couple of weeks.

Where did she decide to go?

She decided to go to a spa and get a massage.

Did Brad Pitt want a massage at a spa?

No, he didn’t.

Was Brad Pitt always helping people in the past?

No, he wasn’t. Brad Pitt was always selfish in the past.

Was Tomoe always selfish in the past?

No, she wasn’t. Tomoe was always generous in the past, always helpful in the past.

So who was always selfish in the past?

Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt was always selfish in the past, always thinking about himself.

And so Tomoe relaxed and she enjoyed the spa.

Where did she enjoy the spa?

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In Vancouver, Canada, of course. She enjoyed the spa in Vancouver, Canada.

And where did Brad Pitt return to?

To L.A., of course, to Los Angeles. He returned to L.A.

For what purpose?

To help homeless people. He returned to L.A. to help homeless people.

He went to the poorest neighborhood in L.A. with a big bag of money and he
found hundreds of homeless people. He opened his bag of money and he started
giving them money, hundreds of dollars. Here’s $100. And then he went to
another one. Here’s $100. And another one. Here’s $100. And he was giving
hundreds and hundreds and thousands and thousands of dollars to these
homeless people.

Did he give cookies to the homeless people?

No, he didn’t.

What did he give to the homeless people?

Well, money. He gave money to the homeless people.

How much money?

Hundreds and hundreds of dollars. He gave hundreds and hundreds and thousands
and thousands of dollars.

To who or to whom?

To homeless people. He gave hundreds and hundreds and thousands and thousands
of dollars to homeless people.

And why did Brad Pitt give hundreds and hundreds and thousands and thousands of
dollars to homeless people?

Well, because he wanted to contribute. He wanted to contribute to other people.

Did he want to be selfish?

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No, he didn’t. He didn’t want to be selfish.

What did he want to do?

He wanted to contribute.

Did Tomoe want to contribute?

Well, of course she did. Tomoe always wanted to contribute.

Had Brad Pitt always wanted to contribute in the past? Had he always wanted that or
was it something new?

It was something new. In the past he had not wanted to contribute, but he changed his
mind and wanted to contribute.

So who had not wanted to contribute in the past?

Well, Brad Pitt. In the past Brad Pitt had not wanted to contribute, but then he changed
his mind and now he wanted to contribute.

And who had always contributed in the past to other people?

Tomoe. Tomoe had always contributed to other people in the past. Always helping
other people, homeless people, everybody.

Had Tomoe wanted to contribute to other people in the past?

Yes, she had always wanted to contribute in the past.

Did she change her mind?

No, she didn’t change her mind.

Who changed his mind?

Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt changed his mind. In the past he had not wanted to contribute. He
had not thought about that, but then he changed his mind and now he wanted to
contribute to homeless people.

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He wanted to help them, so he gave more and more money and something
amazing happened. The more money he gave to them the happier he felt. He
gave them thousands and thousands of dollars and then finally he gave a million
dollars to different homeless people. He helped so many homeless people. He
bought homes and apartments for homeless people.

What did he buy for them?

He bought homes and apartments.

For who?

For homeless people.

Now this is a quick grammar point. In casual speaking, in regular speaking English, we
will use who. We say for who? Sometimes grammar teachers say whom, whom, but in
normal conversations we almost never say whom with an “m” at the end, whom. It’s just
not normal. You almost never hear it. It sounds too formal. It sounds quite strange, in
fact, when we speak, so you can always say who, for who.

So he bought houses and apartments for who?

For homeless people.

Who bought apartments and houses for homeless people?

Brad Pitt did.

Brad Pitt bought what?

Apartments and houses.

For who?

For homeless people. He bought apartments and houses for homeless people.

So finally Tomoe returned to Japan and she continued to help lots and lots of
people. She continued to contribute to everybody in her life.

What about Brad Pitt?

Well, Brad Pitt felt happy. He finally felt happy in his life.

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Why did he feel happy?

Because finally he was contributing to other people. Finally he felt alive and wonderful
and happy.

Why did he feel happy?

Because he was helping homeless people and he continued to help homeless people
every day of his life. He continued to be very, very happy.

*****

And that is the end of our mini-story for our first Welcome VIP Mini-Story. I hope you
enjoyed it. Listen to it every day and shout your answers. Remember, always, your
shoulders are back, your chest is up and you’re smiling and you’re shouting your
answers with confidence, strong, feeling good.

I’ll see you again, bye-bye.

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