A Conversation With Author Jermaine Burse: Using His Life Story To Empower The Next Generation (Motivational Speech)

Reginald D interviews Jermaine Burse, an author and personal trainer. Jermaine discusses his autobiography "Prevailing Past The Pain." 

Jermaine opens up about the challenges he faced at a young age and how he overcame them. From a dramatic incident that changed the course of his life to finding his passion and purpose, Jermaine's journey is one that will leave you inspired and motivated.

Watch the video interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bpzkywac7hw

To purchase Jermaine's book, "Prevailing Past The Pain." email him at jermaineburse2023@gmail.com

Social Media:  JebFit Burse
Instagram:  https://instagram.com/unique_fitnesssss_?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Transcript

Welcome to Real Talk with Reginald D. I'm your host, Reginald D. On today's episode, I have Jermaine Burse. Jermaine is an author and personal trainer as a part of his business, Unique Fictions. At a young age, Jermaine was involved in a dramatic incident that would change the course of his life. Jermaine has written an autobiography titled "Prevailing Past the Pain," which outlines his childhood and the challenges he faced at a young age. Welcome to the show, Jermaine. Hey, how you doing? Doing great, man. Glad to have you on. I appreciate you stopping by to hang out with me for a minute. Thank you, thank you. So, Jermaine, tell us a little bit about your book, "Prevailing Past Pain," and your childhood growing up in Georgia.

First of all, my mama always wanted me to write a book about my life because of the situations that I've been through at a younger age. Nine years old, it started, and it really escalated up through my teenage years. So I went to prison, and once I got in prison, I only had time, so I decided to write a book because she was on me so much about writing a book about my life story and how I can touch others. But I was concentrating on touching the younger generation, so they won't go through the same path as I did.

Got you. So, I see why you decided to write that autobiography, because you wanted your life to be an example for other people, which is amazing. Let's go back into your childhood a little bit. You say you started at nine years old. What are some of the things you were introduced to and some of the obstacles you faced coming up through childhood?

Well, we live in the country. I grew up in, so we live in the country. And I got two sisters and one brother. We lived in a trailer out in the country. And it started, like I said, nine years old. And when I was like nine years old, I burnt the trailer down. I burnt the whole trailer down because I was cooking chicken. I really didn't know how to cook chicken, but I was home alone. So I was hungry. So I decided to fry some chicken. I burnt the trailer down. And that was my first like altercation of going through something major. Then as I grew older, I went to, I was, I'm a basketball football player. I went to college for basketball football. So growing up through elementary, middle school, and high school, I was a three-sport player, which I played baseball, football, and basketball. So going through life and trials and tribulations, you're going to have, especially when it comes to athletics, you're going to face the struggles that you necessarily don't got to face, especially if you are African-American. So as I got in high school, there's a record in high school , a scoring record in high school that I was trying to break. And it was my last game of the basketball season. And it was against Dalton High School, which I went to Northwest Whitfield High School. And Dalton is our rival game. So, I was playing in the Dalton game, and I was like 10, 15 points away from a record. Coach wouldn't let me break it. He sat me down the whole third and fourth quarter. And you know, that's when it really, like really, really started for me.

So, he set you down in the third or fourth quarter and wouldn't let you break the record? Right. And what do you think the reason behind that was?

I'm gonna say politics. I'm not do gonna do the racial thing, but I'm gonna say politics.

Gotcha. Gotcha. So, you were also a young father in high school, right? 16 years old, you became a father? Yes, sir. I had her at 16 years old, yes. Okay. So that had to be obstacles right there at a young age. She was like, Hey, I'm about to be a father now. I'm pretty sure it changed the course of your life and your way of thinking and things like that.

Right, right. It did. It changed my whole life, whole mindset.

Then you had another traumatic incident I've read about one of your best friends that ended up being murdered.

When that coach wouldn't let me break the record at Northwest, right, I transferred to Southeast. And I transferred to Southeast to play basketball and football, but I only focused on football because that's when I had my daughter, who's at 16. So I couldn't really do two sports because I was focused on not only my child, but I was focused on my baby mother at the time. So I decided to just pursue myself in football and do that. Some stuff went into play. I got kicked out of Southeast, and then I went to a school called Phoenix High School in Dalton. And that's where I got my degree at. So after I graduated and I scored like a 36, I think, if I'm not mistaken, I had like a 36 on my SAT. I scored a top 10 in Georgia. So after that, I went to LaGrange. But the question you asked me was about the shooting that happened to my best friend. That was the summer of when I was in going to college because that's the summer of 2007.

Yeah, because I can relate to something like that because I'll tell you, I had this similar incident where I was with one of my best friends and saw him being shot in a situation like that. It kind of took a turn on my life for a while. I had to really try to fight to get through it and get over it, you know? And that's what life is a lot of times. Sometimes we got to keep fighting through all the obstacles, all the circumstances come our way. So let me ask you this, why do you lean so much on your faith?

I believe in God. I believe in God because the things that I went through at a young age and the things I went through as a teenager and the things I'm still going through as an adult, he's been right beside me. I ain't never let my faith down. And it's like this, when I have like days to where I'm like, God, why are you doing this? Why you put me through these types of situations? And I just think at it as like, God only put something on you, only you can bear. So I get that in my mind. I'm like, I'm gonna keep on going and keep on going. And he always prevailed me out of situations, always. He never let me down. So that's so much on faith because, you know, he's never let me down.

God has never let me down in any type of situation. Absolutely. And so you had that advantage because you come from a church family. I did. My grandma is a preacher. We're evangelists. Okay. And you grew up in the church?

Yes, yes. I grew up as Methodist and right now I am Baptist, but I grew up as a Methodist.

So I always tell people, it's something about that church upbringing that helps you when you grow through life, even though when you make your mistakes and go down the wrong road, you ended up getting back on track because you remember those teachings and you remember the discipline that was taught to you and how to follow God and things like that. And that's a real advantage to have knowing that you grew up in a Christian home and Christian family and things like that.

And it also helps when you have a praying grandma that I have, or a praying mother that I have, or a praying dad that I have, that also does something too. You know what I'm saying? Because it's not just you praying, you got other people praying for you.

Exactly. You're right. You're right. And that's so phenomenal. Let's talk about your business, Unique Fitness.

So you're a personal trainer? I am. When I was at LeBron, that's what I majored in, physical therapy. So I got my degree in that and, you know, I've gotten in trouble, you know, I haven't went that wrong path. So at this time around, I'm like, let me try to do something to help others because I need to do something to help others. Cause not only am I going to help others, I'm also going to get my blessings behind it. So I started doing personal training and really focused down this time. Let me say this. I've been out for a year and a half. So the year and a half that I have been out. I'm really like focused. Once I got first day, I dove head first into, and let me do something to help the people out, the women or help the men out. So I decided to do it. I don't have my own gym. Not right now. That's my five year goal is to have my own gym, but I am training at a facility and I can bring whoever I want to. And they can come to the gym and they can train with me.

Awesome. So you have a five-year goal to have your own gym? Yes, sir. That's my goal. It's going to be called You Need Fitness? Yes, sir. I am definitely going to be in prayer with you on that, that God's going to make you reach your goal. Right. So what drives you, Jermaine? What drives you to do the things you do every day?

First of all, God drives me. And then my children. My children drive me as well. I got a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old, and they drive me. to wake up every morning to work, to write this book, to go train. They drive me. That's all my family does too. My grandmother really is on me every single day. And I can say it gets on my nerves at times because she's a preacher. It's not no like wrong. I can't do no wrong. She wants me to be perfect. And sometimes I can't be perfect like she wants me to be. So I try to stay level-headed because I know that's what she wants me to do. So she really drives me to be at level mindset and don't get in trouble and all that other stuff that I have done in my past.

Yeah, I've been down that road before. I had my grandparents the same way, man, about me. They're just trying to push the greatness out of you. And it's tough, too. It's tough, man. I'll tell you, it's tough. But they're not going to take no less.

I know it. I really like because that's keeping my head on straight. That's keeping my head on straight for real. So I really like that about her, about how she don't settle for less. It's either this way or it's not no way. You're going to walk this way. And you know, I like that about her.

I'll never switch up. Yeah. And it's a blessing to have somebody in your life like that. It really is. It really is. So out of all the things you do, What do you do when you run into obstacles and challenges and seems like things are setting you back in life? How do you respond to things like that? How do you act to things like that?

I really try to stay the same way, right? I was talking to somebody about this the other day and I was like, I don't never have a bad day. I may have days that I may, you know, get angry or if I'm at work, a coworker do this or whatever. I may do that. But as far as having a bad day, as far as facing an obstacle, I don't have a bad day at all. Because I come from to where it's like, I grew up in prison. First time I went to prison was 21. So I practically grew up in prison. So I'm like, can't nothing get worse than this. You feel what I'm saying? It can't get no worse than doing what I'm doing in prison. So once I'm out here, I put that same mentality. I do the same thing as I'm out here. And I look at it like, Whether an obstacle come at me, whether I may get fired from my job or whether I may do this, it can't get no worse than that. I always have that same mindset as far as obstacle that I'm facing or a letdown. I always go to that.

Yeah, you always have to remember your blessings and remember where you came from. That helps you get through things. At least that helps me get through things throughout life. Because like I say, you can look back over your life and things I go through sometimes I can look back on my life and I'd be like, man, I done been through worse stuff than this. It helps me come through it. It helps me get through it. And that's how I roll with it at the end of the day, you know? And of course you got God's help. You know, you got God's help. And when you got purpose, see, one thing I like about you, what I'm hearing about you is that you have purpose in your life. You're purpose driven. Right. And I think that keeps you going also. Correct. Correct.

Correct. Cause it's like this, I'm not going to say I've been a let down or black sheep to my family. But I am the only family member that done been to prison. I am the only family member that has a record. I'm the only family member that has a felony. So it's kind of like I'm the black sheep of the family. But it's like I'm trying to do positive things for once in my life. I'm just trying to do positive things with the world and with me. It makes me feel a whole lot better when a person grabs my book and they say, you are an inspiration. Or, you don't been through a lot of things, but you don't look like what you've been through. It makes my day when somebody tells me that. And I'm doing something right. And God gave me the vision to write this book to teach other people. And that's really what it's all about. God put you on this earth to fulfill a purpose. And I think this is my purpose, to touch the younger generation, and not only the younger generation, touch people that's been through the same situations that I have been through as well. So I think I'm living my purpose with God.

Yeah, that's awesome because we are vessels for God, no matter where we've been, what we've been through, the failures that we've had in life, all those things. You know, God turns your bad and turns it into good if you're willing to go His way and do it His way. And then he opened up doors, man, you know, it'll blow your mind. And you know that, you know, if you're coming from prison, you don't write books. I mean, you're personal training with your own business, man. Hey, man, come on. That's what it's all about. Right. And now here, you got a passion. I see you have a passion for the younger generation.

Yeah. Cause I know being an African American, I know that there are male or female, I'm going to say What you see in the prison system are mainly African-Americans or Mexicans. I'm not sure what the ratio is or what the percent is, but I'm pretty sure it's like 16 to 20% Caucasians are in prison. The rest is Mexicans and Hispanics and African-Americans. So with that ratio being up as far as young African-Americans being in prison, That's mainly what I'm focused on, because they are going through the same situation as I'm going through. When I first went to prison, I went at 21. And nowadays, there's men going at 16, 17 years old. And they don't have nobody to talk to. They don't have no father figure out there or nobody that has been through the same situations as them. They don't have nobody to talk to. So they go to the street. So I'm here to give them knowledge, give them the understanding. If they don't believe in God, get them to have more faith in God. My main goal is to touch younger African Americans so they won't go through the same situation as I went through.

That's awesome, Jermaine, because that is much needed. It's much needed because you have kids out here, doesn't have a mother, son, doesn't have a father, no direction, just winging life, man. And you can't hold a child accountable at 13 years old and try to make them be 30 years old because they're not. They're not, you know, they're not. So it takes mentors like you, it takes mentors like myself to step up and try to help what we can to keep the younger generation from going into the prison systems or doing something, you know. Most definitely. I had a father. I had a father figure in my life.

I have both. Actually, I have both parents growing up, but I just drove the street. So it really don't matter if you have a father figure or both parents or single or whatever. Whatever the case may be, it really don't matter because I have both parents. And look at me, you feel what I'm saying? The world nowadays is like a trend. If they see one person doing it, the next person gonna do it, then the next person gonna do it, then the next person gonna do it. And that's how it was with me. I started selling drugs because I saw this person had a flashy car, this person pull out a wad of money or whatever the case may be, and I wanted to be like them. You feel what I'm saying? I wanted to have the women, I wanted to have the cars, I wanted to have the glory. I wanted to not ask my family for money and stuff like that. I wanted to be like them. So I decided to choose that trend. Even though that was the wrong type of trend, I decided to do that. So, and that's how it is now. They follow the trend, really. And that's not how it's supposed to be.

Yeah. Life is all about choices. You know, you can make that one choice, that one choice, man, it can mess your life up forever. Sometimes you don't have a second chance. Sometimes you don't. That's why it's so critical that we make the right choices at the right time, the best we can in life. Most definitely. So Jermaine, what would you say to the kids today about life?

Just pursue your passion. And if you don't have a passion, to find it and to ask God. First of all, you just get close to God. If you're not close to God, get close to God. And once you get close to God, he's going to find you what you need to be doing. He's going to find your passion. He's going to find your craft. And once you find your craft, or once you find your passion, go head first. God head first in it too. It don't matter if you have no money. You feel what I'm saying? God is going to allow you to make it do what it do. He's going to bless you to make it do what it do. You may have to start slow or you may have to start at the ground up and deal with the way you're up top, but he's going to make sure you meet your goal and succeed your craft and your passion. So that's what I would tell the younger generation. Just keep going. Don't stop. Believe in God. Continue to have faith in God.

He's going to get you there. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You gotta keep the faith, man. You gotta keep the faith. You gotta keep grinding. You gotta keep pushing and don't let nobody turn you around. Right. Don't let nobody turn you around. That's the only way you're going to get to what God has for you in your life. Most definitely. So Jermaine, how can people purchase your book?

Um, right now I am going through a situation right now to where I have to add more pages to my book because Amazon won't let me have right now it's a 52 page book so amazon allows you to have a 72 page autobiography so i'm in the process of putting more pages into my book but i'm about there i'm about there so i'm gonna say about one to two months you can purchase my book on amazon but for that time being you can purchase my book through my email or i have a business card that you can purchase my book but it's easy to purchase my book through email And then I will order you your book. And then if you are like out of state or out of city, I can mail you your book. What's the email? My email is Jermaine, J-E-R-M-A-I-N-E  B-U-R-S-E 2023 at gmail.com. Also, I do have social media platforms and my social media name is J-E-B Fit First. And my Instagram is Unique Fitness.

There you have it. There you have it. Jermaine, man, I've had a blast hanging out with you today. I'm going to tell you something. Keep going, man. You're doing a wonderful thing. Thank you. Keep grinding. Stay focused. You're going to go places, man. You're going to go places. I really believe that. I really believe that. We're going to keep the faith about opening up the five-year goal with the gym. I'm going to have to come down there and visit it one day.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Get a little workout in.

Yeah, just don't kill me now. Man, thank you so much for stopping by, hanging out with me for a minute. Man, anything I can do for you, man, you know, reach out to me, let me know. It's really been an honor to hang out with you and see what God is doing in your life. It's truly a blessing. I'm sure it's a blessing for my listeners also.

Most definitely, most definitely. And thank you for having me on your podcast. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Now you learn how to, you learn how to fry chicken yet?

How about learn how to what now? Fry chicken yet? I live by myself right now and I won't fry no chicken. I really go out. No, don't do it. No, I ain't going to do it. No, I ain't going to do it.

I ain't. All right, everybody. Jermaine Burst. Jermaine Burst. Thank you so much, sir, for coming on the podcast and hanging out with me. Thank you. Thank you for tuning in to Real Talk With Reginald D. If you enjoyed the show, please share with anybody you feel the need to take this journey with us on being a better you. See you next time.