‘I Was Sick and Tired of Being Poor’: Steve Harvey Reveals His Childhood Dream of Owning a Big Home Motivated Him Along the Road to Success

Steve Harvey is never short on words of encouragement.

The comedian and sought-after host made a career out of telling jokes, but when it comes to reminding his fans of his road to success, Harvey says there is only but so much room for dreams and fear to coincide.

Tyler Perry’s former mansion in Atlanta’s tony Buckhead neighborhood was sold for $15 million to Steve and Marjorie Harvey. (Photo: Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International)

In the moments between taping scenes of the popular game show “Family Feud,” Harvey became candid about what motivated him to chase his dreams despite his humble beginnings.

“I’m just being honest, I was sick and tired of being poor. I was just exhausted,” said Harvey in the video shared with his followers. He goes on to recall how his father would load the family into the car, drive into the suburbs and allow them to see homes decorated with lights for Christmas. 

“I would see these big houses, man, with lights all on them , and they had big horseshoe driveways where you just pull in and go all the way around. That s—t was amazing to me.” When Harvey asked his father why they didn’t have a grand home he was told that with hard work he would be the one to own a grand home some day.

“That was it. My motivation was to buy a big house,” said Harvey, who many consider to be one of the hardest-working men in Hollywood. The father of seven made good on that dream too — even when dealing with accountants who were padding their pockets at his expense. “Every home I have, every house I’ve ever owned or built you got pull in one way and drive all the way around to come out of there.”

As for his parting words of advice, Harvey had this to say, “Find a dream that’s so big that it overwhelms all of your fears and causes you to never give up.”

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