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Tyler Perry Delivers Powerful Speech During People’s Choice Awards

“Make sure everybody that you run into meets you at your worth.”

During the 2020 E! People’s Choice Awards on Sunday (Nov. 15), media mogul Tyler Perry was honored with the People’s Champion Award presented by Tiffany Haddish. The 51-year-old took the time to deliver a powerful speech that reminded everyone that they are “worthy of getting to [their] goal.”

His acceptance speech included a story where Perry recalled a time when an engineer helped him dig a well at his Atlanta home, People reports

His People’s Champion recognition comes after opening Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre lot in Atlanta valued at $280 million where he films his own TV shows and movies. 

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“In this world, we're all digging wells. In our lives, we're digging wells. We're digging wells in relationships, where we put all this time and effort and energy, and sometimes it doesn't give us what we need,” Perry said. “We put all our time, energy and dreams in our business and it doesn't give us what we need or what we were after. But if you just keep digging, my God if you could just hear me right now, just keep digging.”

The writer, director and actor noted that you never know how close you are to “every gift and every blessing that you ever wanted in your life.” And had he given up when he was homeless, hungry and sleeping in his car, he would not be in a position to give talented actors the chance to be on the big screen. 

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“There are people who are tied to your dream and your destiny, and you are worthy of getting to your goal. Keep digging, don't stop," Perry continued before concluding with “when you get there, when you get to that water and you see it coming and you know what you need, this is what I always want you to remember, make sure everybody that you run into meets you at your worth.”

Watch Tyler Perry’s acceptance speech at the 2020 People’s Choice Awards below:

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