Gene Simmons Opens Up: Coming To America With Nothing, The Mindset That Built An Empire & The Man Behind The Makeup

The School of Greatness

Lewis Howes

Entrepreneurship, Fitness, Inspiration, Greatness, Health, Money, Celebrity Interview, Self Care, Celebrity, Success, Mental Health, Relationships, Mindset, Health & Fitness, Education, Alternative Health, Business, Self-improvement

4.8 • 21.6K Ratings

🗓️ 4 June 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

KISS frontman Gene Simmons shares his incredible journey from Holocaust survivor's son to rock icon, revealing the mindset and work ethic that built a global empire. He discusses the power of feeling like an outsider, building unshakeable confidence, and why the hunt for greatness matters more than achieving it.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Did you ever doubt yourself?
0:01.0	Oh, hell no.
0:02.0	I know that I'm not the best looking guy in the world or the smartest or anything, but I will
0:06.5	walk into any room and I will walk out with your girlfriend.
0:10.0	There's no doubt in my mind.
0:12.0	Simmons and Kiss revolutionized rock in the 1970s and 80s.
0:15.0	One of the most influential rock fans of all time, 30 gold records, 14 platinum records. Here's Gene Simmons!
0:22.6	Don't ever take from anybody, just roll up your sleeves and go to work.
0:28.6	Wow.
0:29.6	What do all great champions do?
0:31.6	They psyched themselves up.
0:33.6	I'm going to win it. I am the champion.
0:35.6	I am the greatest. I heard Muhammad Ali doing that.
0:38.5	I never heard a human being talk like that publicly. Like, who is this guy? Actually, he was stating fact.
0:46.0	It's our problem that we thought, well, you're not supposed to say that. Why not? Why not set
0:51.2	greatness in front of you and then work towards achieving?
0:55.0	Yeah, that's true.
0:56.0	What have you learned about fame that you wish everyone knew?
1:00.0	If you become famous.
1:06.0	And I heard an interesting story or a very powerful story that of when you and your mother were trying to get to America and trying to come here and migrate to America.
1:21.1	What was the lesson you learned from your mom and the courage to get over?
1:25.1	My father had gone, so the provider was no longer there because my mother stayed at home
	...

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