A multi-talented woman who motivates us to enjoy the process, talk-show host Oprah Gail Winfrey (1954-) was born on this day in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She learned to read by age three and by six, was in the third grade.

To help others, she has talked candidly about her rocky childhood, always inspiring others to be strong and move forward.

"Don't complain about what you don't have," she once advised, "Use what you've got. To do less than your best is a sin. Every single one of us has the power for greatness, because greatness is determined by service to yourself and to others."

Rising from the ashes of her painful youth, at 19 Winfrey landed her first job as a Nashville radio station reporter, enrolled in college, and won beauty contests. In 1984, she hosted her first TV show.  A year later she starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple. The female phenomenon has not stopped since.

"What I tell my guests who are nervous is to relax and tell the truth. The truth will set you free every time," she admitted.

An advocate of empowerment and spirit, Winfrey's show is seen by millions throughout the world. Her fans celebrate her down-to-earth charm and trust her as a role model and source of inspiration.

"Doing the best at this moment," explained Winfrey, "puts you in the best place for the next moment."

Enjoy the process.