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Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges
It was August 25, 2006, my first on-camera studio open for the CBS News broadcast 60 Minutes . Executive Producer Jeff Fager poked his head in the dressing room. "Good luck, Brotha! You've come a long way to get here. You've earned it."
. . . If only he knew. My mind flashed back to elementary school, when a therapist had informed my mother, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Pitts, your son cannot read." In Step Out on Nothing , Byron Pitts chronicles his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life. Throughout Byron’s difficult youth—his parents separated when he was twelve and his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet—he suffered from a debilitating stutter. But Byron was keeping an even more embarrassing He was also functionally illiterate. For a kid from inner-city Baltimore, it was a recipe for failure.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him—from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion. After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes . Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
. . . If only he knew. My mind flashed back to elementary school, when a therapist had informed my mother, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Pitts, your son cannot read." In Step Out on Nothing , Byron Pitts chronicles his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life. Throughout Byron’s difficult youth—his parents separated when he was twelve and his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet—he suffered from a debilitating stutter. But Byron was keeping an even more embarrassing He was also functionally illiterate. For a kid from inner-city Baltimore, it was a recipe for failure.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him—from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion. After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes . Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2009
17 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 3, 2012
And I thought all 60 Minutes anchors were required to be die-hard skeptics. Byron Pitts indeed steps out on untraveled territory in a soul stirring, heart wrenching autobiography of his personal struggles to a coveted anchor position on 60 Minutes.
An illiterate, skinny stutterer from a broken home for much of his early life, Pitts was an unlikely candidate for any significant position, let alone one as a television journalist, but as Pitts tells it, his faith brought him over every obstacle he encountered, including bullies, a cruel college professor, and his own debilitating self-deprecation.
Pitts startled me with these revelations because I assumed he was likely an Ivy League educated journalist groomed from birth for his current position in life. He isn't afraid to amuse the reader with comical self-assessments of his appearance and laid-back attitude to life and achievements. His writing, filled with anecdotes, confessions, and regrets, belies a gentle and humble character, softened by the terrible blows of his childhood and teen years.
His mundane existence might have remained thusly if not for the invention of Catholic priests in high school and a slew of overbearing (yet loving) family and friends who urged and encouraged him; A colorful tapestry of relatives, self-described weirdos, and strangers who, ignoring the evidence in front of them, helped propel Mr. Pitts to the top.
Pitts' faith in Jesus explains faith as we Christians understand it-an actionable and unexplainable series of events that cohere to produce frequent Hallelujahs, similar to "Produced by Faith" by Christian film executive, DeVon Franklin.
To the skeptics: if you read this book and can still conclude that faith had nothing to do with a nearly illiterate child, doomed to years of remedial classes, successfully rising through the ranks of one of the most competitive industries on the planet, then I challenge you to tell me what did.
"Step Out On Nothing" is a warning to the high achiever to acknowledge the "loser" in class, an admonition to you naysayers who love to stomp all over other people's dreams, and a written pat on the back to those who have stopped believing. You can do it.
An illiterate, skinny stutterer from a broken home for much of his early life, Pitts was an unlikely candidate for any significant position, let alone one as a television journalist, but as Pitts tells it, his faith brought him over every obstacle he encountered, including bullies, a cruel college professor, and his own debilitating self-deprecation.
Pitts startled me with these revelations because I assumed he was likely an Ivy League educated journalist groomed from birth for his current position in life. He isn't afraid to amuse the reader with comical self-assessments of his appearance and laid-back attitude to life and achievements. His writing, filled with anecdotes, confessions, and regrets, belies a gentle and humble character, softened by the terrible blows of his childhood and teen years.
His mundane existence might have remained thusly if not for the invention of Catholic priests in high school and a slew of overbearing (yet loving) family and friends who urged and encouraged him; A colorful tapestry of relatives, self-described weirdos, and strangers who, ignoring the evidence in front of them, helped propel Mr. Pitts to the top.
Pitts' faith in Jesus explains faith as we Christians understand it-an actionable and unexplainable series of events that cohere to produce frequent Hallelujahs, similar to "Produced by Faith" by Christian film executive, DeVon Franklin.
To the skeptics: if you read this book and can still conclude that faith had nothing to do with a nearly illiterate child, doomed to years of remedial classes, successfully rising through the ranks of one of the most competitive industries on the planet, then I challenge you to tell me what did.
"Step Out On Nothing" is a warning to the high achiever to acknowledge the "loser" in class, an admonition to you naysayers who love to stomp all over other people's dreams, and a written pat on the back to those who have stopped believing. You can do it.
April 19, 2010
I was looking for a book on cd to listen to while commuting to work. This was a ramdom choice simply because it was a biography. I love it! I am only on the first CD but when i pulled into the parking I check to see how many CD's there are to listen to and was sad to see that there are only 5!. Byron Pitts is well known for his spot on 60 minutes. There are many things that intrique me about this so far - there is a spiritual (christian) connection, which I didn't know until I started listening He grew up in Baltimore, raised by a single mother after a divorce, attended Archbishop Curly, had a stutter until he was 20, he was told he was functionally illiterate and maybe even retarded when he was child. Yet he managed to work himself up to a coveted postion of fame. All the while giving credit to those who deserve it for helping him in life. Can't wait to get into this more. Finsihed the book. I would like to go back and write down some of his bits of wisdom, quotes, etc into my journal. Though I thought maybe it was a bit too long after all, I still looked forward to getting in the car to listen to it. I had one disappointment at the end wher he gave the commencement speech for his college but I won't say what it was. I will save that for my book discussion group.
August 26, 2010
This is an autobiography about perserverance and hard work to overcome what appear to be overwhelming difficulties. Byron Pitts couldn't learn to read although he hid it well for several years. He also had a stutter which kept him from speaking up in class or anywhere else. He was sent "to the basement," the class for kids who couldn't learn, who had behavioral problems, etc. With the help of a very determined mother and a lot of other people, he finally learned to read, finished high school, and went to college where one of his professors told him he wasn't college material and his attending college was "a waste of the professor's time and the government's money." With each new discouraging comment, he found people who encouraged him to work hard to overcome the obstacles. He finished college and ultimately became a journalist for the TV show 60 Minutes.
This isn't a book about self-pity. It's about succeeding by discounting discouragement, trusting that God has a plan, and choosing to believe people who have encouraging words and offers of help. It's about making plans, sticking to them, and working hard. The book isn't maudlin and it isn't sanctimonious; it's a straightforward success story simply told.
This isn't a book about self-pity. It's about succeeding by discounting discouragement, trusting that God has a plan, and choosing to believe people who have encouraging words and offers of help. It's about making plans, sticking to them, and working hard. The book isn't maudlin and it isn't sanctimonious; it's a straightforward success story simply told.
March 19, 2025
Inspiring story of ABCNightline anchor Byron Pitts' upbringing. Pitts experienced dyslexia and had a stutter. With the help of a determined mother, Pitts not only overcame these perceived handicaps and developed a deep faith which helped him keep his outlook despite being told "You don't belong here." by professors and news station managers.
His picture belongs in the dictionary next to the word stick-to-itveness.
His picture belongs in the dictionary next to the word stick-to-itveness.
February 23, 2010
Mom, I'm finally reading this one! It took forever for it to become availabe at the library. I'm not a regular '60 Minutes' viewer, so I'm not that familiar with the author, but I look forward to finding out more about this inspiring story.
I am so ashamed that it has taken me this long to post my review of this book, which I finished over a month ago. For some reason, I thought I had done it but I guess not. This book came highly recommended by my Mom, so I went it with high hopes. Overall, I would say that it was inspiring just missing a little something. I can't quite pinpoint what exactly I found missing. I think overcoming illiteracy to eventually become a '60 Minutes' correspondent is outstanding, I just don't think he actually revealed what took him from point A to point B. There were so many incredibly helpful people along the way, from teachers to college friends that it almost seemed too good to be true. In some ways, this book read like a fairy tale, because everything he needed to work out in his favor eventually did. I also wished he had gone into more detail about his personal adult life, like his wife and children.
I am so ashamed that it has taken me this long to post my review of this book, which I finished over a month ago. For some reason, I thought I had done it but I guess not. This book came highly recommended by my Mom, so I went it with high hopes. Overall, I would say that it was inspiring just missing a little something. I can't quite pinpoint what exactly I found missing. I think overcoming illiteracy to eventually become a '60 Minutes' correspondent is outstanding, I just don't think he actually revealed what took him from point A to point B. There were so many incredibly helpful people along the way, from teachers to college friends that it almost seemed too good to be true. In some ways, this book read like a fairy tale, because everything he needed to work out in his favor eventually did. I also wished he had gone into more detail about his personal adult life, like his wife and children.
February 2, 2014
We heard Byron speak at the Celebration of Reading in the fall. His is a story of determination, faith, and people in his life who mad a difference. When he was about to give up or give in, people helped and encouraged him. He is an optimist and a Christian whose belief got him through the tough times. Amazing story of a boy who was functionally illiterate until age 12 and a stutterer until his twenties who became a national correspondent. He certainly did not have a happy homelife, but he had a mother who was the force behind his success. I especially enjoyed reading about his journalistic stints on 9/11 and in Afghanistan and Iraq. He paid his dues and earned his way to the top of his game. His relationship with his father was heartbreaking but he learned how to turn it into a positive influence. I truly admire the men and his "angels."
May 6, 2011
This autobiography was very well written and quite interesting. Byron Pitts was born into a lower income minority family to parents who eventually divorced. In addition to his family's lack of finances, he struggled with stuttering, functional illiteracy, an absentee father, and numerous other challenges during his life. A hard worker who had help along the way, he eventually graduated from college and achieved his dreams, becoming an unqualified success as a broadcast journalist and 60 MINUTES correspondent. I found his life story inspiring and his writing style enjoyable.
July 22, 2015
I found this book in a good thrift store brand new. I could not believe this gem was in the store because it is a must read for young adults who think the world ends over day to day crap. Get off of junk media and read a book.
November 6, 2009
He came to speak to our 8th graders and he is amazing.
December 25, 2012
My eldest dd had Byron Pitts speak at her college so she brought home this book for me to read. Great story.
June 12, 2016
This was a great read, it should be read by high school students who can't see any way out. Very inspirational
August 13, 2022
Absolutely amazing!
I loved every word, particularly with audible. How better to hear a newscaster tell his inspiring story? We met Bryon at his daughter’s performance in King Kong on Broadway a few years ago. An incredible person & devoted father made our night in addition to the play which was heartwarming and fun with incredible special effects. Christiana Pitts was wonderful & quite the star! I cannot wait to see more from her & follow Bryon Pitts in his career. Thank you Bryon for engaging my family with stories of your life during intermission & then randomly running into you & Christiana on the street on our way home! What a memorable evening & then hearing your voice on my first audible book i downloaded directly after the play was such a treat! Please keep on writing. Your instant friend, brandy holman with Marty & Terry Roche who share my sentiments totally. Thank you so much Bryon.
I loved every word, particularly with audible. How better to hear a newscaster tell his inspiring story? We met Bryon at his daughter’s performance in King Kong on Broadway a few years ago. An incredible person & devoted father made our night in addition to the play which was heartwarming and fun with incredible special effects. Christiana Pitts was wonderful & quite the star! I cannot wait to see more from her & follow Bryon Pitts in his career. Thank you Bryon for engaging my family with stories of your life during intermission & then randomly running into you & Christiana on the street on our way home! What a memorable evening & then hearing your voice on my first audible book i downloaded directly after the play was such a treat! Please keep on writing. Your instant friend, brandy holman with Marty & Terry Roche who share my sentiments totally. Thank you so much Bryon.
March 24, 2018
Such an inspiring story to keep moving forward in pursuing your dreams, no matter how hard. Byron Pitts could've believed the world when they told him he needed to quit, but he didn't. It inspires me to keep moving forward in pursuing my God-given dreams, despite adversity.
March 27, 2024
I read this in preparation for an upcoming professional development. I enjoyed learning his story and how he overcame so much. I wish there would’ve been more about his late personal life (marriage / kids). But I respect his privacy. It was very interesting reading about 9/11 and Afghanistan from a journalists perspective. I’ve never thought about how journalist travel to be on the ground / giving us reports and in turn put themselves in extreme danger.
May 28, 2017
Inspirational and hopeful.
January 15, 2018
An uplifting book about Byron Pitts and his struggles. Loved it.
Read
August 4, 2020Genuine and inspirational
February 3, 2012
I read this book after hearing Byron Pitts speak about his struggles as the child of a single mom growing up in a poor section of Baltimore. It is no spoiler to say that this respected journalist struggled to overcome stuttering and had to face the fact that as a teen he was functionally illiterate.
This is Mr. Pitts's story about starting over again as a reviled "basement boy" in remedial classes and his ensuing struggle to overcome severe learning difficulties. At a time when little was understood about how children learn to read, he was given a "reading machine" whose microfiche slides he spent hours memorizing. Combining determination with faith -- not to mention the force of nature that was his mother -- Mr. Pitts achieved his greatest dreams, graduating from college and eventually working at the pinnacle of broadcast journalism, CBS's 60 Minutes.
Despite Mr. Pitts's immense likeability, it is truly his mother Clarice who steals the show. Endlessly energetic, tireless in her advocacy of her children, deeply loving and utterly convinced of the power of prayer, Mrs. Pitts pushes her son to achieve more than he ever thought possible. He writes humorously about her infamous temper. Overwhelmed by the demands of college, he considers dropping out. She writes him a letter that starts: "Dear Mr. Brain Dead, Have you lost your **** mind?"
This book is Mr. Pitts's paean to his mother, as well as to all the adults who "stepped out on nothing" but their faith in him. He writes lovingly of high school teachers and coaches, college professors and roommates, priests and pastors -- everyone who had a hand in getting him where he is today. I've never read the words of someone so deeply grateful and so devout in his faith. It is the rare publisher who allows an author to write boldly about his or her Christian faith. "God held me in the palm of His hand. His Son, Jesus Christ, died so I might live." Yes, Byron Pitts says this.
Still, I felt the narrative suffered somewhat from the outpouring of gratitude. The story flags as the accolades pile on; the old saw that a journalist should show and not tell could have been put to better use here. And, I was puzzled by the silence about his family. He mentions his wife and children a few times, but you learn nothing about them, not even their names. I enjoyed the stories of his work as a reporter, and of course it is his work that ties in most closely to his struggles with literacy. But bypassing his family seems an odd omission for an author who is so eager to credit the influence of those closest to him. Nevertheless, everything the author does tell us is uplifting and life-affirming. It's all that a good book should be and proof that literacy can be the key to great things.
This is Mr. Pitts's story about starting over again as a reviled "basement boy" in remedial classes and his ensuing struggle to overcome severe learning difficulties. At a time when little was understood about how children learn to read, he was given a "reading machine" whose microfiche slides he spent hours memorizing. Combining determination with faith -- not to mention the force of nature that was his mother -- Mr. Pitts achieved his greatest dreams, graduating from college and eventually working at the pinnacle of broadcast journalism, CBS's 60 Minutes.
Despite Mr. Pitts's immense likeability, it is truly his mother Clarice who steals the show. Endlessly energetic, tireless in her advocacy of her children, deeply loving and utterly convinced of the power of prayer, Mrs. Pitts pushes her son to achieve more than he ever thought possible. He writes humorously about her infamous temper. Overwhelmed by the demands of college, he considers dropping out. She writes him a letter that starts: "Dear Mr. Brain Dead, Have you lost your **** mind?"
This book is Mr. Pitts's paean to his mother, as well as to all the adults who "stepped out on nothing" but their faith in him. He writes lovingly of high school teachers and coaches, college professors and roommates, priests and pastors -- everyone who had a hand in getting him where he is today. I've never read the words of someone so deeply grateful and so devout in his faith. It is the rare publisher who allows an author to write boldly about his or her Christian faith. "God held me in the palm of His hand. His Son, Jesus Christ, died so I might live." Yes, Byron Pitts says this.
Still, I felt the narrative suffered somewhat from the outpouring of gratitude. The story flags as the accolades pile on; the old saw that a journalist should show and not tell could have been put to better use here. And, I was puzzled by the silence about his family. He mentions his wife and children a few times, but you learn nothing about them, not even their names. I enjoyed the stories of his work as a reporter, and of course it is his work that ties in most closely to his struggles with literacy. But bypassing his family seems an odd omission for an author who is so eager to credit the influence of those closest to him. Nevertheless, everything the author does tell us is uplifting and life-affirming. It's all that a good book should be and proof that literacy can be the key to great things.
April 15, 2013
Byron Pitts chronicles his astonishing story of overcoming a childhood filled with obstacles to achieve enormous success in life. Throughout Byron’s difficult youth—his parents separated when he was twelve and his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet—he suffered from a debilitating stutter. But Byron was keeping an even more embarrassing secret: He was also functionally illiterate. For a kid from inner-city Baltimore, it was a recipe for failure.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him—from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion. After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
Pitts turned struggle into strength and overcame both of his impediments. Along the way, a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to make a difference for him—from his mother, who worked tirelessly to raise her kids right and delivered ample amounts of tough love, to his college roommate, who helped Byron practice his vocabulary and speech. Pitts even learns from those who didn’t believe in him, like the college professor who labeled him a failure and told him to drop out of college. Through it all, he persevered, following his steadfast passion. After fifteen years in local television, he landed a job as a correspondent for CBS News in 1998, and went on to become an Emmy Award–winning journalist and a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. Not bad for a kid who couldn’t read.
From a challenged youth to a reporting career that has covered 9/11 and Iraq, Pitts’s triumphant and uplifting story will resonate with anyone who has felt like giving up in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2010
This book was so inpiring and says a lot about learning to forgive those who do wrong to you. Mr. Pitts is a Christian whose stories are heartwrenching and also uplifting. This book reminded me of Tony Dungy's book, if you liked it you will like this.
My favorite quote from the book "I know that in all the darkest, loneliest moments of my life, when I felt the world was against me and the winds of conventional wisdom were in my face, in those moments, God held me in the palm of His hand"! Wonderful book Mr. Pitts!Hope you write more in the future!
My favorite quote from the book "I know that in all the darkest, loneliest moments of my life, when I felt the world was against me and the winds of conventional wisdom were in my face, in those moments, God held me in the palm of His hand"! Wonderful book Mr. Pitts!Hope you write more in the future!
October 25, 2012
I read this book as a requirement for a class and was pleasantly surprised. It is very inspirational! I loved how Byron freely discussed the challenges that he has faced in his life, and how he was also able to take something positive from those experiences. I also loved how those experiences were detailed so that the reader fully captures the magnitude that they had on Byron's life. He doesn't fail to mention the people who were positive influences on his life, either. This is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone.
October 9, 2016
Phenomenal book. I originally saw Byron as a keynote speaker at a graduation at my alma mater of North Carolina A&T State University and instantly bought his book afterwards. It's a book of his experiences and how he was able to overcome a variety of obstacles he faced while pursuing his dream as a journalist.
A lot of invaluable nuggets of wisdom for anyone who is chasing their dreams. One takeaway that I took away from this book is the importance of dreaming boldly, and being intentional about getting down the business of putting in the work.
A lot of invaluable nuggets of wisdom for anyone who is chasing their dreams. One takeaway that I took away from this book is the importance of dreaming boldly, and being intentional about getting down the business of putting in the work.
August 18, 2013
The power of single parents and those who loved them. Bryan is such a great example to our young men, but his book is more an example to young moms to hang in there and connect with your church and local community...that's where your help comes from through them through God. Every Boys and Girls club and elementary school should have this book and read it to their students!
Thank you. You paved so many roads.
Thank you. You paved so many roads.
September 13, 2010
This is a wonderful inspiring true story of persistence and faith. I loved the early stories of his coping with his reading disorder and stuttering and how he worked so hard to get a start in the news business. The last part of the book that deals with some of the news stories he has covered was interesting, but not as personal or as well-told.
October 13, 2009
Great inspirational read. He started out a functional illiterate who stuttered and today he reports for 60 minutes. He credits the Grace of God, his mother and a number of of angels along the way for seeing him through.
September 10, 2012
I loved this story of overcoming the odds. News reporter Byron Pitts was illiterate until he was 12 years old, and through his own determination and that of his mother learned to read and rose above special ed to graduate from college and become a 60 Minutes reporter.
August 16, 2014
I really enjoyed listening to the reading of this book. I can't believe how open the author was on his life.
April 13, 2010
Great book, you would never guess the problems this amazing reporter had in school.
June 20, 2010
Good story especially for people who make the extra effort to give someone a chance.
February 1, 2010
Excellent autobiography of 60 Minutes Correspondent, Byron Pitts.
He overcame illiteracy to become a national reporter.
Very faith filled.
He overcame illiteracy to become a national reporter.
Very faith filled.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews