Apparently Matt Lauer wasn't always the debonair on-air correspondent we see in front of us Today. In fact, he nearly flushed his entire career down the toilet during a chance encounter with Tom Brokaw on his first day at NBC!

Don't believe us? Take a look at Lauer's belated confessional.

So I go into the bathroom and I'm in the stall and I'm nervous, I do what I have to do. And I leave the stall, and as I'm walking out the door of the stall, into the bathroom walks Tom Brokaw…And I'm waiting for him to finish peeing. And now I'm stalling because he's still going, and all of a sudden something occurs to me that's wrong.

Intrigued? Find out what happens after the jump!

The toilet in the stall that I have just left is still flushing. Forty seconds into a flush, you have to know that's never a good thing. But before I can react, I see the cascade coming out of the bottom of the stall door, making its way toward Tom Brokaw's penny loafers. I'm thinking my first words to Tom Brokaw are going to be, 'Tom, run!'

Two seconds later, Tom's penny loafers are surrounded by the cascade.

Which means, in addition to owing Mr. Brokaw a new pair of shoes, Lauer's generously decided to reveal some time-honored trade secrets! And so, for anyone who've always wanted to become a widely successful television mainstay, simply follow Matt Lauer's advice, and you, too, can enjoy a lucrative career as a daytime anchor!

Step 1: Be unemployed.
The simple truth is, everyone loves a good rags-to-riches story. (And really, who needs health insurance, anyway?) So lose the paycheck, let the bills start piling up, and then—only after you literally reek of desperation—apply for that unpaid internship of your dreams!

Step 2: Project confidence.
This step is an absolute must, lest you show fear, and earn yourself the reputation of "Awkward New Guy." So regardless of your circumstances, whether you missed the bus and arrived 15 minutes late, dropped the ball on your very first assignment or accidentally clogged the toilet and caused it to overflow atop Tom Brokaw's fine Italian loafers.

Step 3: Wait until you're uber-famous/successful before sharing your embarrassing diarrhea stories.
We simply cannot overstress the importance of this third and final step. Should you choose to prematurely regale the public with stories of your incontinence, toilet-clogging or bizarre sexual behavior, you risk alienating your audience and/or becoming a recurring Jossip punchline. So please, employ some restraint and wait until you've enjoyed 15 years as an celebrated anchor before awkwardly sharing some toilet-humor at an otherwise boring BET awards ceremony.