Investing In Yourself
– Using Pillars to Build Your Core
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Higher
If there has ever been any doubt as to why I write this blog I hope to clearly shine a light on that today. My mission is to be free, have optionality, and create long lasting memories of my family, friends, and community that will be cherished for a life time. With a laser focused work ethic like the legendary Kobe Bryant, I believe this is achievable by building a strong core. A core built on pillars that will provide you and your future generations a feeling of social awareness and economic security.
After losing my remarkable father in 2019, I still wake up everyday with a continued sense of purpose of not letting his hard work go in vain. How can I slack off when I have a Spiritual belief that we were put here for a reason (first pillar). If I told you of the obstacles my parents had to overcome just make it to America from Africa you would understand where my determination comes from. I think Nipsey Hussle said it best in 'Higher': "Pops turned 75, he proud what we done; In one generation he came from Africa young" (I changed the age from 60 to 75 in this lyric b/c we almost lost my father when he @ 74 when doctors told us to say goodbye -- but how grand his recovery was and magical seeing him celebrate his 75th)
He and my mom's instilled in us a Kobe Bryant like work ethic when it came to being Mentally strong, my second pillar. Kobe was the ultimate competitor -- he was often described as having ice in his veins. I was mesmerized by Kobe because I had seen that look before...in my father when it came to education. Occasionally sharing experiences of being discriminated against (even after receiving his PhD magna cum laude, and being questioned in interviews as to how he did he do that; or being told a foreigner would never be a tenured professor), he told us the great equalizer in life is your mind. So it was no shock that one year, I received all 'A's' and stumbled with 1 'B' and I was punished more than my siblings who had NOT even met that mark. It was a less than gentle reminder that we can't waste the moment, the opportunity to go higher.. John Legend from Higher: "Oh, Lord Can you feel it? My shoes are scrapin' the sky I'm so high We keep goin' higher"
A strong physical core (3rd Pillar) is always a part of the competitive formula for taking your game higher. Besides the insurmountable chores we were given as kids, my father always found time for us to play and enjoy. The sprints in the yard, the dedication to build a basketball goal in the back yard, and the countless sporting events he drove me to was admirable considering I was a 3 sport athlete in my large high school (HS). In one fail swoop, my father taught me real strength and a need for balance when he took on my legendary HS basketball coach. No one ever questioned the man who was recently inducted in the HS basketball Hall of Fame and has our HS gymnasium already named after him...and he's still alive. However, my African father did that one summer day. Being a 3 sport athlete, I am constantly practicing and playing all year. Then in the summer, we were not so SUBTLY reminded of the importance of participating in the optional summer basketball league (where they tracked attendance). I had never been so afraid in my life when my dad went up to the school and told my soon to be Hall of Fame coach, that his African son had reached 14 and had to have a job. To me it was like watching David take on Goliath, but for the first time at a young age I saw a person of color showing me a path of optionality. When your mind is free and strong, you don't buy into the mindset that sports is your only ticket in life. My father was reminding me of the need for balance and that I had responsibilities to my mission...my family and my future. Strangely after that summer, I didn't experience a drop off (like one would expect)...I went to summer basketball when I could fit it in after work, I still outworked everyone by doing drills at home, and the next summer guess what: my coach offered me a summer job, imagine that he helped me reach my goals and his. Not only was I empowered with options in my life but I was stronger physically:
- Graduated HS Male Athlete of the Year
- Football All-State (Academic)
- 3 Sport Athlete (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
- Recruited to play at the college ranks
- Honor Roll + National Honor Society
This blog is a road map if you're believe in a path of social awareness and economic security. But please come with your mamba mentality! If my father could achieve a PhD, why should we stop learning. Currently I have a Bachelor's degree and two industry accredited certifications in my field which are like master's degrees because they require extensive testing and re-certifications (studying for my 3rd). If my heroes can learn the stock market and write books, I can at least pick them up and read. Since I was 18, I made it a personal mission to learn the stock market (it looked important) and understand how to invest my income so that it could become Capital for me. Many of the people I know don't have any capital or investments that make them income outside of their core job. My mission is to ensure we are on a path that doesn't rely on a boss, a company, or a government to give us our freedom, our optionality, or determine when we can have time off to make memorable moments. Hopefully you agree and you keep reaching HIGHER...but don't you know that the devil is a liar (Thanks to DJ Khaled, John Legend...and Rest In Peace Nipsey Hussle)
Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant
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