A Motivational Snack- Entrepreneurship Is Not For Everybody

Entrepreneurship is not for everybody. And that’s okay. You can be an employee of a company and still build wealth. It’s not so much about the source of your income as much as it is how you manage/leverage your income.

One more thing, if you do possess an entrepreneurial spirit, there’s nothing wrong with working a traditional job while you build your own business. Just do your due diligence to ensure there are no conflicts of interest. Choosing this approach doesn’t make you any less of an entrepreneur. Trust me, no one is giving out gold stars to entrepreneurs that quit their jobs to pursue their entrepreneurial ventures full-time. It takes time. It requires preparation.

Entrepreneurship is not a fad. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Let’s be careful not to feed into the sensationalism of entrepreneurship.

A Motivational Snack- What Do You Believe About Yourself?

There will be people who tell you that you cannot be successful because you’re a person of color. 

There will be people who tell you that you cannot envision a life free of poverty and struggle because that’s what you were born into- it’s just the way it is for you. 

There will be people who tell you that your opportunities will be limited because you’re living authentically as a LGBTQ person. 

There will be people who tell you that you’ll never find true love because they’re comparing you against their superficial definition of beauty and you don’t size up. 

But here’s the important question you must ask yourself… 

“What do I believe about myself?” Because your answer to this question will determine who you will become. Not only that, your answer to this question will reveal whether you’ve allowed other people to answer it for you.

So often we focus on what we are not or what we believe we are lacking. And, in doing so, we’re adorning our mind with illusions of inadequacies designed to convince us that we’re not enough.

And that’s a lie. 

You, right now, are enough. Without any degrees, without any makeup, regardless of what your bank statement says, regardless of where you grew up, you are enough. And you do not have to accept the limitations that others try to impose on you. You do not have to accept their definition of success, their definition of beauty, their definition of value and worth.

But here’s the important question you must ask yourself… 

“What do I believe about myself?” Because all the power lies in the thoughts you believe about yourself.

Once you understand this, all of the opinions, all of the oppressive tactics, all of the circumstances and mistakes are rendered powerless. They can no longer hold you hostage.

So tell me, “What do you believe about yourself?” Write a list of things that you believe about yourself and read them aloud every day. When you hear something that challenges what you believe about yourself, just keep reciting your list, because what you believe, what you meditate on, is what you will ultimately become.

You have the power. 

A Motivational Snack: “Relax, It’s Going To Be Okay”

A Motivational Snack: Keep Pushing, Keep Believing, We’re In This Together

Do not allow someone else’s self-imposed limitations to alter your altitude. Soar high. Be courageous. Not everyone will take the journey with you and that’s okay. When you release people who are no longer adding value to your life, it doesn’t make you a bad person.

If you have a dream and everyone tells you that it’s impossible, that you’re wasting your time, that you’ll never succeed, ignore them. You have that dream for a reason. You have that passion for a reason. Keep the flame going and work harder- not to prove them wrong, but to show your dream that you’re willing to invest your all into its manifestation.

I truly believe that we have to learn how to believe in each other again. And in doing so, we have to acknowledge and honor the fact that our words have power and shouldn’t be used to deflate someone’s dream just because we don’t understand it. Everyone has a purpose in life and there’s no need for a validation committee to assess its relevancy or authenticity.

So just in case no one has told you lately, I believe in you. I believe in that dream that keeps you up at night; and I am sure that with hard work, faith and all the passion inside of you, your dream will manifest.

Keep pushing, keep believing, we’re in this together. 

A Motivational Snack: Embrace the Construction Phase

With a new year around the corner, I believe it’s important to ease some people’s minds by sharing a little secret…

It’s okay to not have everything together all the time

Show yourself some mercy. Give yourself some time. Don’t go into 2016 beating yourself up. Whatever you did not achieve in 2015, can be achieved in 2016. All of the shoulda-coulda-woulda’s are not your friends. Let it go.  It is going to be okay.

Furthermore, it’s okay to go into 2016, under construction. 

The under construction phase of our lives doesn’t mean that we’ve failed. It doesn’t mean that we’re behind everyone else- this isn’t a race anyway. Instead, we should think of the under construction phase of our lives as a stage of refinement. It is a time for shedding, a time for releasing the weight of guilt, fear, and anxiety; it is, in essence, a rebirth, of sorts. And it’s essential for our next level of growth and development.

 “But the under construction phase is uncomfortable.”

You’re right. It is uncomfortable. So don’t be surprised when fear and doubt surface because they will. You just have to remember that this is a phase, it will pass, and it’s for your betterment.

Think about when a building is renovated, the intent isn’t to make the building look worse. No the purpose is to enhance the existing building. The same applies to our under construction phase. You may feel like your life has been hit with a wrecking ball, and everywhere you turn it looks like a construction zone, but do not be alarmed. Know that it is a part of your journey and that the finished product will be worth it all.

A Motivational Snack: What Are Some Of Your Keywords For 2016?

When you think about 2016, what words come to mind? I’ve been working on a list of keywords for 2016 that I’ll meditate on throughout the year. To date, here’s what I have…

• Accountability
• Consistency
• Fearlessness
• Discipline
• Prayer
• Order
• Relaxation
• Consolidation
• Fit
• Communication

So now it’s your turn, share some of your keywords for 2016. Don’t overthink it, just come up with a list of the first few words that come to mind when you think about a new year of life, promise and purpose.

Ready. Set. Go.

End of the Week Motivational Snack: Your Mindset is Everything

Don’t wait until you hold the title to develop the mindset. You can possess the mindset of a millionaire without a million dollars in your bank account. You can possess the mindset of a CEO while flipping burgers at McDonalds.

Your mindset will create your thoughts. Your thoughts will create your words and your words will create your future.

A Motivational Snack: Procrastination Is A Thief

It’s not that we lack potential or the capability to create our own success. It’s that most of us struggle with starting; because starting something new can be scary, right?

Out of fear, we usually befriend procrastination, because there are elements of procrastination that are comforting. Procrastination says, “Take your time, there’s always tomorrow”. And before you know it, you’re living your life waiting for tomorrows that are not promised.

Meanwhile, inside of you, there are dreams. There are medical breakthroughs, innovative inventions, motivational speeches, all things that could save lives.

Start fulfilling your dreams today. Take baby steps. Work on your plan.

Whatever you do, just don’t let procrastination rob you of your time or fulfilling your purpose. I can assure you that you wouldn’t exist if your life did not have purpose.

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.” -Les Brown

Take the step.

A Motivational Snack: What Falling In The Parking Lot Taught Me

Have you ever fallen before? Not a little trip, but an ugly fall where you immediately look around to see if anyone witnessed it?

I have.

And I’d like to share it with you.

It all started as I walked out to my car yesterday. I was leaving work early for a day-trip to Tennessee. I had my work bag on one shoulder, my phone in one hand and my padfolio in the other. I was set to go and then it happened…

I fell.

For the first few seconds I sat there in shock. When I looked up, I saw a group of construction workers looking at me from afar. They, too, looked confused and I really couldn’t blame them. My mind started racing with questions- how did I fall, are they laughing at me, do I need more ankle support, is my business suit torn, am I bleeding? It wasn’t a pretty sight, but I remembered a very important lesson, which inspired today’s post…

It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s the getting up that matters

I got up. I dusted myself off. I picked up my belongings and I walked to my car with my head held high. Yes it was unfortunate that I fell. And sure it was incredibly embarrassing. But it was okay because we all fall sometimes. 

Maybe you haven’t fallen in a parking lot. But we all know what it’s like to fall in some way. It doesn’t have to be a physical fall, perhaps you’ve fallen behind in certain areas of your life? This lesson is still applicable. See, when I got up, I realized that I stripped that moment of its power to defeat me. In getting up, I released the shame, embarrassment, fear and sadness that sought to take over my mind. And I was able to go about my day with no thought given to the fall.

You can do the same thing…

Whatever you’re facing, whatever inspired your fall, just know that you can get up. You may feel swallowed up in a pool of embarrassment and shame, but it’s important to know that you are not alone. If you’re reading this, it means that you’re still alive, which means your existence has purpose. So what you fell, who hasn’t? The world still needs you. So get up, dust yourself off, pick up your strength, because it never left you, and walk forward with your head held high.

Everything is going to be okay.

Motivational Meal of the Week: Stop Waiting For Permission

“You don’t have to ask permission to access what already belongs to you.”

As children, most of us were taught to ask permission before taking certain action. So if you wanted a cookie, you asked for a cookie. If you wanted to go out with friends, you asked for permission to go out with your friends. And no matter how frustrating it may have been, there was a reason why you had to ask permission.

You were not in control.

Fast-forward a few years and now you’re an adult. You are in control of your life and your actions. If you want a cookie, you can eat a cookie. And if you want to go out with your friends, you just go out with your friends. There are no curfews, no rules, you are in control. But when we look at our lives, focusing solely on our state of fulfillment, a lot of us are still asking permission…

We’re asking life…

Can I be successful?

Can I fulfill my dreams?

Can I make that six-figure income?

And the answer is simple, “You don’t have to ask permission to access what already belongs to you.” Success is your birthright. You were born with dreams planted inside of you that are yearning to blossom. If you spend your life asking for permission to water those dreams, you’ll never see them manifest in the physical.

You are in control…

We hear a lot of people say that our destinies are pre-determined. But few speak to the fact that we can interfere and delay the manifestation of our destiny and the fulfillment of our purpose in life by waiting for permission. It should be our goal to access the gifts, talents, faith, knowledge and wisdom that lies within us, because that’s what we need to unlock all that we desire in life. Think about being a kid on Christmas Day. Did you ask your parents to open the gifts that had your name on it? No. You knew those gifts belonged to you and you accessed the toys within each perfectly-wrapped box. Similarly, we were born with everything we need to access all that we desire; but we have to tap into it.

Life isn’t going to grant you permission. Life isn’t going to say, “Yes, I grant you permission to be successful…”  Your life, and all that happens therein, will follow your lead.