Black Boys and Girls

The biggest fear we have in the black community is the fear of what others think. Too often we fear that if others do not approve of our decisions, we will be outcast. This phenomenon often plays out in a fear of taking risk. For example, It is often harder for a child to excel at school because of the factors pulling at them at home, then is due to their lack of mental capacity. The risk of not perpetuating the lifestyle that the child was brought up under is heightened by the low expectations of mom and dad. We must teach our children to let no one tell them they can't do something, because we were unable to do it.

Typically we fail to share information and often see ourselves in competition with our neighbors. Everyone wants to have the biggest house, car, and the most money in the bank. Too many believe that our relative well being is hinged on a lack of success by the guy next door. While I am not to discount the realities of free enterprise, I find it difficult to believe that I am to get ahead in this life by keeping the next man down. America is set up such that a disciplined, focused, hard working individual has the capacity to achieve an affluent lifestyle within one generation.

I have often wondered how it is possible for people from modest backgrounds to become affluent in one generation. Why is it that so many people from my community with similar socioeconomic backgrounds to those entrepreneurs with little command of the English language never accumulate even modest amounts of wealth?

Only 75% of my freshman class ended up graduating from high school on time. Attrition was a constant issue, with people having babies, selling drugs, or other wise underachieving in the classroom. In a socio-economic sense, this behavior perpetuates the existence of an ongoing lower class. America is developing a caste system. My generation will get away from class system and move towards a “have” vs. “have-not” system.

I feel strongly about integrity, economic development, and enjoying everything you spend your time doing and plan to bring that perspective to my future work groups

Need vs. Want

I grew up without much, but would never use that as an excuse. I built character from a young age and was able to recognize the difference between need and want. I learned to be resourceful and make “wants” come to fruition. I learned to recognize and seize opportunity when it presented itself. For example, I started working at twelve years old. Not because I needed to support my family, but because I wanted to keep my haircut and buy a nice pair of shoes every once and awhile. Anything in life is attainable when the right plans of action encounters opportunity.

Random Notes

As I work to organize a statement I'll compile observations with the hope they form into a finished product.

In his book the Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald says that “there are no second acts in American lives.” To me this means the past is always with us; where we come from, what we go through, and how we go through it all matters.

Time to plan...

Principles

1. I work to get paid and to deliver a comfortable lifestyle for myself and family. (Financial Security)
2. I want my work to make a meaningful difference in other people’s lives. (Altruism)
3. I want to be great at what I do and be known for my work. (Prestige)
   
   Destination Role
   
   My vocation is an extension of my lifestyle. It links my primary interests, sports and personal finance, to develop a powerful enterprise. This operation will be in line with the aforementioned principles and offer a high level of personal satisfaction. I am my biggest critic and will work to ensure that I am satisfied with the output of my work. My work is engaging, exciting, and fun. I create wealth that has a meaning. I am a steward in the betterment of society
   
   My vision is to establish long-term business relationships with professional athletes, leverage those relationships to provide traditionally underrepresented groups with the education and tools they need in order to live comfortably day to day, save and invest for retirement, plan for college funding and estate planning. My business will help ensure athletes are using their success for good.
   
   I will have a highly visible role where I would be instrumental in strategic direction of the operation. While I might not be involved in the day to day execution, I will thoroughly understand the operation and be seen as an integral asset in the overall implementation of its theme.
   
   

Keep it Movin..