“It’s Time To Turn The Page"

“There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” — Nelson Mandela

I had a chance to hang out with my guys this weekend and I have to admit, it was exactly what I needed. The last few months have taken a toll on me and I finally got a chance to truly sit with myself. During this period of reflection, I obviously looked back to see where I’ve been but focused more on where I’m trying to go. I came to the conclusion that it’s time to turn up the pressure on my brand and do what I said I was going to do. The reoccurring thought that I kept having was that it’s time to start a new chapter in my life.

When I first found out that me and Hannah were going to be parents, it revitalized my dream of becoming a well respected Author and Podcast Host. It also sparked a fire in me to reclaim my passion and provide a life for them that I dreamt of as a kid. My mom did a great job of raising my sister and I alone but the one thing that we were missing was a father figure in the picture. In this new chapter that I’m embarking on, I believe it will set them up for decades to come.

The time I spent in reflection also took me on a trip down memory lane and I thought about all the situations that changed the trajectory of my life; a busted football dream, choosing to go to an HBCU, finally finding my purpose and chasing it relentlessly. All of those things have created a new version of me and it’s time that I turn the work ethic all the way up. It made me think about all the ideas that I have in mind to push this campaign to the next level and I began to see the ways that my life could go and I was able to be excited about accomplishing my dreams.

The main dream I would like to accomplish outside of my career accolades is to be a better father for my kids. I want to set the example for them so when they are able to comprehend my work, that they will feel empowered to set out and do great things. In this new chapter of my life, I’m going to show them what real work ethic looks like and what it feels like to reap the benefits of hard work.

This new chapter of my life will require me to revamp the person that I buried in 2016. Before I met my kids mom, I was borderline convinced that it was time I put my childish ways behind me and settle for a life of punching the clock for someone else. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, it is not in me to spend energy where I’m not invested. I’d rather use that energy to pour into my own career so I can become one of the greats. I’ve seen it happened to a lot of my peers and I believe that the same can happen to me.

Just like I believe the same can happen to me, I believe it can happen for you too. We were all born with a gift and it’s up to us whether we accept the calling. It is my calling to encourage everyone to be the highest form of themselves and I can only achieve this mission by demanding the same for myself. I can only achieve this by keeping my eyes locked in on my desired outcome, no matter what’s happening around me.

As I mentioned in the last post, we have to choose our level of difficulty. Chasing a dream is hard but not living up to your true potential is hard too. As the quote from Nelson Mandela states, we can achieve anything we put our minds to when we refuse to settle for less than what we are capable of living. We are doing ourselves a great disservice by folding to the pressure in society. On the flip side, when we make the conscious decision to pursue our calling not only are we elevating, we are actively choosing the path with the most reward.

When I say reward, not only do I mean financially but internally as well. When we choose to enter this new chapter, we are setting higher standards to live by. We are choosing to have an abundance mindset that will trickle down in every aspect of life. Taking care of our families whether it’s with money or emotional support, walking into a new career, becoming a better version of ourselves all boil down to the present moment that we are in now.

Starting today, let’s seize the opportunity to be great. Let’s take advantage of the opportunities that our ancestors didn’t have by using our differences to bring everyone back together. By choosing to enter a new chapter in our life, we are saying goodbye to the things that no longer serve us and the people who don’t wish us well. By owning up to your mistakes and understanding that the past is just in our imagination, we can unlock who we were designed to be. Sometimes holding on can do more damage than letting go. So, starting today, we are letting go of yesterday and doing everything in our power to be the best we can be today. In return, we will see the true magic in our manifestations.

• SB