Blogs

  • Inspiring Self-Improvement

    Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to simply become the best version of yourself.

    Your words and advice may not inspire them, and your willingness to help may not have an impact either. However, if they can witness your transformation into something better, they might be motivated to do the same.

    An interaction with me is not the same as it was 10 years ago. I might have treated you with less respect back then, and our discussions might have been different. However, now I strive to treat you with more respect and engage in different topics. I have also developed new and improved characteristics that may inevitably rub off on you.

    Lately, I refrain from “casting my pearls.” I let the way I live my life carry the weight of my words. I don’t even try to market or ask others to read my blog posts; I simply post and go. If it’s meant for you to read it, you will. I just hope you can take something positive away from it. Even if you don’t, that’s fine. At the very least, you get to witness me consistently doing something I enjoy.

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  • Tackling Challenges, Embracing Growth

    The first NFL team I signed with was the Buffalo Bills.

    I joined the team in the middle of fall camp. After signing, I went straight to offensive meetings. I remember we were installing another part of the offensive playbook. I had no idea what was going on, so I just sat there, pretending as if I did.

    The running back saw me over there looking confused and leaned over, saying, “This probably looks like Greek to you right now. No worries, we’ll learn it.” Less than two weeks later, I was the starting running back for our third preseason game, knowing all the installed plays from the playbook.

    There may be times in life where things seem challenging to learn or grasp at first, but with practice and repetition, you can learn anything. Just from my experience learning many football playbooks, I have gained the confidence and skill to learn just about anything. That’s how I was able to teach myself Spanish, along with many other things I’ve learned over the years.

    I don’t get discouraged at the beginning when I don’t know much; I embrace the process and practice daily. I know that eventually, I will master whatever it is that I’m trying to master, the same way I did with the 14 playbooks I learned in an 8-year span.

    So if you have a skill, subject, or concept that you’re having a hard time grasping, give it time and effort, and you’ll get there. Start with the end in mind and know that anything is possible.

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  • Unleashing Intangible Greatness: Unlocking Success

    When we think about what makes a great football player or basketball player, or any sport for that matter, we often associate greatness with physical ability and skill. Some parents even spend hours and years training their children to excel in a particular sport.

    However, there are individuals who may be considered great at their sport without the accomplishments or accolades to back it up. As Jadakiss questioned in his song “Why,” “Why is a brother up north better than Jordan that ain’t get that break?” The truth is, there are numerous valuable skills that athletes need to possess to truly excel in their respective sports. Unfortunately, these intangible qualities often get overlooked.

    Character, coachability, accountability, self-respect, respect for others, time management, anger management, academic intelligence, and more are all essential traits that are just as, if not more, valuable than physical abilities.

    Merely excelling in dribbling, shooting, and passing doesn’t automatically make someone NBA caliber. This principle applies not only to sports but also to life in general. Regardless of what you do, ensure that you possess all the characteristics necessary to be great at it. Embrace all the intangible qualities, not just the superficial ones.

    If you believe you are better than a player who gets more playing time or smarter than your employer, take a moment to reflect. Consider why and how that person ended up in the position they are in. Perhaps they possess certain intangible qualities that you have overlooked but could greatly benefit from acquiring.

    Remember, true greatness extends beyond physical abilities. It encompasses a wide range of intangible qualities. By nurturing and developing these traits, you can enhance your overall performance and reach new heights in whatever you pursue.

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  • Morning Motivation: Baby Love

    There’s a quote that says, “Find something you love so much that you don’t need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning.”

    For me, that’s my baby daughter. I don’t even need an alarm clock anymore because my daughter will find a way to wake me up.

    It could be through crying or babbling. Either way, I know she’ll wake me up nice and early. I love that girl! LOL.

  • Elevate Your Learning Journey

    In the book I read, “Freakonomics,” it discussed how children who didn’t read during the summer returned to school with lower proficiency compared to their peers who did.

    The study also revealed that these children experienced a widening achievement gap compared to their reading counterparts.

    It’s a simple task with a significant impact on a child’s life, and I believe what’s good for the geese is good for the gander. If children should devote themselves to reading and learning during the summer, I feel that adults should also continue to read, learn, and grow throughout their lives, not just in the summer or during their time in school, such as college.

    Just like the children, imagine how different we would be as individuals if we read more or actively pursued learning and mastery in our passions. We are all lifelong learners, but some choose to halt their progress at a certain point, while others perpetually strive to acquire knowledge. So, don’t stop.

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  • Empower Your Transformation

    You never have to accept something with which you’re not happy.

    If you’re struggling to lose weight, consider trying a different approach. Don’t simply accept the current weight and resign yourself to it; believe that you can change.

    If you’re unhappy in a relationship, seek to identify what needs to be altered to find happiness or consider ending the relationship.

    If you aren’t content with your current life situation, make the necessary choices to create a new life.

    Regardless of what aspect you wish to change, all it requires is belief, intentional actions, and consistency. Taking the easy way out is to simply accept things as they currently are.

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  • Unconditional Love: Parenting’s Transformative Journey

    Having a baby is amazing because it feels like a clean slate.

    Your baby loves you unconditionally. They have no idea about your past and naturally love you for being their parent. They don’t ask for a resume to be their parent or perform a background check. They aren’t materialistic; it’s just pure love.

    Conversely, the parents’ love for the baby is exactly the same. It’s a new and fresh life, in which you deeply love from day one. Both of you have clean slates. You can teach your kid anything and help them become anything they want to be.

    I believe self-improvement is key because a child learns most from your actions. It’s important to try to eliminate your bad habits or anything you wouldn’t want your child to do. It’s truly the circle of life because your kids grow as you grow.

    If you don’t grow, you can expect your child never to grow and develop in that area either. You already have a clean slate, so the best thing you can do for your child is to strive to be the best version of yourself.

    Also, have patience with your child because many of the traits they need to fix and improve in life, they inherited from you.

    Even if your relationship with your parents wasn’t good, that’s fine. Perhaps they never received the correct traits and nurturing from their parents, and so on. The good thing is you can break the cycle right now and show your children something different.

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  • Fueled for Change

    One should always compose oneself and watch one’s temper, but there are many times when it’s okay to be upset.

    You might have righteous rage, which is feeling angry about unfairness or injustice and wanting to make things right.

    Or you might be upset about something in your life. This could mean you’ve found something that you’re passionate about and would like to change.

    That’s the key. The feeling of upset should lead to a positive change. So if you are upset about something, embrace it and use that energy to make a difference.

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  • Creating Your Future: Visionary Steps

    The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.

    Anything that I’ve already achieved in life was deliberate, and I had the vision way before it came into fruition. I just had to come up with the proper plans and steps to get there.

    There are a lot of unfortunate situations that I’ve been in that I created myself as well. I may not have had these tough situations in my vision, but I still may have unknowingly followed the steps to get in that position.

    Don’t complicate things in life. It’s easier than you think to achieve what you want to do. It may take some time, work, and faith, but it’s possible. So monitor your actions and think about what type of future they are creating.

  • Gaining Vision: Understanding Blindness

    “The one-eyed man is king in the land of the blind.”

    Even someone with limited knowledge or abilities can appear superior or be in a position of power when surrounded by others who have even less knowledge or ability.

    There are times when we are the blind and do not even realize it. There are also times when we are the one-eyed person with limited expertise or understanding, yet we falsely believe or are considered highly knowledgeable or skilled. Sometimes, we are unaware of our own blindness because we have never known or experienced anything different.

    As I grow in life, experience new things, travel, and learn, I realize how “blind” I was in certain areas. I also understand that I am still blind in certain aspects. The key is to understand that and be willing to grow and “see.” It also takes a person with vision to point out someone else’s blindness, or even one-eyed perspective.

    Moreover, even if you have the vision, it requires a certain type of communication and trust to help the blind understand their blindness and to follow your lead.

    Obviously, it’s a metaphor, but such is life.

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