Change is inevitable.
Reflect on all the years of your life, and you will see that.
We can either deliberately take the actions to create the change that we want or simply sit there and let change happen, then try to react afterward.
Reflect on all the years of your life, and you will see that.
Dear D. Reed,
We still miss you down here, Moe. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since you’ve been gone. I’ll never forget the day we lost you. I hadn’t cried for 10 years, but the day you passed, I cried like a baby. That went on for a few days.
It was hard to have you gone so suddenly. As teammates, we did everything together, from morning workouts, school, practice, training table, to study table. It felt like anything I did was just a constant reminder that you weren’t here anymore. We lost you the day before our game. I didn’t think we’d play the next day, but we did. That was the toughest game I ever played in.
Every time we huddled up on offense, it was just another reminder that you weren’t here anymore. I still had to honor you in the best way that I could, and the best way that you’d appreciate. I put up 250 rushing yards and a TD on Ohio. That was all for you. We still lost by 28 points, though LOL.
You were always a leader and had a big impact on our team, but it wasn’t until you passed that it was really shown. We were all heartbroken, bro. You were really loved and admired. Some took your loss tougher than others. That was hard to see but understandable.
I’ll never forget first meeting you and D. Scott. Y’all were me and TA’s suite mates. I figured they put us all together because we were from Grand Rapids and Lansing, and y’all were from Chicago. Like anybody else from Chicago, all y’all talked about a lot was Chicago LOL. You showed TA and me the rappers y’all liked at the time. Y’all were big on King Louie back then. And Lil Durk before he blew up. Can’t forget about Chief Keef.
Y’all pretty much turned Eastern into a Chicago football team LOL. We all talked like you, we started to use your slang, and in some ways, we even started to act like you. We still do. That just shows the impact you had on our lives and how much influence you have.
You were a dog on the field too. You had the most confidence, and you backed it up. As a freshman, you would always tell us, “I ain’t gonna be here for 4 years. I’m going to the league after Junior year.” That was crazy to say, coming out of Eastern Michigan, but you really believed it, and I did too. One of our last conversations was during the season, Junior year. I had a good sophomore season, and the junior season was going alright for me too. I was really considering entering the NFL draft after the season. I said to you, “We still going to the league after this season?” You told me, “Nah, I’m staying. I promised my mom I would get my degree.” That was one of the realest things you said to me and was a big reason why I decided to come back my senior year. I was sad after losing you and really just wanted to spend another year with the guys. I knew I had to get that degree for my mom too.
I understand that all blessings are temporary, so instead of being sad about you being gone, I appreciate all the time that we did get to spend together. I wish you didn’t have to leave us at such a young age, but they say once we serve our purpose on earth, God calls us home. You definitely served, bro. You left a permanent impact on all of our lives. You even left a permanent impact on the university we attended.
You were a true leader. You inspired, motivated, competed, and had a lot of charisma. You were a God-fearing man and always professed your faith in Him. I pray you continue to rest in peace and that we continue to grow, succeed, and make you proud down here. Keep watching over us.
Love always,
B. Hill
The 10,000-hour rule suggests that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve a high level of mastery in a specific field or skill.
However, I believe this notion is no longer entirely accurate due to the availability of resources like YouTube tutorials, AI-powered tools, and other modern learning aids, which allow individuals to expedite their learning and skill development, potentially requiring fewer than 10,000 hours to attain a considerable level of proficiency in certain areas.
There was a time when it was believed that running a mile in under 5 minutes was physically impossible for humans; however, nowadays, there are high schoolers who can accomplish this feat.
A lot of things we want in life require delayed gratification, such as the dream job, body, spouse, mentality, or overall life satisfaction. Whatever it may be, it necessitates present effort and work for future rewards.
However, this doesn’t mean you cannot find happiness in the present moment. Once your mind is set on a goal and you are committed to following the necessary steps, find joy in it. Express gratitude in advance.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You can chain me, torture me, even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.” Even when physically confined, one’s thoughts, dreams, and imagination remain free and unaffected.
Though you may not be where you desire to be currently, you can still cultivate the habits, mindset, and vision of your future self.
Today can mark the beginning of whatever achievement you aspire to in life. Even at the start of a journey, maintaining a sense of gratitude, confidence, and excitement for future accomplishments can provide motivation and fulfillment. Give it a try and experience it firsthand.
Growing up, I would often see adults with bad backs, sore knees, or other worn-down body parts. Most of the time, they would explain how they had played sports or engaged in physical activities when they were younger, and now their bodies were feeling the effects years later.
I know I’m not immune to this situation. There have already been moments when I wake up in the morning with sore joints or other body parts, seemingly for no reason. I understand that it’s due to years of playing sports and my failure to take preventative measures to care for my body.
This principle applies not just physically, but in life in general. Many of our current actions or past behaviors will impact us in the future. It’s important not to be naive and assume that it can’t happen to us or that we’re exceptions to the rule.
Fortunately, there are preventative measures we can take now to avoid problems later on. Therefore, whatever we do at present, whether it’s physical, mental, or spiritual, we should consider whether the future version of ourselves will be satisfied with our current choices.
Some things may feel pleasurable in the moment but won’t age well over time, while others may not feel good initially but will be highly beneficial in the future. I’m fine with how my body feels right now based on my past actions, but I also acknowledge that I must accept the consequences of those actions and take steps to improve my future well-being.
It’s crucial to ensure that the future version of yourself will be content with the choices you’re making right now.
Having a healthy ego can help you feel confident and believe in yourself, which is important for achieving goals and facing challenges.
However, it is equally important to know when to set it aside. There are situations in life where success requires us to ask for help or do tasks we may feel are beneath us. We need to put our ego aside when it hinders listening to others, learning from mistakes, or collaborating effectively with a team.
When things don’t go as expected, it’s essential to check our ego and ensure it’s not part of the problem.
You should always feel encouraged when other people experience success, not discouraged. Just because someone else succeeds doesn’t mean you can’t as well.
When I played football, if I wasn’t in the game and another running back was performing well, I never got upset, jealous, or discouraged about not playing. I would be happy for their success. I’d get encouraged because I knew that if they were able to succeed on the field, I could achieve the same, if not more.
When you see someone doing something in life that you’d like to achieve, whether they’re a peer or a competitor, just know that you can attain the same level of success. Let their accomplishments serve as an example of what’s possible.
We can all succeed in life. Success is not a limited resource. Be encouraged when others find their success, and know that yours will come too.
Sometimes, as a spouse, partner, teammate, or collaborator, the best way to show gratitude for someone’s efforts is to reciprocate with the same energy.
As a new parent, you don’t get as much rest as you once did. You learn on the go and have to divide your energy between your new life and maintaining the life you had before. There are times when the baby is fussy, and my wife is the one who gets up to soothe and put the baby back to sleep. It’s the small things like this that truly matter, especially when I’d rather be sleeping at 3 am.
To show my gratitude as a husband, father, and teammate, I can tell my wife thank you, but I can also be more considerate of her need for rest and offer my help. I can step up and do anything and everything that could make her life a little bit easier.
My mom paid for me to attend a private school from 7th grade to 12th grade. She had to work two jobs, often back to back, to help pay for my tuition. In gratitude, I worked hard and made sure she wouldn’t have to pay a dollar for my college tuition. I earned a full-ride scholarship and even sent money back home using my scholarship checks and financial aid refund.
I know my mom didn’t pay for my education just for a “thank you.” Similarly, my wife doesn’t go above and beyond for our baby expecting only gratitude. It’s about doing what you believe is right and putting everyone in the best position to succeed. It’s also about doing your part, fulfilling your end of the bargain, and expressing gratitude through actions.
Sometimes, despite receiving a “thank you,” it’s easy to feel underappreciated. But as they say, actions speak louder than words.
Ultimately, we are all God’s children, and He does the most for us at all times. He is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. We can thank Him for everything He does in our lives by the way we live our lives.
There are times as a football player when it feels like your coach is overcoaching you or even miscoaching you. They might try to blame you or correct something that they think you’ve done wrong, when in reality, you weren’t in the wrong.
In those situations, instead of having a rebuttal or trying to tell your coach that perhaps they might be wrong in this situation, the best thing you can do is listen, then say, “Yes, coach,” and leave it at that.
Whether it’s a sport or just life in general, sometimes your coach, parents, supervisor, or anyone in authority over you, their guidance might be incorrect or unnecessary, but it’s important to maintain your respect for the person as well as avoid any conflict that will be counterproductive.
It’s similar to the quote “Never outshine your master.” You should not try to show off or be better than the person who is teaching or guiding you. It’s important to respect their knowledge and authority while learning from them.
It’s a humbling thing to do at times, especially when you know you’re right, but even that humbling experience will make you a better athlete or person. You’ll know how to interact with authority better and how to continue to improve, even if coached the wrong way.
No matter what you’re struggling with or going through, there’s somebody out there going through worse.
Just because they are going through worse doesn’t mean they are doing worst.
Appreciate where you currently are in life and also know that there is still a lot that can be accomplished right now in your current situation.
Keep things in perspective and know that whatever it is that you’re going through is temporary with the right actions and faith.
FLY, BLACK BOY 