(*_*) ---> ??

Growing up I was often told I wasn’t “smart enough”, “good looking enough”, “cool enough”, “nice enough”, “mean enough”, “brave enough”, “hardworking enough”… I was bullied, out of one fight, in another. 

But I can’t complain. I’m lucky. Really lucky. There was always someone who believed in me, told me that I could aspire to be more. 

My family, a teacher or two, a close friend, a girlfriend, an industry professional. As long as I could show them that I wanted to learn more, accomplish more, help more, love more- they gave me opportunity. 

From those opportunities I’ve been able to grow, find myself, and accomplish feats I couldn’t have previously imagined. Without even noticing, I stopped fearing the “not enough”. Inversely, I started seeking it out. My fears morphed into goals. Today, I ask myself everyday- What’s next?  

Regardless, these people saw something within me that compelled them to give me a chance- an opportunity. I owe them a lot, a considerable amount. At my lowest points- Someone inspired me.   

I live to inspire. 

I’m often asked, “Why aren’t you currently in college?”. And that’s usually followed by a, “That’s terrible. You need to go to college and get an education. Without it you’ll fail in life!”. To address those people I’ve come up with the 3 reasons why I’ve put college on hold.

1) Learning theory is great. If all I needed to do to survive in this world was to learn theory, and live a life of academia- I’d be all about it. I love learning. However, just not about theory without the opportunity of applying it in real-life scenarios. This, however, may not apply to Accounting Majors / CPAs / Doctors / Research Scientists - you guys have fun with 12 - 16 years of school. For some, that’s great. For me, no thanks. Malcolm Gladwell says in his book, Outliers, that in order to be a super-star level expert in a field, 10,000 hours of work within that space is required. Would I rather follow my dreams, leverage passion for what I love, and dominate a space in which I know I’d thrive, or spend 4 years in college, 4 years in a masters program (and because there’s a terrible inflation of degrees), 4 years in a PHD program to earn above a six figure salary? Making that choice was a no brainier to me. It also doesn’t help my motivation to pursue college when superstars like Peter Thiel invests his time, and money into programs like the Peter Thiel 20 Under 20 fellowship- of which one of his investments is Uncollege. (www.uncollege.org)

2) I’m sick of seeing my friends graduate from “amazing”, “ivy-league” level Universities and post-graduation sit on their asses jobless. 4 years, and 100k later in debt… No thanks. Our education system is flawed, I’d rather not participate. 

3) University in my opinion is a 4 year extended vacation. You’re in a classroom. Classrooms give you material to read, and you are then tested on that material. Studying and maintaining grades is difficult, but not impossible. Every class prepares you to answer questions. There’s always an answer within a class. When not in class, you’re engaging socially. Partying, having fun, and hanging-out. Maybe you’re involved on campus, or are interning with other students. I personally don’t feel like I have the time for that. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being social, I just know what I want, and in order for me to get there- I don’t have time to work in an environment in which all is known, because in life- answers aren’t just given to you. You need to figure it out and find what’s best for you. I love partying more than the next guy, but I’m a success junkie. If I’m not winning, I feel no satisfaction in mindless belligerence. 

Well, there you have it. College is for some, heck it may even be for the majority, but it’s most definitely not for me (at this point in my life). I’ll be sure to come back to it and earn those degrees like Steve Jobs or Gurbaksh Chahal did post dream-weaving. But, until then- I’m going to fight as hard as I possibly can, to make what I want to make happen.  

I was. I still am.

But some opportunities in life are worth it. 

If you can find the courage within yourself to take that leap- To commit your entire being to something that has no proven formula for success, that may attract negative social-stigma from society- from people you love- I wish you the best of luck. 

Belief is powerful. Believing in yourself requires insurmountable strength. A resolve not made for those that are faint of heart. 

But without acting on what you believe in- can you really say that you’re alive? 

Some may consider me a failure or a lost cause. 

I’ve put school on the back burner. I’ve committed myself to a goal never before attained. And I’ve been told multiple times by the people I love that I’m not worthy of their relationships. But I’ll keep moving forward. My dreams are embedded within my heart, and my ambition and determination to succeed are going to sway the minds of millions. 

I will secure my future- and the futures of the ones I love. I will change the world. 

To those who doubt, I ask. Do you doubt because you too are afraid to fail?

At the end of the day it’s your life. You’re the only one that lives in your skin and you’re the only one that wakes up to what you either cherish or regret. If people want to hold you down- fuck em’. Do you, and live your life the way you want to.

Parents think college is the end-all be-all marker for success? You feel otherwise? Show them. Be successful at what you want to do. They may not like it initially but if they love you they’ll turn around. And if they don’t, fuck them. Be a better father/mother to your children. 

Girlfriend/Boyfriend wants to hold you down and limit your interaction with other people? If they can’t trust you- fuck em’. Just don’t break that trust hoping for a second chance, because you’ve effectively just screwed yourself. No public masturbation please.

Boss at work told you that you’re worthless, and helpless? Fuck em’. Revenge fucks are always the best- especially when you’re living a life they can only dream about. 

Friends want to superimpose their ideals upon you because they’ve limited their own capacity within their narrow-sighted bullshit and think it’s cool trying to “help” you? Fuck em’. You don’t need someone holding you down. If you’ve never tried, you’ve never failed, and if you’ve never failed- you’ll never succeed. 

People are fickle. They follow trends. When you’re making moves, they’re suddenly your best friend. When you’re in a slump, they’ll be the first to tell you to go fuck off.

I, from experience, encourage you to establish real relationships with people that honestly care about your well being. And for everyone else, fuck em’.

Food for thought, on an Oscar Wilde tip: ”A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.”

Reflect.  

It’s been a year and 19 days since my first blog post.

It’s funny how life works.

If there’s anything I’ve understood in the past year it’s that:

* Life is unpredictable, stay true to yourself, believe in what you believe in, and work ridiculously hard and you’ll be alright.

My first venture MyNight.me failed.

My first corporate job ended after 6 months. I got to travel and I’m happy to say that the company I worked for (www.SocialAnnex.com) is doing very well.

My second corporate job ended after the initial 3 month contract I signed. Oh, and the company went bankrupt 3 months later.

I now lead marketing for a start-up record label with private financing. We just finished our first major single with Snoop Dogg. You can hear it here:

http://tny.gs/HighOfftheFame

Score: +2 / -2

My list is not nearly complete… but I’m making progress!

Failure is only fuel to the fire.

Fuck what you’re told. Follow your dreams and succeed.

Damn I haven’t blogged in a while. Between work, school, and the search for knowledge writing has not been as expressive as it should be. Here’s a recent realization that I’ve made: Specialization is an entirely monetary concern. What differentiates us from the next person? What can we do that gives us value? That value is measured by money, as money is what measures stratification in society. It’s what restricts us from doing what we want to to do.. like travel the world on a whim, run for an entire day instead of work, or just dope around because that’s cool too. 

If you didn’t know- I’m a philosophy major. Now you know.

I’m often told my major is useless and I’m always asked, “What can you do with that?!” Now listen- just because I’m a philosophy major doesn’t mean that I’m restricted from working in a corporate environment, starting my own venture, and living life on my own terms. Hell, I already work in a corporate environment running Social Media campaigns. Wouldn’t have figured that, would you? Your major and what you choose to do are NOT the same thing. And by the way here’s a bit of enlightenment for all of you that choose to be ignorant- Philosophy by definition is the LOVE OF WISDOM. You’re already a philosopher inherently as a human being, so go screw yourself. Don’t believe me? Like that super secret parking spot you found outside of school/work that no one knows about? Congrats you’ve learned something. Oh but you LOVE that you know that you found that parking spot? Well… end of argument. 

Stop focusing on the $- realize that the entire human species is but a spec on the Earth’s ass- we’re all in this together (Stratification is needed, don’t give me that we all deserve to be treated equally crap. If you contribute, good- you’re valuable. If you just sit around and do nothing, go die. Even people that fuck shit up are more valuable than you)- Make the most of it and most of all- Feel good about what you do, and who you are. 

I’m dying, and I know nothing. 

Although this statement presents itself deep, and depressing- it’s not, especially because it’s a condition that we all suffer from. Every second we live is a second we inch towards our end. As we grow up we constantly make realizations and grow from them- what we believe in today can be turned upside tomorrow. These realizations are more inspiring than they are saddening. They focus on what we have now, and what we’re going to do with what we have. If you’re hesitating, why? What’s stopping you? You’re already dying, so go and make some crazy shit happen! 

These realizations are enough to humble me, focus my game, and inspire me to execute my game plan. The movement is just beginning. 

Right now I’m: In school amidst applications, a consultant x2, an intern, running marketing campaigns, and just straight hustling.  

6 hours of sleep per night… I think that suffices just fine. 

So I go, till I go. Letting my soul be in control. 

Academically (on lock), Professionally (on lock), Spiritually (ehh…), Physically (bleh.) 

Balancing life is tough shit. If you have any tips, please feel free to contribute. 

I find myself constantly reflecting- reflecting over what’s happened to me, how I reacted, and how I affected those around me. As human beings were an interesting species- we all suffer from the same condition, that condition being life. Yet we approach it in so many different ways, with various motivations, and have different impacts on those around us.

I can’t help but feel the need to travel the world, to meet and explore different people, their thoughts, and ideas all while educing thoughts and ideas from within myself. I’m chillin, I realize that time isn’t waiting, but neither am I. I’m perpetually moving forward- taking it a step at a time. I’m going to make something extraordinary happen. 

Look up in the sky, observe the world, find yourself, and keep walking. You don’t always need to run, or beat anyone else- just do you, just be you, and always refuse to lose confidence in yourself.

Currently:

Heartbroken, not really. Passionate, absolutely.

Allow me to infuse some spirit into words, breath into ideas, and bring forth from within- educe – light from a lack thereof, and fundamentally change the way thought is processed, so that the impossible shifts to reality, and the unfound truth unveils itself before hungry bellies, discrimination, oppression, and ignorance. Those without opportunity relinquish their worry, and work hard to see a brighter tomorrow. Allow me to focus the energy, and intellect of the world to smile- genuinely smile.

Everyone is shaped by their own experiences, and through their personal realizations develop a perception on how to live life. My father came to America broke, with only half his family, and the promise of a better life.

This perception helps develop an individual’s motivation- and that intrinsic motivation is what makes miracles happen. He knew what he wanted- he felt that fire burn deep, familial ties, bonds of blood, loving relationships, and a proud sense of duty.

Finding that intrinsic motivation isn’t always easy, but once you’ve got it- accept it, and couple it with emotion - you’re ready to make magic happen. The feeling of being torn from your family- from being the poor, living in poverty, running from warfare, fighting to wake up in the morning. This is the fuel that drives the ridiculous work ethic behind an individual’s pursuit of happiness. He came here at the age of 17, and has worked everyday of his life since- a few years ago he stopped working Sundays. The longest vacation I’ve seen my father take in my 20 years of heartbeat has been 4 days, twice a year.

Now that pursuit of happiness is subjective- entirely subjective. Your definition of personal happiness, is different from mine- and the way you’re going to go about attaining it is different from the way I am. My father’s included helping his family, raising his children to succeed, loving his wife, and giving back to society- to change and influence what he could.

Passion plays a large role in what personal happiness is- when you find something you can’t life without, you want to own it. Once passion is discovered, and infused with intrinsic motivation- you’ve got a hustle. My father’s passion- from what I can deduce, is helping others. Giving back, because he can, and not in any small regard.

Now, for clarification purposes- if you have intrinsic motivation, but haven’t found your passion, but are infusing motivation with an outline of other activities pushing you forward in a chosen direction- that’s a side hustle. He owns an auto parts business, and until today- I’m convinced that’s just a side-hustle, although it’s the side-hustle that brought him economic prosperity, and has opened doors for his hustle to be expressed. His side hustle allows me to live the life I do- how much he enjoys it, I’ll never know, but I know he does it for me- and it’s appreciated.

Finding your hustle isn’t easy. 

The only thing we are in control of is effort. As humans we don’t possess the ability to see into the future, much rather even know what’s going to happen in the next second. Time doesn’t stop, but life does. If you want to live life on your terms, work harder than everyone else. Hustle for your hustle.

Those who express it achieve greatness- they are men among men. I look at my father as such.

Those who have the ability to constantly, and consistently express their hustle on their terms are stared at in disbelief. My father isn’t there- he’s currently strapped financially, the human limiter created by “The Survival of the Fittest” complex among us.

My father came from nothing to greatness- I’ll take him higher than that. I will be more than that- That’s just a tenth of my intrinsic motivation.

So if I were to tell you that I met a girl, I’d be saying too little. But if I went on random tangents attempting to describe H.E.R - I’d fail, miserably.

Hey yo, I met a girl.

Oh yeah? Is she hot? Did you fuck her?

Woah, wait- back step. Sad, but true- those happen to be the first couple questions that present themselves in passing conversation. It’s as if equilibrium on Earth depends on sexy, and sex.

Before I continue though- I’ll go ahead and describe H.E.R – Hip Hop in its Essence is Real, and oh baby she likes it raw.

She’s elegant, sexy, rough, and damn- seductive as hell. Gender is trivial- she’ll walk by and it doesn’t matter whether you’re a man, woman, or beast – you might just find yourself wanting more.

Problem is though- She’s dying. But there are those chasing her- the beloved, with their every being. I’m in it to win it.

Not only does she inspire me every time she spits rhymes, or has me feeling with dope chorus play- her conscious realizations bring together thoughts from around the globe, and through voice she guides. She manifests H.E.Rself through the thoughts and voice of whoever is willing to listen, and H.E.R wisdom comes from the relationships she’s been in, the tragedy she’s faced, the success she’s achieved, and even those who have broken her heart- Those who have used her to gain fame just to dump her for those mainstream hoes.

So, is she hot? And did I fuck her?

Man, she’s volcanic, and she fucked me.