"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
- Albert Einstein, smart as f ck
I feel as though up to this point in my life--and through this first month of this new frontier that is a new decade--that I have been utterly and indescribably insane. From friendships, relationships, situationships (now dubbed as entanglements), finances, finding what truly makes me happy, and just staying focused on what I want out of myself and my life overall.
These are my two cents, and take it as you may: You are never too young to prioritize your future. I say this because many individuals apart of my generation and a bit younger, Gen-Z as we've been named (probably bc this sh t is gonna end with us lol), have been ushered into an era that our parents never experienced to the full. The internet changed the game, from how we interact, grieve, vent, profit, and everything in between. Not only that, we have been unfortunately been nurtured in an instant gratification world, and not (entirely ) due to our parents.
From my personal experience, my mother was an entrepreneur, who also had to make ends meet by being on someone's payroll. Nothing wrong with that, as I've been able to study both sides of the spectrum of working for yourself and working for someone else. So from that standpoint, I've never had a problem putting in the work. I entered the workforce at the age that most did (16) and even at my age, some kids had everything I wanted without doing ANY of the work that I had to do (car, allowance, etc.). I also got to live through the rise of Instagram, which has pushed the desire for instant gratification to an all-time high. That being said, I was also a victim of this. Being an African-American, seeing people my age blow off of a viral song, Tweet, Vine, or being a very gifted athlete made me think I could do it as well, and as fast as they got it. Not knowing what all went into their fame and stardom, many kids like me try to do the same because they have to have it right now.
I will say that it isn't only the fault of the rise and take over of social media, but our parents have had an indirect effect on this as well. My mother was born in '77. She had me in '00 and my older sister in '98. I often think about how much different life could have been if she were to have invested in companies such as Apple & Microsoft--and even as I grew older--looking into investments such as Tesla, Amazon, and Bitcoin. I can't fault my mother for not entertaining these investments, because she oftentimes had to juggle 2-3 jobs alone to make ends meet for her two children. There is no room for investments, only necessity. This in turn causes our generation to look towards the influencers, athletes, and recording artists of our day as the blueprint to wealth, as we don't realize the work that may have been instilled in them from their parents and even themselves. Looking back, it was a blessing and a curse. A blessing in it is that I am maturing in this digital age and understand that these companies will be concrete and profitable when I invest in them and give my own family the knowledge that I missed, and a curse because hey, we could've been ridiculously wealthy. These simple observations not only in our households & communities but even in our social media feeds should provoke thought about what we want fame and acclaim for. Is it to "flex" on the next person and to just say that we obtain it? Or is it to benefit your next generation and perhaps allow your parents to enjoy the fruits of your labor? If you're on the former, I'm sorry to say, but you are apart of the problem. Whether you've been set up with plush opportunities or you have to "get it out the mud," it's up to you to make a difference for the betterment of yourself and your family for generations to come.
So, fast forward to today. October 25th of 2020. In this week alone, there are many opportunities to produce income, as we are deep into "earnings season," with companies like Apple, Caterpillar, and others announcing earnings for the quarter. Imagine awaiting this at 16, and investing my $8/hr paychecks into something I know will be here in the next 40 years, let alone the next four. Maybe I'm not typing this blog post and A.B.O.Y doesn't exist. Maybe my 19th year doesn't happen as far as how tumultuous it was. Maybe I go to college fresh from graduating, who knows? I say that to say this: Everything happens for a reason. To accompany this quote, I will say also that every action produces a reaction. I'm sure you have heard both of these phrases before, but they go hand in hand. Each of our lives is like a crazy butterfly effect (cue Travis Scott) in which our actions and reactions connect us to different things and people. Different perspectives. Different knowledge. I'm blessed to have both my parents, but with all due respect, I would never put my child in a disadvantageous position from birth. In the Black community, this has poisoned our well, along with the infamous disease of instant gratification, among many other deficiencies. I won't get too deep into that today, as the list of the things that our community needs to grow and thrive is a very lengthy one. But it starts with the man in the mirror, as that is y(our) greatest competition, stingiest foe, and most loyal friend that you have.
So join me, in recalibrating yourself, your principles that you believe your life should be lived by, and hold yourself to the standard that you are well aware that you can reach. Even if no one is cheering you on, even if people don't understand that you know that the road less traveled makes all the difference, and even if your family--close "friends" and the like--simply try to water down your dream. Do NOT allow that under any circumstance. The crazy, unreasonable, relentless, take-no-prisoners type of people are the motherf ckers that create a fortune for themselves and the family they have created, are celebrated for their tenacity, and their legacy lives on forever for the emotional deposits invested into their book of life. I want my book of life to be made into a movie that's directed by Michael Bay, Stephen Spielberg, and Spike Lee. So in essence, my story will be the story of this black man, who may or may not have been an extra-terrestrial being from another galaxy, and in his lifetime he blew sh t up. A LOT.
So even if sometimes you gotta lace up and do it on your own, it's a lot more satisfying that way anyways. Of course, nothing can be done completely alone, but having a 1Deep mindset is something that I have and will continue to instill into this brand. Take up the same mission, and see how your life will transform.
"Rich is gangsta, n gga."
- Rick Ross, boss
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I purchased the Reloaded Field Manual from Chris Johnson (Follow him on IG @chrissssjohnson) on July 15th, 2020. Honestly, I only wish I would've bought it earlier. In the manual are essential resources and information regarding strategies to leverage social media to your advantage to gain more traffic to your online business(es). If you're looking to invest in passive income and creating a social media presence that will bring you income, then this is the course for you.
I also purchased the Stock Market Gems course. This course gave me such a great insight on how to point out trends in the market using many different methods & tools. He explains in the course that he wants to be able to teach the stock market to an 8-year-old and that he does. I was able to grasp and understand the vital information from this individual who has used these same methods to achieve monumental success. Again, if you are looking to become financially independent and create wealth for yourself for generations to come, then you will find it beneficial for you to purchase this course.
Full list of Chris Johnson's courses
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