The Fifth Agreement

 

Check one, two. Check one, two. Sorry I have left you readers so long without a blog post. As a creator, sometimes you have to simply step back from your creativity and art, and live. The best content frequently derives from the lessons learned through simply living.

About a month ago, I read The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz, Don Ruiz, and Janet Mills. This book was unexpectedly very, very good. And I say unexpectedly, because it looks to be on some natural, spiritual stuff. I don’t typically read spiritual books, but this particular one was referred to me. Since reading this book, I have also read As A Man Thinkeths, and I am currently reading The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Some would even argue that my first book, My Flexibility Manifesto, was spiritual. The beauty of The Fifth Agreement is that it correlates and connects to those other books. So it is like learning a writing lesson in English class, then going to science class and using those writing skills taught in English, then working on your first draft in Social Studies class. There’s synergy there.

What this book makes me realize is that this society, which is created by man, is very distorted from the universe that God created. When God created this world and us, and the first man and woman existed, we began to create images…symbols. Every single day we see symbols. We see them daily in marketing.We see them in our text messages, social media, clothing, etc. Democracy is a symbol. Capitalism is a symbol. The American Dream is a symbol. College is a symbol. Everything is a symbol. The problem dwells in those symbols, also known as “symbology.” That symbolism is false. It distorts God’s message and our individual purpose in life. Because of the symbols in smart phones, social media, the news, magazines, music, and entertainment, many of us struggle to hear God’s voice. We ignore our intuition and continue to walk into dangerous circumstances whether that is a preventable, bad, romantic relationship or a job that we should have turned down. Throughout my life, I have chased the American Dream. Some may argue that I have achieved this dream, but it doesn’t feel very satisfying. There is something missing, but because I believed in this false symbol, I am too far in to escape. No one warned me that higher education came with debt. No one discussed the ebbs and flows of marriage. No one taught me the essential skills of effective parenting. I learned these things through trial and error. So what do I do now that I know these symbols are false?

What further threw me for a loop, as a writer and as an artist, I realize I am using these symbols. Perhaps the purpose of the book was to raise awareness. Now that I am aware of it, I have to decide what am I going to do next. As stated in the text, I had to reflect on my message. What message was I conveying in my art? What message was I conveying in my conversations?Even if I now know that capitalism is a false symbol, is it okay that I participate in this symbol if I am doing it for the right reasons?

Another key point I discovered from reading The Fifth Agreement is that it acknowledges none of us have the right religion. So it doesn’t matter if you are a Catholic, a Baptist, a Muslim, or a Mormon. It’s about our relationship with God, not our slight differences in beliefs and customs. Think about when you were a child. You enjoyed life. You played with everyone regardless of how fat they were or how poor they were. Children operate from a perspective of no filter. They “call it as they see it.” So if a kid calls you fat, you’re probably fat. If a kid calls you ugly, you’re probably ugly. As brainwashed adults, our goal to try to reach that childlike innocence and purity where it was about play, entertainment, creativity, and enjoying life. Adulthood strips us of our innocence. Those bills and direct deposits work collectively in destroying who we really are. We need to take the time to discover who we really are. We need to discover our purpose.

Speaking of purpose, I will not say that The Fifth Agreement contradicts Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, because this is a spiritual book; that’s a Christian book. Rather than to dig into the differences; there are a lot of similarities between both books.  In Warren’s work, he argues that our purpose is to love God, love our family, and to love others. And there are a million ways that we can love others and love God.That makes sense because there is God in us. So when I read the Fifth Agreement and it talks about recognizing our own divinity, I realize we are kings and queens. When I think back to this history of Africans, I realize that our history has been washed away unless you purposefully seek that knowledge. We are kings and queens of our own kingdom. It’s important that I have a purpose in my life. The Fifth Agreement advocates us to love ourselves. Before you can love someone else, you have to be able to love yourself. In summary, following these five agreements will lead to holistic success. Let’s look at each agreement in detail.

 

1. Be impeccable with your word. Being impeccable with your word means that you respect yourself. If you respect yourself, you’re going to eat right, exercise, go to the doctor, go to the dentist, relax, have fun, and work hard. Of course you’re going to work hard, because you have goals. Being impeccable with your words means that you recognize the power of words. As a English teacher, writer, author, and advocate of language and communication, I live by the power of words. So it is imperative that I exemplify this agreement. By speaking with integrity, I will only use words that mean something. I will stand behind my words. There are so many people that make false promises and claim that they are doing this or that, but their actions show differently. I do not want to become that person. If I say I am going to do something, then I do it. Or perhaps, I don’t say anything, I let my actions speak for themselves. Also, being impeccable with your words means to not speak down on yourself or to gossip. Regarding the latter, I avoid eating lunch in the teacher’s lounge, because I do not agree with the gossip that takes place during that time. As I’ve matured, I have become more opinionated and steadfast in my beliefs and values. That has caused some friction between myself and others. Thus, for one reason or another, I genuinely do not like some people and some people probably do not like me. I am fine with that. However, I will not gossip about those people. If I say something behind someone’s back, I will say the exact words to that particular person’s face. I do not want any drama, but I am a man of my word. That’s integrity. More importantly, I will not speak down on myself. Recently, I met with my principal regarding my performance this past school year as an educator, co-worker, and leader. Overall, I did an excellent job, but my principal was unsure how I would take her criticism. She informed me that I was moody. I literally laughed when she said that, because she was 100 percent correct. I am moody. I am a lot of things that I am not proud of. As explained to my principal, I am my biggest critic as I know myself very, very well. And if you are like me and you strive toward excellence in everything that you do, you will become your own biggest critic. For example, one of the reasons why I didn’t pursue my rap career fully was because I was too harsh on my own music. It wasn’t that I wasn’t gifted or talented or didn’t make good music. It was the fact that I wanted to push myself to greatness and that required more than I was willing to commit to. I would take a song and work on it over and over and over again. I struggle with the idea of perfection. I want to create perfection in my art and work. And if you can relate to this idea of self-criticism, according to the text, you have to be careful with the words you say about yourself. So instead of saying, “damn I suck at that” or “I can’t do that,” you need to praise yourself consistently. When God created you in his image, he gave you everything that you needed to succeed and to excel. Recognize your own divinity. That might be the biggest takeaway from this book. Recognize your own divinity. There is God in you. You are great. Speak these short positive affirmations to mitigate any apprehension, uncertainty, or fear in your  life. Use your words to be truthful and to convey love to yourself and to others. I am a king in my kingdom. Because this is my heaven and not my hell, I am going to do everything possible to create and build my kingdom. If anyone disrespects me, I have the right to remove them from my kingdom and universe. I do not have to be on social media where there often exists a lot of negativity and judgment. At any moment, I can reject and remove social media. That’s why I don’t have SnapChat. I’m not going to do something just because it’s popular or trendy. That’s inherently, authentically me. Know who you are and value the words you say about yourself and about others.
2. Don’t take anything personally. I’ve had trouble with this in the past. If someone says something disrespectful directly to me or indirectly about me (gossip), I’m ready to rip their figurative and literal head off. I refuse to debate about things that do not matter. How do I determine if something matters? I ask myself these two questions: 1) Does it align to my purpose and interests in life? 2) Does it correlate to my message? If it does not matter, then I ignore it. “Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dreams.” Because we are all kings and queens of our own kingdom, because our individual perspectives rule our lives, when people do or say things that you disagree with, do not criticize them. Recognize that everyone has an opinion based on the false symbols that believe in. Everyone has an ego. There is a difference between who we say we are and who we actually are. People struggle with the gap between their self-image and reality. Continue to be impeccable with your words. Do not get into unnecessary arguments and debates with people about their opinions and beliefs. If you are a Democrat and you see a Republican making offensive comments, do not engage in a debate with them. The possibility of legitimately changing someone’s mind, especially in the area of politics or religion, is very low. My favorite phrase from The Fifth Agreement is “It does not matter.” Focus on what really matters. Although it is a cliche, this life is  short. Focus your intellect, your gifts from God, and your precious time and energy on things, people, concepts, and ideas that really matter and align to your purpose and message. “When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.” I remember when I was a student at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. There was this Nashville girl that I was interested in. I didn’t know her well at all, but I thought she was attractive. I was single and looking for a potential girlfriend. I’m not sure what I said to her verbatim, but I do remember being very assertive early in our interactions. As a result, she sent me a long message telling me that she didn’t find me attractive. I do not recall saying anything disrespectful to her, but I was floored by her message. I stopped going out for a while. I avoided her on campus. For roughly a month, I thought I was ugly. I started lifting weights more, got my teeth whitened, changed my wardrobe, focused on my grooming habits, etc. And I did all of those things based on her words. Meanwhile, she was living, going to school, dating, partying, etc. I was in a “black-hole” hating myself and trying to improve something that didn’t need much improvement. If I was immune to her opinion then and didn’t take her harsh words seriously, I would not have stopped looking for a potential girlfriend and would not have wasted my resources (time, energy, thoughts, money) based on her words. That is why it is important to focus on you and to realize each person has their own views and beliefs based on their false symbols.
3. Don’t make assumptions. “Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.” In that previous example, I should have mustered up the courage to ask her direct questions regarding her message. For example, I could have asked her the following: What about me specifically do you dislike or find unattractive? What do you look for in a guy? Where are you in life? What are your goals? Tell me about your childhood. What is your belief system? Are you looking for a relationship? Are you in a relationship? There are a lot of questions that I should have asked her, before I communicated my romantic desires. As stated, words are powerful. By being specific  and impeccable with your words, you can avoid the drama that comes from miscommunication and assumptions. Don’t make an assumption, you’ll make an…You know the rest. “Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstanding, sadness, and drama.” Any issues I have had with the opposite sex usually has stemmed from text messages. In the use of those symbols through technology, so much is lost. The context behind your words, your tone, and your affliction help convey your true message. I recently had a disagreement with a friend of mine. We were discussing music and the ability to effectively analyze music. He made a bizzare statement about one artist’s album being better than another artist’s album, and it drove me crazy. First, I made an assumption about him personally and his ability to analyze music, and made a joke that only a person with a G.E.D. would ever come to that conclusion. He bounced back with a statement about not listening to music to receive his education. That forced me to make another assumption about the meaning of his statement, which spiraled to me explaining my academic prowess and degrees. He bounced back again with a statement that degrees don’t matter and that I was insane. I responded back with a equally harsh statement. It spiraled out of control, and it started with a simple assumption. Because he and I were not face-to-face reading one another’s body language and able to fully listen to one another, we both made assumptions, which led to some harsh things being said. When we did meet in person, we were able to better explain ourselves without any bitterness or anger, and we were friends again. It’s just that simple. Be clear with your communication to avoid the drama.
4. Always do your best. “Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.” Nothing is permanent. Everything in this world is temporary. No relationship, no success, no circumstance will stay the same. Everything changes. By realizing this fact of life, it allows you to not be so hard on yourself. Remember the discussion about self-criticism. If you are reading this blog, more than likely, you criticize yourself a lot. And you don’t criticize yourself because you don’t love yourself, but because you believe in yourself so much that you know you are capable of so much more. But no matter how healthy you eat or how many times you exercise, you will not always feel physically well. No matter how many times you meditate or go to church, you will not always feel spiritually well. No matter how much money you save and invest, you will not always feel financially well. It’s life. Accept it. Embrace it. As long as you give your all in that particular moment, you will be fine. You will succeed. Continue to speak those positive affirmations about your divinity and inherent greatness. Continue to be impeccable with your word and to avoid gossip. Recognize that everyone’s perception is based on their own vision, experience, and upbringing, don’t take their words or actions personally. Don’t make an assumption. Focus on you. Focus on your message. Focus on your purpose. Love yourself. Love others. Love God. When you show up to work, regardless if you are an employee, a contractor, or an entrepreneur, give your all to the best of your ability. Be consistent. Set goals. Chunk those goals into smaller, manageable, S.M.A.R.T. goals. And never give up. Create a structure of powerful habits. Execute.
5. Be skeptical. But learn to listen. “Don’t believe yourself or anybody else. Use the power of doubt. Question everything that you hear.” Listen. People talk too much. By listening, you get to understand humanity and psychology—why humans do the things that they do. Regardless of your specific career, it is helpful to know why people do what they do. If you can tap into people’s psychology—you get that from listening—you can be successful. When I was a kid, I remember going to a Baptist church every Sunday and in my best attire and listening to the sermons. Unlike other kids, I wasn’t bored in church. I was listening. I was analyzing. I was thinking. Within my head, I was having a conversation with God. I wanted to know why was I here. Was it necessary for me to be in this physical space at this specifc time every Sunday wearing my best and giving away the few dollars I had in my bright green, plastic wallet? I needed answers. As I matriculated through elementary school, middle school, and high school. I listened. I analyzed. Why were my history teachers explaining the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus? I couldn’t relate. I wasn’t European. I wasn’t a White man. What about the accomplishments of my ancestors? Of my people? Why did we always have to learn about slavery? Why did we always have to learn about sharecropping and the Civil War? What about the great dynasties and inventors in Africa? What about their accomplishments? I wondered these things for many years. Lost in my young adulthood, I didn’t seek these answers. I didn’t seek these answers until I was in my mid-20s. And there is still an abundance of research that I haven’t conducted yet. There is still a lot of information that my soul needs. It’s not blasphemous to question the words in the Bible, Quran, or whatever religious doctrine the masses adhere to. Because we have been brainwashed by low quality music (music that lacks substance), television, advertising and outdated education, our brains have been molded by incorrect or biased information. That’s harmful. As we grow up and have children that grow up, whatever resides in our brains and thought patterns are engraphed to our children. They teach the same lessons and beliefs to their grandchildren. It’s a cycle. War is a cycle. Poverty is a cycle. Illiteracy is a cycle. Recidivism is a cycle. Mediocrity or meritocracy is a cycle. When do we break it? For my family, it starts with me. That’s why I write. It’s why I create content. It’s why I read so much. It’s why I listen so much. By learning to listen and being impeccable with your word, you realize that you don’t have to voice your opinion on everything. You don’t have to debate every issue or topic simply because you are a receiver of that message. You decide. You decide what messages to keep or to toss away. You decide what messages you convey in your actions and words.

This book is important. I highly recommend that you purchase, borrow, or check out The Fifth Agreement. Read it. Analyze it. Criticize it. Apply it to your life. Or don’t apply it to your life. There are several important messages in this text that I believe will improve your life. Our power as human beings begins in our spirit and mind.  We instinctively protect our physical selves. If someone throws something at you, you duck. If someone throws a punch at your face, you move and react with your own punch. So why don’t we instinctively protect our mental selves? We participate in celebrity gossip and talk about our co-workers in negative connotations. We listen to music that degrades our net worth (because we don’t earn $20,000 to $100,000 a show) and our women (“thot thot”). We watch or read the news, no matter how negative it might be, as much as we can. We ignore the importance of our own mental health. And as aforementioned, we speak down on ourselves. As a man thinks, so is he. As your thoughts about yourself and others improve, your actions will change. Your spirit will change. Work toward developing your mind and spirit until they are perfectly aligned.

 

Comment below. Follow me on Twitter @Blackscholaronl.

 

Why I Treat Negativity Like a Plague

https://twitter.com/BlackScholarONL/status/420610964770529280

I’m not sure how many of you read Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon. It’s a great book about creativity and productivity. The lessons taught in this book can be applied to any discipline, industry, or skill. It’s been one of my favorite books since 2012—when I first read it. Like most readers of good work or good art, you find yourself wanting to connect with the creator of the good work. I tried. I followed Austin Kleon on Twitter. I have also listened to several interviews featuring Mr. Kleon. In summary, I came away unimpressed and confused each time.

Today, I un-followed Mr. Kleon. Why? Well, the easiest way to explain why is to say that he’s a jerk. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but as a honest opinion based on numerous observations. He didn’t say anything negative to me, but it felt like every fourth tweet was negative or condescending.

.@MatthewDiffee: “You’re an extrovert?” Me: “Yes, but I’m very grumpy, so sometimes you can’t tell.”

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) March 9, 2013

I loathe negativity. It saps my energy. I don’t like being angry. We have enough “angry Black men” in America, right? As I pondered why his tweets were so negative, I recalled a specific section in his book. Kleon writes the following:

“You’re going to see a lot of stupid stuff out there and you’re going to feel like you need to correct it. One time I was up late on my laptop and my wife yelled at me, ‘Quit picking fights on Twitter and go make something!’ She was right. But anger is one of my favorite create resources.”

Ahhhh. It all makes sense now. He purposefully tweets negative things and comes off as a jack ass, because 1) He probably is a jack ass jerk, 2) He uses the negativity as fuel for his creativity. I respect the latter. I can relate. But there’s something in my spirit, something that tells me that’s not right—that’s not the way to do things. Even in Kleon’s own book, in chapter 8, it says “BE NICE. (The world is a small town). So why isn’t this guy taking his own advice?

My problem is that I know the connection or correlation between having a successful business and connecting with people. I saw it firsthand with my grandfather. He woke up bright and early every morning. He came to pick his eldest grandson up—myself. I hopped in his jeep or his Volvo and we drove to Sam’s Club, almost every morning. We grabbed donuts, big boxes of candy, coffee, water, chips, soda, and a copy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Most of these items were for the vending machines. Grandpa would later remind me that the customers wouldn’t get comfortable in a place of business without having access to some luxuries—such as snacks and beverages. The donuts and coffee were for the staff. He believed in keeping his barbers and beauticians fed. He made connections with his people in subtle ways. Additionally, grandpa helped his employees with their taxes, legal situations, and lives. He frequently met with his young staff to offer life advice. Despite his success, he never took any employee, vendor, or customer for granted.

Unsurprisingly, the thesis of Welcome to Black Excellence is connections. In order for the Black community in America to improve, we have to support one another. Ask any psychologist or sociologist, society is based on relationships and connections. There are no self-made millionaires or billionaires. Every human being needs someone. As an introvert, I  can credibly say that even introverts or “home bodies” need people. If you create art for a living like Austin Kleon, you need people to want to read, view, appreciate, share, and buy that art. That requires you to be likable.

In this social media dominant era, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, and professionals need to be mindful of what we say and do online. I encourage everyone to be genuine. “Be yourself.” By being yourself, you will be unmistakable and possibly remarkable. But regardless of your gifts and talents, your personality and how you interact with others determines your success. Your attitude determines your altitude. Now I personally recognize that some people didn’t like the content of  My Flexibility Manifesto: Following Your Passion 2 Success. I used positive psychology and spirituality to advise readers how to find meaningful, purposeful work and their life’s purpose. Anytime you talk about politics, religion, or spirituality, you are going to turn some people off. I was well aware. Thus, my approach for Welcome to Black Excellence is different.

As an African American intellect and creative, here’s my conundrum. There are 4.6 million African Americans with bachelor’s degrees. A quick Google or Twitter search with the words “Black Scholar” will result in many results that include myself. In creating Black Scholars LLC in December 2010, I have seen two sides of the coin. One side of Black scholarship is harsh, extremely political, anti-White, anti-Anglo Saxon, anti-European or Western influence. The rhetoric is unforgiving of this nation’s ugly past. This type of Black scholarship borrows from Nat Turner’s rebellion and Marcus Garvey’s teachings. A clear example of this type of scholarship can be found on Tavis Smiley’s and Cornel West’s Facebook group based on their collaborative efforts against poverty (which is strange, because neither Tavis Smiley or Cornel West subscribe to this scholarship).

The other side of Black scholarship is positive, uplifting, and future-focused (I even started my own Facebook group that depicts that). This half of the dichotomy is cognizant of America’s past and present, but it is not engulfed or handicapped by it. Although, I don’t write much about slavery, America’s true discovery, or African empiricism, I know that history well. I believe that history. I respect that history. But I didn’t study African American cultural studies in college (independently I did examine many issues from the African American perspective). I studied psychology. I studied education. And now I’m studying professional and technical writing/communications. Combine all three, and you have me. A gifted writer that believes in the power of education and positive psychology. I recognize that our history books are inaccurate and mainly one-sided. But I can’t change that bias. What I can change is the perspective that I write from and the perspective that some African Americans operate from. We can operate from a place of affluence, togetherness, and hope. Does that make me the ultimate scholar? No. But I’m learning.

Regardless of what side of Black scholarship I picked, inevitably I would piss some people off.

By being true to myself, I am creating the best art possible. I am focused on those that resonate with the future-focused paradigm of change in our communities. I am still being remarkable. I won’t participate in racist antics or discriminatory practices against people who look different than myself. What’s the purpose of the art if you delete the potential fans and viewers of the art? It’s not about ME. It’s about the people—all people—not just a small portion of the whole. Once we truly understand this, we will be successful as a society. Right now, we are not successful.

Consequently, teachers aren’t teaching effectively in our nation’s classrooms, because they still think it’s about them. It’s not! It’s about the children. Businesses are failing one after another, because they think it’s about them, their board of directors, their website, or their marketing plans. It’s not! It’s about the people, the consumers, the users, and the audience.

The reason why Apple and Oprah Winfrey are so successful  is caused by their authentic focus on the people. 

The goal for any creator, artist, entrepreneur, or professional is to SERVE the people. It’s about enhancing and increasing the lives of your tribe. That’s why I encourage Facebook users to comment on statuses and interact versus simply liking posts and pages. If Facebook is truly a social platform, then people should be socializing.

Think about it from this perspective, would you rather sell a million books and no one talks about how that book changed their lives for the better? Or would you rather sell 10 books and it dramatically impacts the lives of the readers to the point that they start opening their own businesses, falling in love, believing in God, and volunteering for non-profit organizations? For most of us, we want the gray area. We want to be commercially successful while impacting lives. And we can have both. But it starts with YOU focusing on your PEOPLE. It’s not about you. It’s about them. If you approach your art, your work, and your business, from a perspective of how you can add value to your audience’s lives, you will not be able to hold the abundance of blessings that will come your way.

For the record, I admire Austin Kleon’s work. I was only using him as an example to make my point. His book inspired my writing and creativity, but I don’t like his personality.

If you liked this editorial, please comment below and share it with someone you love. Subscribe at the top (click the “Follow” button). Email me at Leonard.Wilson.Jr@gmail.com. Follow me at Twitter: @BlackScholaronl. And thank you for reading! I appreciate YOU.

A history of spiritual excellence

It’s evident. Watch one speech from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observe one debate featuring Malcolm X. Read a single page of Nora Zeale Hurston’s literature. These messages are bigger than the human beings that deliver them. These messages transcend race, education, income, or social status.

Every Sunday, I go to church. After church, I listen to two of my favorite ministries—Joel Osteen’s Lakewood church and Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Potter House. I love listening to Joel Osteen’s positive psychology. He gives tactical advice on how to deal with the world while being a Christian. He establishes a set of expectations for believers of Christ. And that’s awesome. I respect that. I need that. I love that. But there’s a noticeable difference when I listen to Bishop Jakes preach. Aside from his traditional Southern African-American preaching style, filled with elongated syllables and shouting, T.D. Jakes is a gifted man. His understanding of the bible is uncanny. He ability to break  complex scriptures into compelling life lessons is unearthly. It’s easy to see that Bishop Jakes has “it.” He has the ability to tap into a supernatural source of inspiration and comprehension. That is not a talent, that is a gift.

Re-reading Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life reminded me of this notion. In this noisy, sinful, lustful world, God’s children are consistently being barraged with advertisements of doing whatever the hell you want, whenever the hell you want. Reality television shows are notorious for displaying the I-don’t-give-a-(expletive) mentality. It takes a lot of effort and willpower to ignore the ignorance of the world and to be steadfast towards living life the right way.

After releasing My Flexibility Manifesto, one of my readers fell in love with the book. He explained to me that he knew my words came from a higher power. In his opinion, my words were deeper than University understanding, street smarts, or common knowledge advice. And he was right. During the deeper sections of my book, I really lost myself in the art. I lost myself in the rhetoric. I lost myself in the message. And it felt great. Often times, I would emerge out of a focused writing session bewildered by the content of my writing. I didn’t have a bible with me. I didn’t look up scriptures. I just wrote. My connection with God gave me an indefinite supply of wisdom, intelligence, and awareness (some of that insight is available on my second blog). I pondered why I was able to tap into that supernatural power. Here’s why I hypothesize.

Look at the history of this world. Study the regimes and empires of this planet. At the apex of history, stands Europe and people of European descent (whites not Hispanics or any other group located in Europe). America was ruled by the British. Likewise, Britain colonized India and Africa. Post Pearl Harbor, Asian Americans were thrown into camps in the state of California. The Jews were traumatized by the Holocaust. Blacks were subjected to the brutality of slavery. Native Americans were nearly exterminated. The Middle East has always had to deal with European influences and hegemony. Europe influences our technology, our media, our history books, and our standards for living. Everything that Black people do, Jewish people do, Asian people do, Hispanic people do, and any other minority ethnic or racial group of people do is judged by European standards. The “American Dream” is an European influenced standard. Thus, through the historical trials and tribulations caused by people of Anglo-Saxon descent, people of color can tap into the supernatural. Understand that through the pain, agony, and turmoil, these oppressed groups of people become faithful servants of God. Life’s vicissitudes extracts faith from those that suffer. As a result, a generational cycle of spirituality, supernatural awareness, and deeper understanding perpetuate through families of color. That is why Mahatma Gandhi could stand up for his people. That is why Mandela could risk imprisonment for his people. That is why Dr. King could risk violence, harassment, and death for his people. That is why Malcolm X could analyze the societal issues of America with the bravado and insight of a Harvard professor. Not to discredit any Anglo-Saxons or those of European or Caucasian descent, but people of color have a direct link to God.

Disagree? Comment below. Email me at leonard.wilson.jr@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @blackscholaronl. Thank you for reading. Please share this article with three loved ones, friends, those of opposing viewpoints, or colleagues.

Lost in Space

Blogging is an art that I have grown quite comfortable with.

The side effect of delaying gratification

I hate waiting. I really hate waiting. Whether it’s Walgreens, a fast food drive thru or at the bank (like the photo shows), I hate waiting. I lack patience. It feels like someone is always in my way. But in my hindsight, I realize that I stand in my own path and forward progression.

Delayed gratification is a necessary component of long-term success. LeBron James played 8 to 9 years of professional basketball before he was able to win a championship. 50 Cent , Eminem, and Jay-Z all individually didn’t get their first album release until they were almost 30. Steve Harvey is noted as saying that he didn’t get real money until he was 35 years of age. Thus, it’s easy to see that delayed gratification leads to success or it could be subtle success depending on what you put into it. Are you going back to school? What about graduate school? Do you have basic skills you need to work on before you can gain advanced knowledge? Whatever you want your life to become, you have you to be patient.

My own flight with patience are well documented. I discuss my career troubles in My Flexibility Manifesto. One of the main causes of my career dissatisfaction is my lack of patience. I didn’t want to wait for success. I breezed through my master’s degree. Before I attended the University of Memphis, I attended Middle Tennessee State University and Lipscomb University simultaneously. I was enrolled in two different educational majors; the former emphasized administration. Obviously I didn’t want to delay my potential success. As rewarding as it is to be busy and always on the go, pursuing multiple things at once can be detrimental.

Perhaps if I had solely focused on my banking career I would have had long-term success. The same can be said for my customer service years and teaching career. As I continue to learn more about myself and God’s purpose for my life, I am comfortable delaying gratification. I need time to hone my skills and increase my competency in a single field. Amen to that.

The genius of Killer Mike

Here is an opportunity to listen to one of the best intellectual minds of emcees in today’s hip-hop culture. His music is incredible. The message within the music stands even greater. Notice his acknowledgement that entrepreneurship in the community is of mass importance. Take heed.

Stop settling

“The opposite of success is not failure, it’s mediocracy. — Sam Neves

 

The worst thing in the world you can be is average.  In the United States of America, we dream big, but commonly fall very short on to a bed of complacency.  If you value yourself, your intelligence, and your potential, you must diligently work aggressively towards honing your talent, gift, skill, interest, and passion(s).  Without planning, practice, and execution, your dream will never be realized.  Eventually, when you are of old age, you will look back with a surplus of regrets.

As a Milwaukee native, I always loved the Milwaukee Bucks and the Green Bay Packers.  During my adolescence, the Bucks were good for a short number of years under George Karl as Sam Cassell, Ray Allen, Glen “Big Dog” Robinson formed a “big three.”  Outside of that brief period of time, the Bucks sucked.  They have flirted with the playoffs a few times since, being bounced out of the first round each season or barely missing the eighth seed.  The organization is average.  They spend a lot of money on players and remain consistently average.  Always in the middle of the pack, where they do not qualify for a top lottery franchise-changing draft pick.  So at the end of every season, they find themselves overpaying for B-level players and trying again, only to fail again.

On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers produce great results every year including championships (greatness).  From the executive level down to the worker bees, the Green Bay Packers emphasize faith, consistency, and hard work.  They do not overpay free agents to come to Green Bay.  Green Bay is a boring city with low-crime, strong family values, and a diehard football fan base.  There are no great malls, night clubs, or celebrities in the city.  The Packers attract great talent solely on their history of high expectations and hard work.  The organization demands excellence from individual players.  They focus towards collective goals.

Now if everything you do is above average, does that mean you cannot make errors or fail?  Of course, you will make errors.  You will produce average and sometimes below average products, writings, services, etc.  But the art and science behind being excellent and above average is that this is a lifestyle.  As an entrepreneur and consultant (you are a consultant even as an employee because you can be fired at any moment if you do not produce results), this mentality will improve your performance and businesses (I love micro-businesses).  If you are genuinely about high quality, then as a business owner, you are looking at how you can add quality to your customers’ lives.  Customers will be drawn to you and your business if it is of a high quality.  For example, as owner and operator of Wilson’s Chem-Dry, I frequently wore suits during carpet and furniture cleaning.  Who does that in the cleaning industry?  No one.  I distinguished myself from the middle of the pack. I formed a reputation of quality.

Why Black kids should go to a HBCU (guest feature)

The miseducation of our children

What is enlightened segregation? Enlightened segregation is the segregated education of African American children. As many of our children within the public school system continue to be left behind, it may be time to change our thinking on educational reform. I love charter schools, but there are many charters that underperform their public peers. The goal of extending the school year, extending the school day, and offering additional instruction should raise our students’ mastery of standards and academic astuteness. Since this is not occurring across the board, I came across an interesting viewpoint: What if we created schools that catered specifically to African American children? What would happen? What would that look like?

Obviously, we would need an administration that understands the goal of enlightened segregation. The faculty’s racial background or ethnicity does not matter. There are thousands of White college students that study cultural or African studies. Diversity is encouraged in terms of staffing, but I do recognize the awkwardness that would accompany a White group of educators trying to propose this idea to African-American communities. For this reason, this movement should be led by a diverse team that predominately features African American educators.

What would the curriculum look like? Students need to learn about true African history – not just African but global history that correlates to people of brown and darker skin. Unbeknownst to many writers, there are Black Americans who do not have descendants in Africa (not within their immediate extended family tree). There are some Black families in America that come from the Caribbean Islands, Asia, Europe, and other foreign lands. Thankfully, there exists amazing information about African roots to Christianity. African empires ruled before, during, and after the famous Roman or Greek eras. African leaders discovered America before Christopher Columbus. We can take this information as far back as we need to. Why? Because African Americans students do not get the opportunity to build authentic self-identity via our current model of curriculum and instruction. Kids need to see past images of positive, progressive, and successful black- and brown-skinned people. Black History Month barely touches the surface of our past. Before American slavery, Blacks ruled, invented, and taught within many respectable areas including the sciences, agriculture, mathematics, law, architecture, medicine, etc. Our kids do not know this. And they will never know this unless they receive this instruction. Subsequently, there are inspiring stories of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology going on right now in Africa. The American media doesn’t push these stories. Television programs never bring forth our accomplishments.

What about the instruction? The instruction has to go in depth (projects, speakers, trips, involvement with African studies departments, partnerships with HBCUs, community service, etc). We can’t gloss over or rush through this curriculum. This curriculum will be embedded in every core subject and elective (math, science, language arts, debate, law, and more). Imagine students with the opportunity to reference past kings and queens of Africa in modern studies. Children learn through observational learning. They imitate what they see or hear. This idea of enlightened segregation provides our students an opportunity to learn from their respective, gloried pasts. Right now, the history textbooks are flawed. There is no pluralistic models of education. That’s why separate schools that offer this curriculum and instruction should be discussed, debated, revised, and created.

This idea isn’t foreign. The Mormons own and operate schools for their children. There are Hebrew schools within Jewish communities. Catholic education has existed for a long time. It isn’t that far-fetched to create a school that caters to African American children. This would be a larger scale of differentiated instruction, enriched curriculum, and individualized education. Psychology research would need to be evaluated and implemented in the planning of this curriculum. Why? Many of our students learn differently. They deserve an education that is built for them that maximizes their unique talents and abilities. If we develop educational communities like this, our kids will be better able to disseminate what career paths truly fit them and what courses build on their current knowledge. By forming a strong base of African knowledge along with the core academic mastery, our students will become competent adults taught to enrich the lives of others (globally) within the African-American community. #WelcometoBlackExcellence