In 2019 I began my classes with one question. I asked my students, “if you could have any superhuman strength, what would it be and why?” Yes, in addition to getting to know my students’ names, I asked this superhuman question to see their personalities and to encourage a welcoming classroom environment. Students often responded with the names of popular superheroes. Replies included, "I would be Batman or Wonder Woman." Not once did I hear the name of a character who embodie

You’re going to be a senator. I would vote for you!” I remember hearing those words when I was about fifteen years old. For whatever reason, those two brief statements came from an older lady of my community. She made those comments in passing, but they stayed with me for the next ten years. During college, I majored in political science. I believed the best route to impact injustices could come from service as a government official. Experiences and education taught me more a

We must learn to let our egos die. Yes, we must embrace courageous actions that include accepting failure and rejecting foolish pride. In TD Jakes's book Destiny: Step Into Your Purpose, he writes we must interpret failure as an incident and not a conviction on the value of your life. I know admitting failure is difficult. It is challenging to acknowledge that sometimes working hard is not enough. We can put in an insane amount of effort and still fall short of our goals. Las

Have you ever had second thoughts about a decision? It felt right in the moment, but soon after, you regret the choice you selected. I've been there enough in my life to know that I don’t like regret. I do my best to make decisions from a thoughtful and informed position. My decision process does not mean that I believe I am perfect. Like you, sometimes, I struggle to select the best choice and regret returns for a visit. Last weekend, I wrestled. I went back and forth with m

Are you listening to your instincts? If you follow an internal compass that guides you to places only you can see, the chances are that you and instinct share an intimate relationship. Instinct gives you the courage to respond to a higher calling because it is part of a larger purpose for your life. When my family and I lived in Mexico, I read TD Jakes’s book Instinct: The Power to Unleash Your Inborn Drive. This book became one of the resources that helped me make sense of m

Is it essential? This simple question is something we must ask ourselves. We must remind ourselves to stop trying to do everything and to focus on one thing. I am sure you are familiar with this idea of narrowing your attention to what matters. In the Bible, several scriptures speak to the importance of living a focused life. You can also find similar passages in the Torah and Quran that emphasize single-mindedness. Buddhists highlight the imperative practice of mindfulness.

Maxwell and Sharpton could not be any more different if they tried, but in their writings, they express similar views about leadership. John Maxwell is a former church pastor turned business leadership consultant. Al Sharpton is also a minister, but many of his insightful experiences derive from the political arena. For many years, I disregarded Rev. Sharpton. I couldn’t take the permed hair and tracksuits that were staples of his persona serious. After reading his book, The

I did it! This entry is my 100th blog post. To celebrate this milestone, I am offering $100 off my online self-paced personal development course, Frequency: Personal Development 100. This coupon is available for 24 hours only! While living in Mexico, I began this blog to motivate you, share my writings, and build brand awareness. Since 2017, it has served as a personal accountability measure, an inspiration resource, and as a tool to help me engage in critical conversations w

They say anger can’t fuel creativity. I say watch Director Ava DuVernay’s docuseries When They See Us. I found myself experiencing every emotion from complete rage to incomplete bliss as I watched DuVernay’s four-part Netflix series and wrote a draft of this piece. Each episode pulls at your emotional strings in its portrayal of the infamous, "Central Park Five" case. In 1989, five black and Latino boys appeared in court for assault, rape, and an attempt to murder a white wom

The weather is warm all year long. Palm trees line many of the streets. The traffic is notorious, but people flock to the city every day. This is Los Angeles. Two bedroom houses for sale at 1 million USD, home school mom meetups at local playgrounds, and of course Starbucks’ coffee shops are among the signs of gentrification. While visiting my parents in Los Angeles, I saw these symbols of gentrification and wrote this piece. There is an economic agenda gaining momentum to r

She started with, “I like your aura.” “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you,” came my response. We then began to talk about a video I posted on Facebook to advertise Capoeira classes at Sugar Ridge. I listened when she continued by saying, “The video of you with your kids helping you to promote is cute, but what is Capoeira?" As a former marketing executive, she viewed the video through lenses with thirty years of experiences in marketing and sales. In her opinion, the video is t

It has not been perfect. I will continue to face some challenges. Regardless of the circumstances, I commit to making this work. As you know, the transition from life in the United States to abroad has not been easy for my family or me. We have battled financial problems, emotional growing pains, and other life obstacles that come with pursuing alternative paths to success. These three years living as an expat have pushed us beyond figurative and literal boundaries. I am grat

After finishing Capoeira class last week, I heard the name Nipsey for the first time. A student of mine said his name after I announced that classes would resume when I returned from visiting my parents in Los Angeles. She said, “Rest in peace Nipsey.” Another student, replied, “wait, hold up, Nipsey died?” Without hesitation, the response came, “Yes, he was killed yesterday on Slauson and Crenshaw in front of his store.” That’s when I returned to the conversation. “My parent

Today I finished Robert Greene’s book, The 48 Laws of Power. This week is the second time I have attempted to read all 478 pages. The first time, I made it about halfway through the book and then moved on to do something else. In this blog post, I will not list all of Greene’s forty-eight laws of power and offer a critique. You can Google reviews. I will discuss two of the forty-eight laws and present you with an overarching principle that can enhance your ability to lead. So

It's that time of year. The season where some of us have identified goals to accomplish over the next twelve months. Creating goals and making plans is important to me, you, and possibly #45, Donald Trump. In this piece, I will provide some leadership advice that Trump should implement in 2019. Ending the government shutdown is without doubt, a top priority. These other three suggestions I will share, are useful for anyone in a position of power and specific to the poor decis

Without spoiling the movie, I want to share with you a takeaway from Netflix’s popular film Bird Box that can help you meet your 2019 goals. Bird Box is a psychological thriller starring Sandra Bullock. It’s a film about a community overtaken by an unknown spirit with the power to cause healthy people to commit suicide. The only ways to avoid infection include remaining indoors or wearing a blindfold when going anywhere outside. The need for food and other supplies limits the

Dear You, You could be a student, teacher, administrator, CEO, or employee and find value in making the time to read this blog entry. What is a manifesto? It’s a public declaration of your beliefs, goals, and commitments. Manifestos can be short, long, wide, or narrow. The format is up to you! A manifesto is a statement that tells the world what you represent and intend to do with your time on this earth. Men and women have found value in sharing manifestos. The Communist Man

X Marks the Spot on Signal Hill Last weekend I went on a hike. It was not an ordinary walk in the woods. Indeed, it was transformative. When my family and I relocated to Antigua from Mexico, we did not know what to expect. We came because I saw it as an opportunity to work with students from underserved backgrounds. Due to our then business challenges with creating consistent income, the move also made sense to regain our financial footing. Within one month on the island, we

Do you want to begin a business? Is entrepreneurialism calling you every day as you clock-in at your job? The advice I am going to offer you will help you in taking the first step to become a successful entrepreneur. We often make things more complicated than necessary. A robust business plan of three-hundred pages, $500,000 in the bank, and a team of advisors are what some of us believe is required to start a corporation, limited liability company, or other business entity.

It’s Friday! Yes, and I want you to start thinking about Monday. Did I just kill your vibe? I want to help you, so please just read on for the next five minutes. Many of us dread Monday mornings. The waking up early, the long commute, a full day in the office with multiple responsibilities make up the different parts of Monday, we wish to avoid. We hate Mondays so bad that we pick fights like clockwork with our spouses on Sunday evenings. These feelings are common. A signific