Chess – Walk Into the Future

Always remember Rosewood, Florida (Repost)

Justice

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

(Nelson Mandela)

Happy to see the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement continue to draw attention to racial injustices. The momentum gained after the George Floyd murder continues to lead people worldwide to protest injustices. It feels real this time, but I thought that after Rodney King, Trayvon Martin, Eric Gardner, and Michael Brown. Too many instances where black people are killed, and the justice system does not provide justice. Not trying to be cute with words here but most of these examples were seen on video just like George Floyd but no justice for black victims could be found.

Would like to say these are just isolated examples and America really treats black people well. Yep, we all know that would be a huge lie and I could not say that with a straight face anyway. America’s majority has treated people of color horribly and then try to convince us everything is okay. It is not and has not been okay for a long time.

Decided to go back in history and introduce Walk into the Future readers to Rosewood, Florida. Most people have never heard about Rosewood or the horror the black families endured there. It does not get the same press as the Black Wall Street massacre but is closer to home for me.

Sadly, I did not learn about Rosewood until the 1997 movie directed by John Singleton was released. I grew up in Florida and never heard a word about the massacre in a history or civics class. Rosewood is less than a two-hour drive from my hometown Jasper, Florida so it is equally shocking how close this type of mob/Klan activity was to my family.

I watched the movie and remember thinking this happened right down the street from my hometown. How is it possible I did not know about this? How could an entire town get wiped off the face of the earth and nobody said a word? This appears to be the American way. We condemn other countries and regimes for their atrocities and then hide ours from the public.

The movie stirred me to visit Rosewood in 1997 so I could see the place for myself. Sadly, the only substantial thing to identify Rosewood is a placard to let you know you are in the place where the town of Rosewood use to be. There are a few buildings there now but most of the things in the area are incorporated to Cedar Key, Florida. Felt weird being at the site of a massacre of black people but believe this was an important lesson to never forget the past so these things do not repeat. Like what is happening now; we cannot just let these injustices occur without responding in kind.

The BLM movement is here to stay, and we will need to remain vigilant to ensure human rights are respected for all. Keep learning and growing tree branches—we need you to make this a better world!

Learn more about Rosewood, Florida here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/03/rosewood-florida-massacre-racial-violence-reparations

“The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society”.

(John Lewis)

Repost from August 20, 2020.

Always remember Rosewood, Florida

Justice

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

(Nelson Mandela)

Learn more about Rosewood, Florida here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/03/rosewood-florida-massacre-racial-violence-reparations

“The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society”.

(John Lewis)

Repost from August 20, 2020.

Walking into the Future with no backup plan

Make Things Happen

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

“There’s no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A”.

(Will Smith)

I routinely listen to the Fox Sports 1 (FS1) daily show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd to get caught up on sports commentary and for a few laughs. Dude can be hilarious with some of his takes on sporting events, teams, and individual players. Some people do not like him because he has a dry sense of humor, but he does a good job researching topics before introducing them on his show.

He recently started discussing the concept of successful people not having a plan B which routinely led them to success. He leverages examples of athletes, business people, and sports personalities who took a risk on themselves without having an escape clause (plan B). He asks in his high pitch voice: you think Bill Gates had a plan B? What about Steve Jobs? You think I (Colin Cowherd) had a plan B before I picked up and moved from New York to Los Angeles? No, no and no!

His point being is creating a plan B allows for less than max efforts towards plan A. Never thought of this process in a similar way but believe my Walk into the Future mirrors his words in several ways.

One of my overarching goals on this walk was to never compromise my principles when it comes to work. There were times I could have gone to a plan B and took another role that did not fit where I wanted to be, but I created the Walk into the Future mindset for a reason. Some people could not understand why I would not rush back into the traditional world of work but had to stick to the plan–find things so I could make a difference in life daily.

I kept my focus on areas where I knew I could thrive, make a difference, and enjoy the process daily. Discovered additional talents I had because of the focus on plan A only. Research, writing blog articles, mentoring, and conducting speaking engagements served as my professional development incubator over the past two years.

While some people thought I was hanging out I was working on my craft to find additional ways to make a difference. No limitations were present because I was free to create what Walk into the Future meant to me. I look back at my first blog articles and can see the progression I have made over the past two years. My research and writing process have improved and continue to get better daily

I put unlimited time, effort and thoughts into this plan and refused to get distracted. I understand everyone cannot just walk away from their professional lives but being an Air Force retiree provides me with income to continue to do things like being a running tourist.

Please note I am not comparing myself to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Colin Cowherd—they all have a lot more money than me, but the no plan B mindset is similar.

Saw an opportunity in Fort Pierce, Florida and decided to go all in—no plan B. The excitement and potential for the new role was vetted without an emotional approach and launched me forward. Never looked back or sideways once committed to this new chapter. My plan A continues to work for me!

Moving forward and Walking into the Future! 😊

What is your plan A? How do you ensure your focus remains on plan A?

“There is no plan B for passion”.

(Chris Gardner)

Great article from Jeff Haden: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-remarkably-successful-people-dont-make-backup-plans.html

Poetic Fridays

(Image by Christine Sponchia from Pixabay)

Motivated?

What motivates you?

I would guess things quite different from what motivates me

The drive I seek comes from things I have seen

Some good, some bad

Some fair, some foul

The secret here is to use them all

Never let the opinion of others sway your desire

To reach the pinnacle you aspire

Continue to work to meet and exceed your goals

Remind the doubters that you are in control

Dreams will become reality soon enough

Got to keep working because life can be rough

Find your motivation, live your dreams

A motivated life is a wonderful sight to be seen

Knowledge

The series of daily challenges presented

Provides a template to view

How to conquer the challenges?

It is all up to you

Life provides many opportunities to grow

The direction you chose, only you will know

Continue to strive through the growing process

Knowing that you hold the key to it all

The knowledge you gain

Helps to move your journey forward

And makes the challenges easier to maintain

Note: All original verses by the author.

Irie vibes–control the controllable

(Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay)

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them”.

(Maya Angelou)

Control the controllable is one of my favorite sayings. Do not remember where I heard it first, but it has been a way of thinking for many years. Try to leverage this saying when things appear difficult and I need to remind myself to trust the process.

I shared the saying in a LinkedIn post back in April and was pleasantly surprised with the number of views (900+), reactions (20+) and comments the post garnered. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we view normal and it can be easy to get overwhelmed with everything happening around us.

Dictionary.com defines control as the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events.

Control the controllable can serve as a positive mantra to help tackle difficult times and situations.

Take care of yourself

Taking care of yourself can be done in many ways. For some this may mean ensuring you make time to exercise. For others this can be done by eating a healthier diet. This combination is a critical aspect of controlling how you function daily. A key component some of us may have forgotten until now is the mental and emotional elements in your life. COVID-19 has made us view life differently and reveals the importance of mental health. The ability to seek and find clarity should be at the forefront of taking care of yourself.

Take care of others

Who are YOUR tree branches? Make sure you reach out to them to help them navigate this new way of life. Most people will tell you they are doing okay but keep checking on them. They will appreciate the effort and it helps you keep your tree growing. You can also reach out to people who are not tree branches; make someone’s day and become a mentor to help move them forward and provide some guidance.

Continue to practice physical distancing

The government and news agencies penned the term social distancing. Believe this connotation has been a problem from day 1. Most people had never heard of this term prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and it may have confused some. I like the term physical distancing because it says right in the title to stay away from others. We have got enamored with social media and everything that comes with it—think a lot of people could not understand what was really being asked of them when told to practice social distancing. Regardless how you address the term, physical distancing is something we have some level of control.

Create personal outlets

Look for personal and creative outlets to leverage the things you can control. The Walk into the Future blog has become a major way for me to express a creative side I really did not know existed. I get excited researching topics and then challenging myself to create an article someone else may want to read. Have no idea if anyone is really reading this stuff but I keep plugging away because it is something I control.

Running and weightlifting are other outlets I utilized to control the controllable for myself. Journaling outside of my work on the Walk into the Future blog has a calming effect for me. Most times when writing in my journal I can generate work and life ideas to implement later. Handwriting content in the journal also makes me slow done a bit and really think through what I want to write down. Always recommend journaling to anyone who will listen to me because it is an excellent outlet to express thoughts—try it! 😊

Reggae and the beach are other outlets I have available to me daily.

Open your eyes and your mind to see your outlets!

“The control center of your life is your attitude”.

(Anonymous)

Live, love and laugh

Life can be a compilation of good and bad. Let’s focus on the good and leverage the positive energy this mindset brings. Live daily, love often and laugh always! (I just made that up). 😊

What daily things are within your control? How do you maintain this control? Thanks!

“The moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.”

(Kobe Bryant)

Poetic Fridays

Poetry

(Image by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pixabay)

Decided to share a few verses from my poetry collection! Yes, I write poetry! 😊

The Poetry of Life

The poetry of life moves me forward

Towards the things that bring

The happiness I need

To fulfill these huge dreams that I dream

Reaching out to help the next man

Create and work towards a plan

That makes the world a better place

And one that stands to improve your stake in the race

Let the poetry of life flow

And discover the glow

Of the poetic peace of living the life designed for you

The Joint

The poet knows

The time and place to let the words flow

To get the point across

To those who read the words composed

Waxing a poetic and majestic flow

Is the goal the wordsmith is looking for

How we get there is not the important point

Putting the words together

That makes you think, smile and act

Now, that’s the joint!

Why Black Lives Matter (BLM) matters today!

BLM

(Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay)

“Human rights are something you were born with. Human rights are your God-given rights. Human rights are the rights recognized by all nations on earth. And any time anyone violates your human rights, you can take them to court”.

(Malcolm X.)

Dictionary.com defines human rights as a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person.

Interesting to hear politicians, everyday Americans and TV news programs talk about the Constitution but most only cite the Amendments that fit a small segment of society. A lot of folks will scream for their Second Amendment rights even though it was written when the country did not have an Army and militias were needed to defend the country. These same folks do not make a peep when the Fourteenth Amendment is brought up.

14^th Amendment cliff notes version: No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person in its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The Fourteenth amendment seems clearer to me in today’s climate than arming a militia we do not need because we have professional armed services (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Guard and Reserves). Imagine if all Americans were treated equally as described in the Fourteenth amendment. The world would be a better place right now.

Had a fantastic conversation with an older gentleman last week about all the things (protests, marches, etc.) going on after the death of George Floyd. The gentleman is a retiree and he drives the customer shuttle part time for a local car dealership. He was giving me a ride home after I dropped my vehicle off for repairs and wanted to discuss current events. He let me know he wanted to talk with someone but did not know how to start. He asked if I would be willing to talk with him so he would have a better understanding of current events. Guess I made him feel comfortable because I had only been around him 10 minutes before he decided I was the chosen one to enlighten him.

He asked me two questions:

Why are people saying Black Lives Matter (BLM), shouldn’t all live matter?
Why are the confederate statues coming down so important today?

Explained to him the BLM movement is needed to highlight the injustices black people continue to face with no end in sight. No one ever said all lives do not matter but BLM is a way to focus on people who have been marginalized, forgotten, abused, and brutalized since being brought to America. The BLM movement keeps the continued injustices against black people in America at the forefront and signals we will not be quiet anymore. Anyone who says All Lives Matter, White Lives Matter or Blue Lives Matter have not been subjected to the same level of systemic racism, policing, sentencing, violence, government oversight and oppression as the people who need you to understand Black Live Matter!

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

I let my new friend know the confederate statues were routinely placed as racial dog whistles to a past that honored men who fought to continue slavery. Most people do not know but a lot of these statues were put in place throughout the 1900’s. The state of Arizona built a confederate monument in 2010. Let me repeat that—the state of Arizona commissioned and placed a confederate monument in 2010!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Confederate_monuments_and_memorials

Placing these monuments in public places is a slap in the face of all Americans but is reprehensible for anyone who was subjected to slavery, cruelty and death at the hands of the men others are trying to honor with a heritage claim. Does Germany or Japan have statues of American Generals who fought against their countries? What would they think having to walk by statues of these people daily?

The confederates who are depicted by the statues fought against America! They would be considered enemies if they were from a different country or race. They were traitors against the American government and fought to keep black people as slaves, but some people want to hide behind a heritage claim for why these statues should remain. They are a part of history but should not be given a higher regard than true American heroes who did not become traitors against their country. Confederate generals, soldiers, sympathizers, and apologists are traitors to the American way of life. Who would claim being a traitor as a heritage to be proud of?

My new friend and I departed after having a great conversation. I am happy he felt comfortable enough to want to talk with me. He let me know he would talk with his grand kids later that day to help them understand everything happening around them and become a better BLM ally. Smalls steps on this journey!

Who can you help understand the BLM movement? What support do you need to keep the conversation moving forward?

“It’s a privilege to educate yourself about racism instead of experiencing it”.

(Sir John)

Walking into the Future and making money moves!

Money moves

(Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay)

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”.

(Benjamin Franklin)

Urban Dictionary defines money moves as: a term used to describe a bad individual on the grind. This person works hard to make moves to elevate their financial success, fame, or status. Simple enough, huh?

It is normally associated with financial success but does not have to be limited to obtaining a financial payout to be considered a money move.

I have referred to several opportunities associated with my Walk into the Future as money moves. Never attempted to associate them with a financial outlook but always saw them as leading to future goals and outcomes. Money moves came up again in a conversation with a friend and we agreed I should detail how I am making money moves.

Mentoring and people building daily is the money move with the most impact for me. Enjoy sharing wisdom and helping my tree branches grow in their daily endeavors. Making a difference daily remains a goal for me and I look for additional ways to make this happen. Turns out helping others allows me to stretch my skills and continue to grow right along with them. I get to increase my knowledge while researching topics to leverage during my mentoring sessions. The money move centers around limitless growth for me and the tree branch and keeps us both moving forward.

Blogging weekly is the money move that provides me with a creative outlet. Never shared my thoughts or aspirations in a public platform before but turns out writing my ideas for others to read forces me to act. Sounds simple but there is not a way for me to back out of a process once I have written it down and shared on the Walk into the Future blog. My tree branches hold me accountable for the things I write, and I want to make positive things happen. A lot of things I have accomplished over the past two years are related to me generating content for the blog. Amazing how the written word bounds you to commit to the things you write. Turns out I had a lot to say but never really said anything—now you cannot get me to be quiet! 😊

Participating as a guest on multiple podcasts has been an unexpected money move but enjoy the process now. I am not a huge follower of podcasts but know the format continues to grow and is extremely popular. View my time on podcasts as another way to inspire people and grow new tree branches. People reach out to me on LinkedIn to let me know they enjoyed my work on the Mastering College to Career and Intern Whisperer podcasts. I have done multiple episodes with both podcast partners and look forward to shooting more soon. My friend, Daniel Botero keeps pushing me to start my own podcast. Never say never but I have not committed to this as a new money move project yet. It may be something I seriously consider for a 2021 project—we will see.

Being a running tourist is the money move with the most transformational impact for me. Never set out to lose a specific amount of weight but running more and longer distances has allowed me to shed pounds and keep them off. I sleep better and have a ton of energy to tackle my daily activities. Running also provides me with a platform to clear my mind and generate content for the Walk into the Future blog. A lot of blog topic ideas are generated during one of my weekly runs—I should take a voice recorder with me but luckily, I am able to remember most of the ideas that pop into my head while out running. Running also provides me a mechanism to remain competitive as I compete with myself to beat a previous race or training time. I also compete with my tree branches as we share personal best race times. I am chasing one of you (Kume) right now to improve my 10k time—getting closer! 😊

My speaking platform is the final money move for me to highlight. I find this to be an effective way for me to reach new tree branches. Always looking for additional speaking opportunities (pre COVID-19) to share my knowledge with others. I have been able to adjust speaking topics into blog articles and vice versa. The spoken and written word remains a powerful combination and will continue to leverage them moving forward. Plan to get back into the lab and generate new speaking topics because I anticipate being back on the speaking circuit once the COVID-19 outlook gets better. May look for ways to leverage the virtual platforms like Zoom to engage people with technology. Got a lot of new ideas to try out just need to remain patient and then unleash on the world.

So, as you can see, money moves can be anything you want them to be. You do not have to receive a financial windfall to get fulfillment and make a difference. Think Biggie says it well! (see below).

“Don’t chase the paper, chase the dream”.

(Biggie Smalls)

What money moves are you making right now?

The Wolf of Networking

(Image by InspiredImages from Pixabay)

“Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program”.

(Susan RoAne)

My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with opportunities to make a difference daily. It helps that I have opened my eyes and mind to all possibilities and the opportunities keep presenting themselves to me. The journey moves forward!

The title of this blog article references the Wolf of Networking. I have identified myself as a People Builder, running tourist and Inspiration Man in multiple posts. Well, say hello to my next moniker, Wolf of Networking! 😊

I selected this new moniker to have fun with a project that has been years in the making. My past roles in university career services allowed me to build and maintain a network with recruiters who primarily hire recent college graduates. I was responsible to find, network and recruit these recruiters to come on-campus to hire students. My unit put on career fairs, networking events, professional development workshops and scheduled on-campus interviews to connect students and recruiters. So, this put me in a prime position to learn inside information on how different organizations created their on-campus recruiting programs.

The Wolf of Networking had to compete with other schools for recruiters’ attention and resources to ensure our students got opportunities. Happy to say we won more battles than we lost and maintained a robust on-campus recruiting program at multiple schools (UCF and FSU). Shared tricks of the trade with other wolf packs (UF, USF, FAU, FIU) to help them become more successful getting employers on their campuses. Found it was easier to keep employers in Florida if other schools were viewed as attractive options—I am competitive but also practical.

I leveraged the Wolf of Networking status to build my handpicked wolf pack and I am happy to see the great things they are doing around the country at prestigious institutions. We stay in contact to ensure the pack continues to grow.

Went back to my wolf pack mentality recently to help a tree branch network with recruiters for future employment. This tree branch had heard about my contacts but did not fully understand how connected I still am in the college recruiting world. Happy to say they get it now! 😊

I was presented with a list of 9 organizations of interest for future employment. I had professional contacts with 8 of the 9 organizations on the list. Some of these contacts are also personal friends so it was a bit easier to get them to respond to my requests. My tree branch now had people inside the organizations they wanted to work for looking out for them. Nothing was promised but my network was looking out for my tree branch just as I would.

I tell people I work with you are always networking even when you do not know it. Look for ways to benefit others and then when you need a helping hand people will respond to you. Think my tree branch will look at the Wolf of Networking from a different perspective now. The wolf makes positive things happen! 😊

Who can you help reach their goals? What action steps are needed for a successful outcome?

“Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives”.

(Michelle Obama)

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

2020 Wolf pack:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-apgar-m-s-38ab4035/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenkume/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mforges/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vrhanikuhaynes/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-a-collins/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadevite/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pagetisdale/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaylabriwilliams/

Daily flowers—send them now!

Purple Rose

(Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay)

“Don’t wait for people to die to send them flowers”.

(Reverend Simmons, New Bethel AME Church)

It is amazing the things we retain from our childhood. I attended weekly Sunday school and church services at New Bethel AME church while growing up in Jasper, FL. I am sure Reverend Simmons said some other amazing things but the quote above always stuck with me. Never understood it as a kid so maybe that is why it stuck with me all these years.

Thought it was a weird saying until I fully understood his meaning. It can be interpreted multiple ways, but he was reminding us to cherish/celebrate the people in our lives while we have them. Waiting for a tragic incident is a bit late to let people know what you think about them.

I decided to write this post 3 days after Kobe Bryant, his daughter and friends died in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles. I am not much of an NBA fan but watched Kobe during his Hall of Fame NBA career and more intently after he retired. He ventured into business, screen writing, venture capital investments and his sports academy as part of his life after basketball. He became successful in these endeavors because he displayed a thirst for knowledge and sought out mentors to learn new things. He continued to look for ways to get better and make a difference in the world. Believe he was on the verge of expanding his portfolio in the entertainment world but never got a chance to complete this portion of his legacy.

I will not dive much further into Kobe’s life, but his unexpected passing brought me back to what Reverend Simmons reminded us EVERY Sunday—Do not wait for people to die to send them flowers.

I use a lot of quotes in my daily Walk into the Future, but I am sure my tree branches have never heard me use this quote with them. May seem weird to share so much with them but not this one aspect of my background. Allow me to provide a bit of clarity and how I leverage the quote in all my interactions.

I take my role as a tree seriously and believe I should model positive things for my tree branches. I also want to continue to make a difference daily. So, I provide theoretical flowers every day to my people!

I make a point to text, call, email, LinkedIn, visit or carrier pigeon (LOL) someone daily to provide them their flowers. May look like:

Happy Monday!
Happy Friday!
Go (insert name)!
How are you?
How are your students doing?
How’s the family?

I could add more to the list but believe you get the message. It may be small things but once I understood what Reverend Simmons was telling us I discovered a ton of ways to provide flowers daily. Some of you may prefer real flowers but I cannot afford the daily costs so guess you will have to be happy with my texts, calls, emails, LinkedIn, visits and hopefully those dang pigeons arrive soon! 😊

So, do me a favor, look around and identify who you need to send flowers to and get busy! Thank you!

“It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So, don’t take it lightly”.

(Kobe Bryant)

“Live for yourself and you live in vain; live for others and you will live again”.

(Bob Marley)

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

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19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30

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