April 30th, 2008
Black In Business, Barack Made The Right Move, Some Day You May Have The Same Decision To Make
The White boy pundits of politics were meek early this morning. Yesterday they called Barack a punk over Rev. Wright. They said he was non confrontational, weak or aloof. None of these adjectives are descriptions you want to see in a President. I am convinced the young pundits are jealous of Barack. Here they are, doing well for themselves but a big part of their job today is to speak about a Blackman that has passed them by. Many of these pundits were born privileged and connected. They started off on third base and thought they hit a triple. These guys had a field day when Barack showed little in bowling they said no way he was an athlete. Now that the clips of Barack driving to the hole have surfaced, they are meek over the macho stuff. Morning Joe even conceded that Barack is likely our next President.
What has this to do with business? A lot. When you decide you want to better your life or move on from your current existence, you will leave some behind. As you make your goals and speak about the life style you want in life, you may scare your friends with no goals. Some people will try to discourage you. You will hear you don’t have what it takes. The guys on the corner will want you there with them, aimlessly, playing the dozens, sipping drinks, enjoying life. You will be considered arrogant, full of yourself and worst yet, acting white!
Little good in life comes without effort. I recall in Syracuse, New York, when I was 24 years old, nice Sunday afternoons. The action was in the park, friends were playing hoops, backgammon, slipping cheap wine and some smoking weed. The sun was shining and the park of full of nice ladies. I had to spend Sunday updating my establishment profile cards to turn in on Monday. I could not hang. A real good friend told me, he did not understand why I was messing with this corporate stuff. He said I was a hustler, and hustling was in my blood. This guy was 41 but he hung with the young guys. We had a lot of fun but he would not accept my new vision. I have not be around him in decades. I made the decision when he was living in my apartment and unable to pay rent because he had no job. After I made the decision to put him out, our friendship went with my decision.
My advice is to surround yourself with winners and those that share your value. You need friends that motivate you and are not envious of your efforts. Are you prepared to lose face in the community as you chase your dream? It had to be painful for Barack to realize his mentor did not care for his goal to move pass Chicago’s Southside. He did what he had to do, will you?
Do not misunderstand this, you can keep your roots in the community and someday your friends that do not want you to grow, will speak of your accomplishments with pride. Follow your goals and never take your eye off the prize.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:22 am
Hi there,
This is actually a comment about a response you made to Latimer’s most recent post about the New Haven BPP in 1969. I am doing an oral history project about this event for my media history class at Elon University in Burlington, N.C., but I was born in East Haven, CT and so New Haven was very close to me. I wonder if you’d be willing to get in contact with me and do an interview for this project. You can e-mail me at kugolik@elon.edu. Thanks!
May 1st, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Jim, what brilliant advice. The key is truly to surround ourselves with winners — and brain research also points to why that is. These will be people of every race and background if we are measuring real winners!
Interestingly, when any of us slips into the role of “self-at-the-center” as can so easily happen and we see it in politics daily — then the message we bring is obscured!
I think Obama has done the right thing but perhaps it will also strengthen him to have this setback also — and teach him the value of surrounding ourselves with the winners you describe.
It also shows us that the words we speak — show far more than we realize — as this pastor is now learning. Winners — it seems to me go after solutions more than divisions and Obama seems to be skilled at just that. Time will tell:-)
Jim you get folks thinking on all angles — and that is so valuable! Thanks!
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
Jim,
I read what I thought was an excellent post in the CJR - you might find a good read.
http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/the_anatomy_of_anger.php
Your advice always sage.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Kaltin, I will send you my contact information
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Ellen, your words are kind and thanks for the comment.If you want to win, be around winners, you are what your friends often are.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Cooper, I read the post and it was excellent. Rupert Murdock was out of line with his headline. Thanks for the kind word
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
…YOU ARE SO CLOSE TO THE TRUTH.
I TOO, HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF
HOW CERTAIN PEOPLE WILL ATTEMPT TO
PULL THE LADDER UP BEHIND THEM, OR BY
ANY MEANS, BLOCK YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS.
MOST OF THE TIME, CERTAIN PROGRESS
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR STATUS, THEY JUST SEEM OUTRIGHTLY THREATEN BY THIS “UPSTART’S” NERVE TO GET AHEAD…
THIS IS ALL TO COMMON. YOUR PHONE(BLOG)
SHOULD BE RINGING OFF THE HOOK…
May 5th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Sanders, thanks for the comment. It is weird how friends, family and others can react to someone trying to do their best.Hopefully someone will benefit from our debate.
May 6th, 2008 at 4:29 am
Definitely, agree with that. It’s just unfortunate that the situation had to progress to this point but Rev. Wright really didn’t leave him with any choice. You right though you shouldn’t allow yourself to be pulled down by the actions of your peers hopefully your actions will inspire them to be more.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
“If you want to win, be around winners, you are what your friends often are.”
Or to say the same thing from the other end; as rapper PMD put it on the 1988 Unfinished Business album:
“If you hang with 9 broke niggas, you’re bound to be the 10th one”.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Yobachi, keeping it real! Thanks for the comment, I like biggie’s, “How ya living, in mansions and benezes!”
May 6th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Black Art, thanks for stopping by. In Chicago, the members of trinity Cuurch are praying for both Wright and Obama. They understand Barack had to do what he had to do, but they still love Rev. Wright.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Great post! Blacks don’t always resent the accomplishments of whites, because unfortunately some of us don’t expect Blacks to accomplish all that whites accomplish. That’s a color-aroused low expectations game.
However, some of us may well resent it when other Blacks demonstrate what is possible, because it makes us wonder why we have never tried to accomplish the same things.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
ESQ Holland, thanks for your comment,this is a complexed issue and one that is important for young achievers to be aware of. I resent some white accomplishments because that are times when it is not earned, or a more qualified black is left behind.