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Signing-off From the Office: What the “Great Resignation” Did to Create a New Vision for Work, Career and Lifestyle

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Doc Cunningham

In sports news, Tom Brady is on his way back! Retirement didn’t last long. Rumors kept swirling he’d maybe head to the 49ers since they’ve been his childhood dream team. But not this time, he’s staying put in a different ‘Bay’ area. Some weren’t surprised while others were annoyed that he just won’t step aside.

The numbers are major in his pro career. He’s been on more Superbowl winning teams than any other player in history. He has so many championship rings he could almost wear them on each finger. It seems Brady isn’t quite ready to sign-off, hang-up his cleats or “take the bridge” to an off-the-field role.

Tom Brady Rings

There’re some other stunning numbers though around news of the Great Resignation. That’s the large wave of folks who’ve been stepping out, moving up and shifting gears in their careers. The pandemic caused many to reassess what’s important in work, career and lifestyle.

What’s driving the job change numbers into the millions? Well, it’s a dream come true to be doing what they love. It’s a way of getting lost in the work and having fun. Plus, it’s about enjoying more time at the parks and 9-to-5 benefits in the perks which bring big energy, money and happiness.

Some opted to start a biz, grow a side-hustle or pause to redirect their passion. Some might have made the move from job to career, while others took the career to vocation route where “purpose in living” is priceless. A big takeaway from all this is in a new vision for work based on great résumés that:   

  • Crossover:- Some skills are tied to a job and some have crossover appeal. Life’s transferrable skills can move from job to job as easily as traveling over a bridge from end to end.
  • Connect:- Does your favorite song keep playing in your head? Is it the verse, chorus or vibe that connects with your core? Social & professional networks forge connections around a skillset core.
  • Callout Dreams:- Early education gives baseline knowledge. Then we go deeper within a subject area. The pandemic pushed folks deeper to callout goals, dreams and bucket-lists.  
  • Collaborate:- Adding two numbers gives us a sum. Multiplying two numbers gives us a product. A collab across two numbers creates greater visibility and a sum of products in the marketplace.    
Baseball Breaking News

Of-course there was more sports news with word the baseball season isn’t lost. Sports fans were full of joy knowing that the seventh-inning stretch will be in full effect. The athletes’ careers have a season’s window of games. Over time they get to showcase clutch performances, or even change teams.

Other careers have a season’s window too, maybe with promotion or crossroads decision. Those not ready to retire, whether “comeback jocks” like Brady or “bounce-back execs” like Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, are proof of times pushing us towards ‘joy & mojo’ at work or ‘gin & juice’ at Happy Hour.

Talkback: Alexa, did Tom Brady retire? Siri, is Howard Schultz back at Starbucks? Hey Google (or Cortana), is Colin Kaepernick still in shape?

Tip: On the road of career travels, pit-stops come and go but a dream is like fuel for the ride.

A WordPress Community & Lifestyle Feature in #WordPrompt

Megan Thee Stallion and Bryce Young Getting Raves on the Big Stage for Their Game That’s Like in Another League

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As folks wind-down another year, others getting ready to turn-it-up “like they don’t care”. The holiday season is a good time to look back on the year-in-review. Plus, some will party-on in “jingle bells” style. That might be the case for Megan Thee Stallion and Bryce Young who’ve become even hotter this year.

Megan made it known that while she’s gone from ‘hot girl summer’ to pushing her ‘hottie sauce’, she’s more than just a one-hit wonder. Now that she’s a college grad, she’s ready to top the music charts and market share. True, with her degree in the Healthcare field she hopes to open an assisted-living facility.

For Young, he’s upped his cred leaps and bounds in winning the Heisman trophy as a college sophomore. This gave Alabama’s football program consecutive wins. Maybe if he puts up big numbers again, he’d be right back here next year. It’s happened once before of a back-to-back winner as a player.

Considering that each year Time Magazine names its Person of the Year, they’re on track in a similar way. While they didn’t make that list, they’ve been getting that kinda press. Winning the Heisman makes Young like Player of the Year in college. She’d be happy to run with the title of Hip/Hop Grad of the Year.

They’re getting raves for their game that’s like in another league. Even if their style of play doesn’t fit some people’s taste, there’s more left in the tank. Megan says she got her mojo from watching women in her family make that paper. Young learned as an understudy to Mac Jones. Their success is built on a:

  • System of Excellence

The QB position has produced lots of Heisman winners over the years. Many have gone on to be pro-bowl players in the big leagues. But it seems there’s something about Alabama squads that turn out gems in players in all positions. Maybe it’s about a system of excellence that helps them rise to the occasion.    

  • Boxset of Skills

For those Christmas giving purchases, sometimes folks just want to order one of a particular type of merchandise. But for others, they’d like to pick-up the boxset with a combination of styles or flavors. Well, for Megan and Young, they bring a boxset of skills to their game with a winning combo of style & flava.   

  • Bucket-list of Goals

They might also know something about stepping outside the box to achieve a bucket-load in money or stats. For Megan it seems her push to be a college grad was more like a bucket-list goal. While her music career took-off for sure, she still wanted to show that she could finish her studies in Health Administration.         

  • Sense of Purpose

There’re stories like the “5 plays that made Bryce Young” or the “key collabs that put Megan on the map.” Those articles and sports clips might be just about on point. But to take a page from a famed college coach, to be an even bigger blowout and make a difference in their careers involves a sense purpose.

Megan’s prob working on her next project. In a few months we might be hearing ‘hot girl summer, part 2’. For Young, the season isn’t done yet since Alabama is in the College Playoffs. When the dust settles, they might look back and see lessons learned and look forward being ready to step hottie next year.

Tip: No matter the field of dreams, league of play or line of work, the standouts find a way to make big moves with a system of excellence and make a difference with a sense of purpose.

Talkback: Who’s got that end-of-year vibe or lala feeling?

Tracks: Alicia Keys ft Swae Lee – LaLa – https://youtu.be/fmx8ww3XYHg

Skip Marley ft Popcaan – Vibe – https://youtu.be/pTwMEpSZq9M

Ready, Aim, Aspire: The #Inspiration4X Space Crew On What It takes to Be Trailblazing

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The back-to-school drill is in full swing. Folks are returning to the building, kinda in a groove they once knew. The TV season is off and running. Some fav shows have had their first run. Elected Officials are back in Washington. They’ve got a tall order of bills to make happen, with the usual drama in play.

This time of the year also brings buzz around the next iPhone gizmo. That news came and went. With Covid still dominating the lead story, seems like there’s not much room for tech talk. One story that got major coverage is the first-ever all-civilian space flight. It reached a higher orbit than other such trips.

The crew members blasted-off with great fanfare and returned with excitement to spare. They included regular ‘Joes & Janes’ who did months of space flight training. They were celebrated by public officials, science enthusiasts and all levels of students. In other words, their achievement had broad appeal.

Their collective stories might be described as “ready, aim, aspire.” A couple of them won the chance to take the trip as part of a ‘space flight’ competition. Some say they’ve been preparing for this all their life based on their own professional training, personal trials and business triumphs.

The crew got recognized by all corners of society. One artist built a sculpture with the words “Leadership, Hope, Generosity, Prosperity.” Others might agree their trailblazing work is summarized by “Struggling, Hustling, Discovering, Tuning.” It’s all about keeping your life instrument working right and drawing on:

  • Courage

As with any new endeavor, they prob had some fears to manage. This might have showed up as having second thoughts or having butterflies in their stomachs with each new test, task and turning point. Courage doesn’t mean there’s an absence of fear. It’s about having those butterflies fly in formation.   

  • Curiosity

This can get the best of us or the scariest of us. The expression “curiosity killed the cat” didn’t hinder the experiments which put them on the edge or flirted with danger. It’s also said that a cat has nine lives. So maybe curiosity can help us to experience as many facets as possible of life in one lifetime.       

  • Passion

The things we love to do might be put in boxes like first love, second love, other love, etc. Plus, when we string together our abilities, strengths, skills and expertise this helps to give our passion some more push or pull. There’re times passion is good for pulling your goals along or pushing your vision ahead.     

  • Dream

On some level, this trip was a lifelong dream for each crew member. In their own way, the dream might be in the seed of an idea, the science of the mission, the thrill of achievement or the glory of philanthropy. What brought them together is a shared purpose that had them pulling together as a dream team.

Whether at school, work, public service or showbiz, we can take a page from #Inspiration4X to reach a higher orbit. Make sure your personal/professional instruments are working right to take you to new heights as you “ready, aim, aspire.” And to be trailblazing, add-in courage, curiosity, passion and dream.

Tip: Where the stars and dreams line-up bring a great feeling of achievement and sense of fulfillment.  

Talkback: Who’s got next for a ride to space or for a new level of ‘wow’ at work, play or gameday?

Tracks: U2 – Beautiful Day – https://youtu.be/co6WMzDOh1o

Elijah Blake Ft Trinidad James – Dreams – https://youtu.be/PTXBhlgLwVI

Dawn Staley and Lebron James: Fire-Brand Performers Who Push the Limits of Their Game and Help Light-up the Team Stats Frame

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So where are folks headed on spring break these days? Well, it depends on who you ask. Some travelled south to the warm weather of Florida. It’s always been the spring break capital for college students. This year with folks wanting to get past Covid restrictions, things have kinda gotten out of hand.  

Same time, the NCAA March Madness frenzy has landed in Indy! Yea, on the women’s side it’s in San Antonio. March Madness is also a place people go on spring break to raise their praise for breakout performances. Of course, there’s always the Cinderella team that busts up the brackets.

For those wondering or asked the question, Where do folks go to understand greatness? Well, we see it in the play of Lebron James and the eyes of coach Dawn Staley. James has had to sit-out a few games after a high-ankle sprain injury. He’s missing the chance of the Lakers being positioned for a playoff run.

Staley recently called out the NCAA for disparities in supporting women’s teams. After pics went viral on social media showing a less-than-stellar setup for their facilities, Staley wrote an open letter calling out the diss. Her take was the NCAA message of “togetherness and equality” was just marketing jargon.

James and Staley bring focus on issues of social justice. They’re admired by peers, players and the hometown posse for using their platform to spur reform. While they get attention for putting their names to causes, it’s also how they put passion on the line, reminding us of how greatness is tied to:          

  • Gifting

A proverb says, “a man’s gift makes room for him and brings him in front of great people.” Well, think of that in universal terms and you can see why James at his age is still performing at a high level and Staley has such impactful coaching. Your gifting when tied to passion makes you do stuff that folks can’t teach.  

  • Branding

James doesn’t only marvel us on the court, he also has his hands in biz ventures and social projects. His career track might have started out with basketball, but his branding has reached new heights in media, fashion, entertainment and sports. He recently became part owner in the Boston Red Sox franchise.          

  • Networking

A recent story on Staley shared how much her success has inspired other women to consider coaching. Plus, there’s a whole eco system of black women in particular who’re plugged-in to what Staley has done throughout her career as a player, recruiter and U.S. head coach for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.       

  • Collaborating

After events of social protest prompted by the George Floyd killing, James rallied an investment group to purchase the WNBA Atlanta Dream. While he’s not the main figure in the new ownership structure, he’s the main player that helped bring together a collaboration of interested parties to secure the deal.   

The “Cinderella Team” stories will get told throughout March Madness. You might even hear some players being described as ‘supernova athletes.’ There’s room to do something special on the court or in one’s career for those whose performance push the limits of their game and light-up the team stats frame.               

Tip: You create your own “Cinderella Story” by how you bring passion to the table in ways that maximize your gifting, branding, networking and collaborating.

Talkback: Did the NCAA miss the mark or drop the ball on the women’s facilities in March Madness?

Tracks: Usher – No Limit – https://youtu.be/3w0yqAdJ1iY

Khalid – Disclosure (Know Your Worth) – https://youtu.be/aEDULPGIwcg

Russell Wilson is on Brand, Amanda Gorman is on Point and Their Passion is on Game!

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Well, lots of ground to cover, buzz to breakdown and chatter to scatter after the Superbowl. Alright, not everybody was happy about how things went lopsided in a hurry. Some think the refs were off their game, but that The Weeknd as halftime performer made up for all the things that were missing due to Covid.

Some frontline workers and health professionals were honored to see the game in person. But after the post-game interviews fans at home were glued to see Queen Latifa as ‘The Equalizer’. She was kicking butt, taking names and getting high praise for her new breakout show.  

Leading up to the big game was word that Russell Wilson won the Walter Payton Man-of-the-Year Award. That’s something many in the game aspire to get because of who Payton was to sports fans. When you think of Payton (aka “sweetness”) there’s a similar suave and swag that Wilson brings to the party.

We saw Amanda Gorman give another world stage performance. She’s the youngest poet laureate to speak at a Presidential Inauguration. It’s as if she’s poised to be like a Maya Angelou of our time, having recently made the cover of Time Magazine. She combines words with delivery into an inspiring story.

Folks say the TV commercials had some of the old and more of the new, with lots of celeb cameos. What we might get from watching the Superbowl is like what we get from watching Wilson and Gorman. He’s on brand, she’s on point and their passion is on game. They show how folks can get there too by how they:

1. Work

Wilson shared a few tips on how he gets ready for each season. He’s big on putting in the time, not for the crime but for the climb. It’s the things he does in mind, body and spirit that carry over to the things he does in pass, run and score. If his body is his temple, then the field is his place for getting fan praise.

2. Sacrifice

Gorman stays on point by remembering the part that sacrifice plays in one’s journey. To us it might seem like she came out of nowhere. But to her it’s been a slow and steady march towards a brighter day. Sacrifice for her in a sense means giving up something without giving up on yourself.        

3. Step

Ever watched the foot work of a quarterback while in the pocket? It’s a kinda dance with a backstep here or a leap step there. Every QB probably has a certain rhythm and flow to how they step to their game. He’s in the socket and in the pocket before passing like a rocket. That’s how you step to your game.

4. Represent

How does she at such a young age have the calm and composure of a seasoned veteran? How does he go from amazing on the field to a servant in the community? It’s how they pull it together to represent their brand, their talents and their love for what they do. To represent is to know how to rep your presence.      

So history was made in all kinda ways at the game. There was the first female on a referee crew in a Superbowl. The first team to play in the game as a home team. But even when you’re not in it to be making history, there’s still the chance to work, sacrifice, step and represent in giving it your best.        

Tip: In order to represent your best, you have to rep your presence in a way that is like sunshine of your essence.

Talkback: Who’s ready for more Queen Latifah or Amanda Gorman?

Tracks: Shalamar  – Right In The Socket – https://youtu.be/sNGyMe3bu1E

Fat Joe ft Amorphous – Sunshine – https://youtu.be/kuO9OC2H9Qs

Time to Check-in With Patrick Mahomes and Kevin Hart About Putting the Dream to Work in the Huddle or Around Your Hustle

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The Superbowl matchup is set! For the first time in NFL history, the host venue will have the home team in the big game. That’s where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers comes in. Led by someone seen as the G.O.A.T., the Bucs and Tom Brady are going up against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mahomes is the franchise face for the NFL as a young quarterback in the game. After signing a mega contract for lifetime-years, he’s also trying to do something that’s not easy to come by: win back-to-back Superbowl games. The Chiefs bring a high-scoring offense with lots of receiving weapons on the roster.

Another franchise face (but in the comedy game) is Kevin Hart, who’s been laying low since Covid. Yet, he’s always looking for ways to build market appeal and keep it real. So Hart has teamed-up with a brand that’s focused on helping folks manage the emotional highs, lows and bouts with depression.

Not that he’s dealing with these struggles, but he’s mindful of how close he came to losing it all after a car wreck. That, coupled with quarantine rules nowadays kept him home for periods much longer than he’s used to. Maybe this helped tamper down his ‘wild side’ and put a spotlight on the family by his side.

Hart says he’s the hardest working dude in showbiz (let him tell it). Some sport junkies might see Mahomes as the ‘rising star’ who’s not just about scoring in the game but also adding social impact to his name. They’ve got a track record for going from huddle to hustle to giving hope by how they:  

1. Align

For Hart being able to align means getting to a decision point for “turning today’s BS into tomorrow’s success.” Not just the everyday BS but for him also going from big setback to major comeback. It’s all about how you align passion with purpose, effort with expectation, goal with role and calling with destiny.

2. Bond

Over the past year Hart has found new ways to bond with his kids now that he’s kinda always home. The bonds we share allow us to care and as the saying goes, “people don’t care how much you know but how much you care.” Like with his kids, it’s in how we bond that can be a source for feeling empowered.       

3. Grind

When Mahomes suffered a concussion in a recent playoff game, things seemed bleak for him playing the next week. But after passing the medical protocol he was back at practice. The grind isn’t just about what you do every so often. It’s about how you ‘bring it’ especially when you just want to say, ‘forget it’.     

4. Flow

One reason the grind is important is that it gets you closer to being in flow. This is when things just fire on all cylinders. It’s when things feel effortless or seem weightless. After a few snaps, just watch Mahomes as he goes to work making side-arm passes in ways the defense didn’t see coming or couldn’t stop.      

So will history be made at the Superbowl? It might be with the commercials as some regular sponsors are spending their ad dollars in new ways. Companies have had to adjust from taking a hit to their bottom line. But Mahomes and Hart remind us that dreams come thru when we align, bond, grind & flow.        

Tip: Just ‘do it’ by putting the dream to work around the clock or block to block and make it ‘do what it do’.

Talkback: Kevin Hart wants to know, “What’s your game, what’s your grind?”

Tracks: Notorious B.I.G.  – Juicy – https://youtu.be/PMM8wcQUcxE

Chloe X Halle – Do It – https://youtu.be/a9HIaGcBocc

Tyler Perry & Issa Rae Took Different Paths but Have a Similar Message on Turning Fed-Up into Step-Up

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There’s a kind of hazy cloud hanging over people and places these days. In some parts of the country there’s the cloud of forest fires. With millions of acres burning during this ongoing dry season, we see news reports of damage and destruction. In some parts, the whole town has been wiped out.

Then there’s the cloud hanging over people trying to take next steps. For some who’ve lost everything due to the fires it’s about figuring out where to lay their heads. For others who’ve lost their job due to the economic calamity caused by Covid-19, it’s a case of wishing and praying that things turn around.

While Tyler Perry and Issa Rae haven’t seen this kind of devastation in their lives, they have a similar message on turning despair into emergence and fed-up into step-up. Perry who was once homeless when he first started on his dreams, was the recent recipient of the Governor’s Award at the Emmys.

For Rae, it’s been a tug-of-war in emotions as she creates a path in her Hollywood career. She remembers having a meeting with an industry exec who liked what she was doing but missed the point of her work. The rub was in the exec not seeing her work for its worth but for his exerting power and control.

They know the feeling of having a hazy cloud over their heads. But they’ve also seen what can happen when things clear with peaks of sunshine. It’s those glimmers of light that have helped them build their showbiz following and business acumen as actors. They used that time of clearing to build on the:

1. Moment

Perry spoke in his acceptance speech about his grandmother’s quilt and how he realized he took it for granted. He visited an antique store and saw a similar quilt for sale. It was then he got the power of the message in grandma’s quilt. There’re moments in life when we realize the power to work our magic.  

2. Motivation

In the meeting Rae had with the exec she realized that it was a moment for motivation and change. She chuckles about how “someone got fired” in that meeting, but she turned the moment into motivation to build her brand cred. Now she’s known for her own HBO series and select roles in big screen movies.

3. Journey

Perry says he looks back from time to time to appreciate from whence he came. The advice he once got from Oprah to start a journal has now been turned into a journey. Fast-forward to where he is now in receiving the Governor’s award and you’ll find stage plays, movies and TV shows in his portfolio. 

4. Story

The magic and magnetic attraction Perry and Rae bring comes from the stories they tell. Sometimes it’s a fictional story made for TV sitcoms and acting stage. Sometimes it’s a real-life story adapted to a movie role. And sometimes it’s their own story of momentary digest, passion quest and dream conquest.      

As the fall season of TV shows take shape, there’ll be retuning favorites and newbie projects. Things might be a little different where shows won’t have an audience or have to comply with social distancing. But when the haze clears there’s always a bright light or spot for those who make hay while the shines.   

Tip: Good times come when life’s moments get turned into motivation that leads to a journey for your comeback story.

Talkback: Was Schitt’s Creek really waiting in the wings over the years for this many Emmys?

Tracks: Hill St Soul – One Life – https://youtu.be/9TL3rOzxU5g

Angie Stone – No More Rain (In This Cloud) – https://youtu.be/UgG0Hu_FeiA

Serena Williams & Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Working on Getting Back in Stride to Make that Move and Secure the Bag

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The back to school season is really upon us now as pretty much most students across the country open their Zoom window. With Covid-19 still an issue, school districts are working on getting students back in stride for the upcoming year. Some started off with in-person classes while others do remote learning.

The Labor Day holiday is seen as the unofficial end of the summer and the first ramping-up of normal life. Kids return to school and parents wrap-up on vacation time. As to how normal things will be in the first few weeks is still a question. Whether at work or play, some feel being in lockdown mode is getting old.

In sports and showbiz, there’s some glimmer of hope in trying to get back on the regular. There’re events happening in a bubble, or at least without fans. Serena Williams is back on the tennis court at the US Open in NY while ‘The Rock’ surprised NY-area first responders with special props (or rather ‘kicks’).

Johnson recently announced a special giveaway of his sneaker-line to members of a local firehouse for all the work they’re doing on the frontlines. During this week of 9/11, he especially wanted to shoutout those who were impacted by tragedy as many reflect on what it means to serve your community/country.

Williams and Johnson are working with different motivations. For Johnson he’s bouncing back from being Covid-19 positive. For Williams, it’s her ongoing quest to hit that 24-mark in grand slam wins. No matter where we live, whether we’re trying to make that move or secure the bag, we can get motivation by being:               

  • New York Tough

As the song reminds us, “if you can make it here (in NY), you can make it anywhere.” Many (including the Governor) might say that’s a dream confession of a ‘NY Tough’ state of mind. There’s a certain kind of ‘grit & grind’ that makes NY a place people love to live and others want to visit as a global attraction.

  • New Jersey Strong

When Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, there was loss of life as in 9/11 but there was also more widespread damage/loss in property. The strength that people showed in bouncing back became known as ‘Jersey Strong.’ No matter where things are career-wise or in life we can up our game with resilience.         

  • California Dreaming

There was a time when heading west meant reaching new lands. Plus, there was a period of ‘California Dreaming’ as seen in the Gold Rush. Well, after Labor Day might be a good time to think about reaching new heights. But to make that move and secure the bag these days is a different kind of ‘gold rush’ and life dreams.  

  • Colorado High

The CBD business has taken off across the country. One of the first places it started was in Colorado where recreational use was legalized. The State isn’t only known for the ‘mile high’ city of Denver. It also represents a kind of ‘Colorado High’ on figuring out new streams of opportunity for success.     

This week, NY Governor Cuomo gave a blistering readout on hometown rebound due to Covid-19. He thinks the Federal government has a silly vendetta against NY. Well, for the economic situation to get back in stride where folks get to secure the bag, it will take leadership that’s more than just a ‘sugar high.’      

Tip: To get back in stride and secure the bag takes adding ‘NY Tough’ to ‘California Dreaming’ from coast to coast.

Talkback: What other State slogan gets you going?

Tracks: Maze ft Frankie Beverly – Back in Stride Again – https://youtu.be/waSM0rXDLys

Harry Styles – Watermelon Sugar – https://youtu.be/E07s5ZYygMg

Daymond John and Sophia Popov Show How to Get Dreams Moving from the Background to the Headlines

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This week was Mamba Day at the NBA! The league remembered Kobe Bryant on 8-24 to honor his game and the numbers he wore. There was a kind of mamba spirit at work as LA sports teams had lots of success in their games. Both the Dodgers and Lakers won big with players showing love to their icon.

For different reasons, folks gave props to Daymond John and Sophia Popov. Both made news recently for their ‘hustle and flow’ credentials. For John, it was a program feature to honor Dr King’s famous words, “I Have a Dream.” John is known as a ‘Shark Tank’ personality but his biz skill came from the streets.

Popov made history winning the Women’s Golf British Open. Her rank in the world was somewhere in the 300th range. It’s only happened once before where someone with such a junior rank wins a golf major. She placed 10th in the qualifying tournament, providing her a chance to play among the game’s stars.

daymond-john

The backstory told by John is he learned from watching his parents about what it takes to ‘rise & grind.’ They’d work their regular jobs and then after that did stuff with their side hustle. For Popov, it’s been about believing in herself and her game and knowing that she could perform among the best of them.

Their success is an example of what can happen when you give your dreams a ‘shot of r-u-m’ by putting it in ‘roll-up mode’. It’s not what you have in a beverage sense but in the way you mix skill, talent, passion & mojo. That means we get our dreams moving from the background to the headlines by how we:

  1. Work it

John realized he wanted to be a ‘bid-ness man’ after selling baseball caps on the street corner. He had borrowed money from a relative to make a few caps for himself. People started to like them, so he made some extra ones. He hung-out on the corner and made $800 selling them. That was his ‘work it’ moment.

  1. Play it

Popov went from relative unknown to becoming a golf champion. Some might say timing was everything because Covid-19 prevented few of the ‘regulars’ from playing in the tournament. But she showed how you ‘play it’ is just as important. This comes by maintaining poise and not being distracted by life’s noise.

sophia-popov4

  1. Build it

John then started with the brand FUBU and was able to ‘build it’ from the ground up with help from friends & fam. When you build it, things might start out as a ‘proof of concept’ and end up being your ticket to the big time. So that means staying on message or on track to build momentum for a breakthrough.

  1. Change it

At times we might have to tweak things in our game to get better results. Plus, when things get stale or feel stuck, we might have to ‘change it.’ John sees that happening now with the public unrest. He’s frustrated that we’re still ‘stuck on stale’ when it comes to dealing with social justice issues.

It’s still hard to fathom that Kobe was ‘here today, gone tomorrow.’ As players send love to his family, we can live our best life in honor of his story. Some go the entrepreneur route by how they ‘build it’ while others worry during Covid-19 if they’re gonna ‘play it.’ But no matter what, let’s ‘change it’ or ‘just work it.’

Tip: You get dreams moving from the background to the headlines by how you work it, play it, build it and change it!

Talkback: Will this win for Popov be a career one-off or a dream jump-off?

Tracks: Pharrell Williams ft Jay-Z – Entrepreneur – https://youtu.be/bTOoY5MIkvM

Missy Elliott – Work It – https://youtu.be/cjIvu7e6Wq8

‘Career Dreams 101’ From the Old-School to the New-School: Eva Longoria and Tamron Hall Have Turned Theirs into Media Ventures and Breakout Productions

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Who remembers the days of Desperate Housewives on TV? It was one of those shows that gave daytime drama a new primetime feel. It was like “As the World Turns” meets “The Bold and the Beautiful.” One of its stars, Eva Longoria has gone on to do big things including her new project Grand Hotel.

Then there’s the music biz. One of the pioneering rap groups, Boogie Down Productions would fuse dancehall with hip-hop. A group member back then known as D-Nice, is now doing ‘Instagram Live’ parties he calls Club Quarantine. Longoria and D-Nice are also doing their own virtual graduation events.

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Of course, who can forget Tamron Hall as a former NBC ‘Today Show’ co-anchor. She left the scene, started a family and now hosts her own talk show. They have turned their career dreams into media ventures and breakout productions. They’ve all had to make a career shift that gave their dreams new lift.

For Longoria, she got to a point of memorizing her lines, taping the show and going home. But it felt as if she was short-changing her full potential. For D-Nice, the changing music landscape made him shift gears. And with Hall, her earlier hopes of having a show were pre-empted by TV Network execs.

There’s lots to learn from them for our own next steps. As high school grads make college decisions and as college grads prepare to enter the workplace, there are a different set of circumstances. Add in the Coronavirus crisis and there is more stress. But the road from here to there, from 0 to 60 is about your:

  1. Start

The Desperate Housewives series lasted for about eight years. Longoria became a staple on the show. In a Forbes interview she shared that while she was playing her role on the show, she was also taking notes and learning about showbiz. The show was a start that she has since turned into her own production gig.

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  1. Stairs

In a line from the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes are the words “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stairs.” That’s what D-Nice and Boogie Down Productions were basically telling/selling in music, based on life in the Bronx, aka the ‘Boogie Down.’ Since then he’s climbed those stairs to new heights.

  1. Storm

The storm that today’s generation might best relate to happens on social media. A tweet-storm is when someone just goes off on a rant. But there’s a different kind of storm that can happen in life where it feels like things go off the rails. Hall had her moment in feeling passed-over but she’s handled it with class.

  1. Story

No matter the start, the stairs or the storms that come our way, career achievement isn’t simply about our status as much as it is about our story. On social media, your status is kind of a running update. In pop culture, your status might give you more swag. But your story is the difference-maker on the road to glory.

These days, almost err’body’s going through a shift in their environment. Some working from home while others try to restart their livelihoods. The next few months will see new efforts to bounce-back or reboot the game. So, hold on to the memories and godspeed in your journeys when life feels like a hard place.

Tip: The ‘stairs challenge’ on social media might be about how to dance up the stairs as something you do for the culture. But in the workplace, it’s about how to reach new heights in skills and thrills as something you do for the glory.

Talkback: Who remembers the days of Desperate Housewives, Boogie Down Productions and Tamron Hall on the ‘Today Show’?

Tracks: Buju Banton ft John Legend – Memories – https://youtu.be/t9pMjc0-Vlk

H.E.R. – Hard Place – https://youtu.be/zfHbuTG8IHE