A.D. Wright's Blog, page 6

Shootin’ in the gym

Drake’s line in Rick Ross’s “Stay Schemin’” has sparked somewhat of a viral cultural phenomenon.

B!%@#, you wasn’t with me shootin’ in the gym.

For those of you who aren’t a fan of Drake or Ross, the line refers to Kobe Bryant losing $50 million in his divorce. But more importantly, the line alludes to those who envy but don’t understand or respect the process and sacrifice one makes to achieve greatness.

Everyday we see people on TV and the internet enjoying their success. In our minds, they just appeared out of thin air, since we didn’t know them before they were superstars. They might say that they struggled to get where they are, but that’s like thanking God, my mama, and my producer at an award show. Isn’t just something people say when they become rich and famous? Aren’t these people just born to be great?

No. Some people are born with a higher IQ, taller, or have the ability to grow larger twitch muscles; but these genetic advantages don’t make you great –they only make it a little easier to become great. If you really listen to what great people say about their road to greatness, it involves discipline and dedication that borders on (and sometimes crosses) insanity. Every one of them has lost, failed, been publicly embarrassed, and was isolated due to their passion.For these people a world without [insert the thing they are passionate about] isn’t a world worth living in.

Paradigm Shift (n): a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory

Some people have become so far removed from the pursuit of greatness that they no longer see it at all. This sad truth became apparent after twitter starting trending about Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas’ hair. This ignorance graced the pages of CNN, USAToday, The Washington Post, ESPN, and countless other national/international media outlets.

Although it was pitiful day in Black culture, it did something very important. It drew a line in the sand between us and them. No one has coined a term yet for who we are and who they are, but the distinction was made clear. In crass terms, the line was drawn between “people who are about shit and people who ain’t about shit” — to quote a friend. In less crass terms, it’s a line between people who would rather be good than look good; a line between long-term thinkers and short-term thinkers; and a line between talkers and doers.

Ladies, the next time one of them looks at you funny after you come out of yoga drenched in sweat looking like Blanca from Street Fighter, politely say, “B!%@#, you wasn’t with me shootin’ in the gym.”

Fellas, the next time someone makes fun of you for staying home to do some work instead going out, politely say, “I’m over here shootin’ in the gym.”

Let’s be great, people!

The path of least resistance

Yesterday, I had an interesting conversation with a friend from Detroit about the declining humanity of the American poor. Close living quarters, lack of resources, and an inability to maneuver the legal system disproportionately devastates low income communities. With murder, robberies and vicious assaults on the rise, it seems the respect for life has been replaced with the respect for status and material possessions.

My friend asked, “Why are so many young men so eager to throw their life and their neighbor’s life away? My answer: For some people, a thug’s life is the path of least resistance.

As you can imagine she was appalled by my answer. I explained further…

If your father was a pastor. The path of least resistance for you would be to attend church on regular basis, sing in the choir, and to behave in a manner that is expected of a practicing Christian. When you stray or rebel from that expected behavior, you are chastised by your family and community.

Many poor young men, whose family structure is nonexistent, are only noticed after behaving inappropriately. Their models for behavior are the “respected adults” in their community, on the radio and on television. Unfortunately, these adults have acquired this respect by being flashy, misogynistic, and ruthless. The local bad influences are compounded by the national and some times international praise given to celebrities who exhibit the same inhumanity. Moreover, the courageous young men in these communities who choose to reject this hellacious lifestyle are targets for brutal mental and physical victimization. What’s the easiest/most likely path?

Not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good…

Since the glorification of the “bad guy” began in the 70′s with Superfly and the Mack, generations of indigents have aspired to be the tough heartless alpha-males in these rags to riches tales. Today’s blaxploitation can be found on television (Reality TV), movies, and in music. Young people blissfully perpetuate negative stereotypes with seemingly prideful ignorance. Popular culture is becoming more impulsive, salacious and obsessed with looking good rather than being good. Drug dealing, pimping and prostitution are becoming acceptable. What were once close-knit communities are now wastelands with roaming bandits. What’s the solution?

It’s cliche, but the answer always has been and always will be a quality education in an environment that fosters love, respect, and consideration. As long as there are free libraries and access to the internet, anyone can education themselves on anything. To conspire for success, some brave pioneers will need to take the path of most resistance and forgo looking cool, acquiring more stuff, and obtaining illusive power to dedicate themselves to their own families and community. The life they save may be your own.

What do you think?

Moderation: The key to a fulfilled life

In order to grow, you have to experience everything, but in moderation. -Compay Segundo

Imagine a world where everyone lived in moderation – No hording of wealth and resources from the 1%, and no such thing as the “working poor.” This utopia may never exist but by living moderately, we can achieve an utopian life.

The basic principle of living moderately is to live by two rules:

Rule #1 Do not indulge

Rule #2 Do not deny

Rule 1: Indulgence leads to addiction and suffering

Have you ever heard of retail therapy? In short, it’s buying unnecessary things to feel better. The shopper is literally getting high off of indulging.

Here’s the scenario: A young woman has always been told she’s pretty, so decides to try modeling. Her auditions result in some yes’s but mostly no’s. The ups and downs of such a fickle, superficial, and competitive industry causes her to be stressed and nearly depressed.

After being passed over for a gig that she really wanted, she decides to do some “retail therapy. She has a blast. All of the salespeople compliment her in her new outfits, and serve her with a smile. She walks out of each store in a blissful euphoria.

Eventually she gets the bill for her shopping extravaganza, and realizes that she cannot sustain this bliss. While in search for her next high, she stumbles upon cocaine. She tries it; and is higher than she’s ever been, for longer, and for comparatively cheaper than her Christian Louboutin shoes.

Soon after becoming a fan of cocaine, she runs into the same problem that she had with shopping. She wants to be higher, for longer, and cheaper. So, she does crack, and eventually becomes the Crackhead Street-Walker.

The scenario is an extreme case but done so to prove a simple point. The more we indulge, the less satisfying the indulgence becomes. This is true with all hedonistic behaviors.

Rule 2: Denial cause depravity

Rule 2 is by far the most interesting of the two because the denier becomes the indulger.

Here’s the scenario: A teenager has an impulse which causes him shame and guilt. He doesn’t know how to channel this energy, and can’t ask anyone because he’s embarrassed. He is told that Jesus is the way to salvation, and he desperately wants to be saved.

So, he indulges in religion, to help him deny his impulse. For a while it works, but eventually his religious addiction goes through the cycle of all addiction, and is no longer strong enough to balance the fulcrum weighed down by the now massive and festering impulse that has been slowly building over the years.

Sadly and ironically, his new indulgence becomes the shameful impulse that he has been running from for most of his life. Again he re-enters into the cycle of addiction, and eventually becomes the Creepy Catholic Priest.

Using denial to avoid problems and/or indulgence to fill voids masks the symptoms of the deeper issue, but does little to cure it. We must first find the root cause of our behaviors through meditative self-reflection or real therapy with an expert, then work diligently to eradicate it completely.

It’s not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.