How I know God exists

Recently, I felt myself being attacked subliminally for being a Christian on Facebook by an actual Facebook friend.  I will not name names or post his Facebook status that was offensive but it basically addressed the notion that he has to accept his demons and that he is being real while Christians who pretend to be pious are hiding their demons.  Here is my response:  

As a very transparent person, blogger, writer, underground hip-hop artist, etc., I incorporate my faith in God in everything that I do.  I am a bibliophile, a majority of the books I read are based in business and/or spirituality.  Nonetheless, I desired to share my reasons for believing in God with my audience.  I do this with the claim that in order to fully maximize one's potential; you need to believe in a higher power regardless of specific religion in order to accomplish great things.  

The art of a micro-business (your way to prosperity)

To dispel any preconceived notions, a micro-business is a legitimate business.  As stated in The $100 Startup (a great book I suggest everyone read), “Instead of hiring employees, you begin a project by yourself, based on your specific personal combination of passion and skill.”  A micro-business allows you to follow your passion to success.  By building a business focused on your skills, your passions, and your values, you can create your own niche in business by providing a valued service or product to consumers for purchase.  

Wait!  What’s wrong with traditional work?

• It’s easy to get fired.  This is 100 percent of your income.  Thus, putting you and your family in a very uncomfortable predicament.  

• It’s boring.  Many jobs today are based on their business needs and not your needs, passions, or goals.  A majority of supervisors and managers do not know their associates on an individual basis.  They could not tell you your undergraduate major, if you have a master’s degree, the name of your child, or if you are even married.  Meanwhile, typical office jobs only allow you to communicate through customer service interaction, nothing creative.  By not doing work you enjoy doing, you are simply wasting time.

• The hours are too long.  It does not take 40-hours per week to do a majority of tasks.  Over the past six months, I have encountered at least four jobs that wanted me to work at least 55 hours per week.  Excuse me Jesus Christ, but hell no.  Long hours leads to a boring, predictable, mundane life.  We want fun, flexibility, family time, quality time with the significant other, time to go to the movies, time to exercise, time to relax, time to shop, time to pray, and more.  We need time to live not time to work.

We can all be Limitless like Edward Morra

"I wasn't high. I wasn't wired. Just clear. I knew what I needed to do and how to do it."

Limitless featuring Bradley Cooper of The Hangover fame is one of my favorite movies. Why? It inspires me. I can relate to it even though I do not have a magical tablet, NZT, to allow me to learn a new language in 48 hours, turn $12,000 to $2.5 million dollars at a day brokerage firm or write a complex sci-fiction novel.  

We all start out as losers

Well not exactly, but you can relate to how Edward Morra, a down-on-his-luck writer with a serious case of writer's block, divorced, and without his long-time girlfriend.  The guy lives in a small, messy apartment, needs a haircut immediately, and lacks drive. Lesson learned: We all go through difficult periods in life.  But, regardless of your current job or income, recognize that what's happening now in your life is temporary. Greatness is around the corner. Just as we are ready to give up, that is when our moment of success is coming; you have to be patient.  

We all find our calling someday

With the usage of NZT, Morra begins working out, gets a makeover, and starts networking with movers and shakers in the city. His newfound confidence is based on his self-efficacy. He knows he is very intelligent and not afraid to step out of his comfort zone. While hanging out with friends overseas, he races a friend's Maserati alongside a beautiful bombshell. Then, he jumps over a cliff into water. As he arises from his dive, he finds himself in the zone where God speaks to him. He realizes that his purpose on Earth is bigger than being a writer. He decides that he has the mental capability and learning ability to make profit in a down market. Thus, while everyone is struggling in the economy, he distinguishes himself with his profitability. That makes him remarkable. Lesson learned: Regardless of your job, income, or social network, live a lot, be uncomfortable, travel, and do something different. Exercise. Try a new resume.  Visit a new city. Read a book for a different genre. Talk to strangers. During those times of leisure, you may find that calling from God or that billion dollar idea. Creativity sparks during times of fun, family, and laughter. Look for opportunities to separate yourself from the everyone else. Make yourself remarkable and be able to promote your uniqueness.  

I'm Fine, Thanks

From eliminating debt to doing work you love (my domain), Adam Baker is helping so many people change their lives on a daily basis.  That is exactly what I aim to do in helping people discover their passion, find or create authentic work, and how to succeed on their own terms.  Adam B. has created an uber-inspiring documentary based on the "American Dream" and complacency.  This is the type of motivational media we need in this current economy of high unemployment and millions of people hating their jobs.  You deserve better.  The official movie will be coming out in July 2012.  For now, please click play below and enjoy.  

The creative job search does work

In a half-drunken state of somber (no I do not drink*), I awoke from a previous night's hard work and mild headache to this delightful gem in my GMail account.  If you have been following my blog, you know I preach the good word(s) and wisdom of Christian-based author, speaker, and career/business coach Dan Miller of Brentwood, Tennessee.  Using his two currently published novels 48 Days to Work You Love and No More Mondays, Dan advocates for a creative job search in the current job and economic market.  


Regardless of the state of the economy, this process is an authentic process of knowing yourself and finding or creating work that you will love.  Thus, I argue that this process should be used by anyone from now until the day you actually perish from this Earth.  Most importantly, research reveals that only 12-13 % of all open jobs and career opportunities are advertised.  Thus, job seekers using the popular job search engines online and traditional print advertisements for opportunities are seriously behind finding or creating work he or she may love.  This mean that roughly 88% of jobs available are secured within the hidden job market. This email (pictured above) from the Director of Customer Relations for Varsity Spirit Fashion located in Memphis, Tennessee is the result of a creative job search.  I will explain to you exactly what I did, but first I will briefly list the steps of the creative job search process.

Time for Black America to change, yesterday

“One ever feels his twoness, -- an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose strenth alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” ― W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk

Here are a few facts about the African American community that disturbs my conscience.

• While employment and education have increased for minority populations of color, families continue to live in poverty. 
• African American citizens experience greater unemployment than any other population group in the United States.
• American American males average more than twice the unemployment rate of white males.
• According to the Commercial Appeal, unemployment in the Black community is roughly 17 percent as of August last year.  A more recent report by the Memphis Daily News identifies 16.7 percent unemployment for African Americans.  That is roughly 9 percent more than white Americans.
• In my hometown of Milwaukee, over half of African American males of working age are unemployed according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  
• Men particularly black heads of households, strive for more education and better employment, often at the cost of extended absences or long working hours away from home and family.  

What makes you remarkable? Part 1

"We should all have a monopoly in what we do."  --Dan Miller

My daughter is beautiful and remarkable (pictured above on her 1st birthday).  I write this with the intention of challenging your semantics.  Of course, she is gorgeous aesthetically.  But more importantly, at the age of 21 months, she is enjoying life.  She loves warm popcorn, cold apple juice, quality time with family, Yo Gabba Gabba, and simply running around aimlessly while making loud noises.  She is beautiful.  She challenges authority, embraces her mistakes, and apologizes to please others.  At 21 months, she is worry-free and praising God (literally, she sings to him; loudly I might add).  I remember the days when I was like this.  I was weird, silly, and curious.  I went against the grain.  I liked to do things my own way for the sake of independence.  So why, 28 years later, am I finally following my dreams?  As I follow my dreams, I am weird, silly, and curious.  It makes me unique.  It makes me stand out.  It separates me from you, you, and you (yes you).  I think I have discovered how I am remarkable.  

To be remarkable, sets you apart from the rest of the pack.  To be remarkable, your creativity and your expertise cannot be mimicked by the masses.  It is the reason why people pay astronomical amounts to watch Jay-Z or Kanye West perform live.  It is the reason why people stampede towards the closest Barnes and Noble to purchase a signed copy of a John Grisham novel.  People that do great things are... (honestly) people.  They are human just like you and me.  So why can't we (yes I am a part of the ambitious, overzealous, and imaginative crowd that wants to succeed on our own terms) achieve greatness?  Why can't we be remarkable?

Dan Miller's Advice to me

On May 15, 2012, Dan Miller of No More Mondays fame, answered an important question I emailed him.  As normal people, sometimes we have to reach our models for advice.  See Dan is my role model, because he is doing everything I aspire to do.  He is helping people, he is writing excellent content, he is a published author, and he is aggressively, wisely earning passive income in multiple streams.  Please check out the brief podcast section in which he addressed me and my goals.  Thank you, and be inspired.  For those serious about earning multiple streams of income or becoming a solopreneur (a single person running a microbusiness), check out Dan Miller's No More Dreaded Moneys book. I have used this ideas to generate many of my own income generating options. Buy here, it's worth a read or two: No More Dreaded Mondays 

Pitching your tent in the land of hope

Acts 2:26  "I've pitched my tent in the land of hope..."

The world renowned minister and inspirational speaker and author Joel Osteen stated the following:  

“ God has put promises in every heart.  You have dreams and desires, things you want to accomplish, situations you want to see changed.  But so often you gave up on those dreams, because it took so long, or because you tried and failed, or because you went through a disappointment, or because somebody didn’t treat you right.”  

I have a dream to be a holistically successful entrepreneur, speaker, and author.  I want to help others find their own dreams and break free of the full-time employee slavery bondage.  I want to write like no one else has written.  I desire to speak like no orator before me.  These our the dreams buried deep inside of my soul, my conscience, and my being.  

I am only 28 years of age.  I have not given up on those dreams thanks to the wisdom God allowed me to come across through reading various books, discovering helpful podcasts, and exploring the world wide web.  My knowledge has blossomed to the point that I could not possibly be happy being complacent doing work that did not match my dreams, values, and personality.  

But you and I are not the same.  Have you already given up on your dreams?  You may be younger than I so perhaps you feel like time is on your side.  Thus, you are delaying your dreams.  Naysayers think bloggers like I speak unrealistically of living a lifestyle only reserved for the rich.  If that is so, then how has Bill Gates become one of the world’s wealthiest men without a college degree?  How did Steve Jobs get fired from the company he founded only to return as an interim CEO and spearhead evergreen technology that changed our lives for the better?  How did Oprah Winfrey escape the depths of poverty and mediocracy without a college education to become one of the most influential business leaders in history?  Do you think that Oprah wanted to give in because she is a woman, because she is Black, or because she came from nothing?  And what about the millions of successful small-business owners and self-employed Americans who are living rich, fulfilling, spiritual lives?

Following a dream and building perseverance to overcome the many obstacles that life throws you is what separates you from the have-nots.  So, you have the opportunity to decide if you will hone your skills, if you will stand out as an individual, and if you will follow your dreams.  If you are being authentic to yourself, how can you be a failure?  That is impossible if you consider that logic reasonably.  For example, I love to write, and I work diligently at becoming a better writer.  I write for various online publications and do some freelance writing.  I started a online writing service back in 2010.  I have taught writing at the high school and middle school levels.  I enjoy writing hip-hop music filled with soul and spoken word prowess.  By doing something I love, how can I be considered a failure?  If I keep at this dream, this goal, and this skill, the sky is literally the limit.  The possibilities for me to earn unlimited income, spend time with family, and succeed in other areas of my life are increased each day that I walk in faith and act.  

There are so many people that possess unique capabilities that fail to use them.  For example, your talent is in public speaking, but you went to college for accountancy and spend 50 hours a week crunching numbers into a spreadsheet.  You have to be bored out of your mind.  You are not living.  The axiom and paradigm of the United States is wrong.  Earning a college degree, working at a job that will bring you income, and living a life that is not filled with love, excitement, God, health, and lifelong learning is not living.  Why do we, Americans, value the name of a pricey Ivy League university?  Why do we stress ourselves out to earn a paycheck to pay for things that do not make us happy?  

I am not advocating for you to live a life as a minimalist.  Rather, I am challenging you to be yourself in every single thing that you do.  Do not settle for peanuts.  You can earn more money, flexibility, and opportunities by following the dreams that God has instilled in you.  By learning yourself, questioning your purpose, and developing a plan to do work that you love, you can live a life like no one else.  Just because your prayers have not been answered yet, that does not mean that you should settle or be complacent.  God is a faithful God.  He will provide you the necessary tools and resources to fulfill your dreams and calling.  But first, you must act on faith and do.  If you want to write a book, write a book.  What are you waiting for?  If you want to be a singer, start singing.  The technology today allows you to utilize an Apple laptop complete with software that professional singers utilize daily.  Opportunity is possible and infinite.  If you want to predict your future, you have to create it.  Now.  

Finally, I failed at several business ventures.  I have lost a lot of money in the process.  But would I rather work a single full-time job barely making $40 grand a year for the rest of my life or would I continue to swing at the fence for that financial home run that I know I am destined for and worthy of?  I am swinging for the fence and beyond.  I have been mistreated by several bosses and self-proclaimed leaders.  Am I bitter towards their management style and horrible demeanor?  Absolutely not.  They taught me how to not manage people and operate a business.  Through their errors, I have become a better leader.  As a believer, I let God handle my minor challenges and setbacks.  My energy and heart are focused on progress and prosperity.  I could care less for a majority of my former employers.  They were not a part of my destiny.  So I thank them for the negative experiences that dramatically shaped and molded my thinking, perspective and ambition.  Without those experiences, I would not be on the right path towards holistic happiness and freedom.  In God’s name, in Jesus’s name, I break that bondage and march towards excellence.  Come join me.  We will always have a fall back, even in a bad economy, non-exceptional companies are always hiring.

You have already seen too much

Since my teenaged years as a student and semi-athlete at Bay View High school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I frequently dealt with long, painful headaches.  The headaches were so painful that I would sometimes miss school, because I could not deal with them.  Besides getting these obnoxious headaches, I would lose energy and feel fatigued daily.  That was surprising because I played basketball almost every single day and my energy on the basketball court was my uniqueness.  Nonetheless, I went to the doctor multiple times from high school throughout college to detect any medical ailment that was causing my fatigue and headaches.

As I got into graduate school, first at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, my headaches continued.  One of my professors for an educational administration course would irritate me with her lessons and lectures.  We did a lot of group work in that class, and my peers annoyed me to the point that my head hurt.  I escaped that class with an A despite missing several class meetings.

It seemed that my headaches were slowly dissipating until I became a full-time special education teacher at a local Memphis City Schools high school.  My first year was enjoyable, but there was so much paperwork to do that I physically suffered.  I took this for about two years as I quit my boring teaching career to pursue my own business.  Miraculously my headaches disappeared as I developed time to exercise, eat well, pray, think, and spend quality time with my family.

Dan Miller, popular author and speaker of 48 Days to Work you Love fame, stated the obvious in his recent podcast... that once you become self-employed or an entrepreneur, it becomes very difficult to return to the workforce as an employee.

"You've already seen too much." whispered Dan in his ominous tone.

As an academic scholar and debate coach, I usually find a way to reject or refute bold statements such as this.  But, Dan Miller is 100 percent correct.  Once you attract your first customer, your perspective on life and work changes.  The first $100 I earned through my online writing service literally opened my eyes as I was being paid to do something I would do for free.  To be able to do something you love doing and to get paid by your talent and service is truly remarkable.  In my perspective, that is the true American Dream.

As I recognize our history in this nation, I look at all the people who have achieved success on their own accord, doing what they wanted to do through creating the type of business and work they desired.  The late great Steve Jobs was once voted as the worst CEO of the decade during his first stint with Apple.  After doing some soul-searching and succeeding in an interim opportunity, Jobs regained his former position but with a newly reinvented purpose and passion.  He began to treat people well, and quickly shed his poor leadership reputation as he was then voted a decade later as one of the best CEOs of the decade.

From Jay-Z to Oprah to million of small business owners, there is nothing that is holding you back from success except you.  You do not have to start a business to be successful.  You can be an employee and reach success and true holistic happiness.  However, that employer has to provide you a perfect match of your abilities, values, and dreams.  How many employers are dedicated to actually helping their employees in their pursuit of happiness?  How many Fortune 500 companies hire based on personality traits, optimism, goals, values, dreams, and skill set?

A college degree is not about finding a job.  A college education is about finding yourself.  By knowing who you are, you can find or create work you love now.  I recognize that my own headaches and migraines were caused by my own extraordinary energy and effort necessary to fulfill the needs of my job.  If I throughly enjoyed teaching, my health would have been great.  I would have had life-work balance.  See success if not about money.  Money is a part of success, but you have to be happy in order to truly succeed.  Your health, your spirituality, your interpersonal relationships, your family, your intelligence, and your emotions have to be focused upon to reach true holistic happiness.

Honestly, I do not know what you are going through.  Perhaps, you may not have a health problem, but if someone were to ask you if you were truly happy in every area of your life, how would you respond?  If you hesitated to answer that in your mind, you know that you deserve better.

Stop procrastinating, what are your dreams?  What is stopping you from pursuing your dreams?  Are you working a full-time, boring, repetitive job that drains all of your physical, mental, and creative energy?  If so, you know what needs to be done so you can be your authentic self and find peace and success.  Align your goals, dreams, skills, and values with work you would love doing.

Companies are old, stagnant, and stubborn.  That is why you should utilize the creative job search process to create or find work that is authentic to you.  Only by doing work that is authentic to you, will you be able to achieve holistic success and happiness.  Imagine that you are earning six figures in a corporate job that requires you to work long, stressful hours in order to receive that type of pay.  Is it worth it?

Mark 8:36

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Working smarter not harder

Recently a good friend of mines updated her Facebook status to inform her friends that she will be working two jobs.  As an advocate of multiple income streams, I am cheering her on.  Heck, I am currently writing a helpful, informative e-book that advocates why people (you) should work multiple jobs instead of one single position to mitigate your vulnerability and dependency on one source of income.  But, the reason I advocate working more than one job is not to work more than one job for wages but to generate additional residual paths of income.  


When you as an employee work a single full-time job, you are making yourself vulnerable to the will of the company.  And as every company is operating in an at-will state in the United States, you and your lively hood are at extreme risk of being ended at any time based on the decision of one entity.  Rather than allow yourself to be at that great risk, I advocate people (you) having more than one job (part-time) along with self-employment and slowly growing part-time businesses.  


Since I am open, honest, and transparent as a creative income expert, I admit I am still learning and developing various ideas and ways to generate passive income.  Passive income means you are making money while you sleep.  You do not have to keep doing something to earn passive income.  You simply have to create a product and a system to sell that product (or service) that does not require your time.  Basically, a one time effort on your behalf can generate continuous, flowing deposits into your banking account.  Sounds good.  Here are some of the ideas or businesses that I am working on or have worked on to generate passive income.  Please use these ideas to create your own ideas or simply mimic my success.  

• Sell on eBay:  If you have high quality used clothing or material possessions, you can generate a significant amount of money in a short period of time by reselling those items on eBay.  You need to make sure the products are in good condition, professionally clean, and free of flaws.  If there is a stain you cannot get out of a shirt, be upfront and honest about this through your description and photography of the product.  If you are near a liquidation center or outlet mall, you can buy nice items for pennies on the dollar then resale those items on eBay for profit.  EBay is worldwide, thus giving you access to millions and millions of potential customers.  Personally, I used to sell Polo Ralph Lauren clothing on eBay and quickly generated hundreds of dollars as passive income.  I no longer sale on eBay because I had a bad experience with their partner, Paypal.
• Sell on Amazon:  I currently sell used and new books on Amazon.  This is a great way to generate passive income as the products are available for sale 24 hours, 7 days per week.  I simply buy the books at a low price from various book stores and submit the title and description of the condition of the book.  Payouts are generally every two weeks.  The most money I have generated from Amazon was about $140 for a single payout.  Within that same month, I believe I sold over $500 of products.  
• Google Adsense:  This is an area that I am still learning about as I am investing a lot of time and energy to configure SEO keywords, HTML, back linking, etc.  Subsequently, you do not have to learn everything about blogging to earn money from the internet.  Simply start a blog about something you are extremely passionate about, like the one you are reading now, and sign up for a Google Adsense account.  Based on the traffic your blog or website builds, Google will pay you to feature their ads on your blog.  This is an easy way to generate truly passive income.  Again, I am learning about this opportunity as I type, thus I will be posting future updates on strategies to maximizing this potential income stream.
• Affiliate marketing:  Similar to Google Adsense, you can get paid by advertising someone else's products on your website or blog.  I am in the process of learning more in-depth knowledge on this process.  If you are building or currently have a successful website or blog, you can sign up at ClickBank to become an affiliate and earn commission when someone buys a featured product on your blog.  
• Create a product and sell it online:  This is perhaps the most effective way to generate passive income.  I am currently working on several e-books, one topic is my reasons why I refuse to work full-time, and the other will be on domestic violence along with a blog advocating against domestic violence.  Additionally, as a trained, degreed special education teacher, I am developing products to help new teachers pass ETS Praxis exams.  From e-books to strategy guides, these products will be available for digital download once they are published online.  People from all over the world can buy these products instantly.  Thus, as I literally sleep, I will wake up every morning and check my product sales and deposits.  Lastly, if you are artistic, this is a great way to increase your income without much effort.  The time, energy, and sweat required is temporary, during the creation of your product.  After the product is created, create a system to sell the product effortlessly.  If you need a good example, check out Dan Miller's 48 Days website.  He has audio books, physical books, dvds, workshops, etc. available for sale.  This is a great model for something looking to break free of the 9 to 5 grind.

As a father and husband, I want the best for my family.  I recognize that my passion is bigger than my need for security.  The only security I can depend on is my own intelligence and diligence.  As a career rebel and creative mind, I cannot stand by and watch people waste their lives and time working low-paying, high-paying, boring, repetitive, stressful jobs.  If you learn about yourself, know your personality traits, recognize your talents and goals, you can find or create your own work that you truly love.  If you want to have more time to enjoy life, you need to create multiple streams of income to live the life that God destined US to have.  You are welcome.

Traits of truly productive people... High achievers

Recently, Dan Miller on his weekly 48 Days podcast, shared valuable information regarding high achievers and what separates them from the pack.  

1. Access to counsel:  Attend workshops, hire a business coach, find seminars, basically high achievers look for ways to improve their knowledge base.  
2. Connections and collaborations:  Bounce ideas off of high achievers.  That is exactly why I am developing a Master Minds group in Memphis, TN.  Look to develop one in your city or reach out to me if you are in the greater Memphis area.
3. They take breaks.  They do not work long, boring, repetitive hours.  Success does not correlate to long hours.  I guess that means I should not consider taking a potential sales job that will require six days of work and five 11-hour days.  Many great ideas come during relaxed periods.  That is exactly why I am focused on creating work that reflects the life I want to live, not the other way around.
4. Lives outside of work:  Many high achievers live very active lives outside of work.  They are jumping out of planes, rubbing elbows with celebrities, surfing, playing flag football, volunteering as a referee for a youth basketball league, taking cooking lessons, raising a beautiful family, playing chess, etc.  They read great books like Tony Dungy's  Quiet Strength - Religious & Spiritual Books. Be active in your life.  Work is a small component of authentic, holistic success.  
5. Strategies and systems:  Focus, plan, clarity, and execute; high achievers are not waiting for the economy to get better.  They are not asking for approval.  They are not going back to school to earn another degree.  They are not begging the bank for a loan.  They are focusing on an idea, creating a plan of action, asking the right questions to develop clarity, and executing that focused plan to reach success.  You can do the same.

Career tools: Sample resume featuring top three competencies

Here is an excellent sample resume, slightly revised from its original format, that I advocated for in previous posts including the creative job search process.  Remember you have to be able to sell yourself, promote yourself, and tell your story.  In an interview, you tell your story verbally, but, before you get to that stage, you have to attract the interest of the hiring personnel.  A resume like this does just that.  The overall design is conservative, nothing fancy.  I begin the resume with a career objective clearly summarizing my three competencies.  Under each specific competency, I list my previous tasks with previous companies, organizations, or positions.  Second, I chronologically go back about 10 years to share my work history.  Third, I share my education, only listing my actual degrees earned and currently in progress.  Lastly, I inform the potential employer that my references are available upon request.  

So here's your challenge:  What are your three greatest skills (competencies)?  What do you love doing and want to 100 percent continue doing?  This is how you build work you love.  You will not look or accept a job that is not aligned with your interests, values, goals, and dreams.  After you pinpoint those three key skills, immediately revise your resume to reflect your story, your values, your interests, and your goals.  Cheers to doing work that we love.