Motivational Monday Moment – 8/15/2016

Happy Monday Folks!

I wanted to share my Motivational Monday Moment with you today. Many of you know my story because I’ve shared it openly here on my blog. But, I want to share something else. One of my favorite things to say to people is that “The difference between me and the next person is that I wanted it badly.” 

That’s my own personal life quote. I wanted it badly. What did I want badly? Life. Success. That simple. I grew up poor. My dad wasn’t around because my momma kicked him out the house. He was an abusive alcoholic so he had to go. Her choice made our lives harder. Her choice to live a life with her children and have peace of mind was worth more than money. But, we needed money. Being poor is no joke. Heck, it isn’t fun.

So, I buckled down and was determined to not repeat her steps. I was determined to get out of poverty in spite of my circumstances. In spite of the incredible odds against me I knew that I never wanted to be a mother with little education and three children working 3 or 4 jobs to feed and clothe them. Believe me when I say that I understand the sacrifices that my momma made. It changed my mindset.

I realized that where I came from didn’t have to be where I ended up. I stayed in school. Focused on my grades. Went to college. I struggled. I stumbled. I worked tirelessly without thought. It hurt when I saw my friends all having cars and jobs and their own places. I was a broke college student.

My momma said to me “You’re working on your degree. They can repossess cars from your friends or apartments for non-payment. They can never repossess your degree if you fail to pay your student loans. They can’t take back your education. You’re investing in yourself. In your future.” My momma is smart ya’ll. She was right. I was investing in myself. I hated catching the bus everywhere, but I was determined to continue to make an investment in me.

That investment has paid off substantially. I am who I am because I had people that believed in me, but more importantly…I believed in me and I had a God that protected me. I am in awe of how I am now managing a team of 4 people and getting ready to hire my 5th person. I had no prior supervisory experience. God did it!

I remember running for junior class president in high school and I had no prior governmental experience. I woke up deciding that I wanted to be junior class president. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to lead my class.

I didn’t know if I could make it. I wasn’t that popular. I was on the modern dance team so I was popular by default as I’d like to say. I was still a nerd. I was taking advanced classes and some of my closest friends were outcasts like me. How was I going to convince these people to vote on the outsider? I didn’t know. The task seemed overwhelming. But, I believed.

I couldn’t afford the nice poster boards or banners. I couldn’t afford the candy perks. We were poor and I didn’t have a job. I had to focus on school. I remember getting up in front of my class during the elections and told them that I wasn’t popular but I had vision. I wanted to make us the most successful junior class ever. I said a whole bunch of other stuff that I can’t remember, but I had hoped it was enough.

And you know what? It was. I won. Little ole me. I couldn’t believe it. I went home that night and told my momma “I think they voted for me because I was black.” She said “It doesn’t matter why you got the job. You got it. Now, show them what you can do.” Told you my momma was smart.

I did show them what I could do. Those same words came rushing back to me as I was praying over whether or not I should take this job. I didn’t think I was qualified. But, God. He allowed my momma’s words to come back to me and remind me that “It doesn’t matter why you got the job. You got it. Now, show them what you can do.”

So my dear friends, I tell you these words from my momma “It doesnt’ matter why you got the job. You got it. Now, show them what you can do.”