Last night, my friends and I hiked to the top of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, for the sunset. The sunset wasn’t the only gift that we would receive at the top of the mountain. When we reached the summit, we were greeted by two young Black men sitting on the rocks like they were sent there to see us. They sat on rocks with their backs to the main view, facing the exact point we would come up. Immediately, they said hello and dapped up my two friends—acknowledging that it was nice to see...
3 days ago • 1 min read
My friend and I have a longstanding debate that will never be settled: who is the better rapper, J. Cole or Drake? You already know where I stand. We’ll never settle this debate because what we each appreciate in music differs, along with what we consider important metrics. Drake, whom I actually like and listen to, clearly wins the streaming and popularity game. You don’t reach the level of distribution and audience size Drake has if you are not good. He has mastered creating radio hits and...
4 days ago • 1 min read
“Most people believe confidence comes from being really good at what they do or never messing up. But unshakable confidence comes from knowing your worth isn't tied to your performance.” -Joe Hudson See you tomorrow and keep pursuing, JC
4 days ago • 1 min read
“Now I'm headed home, my dearAnd I brought a poem to shareAnd here's what it saidLove is a candlewick in rainAfter the storm, we're still aflame, ohI lied, love has been called a losin' gameBut the more that I love, the more I gain” -J. Cole, Ocean Way Ok, the last J. Cole quote for a while. “The more that I love, the more I gain” is the important takeaway from this one. See you tomorrow and keep pursuing, JC
7 days ago • 1 min read
“Life is all about the evolutionI give up, I give in, I move back a littleI live up, I look up, now I'm back for moreYou can dream but don't neglect the executionI give up, I give in, I move back a littleI live up, I look up, now I'm back for moreTime is short that's what somebody told meI give up, I give in, I move back a littleI live up, I look up, now I'm back for moreToo short to keep following your homiesI give up, I give in, I move back a littleI live up, I look up, now I'm back for...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Sometimes the first step of moving towards your Authentic Life is accepting where you are—your starting line. You can keep your Self stuck, playing the victim, wishing for different circumstances, or creating excuses about why you can’t move towards your Authentic Life. But the truth is, you start where you are—it’s the only place you can start. Some people have better starting lines, at least as it appears to us in the external world, but we don’t know what’s going on internally. Judging...
9 days ago • 1 min read
“Define success on your terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” -Anne Sweeney See you tomorrow and keep pursuing, JC
11 days ago • 1 min read
Well, it's been a minute...I know. The last month of summer was extremely busy with a couple of trips to South Carolina for AAU, our family trip to New Buffalo, Michigan, and then getting ready for back to school--Indiana loves to start school early, and our boys started on the 5th. I didn't forget about the Weekly Note during July, but I did prioritize other areas of life for the month--I chose late-night swims, long days of driving after a morning game, and morning walks. I hope you don't...
11 days ago • 4 min read
“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” -William Wallace (quote from Braveheart—not proven he really said it). You may have also heard Drake say something similar in the song Moment 4 Life, “Everybody dies, but not everyone lives.” Two different mediums—one movie, one song. Two different time periods—one a long, long time ago, one modern. Same important message. Just because you are alive today doesn’t mean you are actually living life. Don’t waste this awesome gift you’ve been given...
12 days ago • 1 min read