I’m not much of a basketball fan, but I am a fan of hard work and dedication. After doing some research on Kobe Bryant’s work, I can see that he was truly dedicated to his passion, and put in the hard work required to be one of the greatest. 💯
You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed. You have to be willing to get back up and start again…and again…and again. You have to find your passion of helping others and use it as the motivation to continue. You have to be willing to put in the hard work! 💪
I remember this day in 2001, like it was yesterday. I had driven to Austin for a state compliance meeting at TCEQ, and I had no idea what was going on at all. One man had a text pager, and we received updates from his office throughout the morning. Even as the planes were grounded, our meetings continued. We didn’t see any pictures until lunchtime, and even then we didn’t understand the magnitude of the event.
I drove the Assistant Public Works Director for the City of Houston back to town that day. He was constantly on the phone with his team and the police department as helicopters were then patrolling over the lakes, our water supply, and the major facilities, along with the ship channel. We learned that downtown Houston had been evacuated hours earlier as a precaution, and it was eerie to drive him to the public works building downtown to pick up a vehicle for him to drive home since his was stuck at the airport. The city was quiet when it should have been at the height of rush hour.
And then I went home and remained glued to the TV with the rest of America. We cried, we were in shock, and then we were determined to remember and take action. Flags went up at every home and every building. We learned about the stories of heroes, some were just every day people who made decisions of sacrifice to save others.
We talk about making hard decisions and sacrifices all the time, but the heroes on 9/11 lived it. I want that courage, that determination, that clear calling to do the hard things. I may just be fighting for my family, but they are worth it. Along the way, I hope I help your family too.
If you’re anything like me, you grew up watching the Wizard of Oz. Most of us have watched it so many times, we can recite lines from the movie by heart. However, did we really listen or understand the message in the movie? As a kid, probably not, but what about as an adult? Rachel Hollis made a comment during the her documentary Made For More Encore, that had me evaluating the themes within the movie.
After reaching Oz, Dorthy takes a journey. During that journey she meets friends along the way. Those friends have her back! Those friends start their own journey with her. Each have their own goals, but they are on the same path. Intelligence(a brain), Life (a heart), Courage, and Love (going home). Along this journey, they go up against those who are trying to sabotage their goal, and those that encourage their goals, but they fight through it all to continue their journey. Their GOALS were big enough to fight for and continue.
In the end, with each other’s help and encouragement, they succeed! Dorthy learns her pathway home was really her ruby slippers. She learned- You’ve always had the power all along. She needed the obstacles on her journey, the friends she met on the way, and the successes of each battle to learn she had the POWER.
What obstacles are you facing on your journey? Is your goal big enough for you to continue to fight through it all? Do you have people that ridicule or bully you for your decisions? Who is there to encourage you through each step on the path?
I have friends and family who do not support me. I’m sure it is out of love in an effort to protect me from failure. However, they need to see that I am DETERMINED to succeed. I have to battle my own mind when it comes to my physical journey…no one can put in the work at the gym except me. My goal to help others live the life they deserve, physically and/or financially, is true and pure. My joy and passion for others is contagious, and it will spread like a ripple in the water!
Determined Hustle 