"Go for Yours," a guide for ambitious, faithful and progressive individuals who yearn to break conventional models of living; is a collection of stories and examples of young, African Americans who followed their dreams no matter their age, background or years of work experience. This book uses examples of celebrities who portrayed a certain attitude that led them to their success and unveils the world to young and fearless trailblazers, entrepreneurs and leaders. By taking a glance at people who followed their dreams in spite of their adverse encounters, you will be left encouraged to create your own opportunity instead of wait for it. More importantly, this book highlights individuals who are successful in a world that tends to focus on the negative aspects of African Americans.
GO FOR YOURS
A compilation of young, African Americans who were brave enough to reach for the stars.By ERIKA R. MCCALLAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Erika R. McCall
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4670-4364-9Contents
FOREWORD..............................................................................ixINTRODUCTION..........................................................................xiiiGo for Yours: The Definition of Success...............................................xviiChapter 1: The Go for Yours MYTH......................................................1Chapter 2: Go for Yours with a GREAT ATTITUDE and POSITIVE SPIRIT.....................17Chapter 3: Go for Yours KNOWING WHO YOU ARE...........................................37Chapter 4: Go for Yours MAKING POWER MOVES............................................47Chapter 5: Go for Yours BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS........................................67Chapter 6: Go for Yours READY FOR ADVERSITY...........................................79Chapter 7: Go for Yours KNOWING HOW TO HANDLE COMPETITION.............................97Chapter 8: Go for Yours WHEN FACING DIFFICULT PEOPLE..................................107Chapter 9: Go for Yours AND PAY IT FORWARD............................................123Chapter 10: Go for Yours MOVING FORWARD...............................................137Chapter 11: Go for Yours with SWAG....................................................153Chapter 12: Go for Yours with FAITH...................................................173Chapter 13: Go for Yours WITH THE SPIRIT OF A TRAILBLAZER.............................189Chapter 14: Go for Yours Now..........................................................203Author's Story........................................................................207Creation of Go for Yours..............................................................211Acknowledgements......................................................................217Index.................................................................................221
Chapter One
THE GO FOR YOURS MYTH "The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively." –Bob Marley
GLAMOUR does NOT equal SUCCESS
"He think he ballin cause he got a block?" –Young Jeezy, Ballin
AS PREVIOUSLY stated, we are caught in the superficial standards of success. As a result, myths have been created about what it means to be successful. When you Go for Yours, don't get caught up in the hype. Success is deeper than a having a Maserati in your driveway. Besides, the people who are seen driving fancy cars and wearing nice clothes are usually the ones struggling to "keep up with the Kardashians." Also, remember success does not always mean you have a glamorous job in corporate America with your own office and administrative assistant.
President and CEO of JB Sweeping Services, Jerome Boykin, has a job that is all but glamorous, but it has brought him great success. Jerome was planning to attend graduate school at Southern University at New Orleans, when Hurricane Katrina hit. He lost all of his belongings and was left with no money.
This incident prevented him from pursuing his MBA and led him back to his parent's home and sleeping on the couch. He was also left discouraged and wondering what his next move would be.
Jerome's dad did not want him to give up and introduced him to the parking lot cleaning business. Jerome opened his mind to learn about the business and discovered it's important to keep parking lots clean because it's the first thing a customer sees when they go to the store. With the help of his dad, he invested in an industrial sweeper and started a parking lot cleaning business. Jerome landed his first contract with the local Wal-Mart in his hometown of Houma, Louisiana, and eventually landed numerous contracts with Target, Home Depot, and a host of real estate development properties.
Humbled by his success, Jerome chooses to work alongside his employees, instead of simply giving out orders. He remembers being spotted by local residents wondering why someone with so much potential was picking up trash at their local Wal-Mart. They had no idea picking up trash led him to working in a billion dollar industry, and the ability to make in one day, what some people don't make in one year. He even recalls a time when a woman outside of Wal-Mart told her children, "If you don't get a college degree, you will be outside picking up trash like him." Little did she know, he had already received a Bachelor's Degree in Business and was featured in Black Enterprise magazine for making $850,000 in revenues in 2008.
Jerome has developed professional relationships with his clients and prevents competition because of his quality of work and great customer service. While his intent was to just have a local business, his business has expanded to other cities within his home state, such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
He has also been an inspiration to others, specifically Marcus Clemmons from California, who was almost homeless after the real estate market went down. Reading about Jerome's story inspired him to contact Jerome in order to learn how to start his own parking lot cleaning business. Marcus implemented everything Jerome taught him, and as an act of "paying it forward" he opened up a homeless shelter.
Jerome may have gone to college with the vision of landing a job with a little more glamour, but his not-so glamorous job led him to achieve glamorous wealth. Don't be so quick to think wealth and success only exist in corporate America, sports, and entertainment. Open up your mind to new ideas that can provide you with the opportunity for greater wealth.
In success there are no HANDOUTS
"You better get up, get out and get something. How will you make it if you never try?" –OutKast, Git up, Git Out
A myth we have adopted in the African American community is the mentality of the hook-up. If you seriously want to Go for Yours, don't expect handouts. Work hard instead of waiting for a big time record executive to come to your town (anticipating they can get you a record deal), or trying to convince people, like Oprah, to give you money. People who wait and expect handouts will never succeed. Your blessing will not come from someone else's hard work. Every successful person worked hard for what they have, no matter where they come from, or who their family is.
Craig Wayans, Damien Dante Wayans, and Damon Wayans Jr. also referred to as the second generation Wayans, did everything but expect a handout. Coming behind family members Keenan Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans Sr., Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Kim Wayans, it may appear to some people that their success was handed to them. Although they reign from a family tree of comedians and actors, who have made a prominent name in the entertainment business, they had to work just as hard, if not harder, as the next person who is trying to "get on." Rather than expecting anything to be handed to them, they decided to share their talent and add to their family legacy.
Entering show business after their family couldn't have been easy. They probably had to prove to their family they were capable of maintaining their family success, and at the same time, show the world they are in the business because of their talent, and not because of their family legacy.
All three of them have worked extremely hard acting, directing and producing. Craig worked his way up from a production assistant, to writing and directing for television shows, like The Wayans Brothers and My Wife and Kids, starring Damon Wayans Sr. and Tisha Campbell. Damien went from acting in movies, like Major Payne, to starring in movies, such as Malibu's Most Wanted, starring Blair Underwood, Anthony Anderson, and Taye Diggs, and directing movies such as the Wayans family comedy Dance Flick. Damon Jr. has done standup comedy, had a recurring role in My Wife and Kids, had a leading role in the movie, Dance Flick, and now has a regular role on the ABC television show, Happy Endings. All three continue to remain humble, while consistently working toward their goals and knowing nothing needs to be handed to them.
Like Craig, Damien and Damon Jr., refuse to take the easy route by expecting hook ups and handouts. Go for Yours and remember nothing is owed to you. Greatness cannot be created from receiving handouts.
Hard Work does not ALWAYS result in SUCCESS
"What do you do when you've done all you can and it seems like it's never enough?" –Donnie McClurkin, Stand
We are often told that practice makes perfect and if we work hard, we will be successful. While this holds some truth, there will be a time when you will not reap the benefits of your hard work that you were wishing to receive. You may recall a situation, such as spending weeks completing a research paper that resulted in a low grade, putting in extra hours at work to see someone else get the promotion, or practicing a dance routine over and over again, only to be cut from the dance team. No matter how talented you are, or how hard you work, there will be people who believe your hard work is not good enough. When this happens, it doesn't mean you can't continue to Go for Yours.
Chicago Bears Running Back Garrett Wolfe has been playing football since he was 12, and his hard work left him with many achievements. During his final two years of his high school career at Holy Cross High School in River Grove, IL, he rushed 3,411 yards and had 56 touchdowns. He set 11 school records and earned a number of honors from Chicago media sources, like the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.
Garrett took his hard work to Northern Illinois University (NIU), where he became the team's starting running back during his sophomore year, and was considered one of the most productive rushers in the nation. During his 2005 season, he earned national recognition because of his performances against the Michigan Wolverines and Northwestern Wildcats.
Garrett's season was hindered because of a knee injury, and he was forced to miss three games. In spite of his injured knee, he was recognized with an All-American selection and was voted the team's most valuable player. In 2006, he accumulated 285 yards against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who was the nation's top ranked team at the time. He finished the season with an NCAA high, 1,928 rushing yards, while averaging 157 yards per game. Garrett's dedication led him to being drafted in the 2007 NFL draft's third round, with the 93rd overall selection. He became the first draft class to sign, inking a four-year deal with the Chicago Bears.
Growing up in a generation that believed that as long as you work hard, you will reap the benefits of that work, Garrett found out this is not always true. While playing professional football, Garrett learned that in the NFL, the best guys do not always get to play. If the people calling the shots deem you as incapable for fulfilling the task at hand, then you may never be given the opportunity to earn, win, or compete with the job. He has come to the realization that when it comes to professional football, your hard work does not have a direct correlation to playing time or financial opportunities, and you don't always get what you work for.
Garrett continues to work hard and is happy football gave him the opportunity to leave his neighborhood and attend college, which was something he never planned to do. He believes football gave him a platform to show the world his talents, while receiving an education and obtaining a college degree. Now, he is able to play his favorite sport for a living and earn an income that some people won't make in a lifetime. Football has opened up doors that may have been impossible to open. It has also allowed him to be in rooms with people from various walks of life and develop relationships with people he may have never met if it wasn't for football. Although Garrett realizes hard work will not always give him the results he is looking for, he puts his best effort in everything he pursues.
Overall, your hard work will lead you to great accomplishments, but there will come a time when your hard work will only take you so far. When this time arises, you must choose to be confident in your abilities and continue to Go for Yours.
Success can be SEEN behind the SCENES
"Solo Stars keep rocking; don't follow nobody's lead." –Solange Knowles, Solo Star
Go for Yours knowing that success does not mean you will be in the forefront. One of the most important things for you to realize is that the people you see in the spotlight have people behind the scenes who contribute to their talent. These people are like the icing on the cake. Although the person in the spotlight is talented on their own, they need people to add value to what they do. The people who are behind the scenes are like the seasoning that makes something like a steak taste so good, that people keep coming back for more. They are the salt, pepper, and baked potato you need to make the steak taste even better.
Before she entered the spotlight, Solange Knowles made magic behind the scenes. Not being focused on the spotlight, she grew into her own image, not worrying about anything else-showing the world she was more than Beyoncé Knowles' sister.
In 2001, she broke into the music industry when she lent her voice behind the scenes as the lead singer for the animated Disney television series, The Proud Family, featuring Kyla Pratt. She was a featured performer on the Austin Powers in Goldmember soundtrack and was a back-up singer on Destiny's Child's 8 Days of Christmas album for the song Little Drummer Boy, and traveled the world with Destiny's Child as a back-up dancer. Not worried about the spotlight, she was featured on Lil Romeo's song, True Love, and appeared in Bow Wow's music video for his song, Puppy Love. Solange eased into the spotlight when she debuted her album Solo Star, which was released in Japan before it made it to the United States.
Solange started a career in acting by starring in films, such as Johnson Family Vacation, starring Cedric the Entertainer, and Bring it on: All of Nothing. Still, she continued to make magic behind the scenes, writing and producing songs for Kelly Rowland and co-writing songs, like Get me Bodied and Upgrade U, on her sister Beyoncé's album B'Day. When she released her sophomore album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, it peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop albums. Solange seems to realize her success is not determined by whether she is behind the scenes or in the spotlight. She helped launch Deréon, a junior apparel collection for House of Deréon, a fashion line founded by her mother and sister, and was named as an ambassador for Giorgio Armani's younger diffusion line. She promoted Baby Jamz, a hip hop-styled toy line for pre-schoolers, which was inspired by her son who enjoys hip hop music. In addition to all of her accomplishments, she has been known to rock a crowd and has been seen DJ'ing at high profile parties.
It is clear that when Solange made a career for herself, she knew success is not measured by whether or not you are in the spotlight. This allows her to remain humble when she is in the spotlight. When you watch one of your favorite movies or television shows, or hear your favorite song on the radio, remember the people who helped make it happen. Keep in mind that someone had to write, produce, direct, and create the soundtrack and design the costumes. If you think talent is only seen in the spotlight, you have the wrong idea. When you Go for Yours, don't get so caught up in thinking your talent has to be seen in the spotlight. Be confident your talent will take you exactly where you need to go.
You don't have to wait for Your BIG BREAK, you can CREATE IT
"Keep building up impossible hopes; impossible things are happening every day." –Brandy, It's Possible
There is an episode on the popular television show, Martin, where Martin takes his friends to Los Angeles hoping he will make his big break in the entertainment industry by being featured on the Varnell Hill Show. When he arrives at the studio, he is seated in the audience, and it is very obvious the host, Varnell, has no intentions of having Martin as a guest on the show. As the show comes closer to an end, Martin decides to create his own opportunity and hops on the stage while the R&B group, Jodeci, is performing. To everyone's surprise, Martin makes himself a part of the performance. This catches the attention of Varnell, who finally agrees to have him on the last two minutes of show. While this scene was intended for entertainment purposes, when you Go for Yours, you have to create opportunities for yourself in order to do what you are passionate about.
Internet Talk Show Host Sherhara knows what it means to create your own opportunity. Sherhara has always dreamed of a career in the spotlight and is confident she has what it takes to fulfill her dream. She was blessed with the opportunity to be in the spotlight while she was attending Indiana University. During her academic career, she developed and hosted the radio show, Bring it On, which is a black public affairs forum broadcast that still serves as the only radio station in Southern Indiana targeting blacks. She also hosted Amplified, an Indiana University student television show.
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Excerpted from GO FOR YOURSby ERIKA R. MCCALL Copyright © 2011 by Erika R. McCall. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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