A Follower Vs. An Innovator

I wanted to write this blog because I was having a Facebook discussion about the success of Facebook.com and how we, by using and talking about it, make him richer. And the differences of him and the rest of us.

            One person commented on the creator, Mike Zuckerberg, by saying that he stole the Facebook idea from some other people. Whether he stole the idea from someone else isn’t important, it’s the end result. He is a billionaire. He played the cards better.

            But let’s take it back a few steps. Why are some people more likely to be innovative and business minded, while others stray away and want to be workers all their lives?

            I can only speak for myself and other people similar to myself. When I was a child, I was taught for the most part to stand in line, wait your turn, do what you’re told and respect your elders. In college, I was taught to do my homework on time, obey the teacher and their attitudes, get good grades, graduate and get a good job.

            I wasn’t taught to go out of the norm, explore my dreams, the sky is the limit and start a business no matter what anyone says. What’s up with that? We are being taught to be drones. To listen, obey, and follow the rules down to the last crumb.

            There are other races that teach more of an outside the box approach to life versus others that teach children to follow. I won’t name the different races but they are out there. With Mark Zuckerberg, he is a white, educated, well-to-do individual that was probably going to make tons of money whether or not he created Facebook or not. I wonder what his parents taught him as a child. Dissecting the mind of a billionaire.  

            Any race or sex out there that thinks they can’t can if they stop saying that they can’t! I wrote an article a long time ago and it was called the top reasons why people fail. I am going to list them again.

1.      Fear

2.      Circumstance

3.      Negativity

We all have fear. Some people are afraid of spiders (me!). Some people are afraid to move out of state. Some people are scared to enter into a committed relationship. But as we can see the most fearless people are the ones who make it. The people who don’t give a damn about other people’s thoughts or opinions.

How many times have we heard this from celebrities and successful people, “I wouldn’t have made it if I’d listened to so and so.”

Rule number 1. Stop listening to other people. If you think your idea is great and you will stand behind your work 110% then go for it. Failure is a part of life! Get over it! And guess what, people may love it! You have a 50/50 chance of survival. That’s a pretty darn good chance.

As for circumstance, everyone has circumstances, not enough money, too many kids, no support. I’ve heard it all and frankly no one cares. Push all that to the side and keep it moving. How is dwelling on the things you don’t have going to get you the things that you don’t have? Point and match.

And last but not least negativity. Rid yourself of it. Negativity could be inside you, your mom, siblings, boyfriend or wife. Get it right, if they are not with you then they are against you. It’s just that serious.  The magic word is bye.

 To conclude this thought, I would like to let you know that everyone is not ready for success. Some people will never be successful and that’s ok if you’re that person. Don’t try and put on a façade about it, it’s not for you.  I know a lot of people who are “working” on things. But in reality they are doing nothing. Don’t please me; please your lord and the people who care about you because I don’t. I’m just not that important. Yet.

For me personally, I am trying to break the mold. I got three things against me. I’m Black, I am a woman and I am Muslim. And I am proud. And to me as long as I am skilled and talented at what I do, you should only expect quality work. I am focused this year. I have set goals that I didn’t have before. And I intend on reaching them. Whether it takes a year or ten. It doesn’t matter, when you can taste something, you’ll never stop striving for it.

The Juicy Details.

xoxo

Money

This is the first poem I have wrote in years! Enjoy.

Can money really make you happy?

Because all I hear is it’s the root of all evil.

Building stacks, rolling in dough and it’s all about the Benjamin’s.

Cuz’ you aint’ got enough money!

We all say that if I only had more.

I wouldn’t have no problems.

Life would be worry free.

But it wouldn’t be. Be like that it is.

Fast money. Young money. Cash money.

Nuthin’ but a joke. Aint’ that funny.  

Get rich or what?

Die tryin…

That saying the epitome of ridiculousness.

But the way they feed it to us, so conspicuous.

I’m tired of being a puppet to the green dollar.

While the student loan debt chokes me by the collar.

Higher taxes, interest rates, mortgage payments and DTE.

I’m drowning but who is going to save me?

I’m sick of this bullcrap.

They suckin’ me dry like I’m a maple tree full of sap.

People out here dyin’ for this.

Yo’ sis. Yo’ Miss.

Yo’ mother. Yo’ brother. Yo’ significant other.

It’s hard out here for a G.

This is like modern day slavery.

I’m sick of this shit!

A Woman’s Worth

            Haven’t blogged in a week. I just moved. It’s temporary. Trying to work on some big plans for 2011. I don’t plan on staying in Michigan past another year. So let’s pray that’s my plans are going through this year. If not this year, then next. Holla.

Right now I’m at work. Chilling with the patients. Watching them play cards. A good time to write an article.

My topics for “The Juicy Details” will be mainly about women related issues and empowerment. Of course I will add some pieces of poetry and creative fiction to the mix. A few updates before we start today’s topic. I am almost finished with chapter one of my book. Yeah!

So today I’m going to talk about woman’s purpose. Largely debatable across so many boundaries. But I’m not concerned with how everyone else believes or construes a woman’s worth.   

            Every little girl plays house, she is the mama and everyone else the children. She dreams of one day having a home of her own, becoming a nurse or a teacher. Make-up and batting eye-lashes.

           Then we get a little older, we become more repulsed by boys and everything they can do you can do better. We get a little older than that and this perfect man is mapped out from head to toe. The highest expectation that could reach a mountain top.  And you being the naïve woman you are, you won’t settle for less because “You’re worth it.”

Am I right? 

But after a while the world beats her in the face with a wooden bat and she drops her expectations each and every time she meets a bull crap dude. Then where does that leave her? Broken, torn and picking up the pieces.

Each time a man taking a piece of her with him, to never return. Or replace.

Why do women put everything on the line for a man?

They push out kids. Quit their careers. Move to places they don’t want to. Cease school. Decrease their social status. Why? To stroke someone else’s ego.

We are not ego strokers, baby machines, beneath you or anyone else for that matter. We have our jobs. We know our jobs. And do It well.

Because in the end he may not even be there.

It went over so many heads. 

            All we could do is attribute this self-defeat to several factors: love, obsession and fear. I could probably write an entire book on the phenomenon of woman and the life obstacles that we have to go through every day. But I believe in give and take. I believe in balance. Saying balance and living balanced is totally different and not easy to attain but possible.

                Perseverance is possible when we strive every day. Every hour. Every minute of our lives.

                As a woman, you have to look out for you. As a man, you have to look out for you. As a human being, you must look out for you. We don’t live for others, we live for God and then ourselves. That’s just how it is.

               

                You can pretend that your man is your everything and that you couldn’t bear to live another day without him but you need to get you together. You need to find an identity. You need balance. You balance being a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, a woman and provider. It’s just knowing your worth that makes all the difference.