We underestimate Inspiration
I am inspired by a myriad of people, places, and things. One of my biggest inspirations for about 5 years now is Joe Budden. His original show with Rory and Mal (I know they’re the opps lol), in combination with the Breakfast Club, and my dad listening to Howard Stern, inspired me to start doing interviews in 2020. Furthermore, I took inspiration from the fact that you could be a figure in the music industry without being the star music artist. The piece I shy’d away from the most was his and Howard Stern’s extreme use of freedom of speech. In Joe’s recent interview with Rolling Stones, he says, “Oh, I have respect for what journalists do, I was talking sh**.” I’ve always been hesitant to be free in platform speech, but am inspired by that the most.
I went to my first NBA game this weekend. I couldn’t help but think about Rihanna’s iconic court-side pink look, Spike Lee’s legendary court-side kicks, and of course, Joe Budden and his beautiful lady, Shadee, consistently gracing the Knicks games with their presence.
My seats were bomb! I was surrounded by the flyest couples I’ve ever seen and sitting maybe 25 rows back from the bench that held the GOAT himself, King James, alongside his son, Bronny. Of course the Lakers took it from the 76ers, a great game.
I couldn’t help but notice the professionals who were court-side with media passes and the analyzers sitting behind the hoop, taking notes, videos, and looking like they were thinking really, really hard. Who would I be? What would be my job?
Previously mentioned in my other blog posts, I experienced a real blurriness about my career and what I want this year. This is something I’ve never experienced before; the steps have always been laid out for me and I’ve always had vision.
For all artists and business-owners struggling with vision, there are a few things that are necessary when watching your favorite documentary isn’t working:
Get aligned
I learned that a big professional blocker for me was my mind, body, and soul being out of wack. Even if you don’t have big dramatic and traumatic things happening in your personal life, there are typically small fractures that add up overtime. You’re probably underestimating your trauma anyway. Pay attention to your emotions, the thoughts your mind creates, and how you feel physically. Therapy, relationship with God, and time alone are big helps!
Experience
You know how jobs require experience, even if it’s entry level—COMICAL. It’s the same in business and music land. Try things, meet people, fail a couple times. Do things scared. Shake up your routine. Get a new hobby, learn a new skill. Make real time for yourself to do these things. Trust me, in due time you’ll get to where you need to be and this won’t be a waste!
Travel
Whether it’s a road-trip or you’re flying overseas, a change of scenery in any capacity typically recalibrates the way you see the world and your place in it. When YBS Skola was mentioning the trees in Cali’, this is what he meant. Take the trip!
My line sister, Ijeoma, loves Dubai and her trip not only inspired her fragrance bar business, but landed her her first international client. Learn more about the Scentlier Lab. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t have anything else for you.
My last favorite thing about Joe Budden is that he never built his network to impress anyone. That’s what makes it real and, oddly, safe. The game, Joe Budden, and Scentlier Lab are all beautiful inspirations that I’ve been able to take in because I’m aligning myself, experiencing life, and traveling to places I’ve never been (some I’ve been to too frequently, hi Miamiiiii). I took a pause in these things because I felt it was irresponsible and that I was wasting time and money that could be going toward my ideas and business moves. But I learned that it’s MANDATORY and you can’t go forward without those things. It’s like filling your cup—sleep, the gym, and nights out aren’t enough to fill you up. You can’t be inspired without all these things! And inspiration is vital to success.
Email me if you want to chat more about this, good luck. After you do the first three things listed above, here are some docs, books, and tasks that help get and keep you inspired:
Reorganize your closet
Watch Beyonce: Homecoming
Watch Michael Jordan: The Last Dance
Listen to Jeezy…literally any Jeezy album…like let the whole album play in order
Clean your car (yourself)
Watch all of your saved tiktoks
Read You are a Bad Ass
Go through old photos of yourself
Read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People