​It’s a common saying, “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” The statement is simple, yet so deep in meaning. I personally notice the reaction of folks when I ride the subway dressed casually vs. dressed up with a shirt, tie and jacket. I get more smiles, I am bumped a bit less on the train and maybe even offered up a seat. It’s a different mindset even for me entirely as well. I feel better about myself, carry myself with a bit more stature and, overall, I am more confident.
Recently, I came across a post on Instagram that read, “It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. It’s not what you see, it’s how you look at it. It’s now how your life is, it’s how you live it.” This is literally the key to life. Boom! Follow it and you will live long and prosperous. If only it were that easy.
In a general sense, I grew up being told to follow directions and stay in line and your time will come. This may work for some, but the majority will only get but so far. On the other hand, a small faction of us are raised to defy the rules, rewrite them and grab opportunities. I think this is the difference between those who do well in life and those who own the companies of those who do well.
​I know that I will be successful because there is no other option for me. If you say you are a boss, then act and be the boss. If you are a CEO, then dress the part and claim that title. When you start acting like it, others treat you as such. In the end what will they really have to say? You are who you say you are.

​It’s often a phrase that’s said, but not often delved into. How can silence often speak volumes? It’s quite simple. In almost every situation someone has the upper hand. In those situations one can choose to assert or not assert their privilege to assist someone in need. When situations turn evil, racist or discriminatory, how will you act?
In terms of race, white people have the majority. Why would they not speak up? In terms of LGBTQ rights, heterosexuals have the majority. Why would they not speak up? In terms of America’s population, women slightly edge out men, but men trounce women in powerful roles. Why would men not speak up for the rights of women?
I take particular issue with all of these because I am affected by them all. I am a black, heterosexual man living in America and each day living under 45’s presidency reminds me of how disillusioned and out of touch so many people are about the beauty of diversity and inclusion. Jobs understand diverse minds, ideas and backgrounds make a better product, but politicians and elected officials on a grand scale cannot seem to comprehend this.
The recent tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which one woman was killed after a man rammed his car into a crowd of people counter-protesting white supremacists put the spotlight on the way a large group of people feel. They are nervous of change and want to hold on to their whiteness as long as possible. The response by 45 in the wake of the incident was nothing short of expected, frustrating and sad. He did not call out a specific group until more than two days after the events, and instead chose to condemn “on many sides.” While 45 courts white supremacists and fascists in America, hate builds in the hearts of young and old people across the country. This is part of the silence.
There is silence on behalf of 45 to condemn racism. There is silence by a majority of white folks to call out their injustice that they witness each and every day or on the news. There is a neglect in the situation not relating to them. But they’re wrong. Silence equals violence in not speaking up for what is right. Innocent people die, hate continue to live and fester and, overall, America continues to live in the past.
We cannot continue to stay silent on injustice. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye. It’s on every decent human being to call out issues they see, they feel and they acknowledge because a better life for your neighbor is ultimately a better life for you.