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Passion Project?
Imagine finally taking that dream of starting a podcast, writing a book, becoming a public speaker or any other creative endeavor and turning it into something tangible in the world. I'm talking #Done
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Transcript
Where can the people learn more about your passion project and the dope work you are putting out into the world.
The name of my company is called Dream Without Permission. And so it's a publishing house. The first two books that are published were written by me. One of the books is called My Son You Shine and there's another book called My Daughter You Glow.
My website is www.DreamWithoutPermission.com and all of my social media handles are one word @DreamWithoutPermission. I'm on Twitter, on Instagram On Facebook. You can find me everywhere.
My company is really geared towards promoting self confidence, for all people, but especially for our Black and Brown children. Confidence, self awareness, just so that they know that they're seen, that they're important, and that their presence is important. And whatever they feel in their mind and heart, whatever their passion projects are, even at their little ages, that they don't have to feel limited. Because I think even now, what we're speaking to is like, you know, I think a lot of people, including myself, are paralyzed by fear or just the inability to think outside of boxes that were placed in. And so my company is really aimed towards removing the box and allowing people to come out and really just think and dream and go after things that they really feel strongly and passionate about. So that's the company.
Both of the books are available now on Amazon, as an ebook or paperback.
And I am going to formally introduce both books to the world on Juneteenth. So I have a virtual book release on Juneteenth; Saturday, June 19th at 1pm ET. And it's virtual and free. And I was really intentional about picking Juneteenth as the day that I formally launched my books because, you know, being a descendant of slaves, I don't know if your audience knows, but I'm sure you might know. At one point in American history, Black people weren't allowed to read, they weren't allowed to write. So I think for me, being able to not only read and write and things like that, but publish books that celebrate black and brown children is something that is not only a gift, I feel like to my sons and other kids, but it's a gift to my ancestors. So that's why I personally picked that launch date.
What do you do for Full-time work?
Currently, I work in higher education. I work in academic advising for undergraduate students. And then I'm also a full little part time MBA student. So that's what I'm doing full time for work right now
What is your passion project and how long has it been in existence?
My purpose project is basically writing. I've always wanted to write and publish children's books. So that has been something that I've been working on for a while. I would say I've always written books. I mean, I've always written. But I think 2011 is when I made an actual conscious decision that I wanted to eventually publish. So this purpose project has been in the works for many, many years.
What is your project’s origin story: Why did you start this project; what was the passion behind the project.
in addition to all the other things I do, I have two beautiful boys. And honestly, literature and reading and words are really important in my house. I'm really, really intentional about, like the words that they're surrounded by the books that they're reading media that they're consuming.
I think that is what was behind this passion project. For me, just my passion for educating myself, educating my boys, a passion for uplifting myself, uplifting my boys. And just honestly, the weight that I carry with words, because words for me are very important. So I just wanted to use my words to be able to give that to my boys. But then also, now your other young kids out, you know, that might read the books that I publish.
Is there a point where you hesitated to start it? What got you over that hump?
eah, absolutely. So as I mentioned, so, since 220 11, I wanted to publish. And I actually bought the domain that I own right now in 2015. And I was just, you know, something, it was fear, like, I just was so fearful of starting. But something in me like something in my gut told me to just keep making sure my domain was active. And for me, those were, that was just a step. I'm like, I'm not even if nothing else is happening, I own my domain. So when I'm ready to start, I can go, I think what got me over the hump, was probably in the last year of like, just stepping back and doing like a mental and spiritual appraisal, like, if you will, and kind of just taking a step back and evaluating what it is that I'm actually afraid of what is it that's holding me back? What what what what am i barriers? Or, you know, what are things? Or even my strengths like what am I like focusing on some of the strengths I have? And what what would be a good starting point.
I think what I discovered and so when I say I mentioned the mental spiritual appraisal like that, it was really like with everything going on the boys in school and things like that, just taking a step back and really like doing some self reflection of like, what is it that I really want to do? What is it that I'm passionate about? Like, I know what I, I know what I would eventually want to do with this passion project project, but what's at the heart of it? You know, what I mean, and what impact is the impact that I want to make? Is it greater than my fear? And I think what I learned is that the impact that I want to make is greater than the fear that I have of actually doing it. And so once I got to that realization, I, it kind of gave me the spark to at least start, I didn't know what the end game was going to be and when how long it was going to take, but just doing that appraisal, and honestly, like just saying, you know, what I want to do, and my passion is bigger than anything, any barrier, any fair that I have, once I got that sense of that is what got me over that hump to at least get started. If that makes sense.
One of the biggest challenges people face when it comes to starting passion projects is finding time in their already busy lives to do it. How did you find or make time for your project?
Well, that's so funny, like time, right? So I think, in doing that self reflection, um, I realized that there was so many things piled on my plate that we're not we're not like that would be in placed on by other people have expectations myself. And once I stepped back to actually look at this full plate, it made me realize like, okay, I do actually have more time than I think I just need to take ownership of my time, I need to take ownership of my black own time, you know, so what do I need to take off my plate that doesn't belong there that I didn't ask for? What do I need to put on my plate? And what do I need to prioritize? And what do I want to spend my time doing? Like, so it was kind of like, I think I can only speak for myself, I think when you get overwhelmed, and you feel like you have a lot going on, it might not seem like you have time. But when you take a step back, you actually do have more time than you think it's just that you're spending your time in places that might not be serving you or serving your purpose. Yeah,
Another big challenge faced is fatigue. You work 9-to-5, it takes up 95% of your energy. And we are not even talking about family and their needs yet. What can you share with the listeners about getting energy after all the demands of life?
I think I'm just what I would honestly from me get in prioritize, and my time and looking at my plate to see what's on it, I think it helped me get more organized. So what I have been doing that's been working a lot for me, is, once the day ends, I let go of anything I wasn't able to do, or, you know, because sometimes, you know, you can get down on yourself. And all I would do is so I can just get it out of my brain. My ritual was, you know, writing down the things that I wanted to get done, the things that you know, my goals for the next day. So really just organizing mentally, so that it doesn't just live in my head, because I think that that for me wasted a lot of my time the worrying the sitting around thinking about all the things I had to do, but I couldn't do. But I realized I'm thinking about I'm spending so much time thinking about it, planning about it, worrying about things that were beyond my control that it was taken up time. So I think the brain dump at the end of my days was really important. That was, if you will ritual, just kind of jotting down the day the successes of the day, things that I might not have gotten done the next day, what things I might want to get done or to prioritize. Is it worked out for me doing that.
I have heard about passion projects providing renewed confidence and new skills when it comes to people’s day jobs. How has your passion project impacted the way you show up at your day job?
Absolutely. That's a great question. It absolutely has. So I mean, in addition to. So I don't know if I mentioned it already, I published two children's books in the last year. And I also started my company, the public, it's a publishing house. And it also is we sell merchandise and things like that. But I think those projects, what it's done from my full time job is is given me confidence in a way that I haven't really seen in myself in a long time. And it also gave me the ability to advocate for myself, I think in a lot of my positions over the years. I am in the position where I am advocating on behalf of the other people, whether it be students or a policy or things like that. And I think with this path these projects that I've I've done is given Like a renewed sense of confidence to, to have permission to advocate for myself and be comfortable in that role of self advocacy.
There is someone out there listening to this recording who has something they are passionate about but they are on-the-fence when it comes to starting. What bit of guidance would you provide to them?
Yes, that's a great question, Mike. I think what I would give myself what what advice I would give myself is, trust the process, trust the process. And also to, I would also say, trust me that all the small steps you've taken are small pieces to this larger product that you're going to be proud of. So I would say for anybody listening, like all the small little things that you're doing now, they might not feel like anything now. But they're all small pieces that add up to one big hole at the end, right. And so all any little thing that you can do that's close to whatever your passion project is, any small thing, it contributes. And it's one of those things where you don't see the results, because there's, they're, they seem like they're so small compared to this huge goal that you have. But they all add up. It's almost like a squirrel, like, you know, saving up and, you know, gathering food for the next season, you know, each nut, you know, doesn't feel like it's anything but then when you go look and see all the things you've gathered, it is sustain you for a whole season.
Lastly, are there any particular books that you have found helpful along the passion project journey? Please share 1 to 3 of them if any come to mind.
Yes, actually, there's one book. And I just picked it up. I read it a few years ago, and I didn't realize at the time of reading it, how big of an impact it was going to make and helping me fulfill certain goals that I'm going after now, it's called, it's a book called once you can change your life, the Kaizen the Kaizen way. And the book talks about is there's it's basically, an approach to tackling big task or big goals or things like that is called the Kaizen way. And what the Kaizen way is, is something like kind of like what I was just mentioning how you take a big, big, big goal or anything, and you break it down into small digestible pieces, right? So you know, if you look at this big goal, you can't swallow it whole, right? But, but into small pieces, it's easy to digest, you know what I mean? And then after a while, you've consumed your whole goal by just digesting it in small pieces. And I think that's how I've approached my recent passion projects. Is that the Kaizen way?
yes, and even though it was used in manufacturing is it's applicable to any other goal, whether it be a passion project, or, you know, trying to get to the next step, or anything, that's a big goal that you have in mind. I think it's applicable. Because it helps you to kind of break down something larger, that might feel overwhelming. If you think about it at the end of like, if result, it feels overwhelming, but if you break it down into small steps, smaller steps, you get there. And then also to in breaking things down in smaller steps and more digestible pieces. I feel like the end result is more rewarding because you've you've gone through the whole process fully. You know?
Is there anything else that you’d like to share with us about your project?
Yeah, so I can tell you about so the name of my company is called dream without permission. And so it's a publishing house on the first two books that are published are were written by me. One of the books are called my son you shine and there's another book called my daughter you glow. My website is it's WWE. Have you dot dream without permission calm, and all of my social media handles is one word dream without permission. I'm on Twitter, on Instagram On Facebook, you can find me everywhere. And really the, the, my company is really, um, I, it's really geared towards promoting self confidence, especially, I think for all people, but especially for our black and brown children. Confidence, self awareness, just so that they know that they're seeing that they're important, and that their presence is not in their presence is important. And whatever they feel in their mind and heart, whatever their passion projects are, even at their little ages, that they don't have to feel limited. Because I think even now, what we're speaking to is like, you know, I think a lot of people, including myself, are, are paralyzed by fear or just the inability to think outside of boxes that were placed in. And so my company is really aimed towards removing the box and allowing people to come out and really just think and dream and go after things that they really feel strongly and passionate about. So that's the company. The both of the books are available now on Amazon, and ebook and paperback. And I am going to be doing my formal, I'm going to formally introduce the word The both of the books to the world on June 18. So I have a virtual book release on June 10, June 19, Saturday at 1pm. And it's virtual and free. And I was really intentional about picking Juneteenth as the day that I formally launched my books because, you know, being a descendant of slaves, I don't, you know, I don't know if your audience knows, but I'm sure you might know. But you know, at one point in American history, black people weren't allowed to read, they weren't allowed to write. So I think for me, being able to not only read and write and things like that, but published books that celebrate black and brown children is is, you know, something that is not only a gift, I feel like to my sons and other kids, but it's a gift to my ancestors. So that's why I personally picked you to to make that the launch day.