PASSION, GRIT, GRIND!  EFFORT, EMOTION, ABANDON!  OWN, COMMIT, CONQUER!  For quite sometime these sentiments have have ignited my very being.  This July 4th weekend I’d like to both announce and launch Brand No Quotes, and it’s availability in the apparel market place.  Please visit my gallery of items, and the  Ecommerce store @www.noquotesmovement.com.

The movement of No Quotes suggests Motion that is of the mind.  Be you male or female in all of our endeavors in life (education, athletics, business, leadership positions etc.).  This mindset says DON’T TALK ABOUT IT, then asks that we BE ABOUT IT!  The NQ logos were specifically designed to express social inviting sentiments to evoke, and share positive psychological conversation.  Cerebrally, lets go somewhere.

Love is Love, Chuk B.

Evolution is defined as change that is in a certain direction.   This change is continuance from a lower, simpler, or worsen state, to a higher, more complex, or better nature of being.  Growth and Evolution is synonymous with one another.  Physically and mentally life’s experiences should act as a stone sharpening the iron and/or character within us.  Mainly due to our youth, as adolescents we made so many mistakes.  Although  our parents or significant others may have preached right and wrong, we still had the notion to discount them, continuing to bump our heads.  If we were listening,  these “Lumps”  defined as life’s experience should have made certain impressions.  What impact did our experiences have on our psyche or being?

Change through Growth  is inevitable, however it can be either positive or negative.  Positively, through discipline and maturity life’s experience may uncovered passions, abilities, and the character to succeed.  By the same token, nature that is undiscplined and lacking maturity breeds stubborness.  This in-turn may produce a negative existence.  Age brings on a great deal of power and responsibility.  Again you have the option of being discipline, truly understanding that your choices really determine your walk.  Failing to realize life’s teachings keeps you stagnant, and regardless of your age, your mindset remains rigid and inmature.        

My earlier blogs; Substantive Character versus Brash Existence, College Experience Part I, College Experience Part  II, and Getting Up detailed my Evolution. I recall the process from Adolescence to Adulthood being difficult.   I learned I did not have all the answers.   With every Lump I  began to develop more character,  and I became more successful. 

When I was a child, I acted as a child, but when I became a man, I gave up all childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11).  Not having, is No Excuse for not Getting (Soldier Story  1984).   Embracing these sentiments have greatly assisted my personal Growth.  Because I’m now a man, should I have learned from past experiences?   As a youth because I saw drug and alcohol abuse in my family, did that mean I would be an abuser?    

Providing we have the ability, we should all attempt to learn from life’s experience.   There is so much more to life than our pasts. 

As Always,

Love is Love, Chuk B. 

 

As I’ve mentioned, scholastically I was close to being a year behind.  It was my 3rd year in college, however my student classification remained at Sophomore status.  To this point I had had 2 academic advisers.   The counsel I received from both was shallow to say the least. 

My first advisor explained that because I was a football player, I needed to take a light load of classes (12 hours).  With relevance to college curriculum, because I had no one to offer guidance in this area, I truly thought my advisor had my best interest at heart.  To the contrary I discovered in order to graduate in 4 years, I needed an average of 15 hours per semester.  Why wasn’t this information shared with me?  Was he setting up for failure?  I now wonder did he even think I would earn a degree?   After having problems in a class my first semester, I dropped the course, actually receiving 10 hours that semester.  Soon thereafter I chose another advisor.  He and I had strong inter-personality conflicts.  Our interactions were so much more negative than positive.  Rather than develop the student/advisor relationship a youngster would need, I chose not to seek his advice in times of trouble.  When I developed problems in classes, I dropped the courses, falling further and further behind.

At the beginning of my 3^rd year, I asked for the assistance of one of my Criminal Justice instructors (Mr. Michael Maloney).  He was gentleman of whom I could relate.  Like me he was from an urban city, an athlete (former), and our fraternity advisor (Iota Phi Theta).  He became something I never had, but always needed.  A big brother who could provide sound guidance regarding the education process, and further insight as to how to succeed.  Initially after reviewing my academic records, Mr. Maloney’s words were; “ We’ve got to get you out of here”!  He then began giving me the counsel, providing a detailed script, and/or blueprint of what I needed to attain my degree.  We discussed not only my major, but he assisted me in understanding the requirements needed to graduate.  

My new path was set, and this blueprint consisted of taking somewhere between 18 -20 hours of course work per semester over the next 2 years.  In this time I was able to fulfill both my major and Wilmington College core requirements for graduation, however I still lacked 18 hours (another semester) to receive my degree.  After attending Summer school, I received my degree in August of 1988.  However, in the presence of my family, the Wilmington collegiate faculty, and the football coaches I walked with my class that Fall.

In life things may seem so bleak, and disparaging.  It’s not how your spirits got down, it’s the strength, courage, and determination of GETTING UP that truly shows your character and self worth.   My experiences are not lone, and I’m sure a great many have been forced in some degree to Get UP.  Please share your experiences on the this subject.  We can learn so much from one another.

As Always, Love is Love,

Chuk B.

 

 

 

 

              

Within my last blog I illustrated how the lack of self discipline initially altered my collegiate career.  In addition to falling behind academically, the presence of free time led me to serious injury.  I was 19, ineligible, and had been place on academic probation.  I needed (6) hours of course work to participate in football the next season.   In addition to needing these classes,  I had to rehab my ACL injury, and work over the Summer just to get back into school.  All of a sudden, Life as I knew it  had become so much more challenging.

The Summer of my Sophomore year was hell!  I worked 6 days a week (Casual Postal Employee), rehabbed alone (Columbus Downtown YMCA), and with the assistance of my WC  football coach (Dr. William Ramseyer) I took Summer courses.  Everything I made that Summer was given to the Wilmington College business office.  With this, and other loans I was able to suffice the college for re-admittance.  Passing the Summer courses meant I was eligible to play.  In my mind, Life was again good! 

When I returned to football camp, though I had rehabbed to the best of my ability, I discovered my injury was still ailing.  An even harsher reality was, inasmuch as I tried to mask my ailment, the coaching staff knew I was laboring.  I had definitely lost a step, and others had been recruited to take my position.  I felt the coaches began treating me differently.  As an  adult I now realize who could blame them, I was a different player.  I went from a starter, to a Nickle-Back.  I played a great deal, but my THUNDER was gone.    

Both my Junior & Senior seasons can be described as mediocre at best. During these years I began to have honest reflection.  To that point I had seen so many athletes come and go.  For what ever reason they were in school during the start of the season, but did not finish the year acedemically.  Scholastically falling behind, being on academic probation, and attending Summer school forced me to question my purpose in college.  Had I become like so many others that had came and gone?  Was I in college to play football, or to obtain an education?  Getting a degree became so much more important.  This change of heart led me to become “mentally militant”.  You see before that Football Machismo mindset had me twisted.  Playing the game was so much more important than anything else.  Rather than discovering what I needed to graduate on time, I concentrated more on practise, the upcoming opponents, and traveling.  Other than making sure I had enough credits to be eligible to play each year, I  concentrated on the techniques of Press, Trail, & Man-To-Man coverages.  I recall thinking, “If I allowed my mind and body to be stressed and injured without getting my degree, I would have allowed both the game and the coaching staff to use me”!   Through growth and maturity, I later realized that getting my degree was my responsibility, no one else’s.  The responsibility was mine, however I needed the assistance of someone who hand been there before.   Help was on the way.  All I needed was the courage to search, and ask for assistance.

I’m sure others may have had similar circumstances where you felt you were in dire straits.   Please share your experiences.  We can all learn so much from one another.  Please stay tuned for the next blog (Getting Up).

As always, Love is Love.

Chuk B. 

 

  

I was the first male of my family to graduate from college.  The college experience (Wilmington College of Ohio) was presented to me through my childhood addoration for the game of football.  In high school, I excelled in class and on the field without much fine tuning.  Eventually, I realized that my participation in college took a great deal more dedication in both areas.  Truthfully, collegiate life took the aspect of discipline (which I lacked).   Absence of parental guidance, bred the presence of free time.  I did whatever I wanted, when I wanted, and with whom I wanted.  This feeling of freedom was powerful, so much that it basically had me mesmerized for approximately 2 years.   Free time meant I could attend class (or not), study (or not), physically train my body for sport (or not).  Don’t misunderstand, of course I attended class, studied and trained somewhat, but only when I had to.  Early on, I never committed to that GRIND towards success. 

This lack of discipline revealed two harsh realities my Sophomore year.  Because I had dropped classes (as a Freshman and during that second year), I became ineligable to play football as a Junior.  Although I had a great Sophomore season, in the off-season I tore my Left Anterior Cruciate Ligament (playing intramural basketball).  My injury meant surgery, then rehab.  Being ineligiable meant I needed a class in the off season to be able to participate the next year.  All this because I lacked this, DISCIPLINE.  Suppose I had committed to studying, would there have been a need to drop classes?  Suppose I had committed to training, would I have gotten hurt?   My Junior year, I discovered I was approximately a year behind as a student and still a Sophomore.  Mentally I recall felling so down.   How did I get up? 

How many of us have had life experiences that have left us feeling personally inadequate?  We know we could have done better, but for what ever reason we allowed opportunities and possibilities to pass us by.  What did you do to change your path?  Please share your experience.  We can learn so much from one another.

Love is Love, Chuk B.

 

Substantive Character versus Brash Existence. Have you ever questioned your walk or abilities, and then made personal changes for the better? If you feel, understand and support the movement of No Quotes, please feel free to blog your experience. Others may benefit from your life experiences.