Son, you will often find out that your greatest assets are not in bank accounts. The people and friends that are a part of your life are worth more than any material item. Surround yourself with wise people whom can educate you and provide wisdom that they have acquired through years of growth. Have the types of friends that want to help make you better and encourage you in the good and bad times. Find the people that are the best at what they do and learn from what makes them excel in that area. You will have your talents and skills that are better than others but you will never be done learning and improving. The people that we have around us are the ones that help shape us. Those that you learn from are like chisels, try to learn from people who will shape you into a better you. You can decide your future, it has not been decided for you. How you want tomorrow to be, depends on how you allow today to shape you.
There are a few key influences and people in my life I want to tell you about. These are just a few, I have many but these I want to share with you.
Coach - My high school basketball coach had one of the largest impacts on my life. As I grow and learn more, the things he taught that have shaped me have not left me. He always expected the best out of me and taught me to expect the same from myself. If I am not trying my hardest there is no reason to try. He taught me hard work will be recognized and rewarded. There are no short cuts. You have to work your butt off to excel at what you do. "Good, better, best. Never ever rest. Until the good is better, and the better's best." Being a leader is about more than just being good at what you do, you have to focus on the whole picture and getting everyone there, not just yourself. If you think you're leading and you look behind you to find no one following then you just went for a walk. Be someone that others can look up to, even when they can't see you. Stay hungry for success. Those whom have much expected of them will be treated different and held to higher standards, things get harder as you move up, there will always be more work to do. Failure isn't something we accept but something we learn from. Character matters more than talent. Integrity isn't just telling the truth, it's being convicted by it without sacrifice. Responsibility is an expectation of excellence, if you can't perform there will be someone else waiting to take your spot, don't get comfortable and don't be surprised if it happens.You have to always give 100%. There will always be a second chance but you will have to work twice as hard for that one than you did for the first one. You can always be better and helping others out is never below you. Some times you will be the 6th man but that doesn't make you any less important. There are many things that Coach taught me that have made me the man I am today. I wish he would be coaching by the time you were in high school but he will likely be enjoying a well deserved retirement. He is a rarity among men and I can only hope that you will find one like him to teach and shape you.
My dad (Your Grandpa) - There is man whom I could not live without. He has always been my biggest supporter, no matter what. He's also been a great example to me. I've learned from him that you aren't always the same man you used to be and you don't have to accept what other people say you are. There is always knowledge to be absorbed. If you don't allow yourself to persevere through the hard things, you'll never make it through anything. He also taught me that your decisions you make on a day to day basis don't only affect you but also those around you. You will always have to face the consequences of your choices, whether it is today or down the road, your choices will affect you. Every choice you make puts you one step closer in a different direction, be sure your steps are headed the way God wants. It's never too late to change who you are, you'll have a harder time convincing everyone else the further you go. My dad was at every game and always had advice to help me improve. Sometimes all the support anyone needs is for you to just show up.
John (Your Godfather and Uncle) - John is a friend that will always have an impact on my life. I hope you can find a friend like him. I will always remember the things he's taught me and things he's gone through with me. We are like peanut butter and jelly, PB & J. His knowledge and wisdom come from the Bible and things that God has taught him. He knows how to save a dollar and how to bail a friend in need out. You won't find many like him but if you do, invest in it. John and I are quite the unlikely pair of friends but I wouldn't trade a day with him for anything. It's important to have people in your life who won't accept the BS you tell yourself, the ones who will call you out on your nonsense, and the ones that will love you after your nonsense. Find a friend that will push you to be better and that get's excited for your success. These are the friends that you want. You can always tell a mans character by the company he keeps.
Stefan and Anthony - They have shown me that God still has his plans for you, no matter which way life goes. They have also shown me that no matter how much life has sucked or how often things don't go your way, there is joy in the morning. They are two men whom have been through some tough stuff, and I'm sugar coating it, but they have never given up. You will never meet men with bigger hearts, except maybe Jesus. The love that flows from them is just shocking. They're not perfect but they've got a heart of compassion that most men never find. Friends like them are important, they know you and even when you think you aren't on there mind, you're all that has been.
There are many many more men that have impacted my life and one can never have too many great influences. There will be friends that come and go but unless you invest in the relationship you may never know the influence they could have had. There are some that leave bad influences but those are mere moments of learning. Find a few good men and get to know them.
Love ya,
Dad
