Strength. Courage. Wisdom. All terms for inspiration, encouragement, motivation and more. They’re even in a song by the artist, India Arie. Side note, If you haven’t heard it, check it out  the audio video below and let me know what you think. So, what inspired me to talk about these words? Well, because I was listening to Pandora and this song ( “Strength, Courage and Wisdom”) came on while I was at work. At that moment listening to it wasn’t initially special, I’ve heard the song many times. But oh, was I wrong. I kept listening and there was something different about it this time. I actually heard the lyrics and for the first time let them resonate. So much so, I stopped working for a few seconds and intently sat with the words that she was singing. Some of the lyrics read like this:

[Chorus]

“Strength, Courage and Wisdom

It’s been inside of me all along

Strength, Courage and Wisdom

Inside of me”

Pretty simple huh? The rest of the song supports the lyrics wholeheartedly. She talks about stepping out on faith and showing her face (paraphrasing) but the lyrics are just dope and hold so much truth. A truth that I have been told for many years, many times by many different people. But there is something about music and in that very moment those words caught me and even held onto me. As the lyrics lingered in my mind I really heard what she was singing and what so many others had told me prior to this moment. YOU (I Marcus) have everything inside you to do what you need, want, and have to do. Strength, courage and wisdom are some of the things that I have needed and continue to need on my entrepreneurial journey. I’m a runner and these words also explain much of what’s needed for long distance running. Entrepreneurship requires endurance and is no cake walk, which I didn’t expect. There’s been many times when I’ve wanted to give up, not work so hard and not “be on” so much. But honestly, it comes with the territory. Being an entrepreneur is not meant to be easy. It takes embodying all of these words everyday, several times a day. One needs the STRENGTH to say, okay, I’m going to try this and change the way in which I do this and see what the outcome will be. I need the COURAGE  to, step out of my comfort zone, talk with people I normally wouldn’t engage with and do the things I usually wouldn’t or maybe even shouldn’t (still legal, though, come on y’all). Lastly, using WISDOM to learn from my mistakes and failures while finding the positivity within them and using that for my favor in the future. These words have been a boon in continuing to build my personal brand and my business, Natty Neckware.

Strength. Courage. Wisdom. All things we already possess within…we just have to dream, go, believe and DO.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time, stay Natty…