I arrived at Niagara University on a sweltering summer’s day, part of a program for kids like me—poor, determined, and trying to break the cycle of poverty. Trust me, it wasn’t a straight line; it was more like a rollercoaster. But somehow, four years later, I left on another hot summer’s day, with a degree on its way in the mail and a dog-eared copy of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s one of the few things I still have from college, 22 years later.
Covey’s first habit, Be Proactive, struck me then—and still does now. He draws from Viktor Frankl, a man, a Freudian psychologist, who endured unimaginable horrors in a Nazi death camp. Stripped of everything, Frankl discovered what he called “the last of human freedoms”: the ability to choose how we respond to our circumstances. Even in the face of unspeakable suffering, he decided, within himself, how it would affect him.
That idea? It’s a lifeline. One I stumbled upon long before I got this book. Growing up with very little, I could’ve let my circumstances define me. But even young James had a vision of something more—even if he barely knew how to get there. It’s an inner drive I can’t shut off to this day, even when it hurts.
What about you? No matter what the world throws your way, do you believe what’s inside you is stronger than what’s outside? I do. It’s far from perfect—I’m far from perfect—but it’s the truth that keeps me going.
What do you think? Am I off track? And what’s your oldest possession that still matters to you? Let me know in the comments and support my work at JamesBrownTV.substack.com.
On that note, I’m James Brown, and as always—be well.
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