Monthly Archives: June 2009

Get Your Money Right…Change Your Life!

Get Your Money Right…Change Your Life!

My granddaddy always told me “Scotty boy, any man can make a dollar…but it takes a wiiiiiise man to spend it.” As I’ve gotten older and gained more experiences in life I’ve realized how powerful that statement was. You can’t listen to the radio nowadays without hearing a bankruptcy attorney’s ad. You can’t watch TV for one hour without seeing a commercial for credit counseling services. And you cant ride across town without seeing a sign for credit repair services.

Man was Grandaddy right, “It takes a wise man to spend a dollar.”

I have my theories on why so many people struggle with finances. It starts with a lack of emphasis being put on teaching financial literacy in schools. I also believe that too many businesses make big money due to peoples financial ignorance for there to be any real efforts to stop it.

When I graduated from college I was upset that I didn’t really learn how the stock market worked. I didn’t learn what a money market account or mutual fund was. I didn’t learn the power of compounding interest or how a credit card was really an adversary in the fight for financial freedom. Unfortunately, many people in this country have to learn finances by trial and error.

Some people will say that you should have learned these things at home growing up. True, however some people like myself grew up in households that were in survival mode with a single mother who was never taught those things from her parents. Many families go from generation to generation in survival mode and never learn how to truly get ahead, save money, achieve financial freedom, and leave a legacy for the next generation.

My entire life I thought that you had to make a ton of money to have financial freedom. In doing so I did not realize that I was neglecting a powerful tool that I already had, my income.

In December 2008 my cousin Reece introduced me to the teachings of a man by the name of Dave Ramsey. I’ll never be the same.  I listened to Dave Ramsey’s book The Total Money Makeover and I was amazed. I thought that I knew everything that I needed to know and that no one could offer me anything that I had not already heard or read. I was wrong. I was so excited to hear something that did not just offer theories. Dave Ramsey actually provides a step-by-step road map to financial freedom, with no gimmicks, that will help you no matter what your situation is.

I learned that making a ton of money does not necessarily equal financial freedom. Having zero debts and effectively managing your income does. Imagine getting paid and only having to pay your necessities like food, utilities, and childcare. Think of how much money you now have left over each month. Nice thought isn’t it?

Dave Ramsey created ten baby steps to get you there. I encourage anyone who wants financial peace to check out Dave’s website and purchase The Total Money Makeover. My wife and I even took the Financial Peace class he teaches. We are now excited more than ever about our financial futures!

Kickin it on The Stoop,

Scott Speed

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It Was All A Dream

It Was All A Dream…

It was all a dream

I used to read word up magazine

Salt –N-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine

Hanging pictures on my wall

Every Saturday rap attack, Mr. Magic, Marly Marl

I let my tape rock till my tape popped…

(Biggie Smalls “Juicy” 1994)

I recently read a comment in a blog which stated that Dreams Are For Fools. The individual who wrote this comment supported this statement with a strong argument and it really made me think. He said that dreams are like the lottery… most people never win and only end up broken hearted and disillusioned chasing them. He went on to say that if you work hard and make wise conservative decisions you will be better off in life.

Dreams are for fools…

Man, that statement hit me right where it hurts because I’ve been a dreamer all my life.  I don’t think a week has gone by in my life when I have not envisioned an even better future.  It really hurt bad when I thought of all my dreams that did not materialize into what I had hoped they would. I thought to myself, how might my life be different if I had played it close to the vest all these years and had not taken any risk? Would I be better off?

Dreams are for fools…yeah right!

What if Christopher Wallace, aka. Biggie Smalls, didn’t dream? Hip-hop would have missed out on one of the greatest. What if Martin Luther King didn’t have a dream? Would we be as compassionate toward those who are different than us? What if Michael Jordan didn’t dream? Would he have ever mentally recovered from getting cut from his high school basketball team to become the greatest of all time? What if Barack Obama didn’t dream…enough said.

Dreams are fools…please!

What I’ve learned is that the journey towards ones dreams will be filled with many obstacles, setbacks, and failures. However, it is in these experiences that you will be enriched the most. Life is funny that way. You have to pay a price for success. If you want to get in shape and have muscles you must first endure pain and soreness. If a husband and wife want to experience the joy of parenthood they must first endure 9 months of the wife going through physical and emotional changes as well as a painful labor and delivery. If you are MJ and you want to win an NBA title you must first endure losing to the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics for several years before you figure out what it takes to get it done.

 That is why some people are out of shape, some women never want children, so many players never win titles, and some people think that dreams are for fools. They just don’t want to pay that price.

In the great tale “The Alchemist “ it is said that, “People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.”

Well, I refuse to sit on the sidelines with the timid in this game called life while others are out there playing the game, paying their dues, and learning life’s greatest lessons from their experiences.  All while their dreams get closer each day. 

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor” – Truman Capote

Kickin it on The Stoop,

Scott Speed

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What More Can I Say…

What More Can I Say…

It was probably like 97 or 98 when I first weighed in. The debate can be heard from street corners to college dorm rooms. It’s been written about exhaustively and entire television shows have been dedicated to it. It’s one of those debates that will never go away, it will never grow old. Everyone has his or her opinion and every one of them has merit.  The debate is solely based on subjective reasoning however the passion from the debaters would have you to believe that it’s a matter of objective fact.

Who is the greatest MC of all time?

Your answers will vary due to several factors including your age. I heard Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, author of the Barbershop Notebooks Blog, state that there are three generations of hip-hoppers. Your geographical location. Do you rep the dirty south, east coast, west coast, or mid west? What style you prefer. Do you like rap with a conscious, gangster, crunk, bounce, etc.?

What makes this a difficult argument is that there is no set criterion for which the argument is being based. I mean… do you look at record sales as a determining factor? Or is it creativity, number of albums released, commercial success, street cred, or mix tape buzz?  Which one or which combination?

Truth is I think most people just go by what they feel and I recently had a change of heart on the matter.

Here’s what sealed the deal on that change of heart…

Pound for pound, I’m the best to ever come around here

Excluding nobody, look what I embody

The soul of a hustler, I really ran the street

A CEO’s mind, that marketin’ plan was me

And no I ain’t get shot up a whole bunch of times

Or make up sh** in a whole bunch of lines

And I ain’t animated like say a Busta Rhymes

But the real sh** you get when you bust down my lines

Add that to the fact I went plat’ a bunch of times

Times that by my influence on pop culture

I’m supposed to be number one on everybody’s list

We’ll see what happens when I no longer exist

F*** this

What more can I say?

(Jay-Z “What More Can I Say” The Black Album 2003)

The winner is Hov. I’ve always appreciated and respected his work however I was like many people who thought that it was Pac or Big that should hold the crown. But the consistency in which Jay Z drops hot albums for now over a 12 a year period is unprecedented. So many hip hop artist fall off never to gain it back but Jay has plugged along all while remaining consistent in his delivery and true to himself.  He has been able to maintain his original fan base, the streets, while capturing the ear of Americas pop culture as well. He has gone from street hustler to CEO without an M.B.A. He has had tremendous business success across a wide range of endeavors. And yes fellas, he has “the hottest chick in the game wearing his chain.”

We tend to sit back and really appreciate the work of an artist when they are gone. But as I was driving on a road trip and listening to the above lyrics I really took the time to analyze all that Jay Z has done and it led me to the conclusion that he is the greatest MC of all time.

What more can I say…

Posted up on The Corner,

Scott Speed

My ranking of Jay Z’s albums:

10. Vol. 3…Life and Times of S. Carter

9. The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse

8. Kingdom Come

7. Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life

6. The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

5. In My Lifetime, Vol.1

4. American Gangster

3. The Black Album

2. Reasonable Doubt

1. The Blue Print

Agree or disagree?  Click on the word comment at the top left of this post!

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More or Less…What we need?

More or Less…what we need?

More love, less hate

More real, less fake

Less talking, more change

What we need…

More history, less mystery

More Beyonce’, less Brittany

More happiness, less misery

Talib Kweli dropped the track “More or Less” on his album Ear Drum in 2007.  The track features thought provoking lyrics over a thumping bass heavy beat.  

I recently heard the track on my I Pod and it sparked a thought about some of the things I’d like to see more or less of.  So I decided to share those with you with the hopes that you would share your thoughts as well.  I wish I could rap but since I know my role I’ll just write my thoughts.

What we need…

More give, less take

More real hip-hop, less fake

More diversity, less segregation

More quality TV shows, less reality TV garbage

More knowledge, less ignorance

More jobs, less unemployment

More Kobe, less Shaq

More opportunities, less prisons

More Fathers, less Playas  

More dreams, less drugs

More Philly Championships, less heartbreak losses

More Jay Z, less Soldier Boy

More health, less illness

More savings, less debt

More results, less politics

More or less…what we need?

Share your thoughts by clicking on comments at the top left of this post.

Posted up on The Corner,

Scott Speed

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Life’s Home Court Advantage

Life’s Home Court Advantage

If life is a game… 

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers earned home court advantage in this years NBA finals vs. Dwight Howard and the Magic. Under the current format the team with the home court advantage in the NBA finals has won 75% of the time.  The Lakers added to that percentage by winning the series 3-1 last night with Kobe taking home the MVP.

Year after year our favorite teams scratch and claw for wins throughout the season so that they can be in that coveted position of having home court advantage in the playoffs. But why is it such a determining factor, the court is still 90 feet long and the rims are still 10 feet high. What’s the big deal?

The reality is that gaining home court advantage means everything for basketball teams and its players. It means they don’t have to travel across the country before a game. It means they have the comfort and familiarity of sleeping at home. Most importantly it means they gain the psychological and emotional boost from the home fans cheering them on. The positive energy and enthusiasm of the crowd with out question has an effect on the psyche of the players. It motivates them to perform at a higher level, gives them the energy to push through mistakes, and it increases their will to win. The proof is in the percentages.

If life is a game…wouldn’t it make sense to work at creating your own personal “Home court advantage”? Wouldn’t that increase your chances of winning in all that you wish to achieve in life?

Look, whether you know it or not everyday is like playing game 7 on the road in a hostile environment. The news media pushes negativity daily. Your favorite radio shows report the latest beefs and break ups. People on the job complain all day and your boss is never satisfied.  Negativity is everywhere and that’s not even mentioning all the daily challenges life naturally throws at you and your family.

With all the negativity that surrounds us on the daily basis I think that it’s very important that we make a conscious decision to input positive things into our minds daily. It is critically important that you create your own personal “Home Court Advantage.”

Here are a few tips on how to make that happen.

  •  Read self-help books about positive thinking, success, leadership, winning relationships, and managing money. You may think “What can a book tell me about living my life that I don’t already know?” The answer is a lot.
  • Read books about the lives of successful people. This will inspire you to take your game to a whole new level.
  • Get out the house and socialize with positive people. You can accomplish this by joining social groups, plugging in at your place of worship, or through your kids activities.
  • Attend motivational speeches and seminars. I hear people say all the time, “I don’t need to be motivated” or “I don’t want to hear any rah rah speeches.” That’s like your favorite team saying they don’t need home court advantage or that they don’t need fans cheering them on.
  • Create a dream board. Get a large poster board and hang it where you will see it daily. Place words and quotes that motivate you and of the things that you want to keep in the forefront of your mind like, Family First, or Trust in God.  Place pictures of the things you desire to own someday, of the people that motivate you, and of the places you’d like to go.
  • Encourage others. Be that person who creates that positive “Home Court Advantage” in the lives of the people around you. Be your co-workers, friends, and families’ biggest cheerleader by saying positive things and encouraging them daily. There is no better feeling than being a ray of sunshine in someone else’s life.

 

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing -
that’s why we recommend it daily” – Zig Ziglar

Agree or disagree with this post? Click the blue comments link to Enrich The Neighborhood with your thoughts. 

Serving food for thought at The Corner Store,

Scott Speed

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Kobe Bryant. Like Mike…Not Quite.

Kobe Bryant. Like Mike…Not Quite.

I remember back in 2000 arguing with my homies and my brothers about whether Kobe Bryant would one day dethrone MJ as the G.O.A.T. My homie Chip and I argued that hands down Kobe had what it took. I mean, his game was so sick at such a young age. He displayed skills at 21 that took MJ years to acquire… A nice jumper, a sick handle, and of course the hops and athleticism to match. To top it all off he already had 2 Championships. Six was definitely in reach.

He was destined to be the greatest…right?

Well, here we are in 2009 with Kobe on the doorstep of winning his 4th title and I don’t think he will come close to taking the title of G.O.AT away from MJ.

I don’t buy the argument that Kobe only has 3 rings because he played with Shaq, as if he had nothing to do with it and Shaq was a one-man show. The truth is Shaq wouldn’t have won 3 rings if he didn’t have Kobe on his team as well (actually neither of them would have anything if wasn’t for Big Shot Rob, Robert Horry, hitting some big time clutch shots).  MJ, Magic, and Larry each had future hall of famers as teammates and would not have won a championship otherwise. 

However, even if Kobe does get to 6 Championships the fact will remain that during the Shaq Kobe era Kobe was Robin to Shaq’s Batman. Shaq was the primary offensive option. It was Shaqs team. Obviously, MJ played the primary role in each of his 6 championship runs. Something I don’t think Kobe will ever be able to say.

Yes I think Kobe is a great player, and yes I think he will go down as one of the greatest of all time but if you say he is Like Mike I have to say… Not Quite.

Agree or disagree?

Speak your mind! Leave a comment.

Chillin at The Park,

Scott Speed

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True Success. What’s It Mean To You?

True Success. What’s It Mean To You?

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

(Drake “Successful”)

I’m fascinated with the concept of Success, always have been. I’ve desired it every since I sold candy for that first fundraiser in elementary. I wanted to be a Success in school. I wanted Success in sports.  Ultimately, at a young age I decided I wanted to be a Success in life.

What is so interesting is that Success is so elusive for so many people while at the same time being so attainable for others. There are varying levels of Success. So many people around us are Successful while so many people around us are not. Some people drive expensive cars and live in big houses too appear Successful when the truth is they live pay check to check. Yet, there are people who drive modest cars and live in modest homes that are well off.

Often times I wonder, is Success a series of fortunate events like winning a game, getting a raise, having a child, or graduating from college? Or is it the result of years of paying dues in this game called life? Is Success a feeling or is it V.I.P access, a Mercedes Benz, and a house on the hill? Is Success an emotional high that levels off and fades over time or is it an accomplishment that lives with you for the rest of your life? Who determines if you’re a Success…you or others?

So, when it comes too true Success, what’s it mean to you…?

Speak your mind! Leave a comment.

Kickin it on The Stoop,

Scott Speed

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