Father transitioned from life before my adolescence. The impact wasn’t immediately felt until I had to leapfrog from preadolescence to man. Indeed there were turbulences however, as I reflect on the journey, it has become so vivid that these experiences helped shape my leadership journey. That’s the promising angle. The questionable angle? It’s the cultivated belief that a man’s worth is only measured by the breadth of his provision. This belief morphed into workaholism- nothing else mattered.
Society paints this seemingly obvious correlation between hard work and attaining breakthrough financial success quite early in life. So most people- especially ambitious young men from economically disadvantaged homes- buy into the goal of earning their first $1M before age 30. And who could really blame them? After all, very few truly crack the code to unlocking wealth while still relatively young, and even fewer are completely transparent about what it takes. So after age 25, most young men grow anxious. By 28, depression starts knocking. Months before 30, the majority grow bitter about the trajectory of their lives. Building a family now becomes a complete afterthought and newly-formed flawed habits drive away romantic partners who once provided emotional capital.
As I was pitching a business concept to a mid-aged investor years ago, he randomly interrupted, “Are you married?”. Before I could process the question, he continued “Are you waiting until you make your first million before you marry?”. I was still silent. He then riddled, “Would you rather make that million before marriage and lose it all or make that million after marriage so your wife’s prayers can help you sustain it?” As we walked out of his mansion, it clicked. For many of us, unlocking certain goals in our lives first lie in cultivating the spirit of discernment. You see, it’s the discernment that guides us in identifying whom we have been called to pursue our romance matters with. And that clarity and peace attained from a union built on the foundation of God are what catapults multiplication across all areas in our lives. Series End.
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This message was originally shared on instagram here.