All I Do Is Win...

Recently, I was talking to someone who mentioned that people often said she acted as if she were "better" than them. Uh-oh. I'm sure some of you have heard that phrase before from someone who thought you were "bourgie", "siddity", "stuck up" or some other such descriptor that alluded to your perceived worth. I can't tell you the numbers of times I have heard someone (or me) being accused of acting like he/she was better than the speaker of the words: "you think you're better than me because you have (insert some arbitrary measure they have used to determine your worth)." Pause tape. What do you do when someone accuses you of putting on airs or acting "better?"

I used to cringe every time someone accused me of "talking white" or thinking I was better than he/she was. Now I know better. Puh-lease. I do think I'm better than that. If that is sitting on my butt, not doing anything, speaking broken English, not reading books, not getting an education, not volunteering, not taking care of my family, not being happy in my marriage. D*mn straight!! Notice I didn't say I thought I was better than them; I said I was better than that. Let me tell you something--the world does not begin or end with your success or your failure. Yup, I said it. I repeat: the world does not begin or end with your success or your failure. What you choose to do with yourself may only impact those in your circle. A lucky few of us will be able to impact people in greater numbers. That being said, Do YOU!!

Who cares what the next person says about who and how you are? Heck yeah, you should think you are better; you might even think you fancy, huh? Good stuff!! You should!! In every moment, you should strive to do your best, be your best and live your best life! You don't owe folks any explanations about wanting more for you and yours. You don't owe folks any reasons for wanting to do more and be more. You should set the bar high for your personal success and do what it takes to achieve your goals.

Let me tell you about me and I say this with no arrogance or snootiness: all I do is win!! Yup, I said it. Chest out, full bravado intact: all I do is win. I make no small work of winning because I work hard for all I have and do. Wait--I'm not talking about material possessions; I am talking about how I live my life. There are very few things that I have wanted to do and I haven't. You know why? 'Cause all I do is win!! And the more I win, the more I can help other people tap into their abilities to win. The more I win, I can work towards doing more, being more, helping more, living more, seeing more, more, more, more...I dream big and so I live out loud, I color outside the lines and I enjoy myself in the small moments. I determine my worth, I define my value, I set the benchmark for who and how I am. All I do is win--do you?

Hate On Me by Jill Scott