by Greatness isn’t born. It’s built—in silence, in struggle, and in shadows.
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou
Quiet growth blooms between shadows and light. Every triumph hides a hidden journey.
Graduation Against the Odds
May 2021. Sunlight filled my parents’ living room. Family crowded in, celebrating more than a degree—a defiance of stacked odds.
My MBA name lit the TV in a pandemic ceremony. Surreal joy: Mom’s tears, Dad’s toast, nephew’s cheers.
But clapping couldn’t silence the ghost: a shamed ten-year-old at a meeting declaring him no college material.
This is transformation’s story—the uncelebrated work behind it.
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The Art of Fading Away
I mastered invisibility young.
September birthday made me smallest, youngest, most cautious. Peers shone; I shrank, dodging eyes, fearing exposure.
Not lazy—terrified. Of errors, ridicule, the inner whisper: Not enough.
Failures became identity. “Bad at school” meant no risks. Why fight a fixed fate?
Fate wasn’t fixed. Not yet.
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A Crushing Prophecy
Fifth grade. Teacher to Mom: “College? Unlikely for Quynton.”
At ten, dreams unborn—now crushed. Silence. Shame. Eyes on carpet.
Mom’s glare roared silently: Not your call. Her fire sowed defiance.
Cracks of Change
Middle school: doubt’s fog. Challenges = failure proofs.
High school shifted. Dad’s patient homework help. Mom’s quiet faith. Walls cracked.
Honors classes. Raised hands. Maybe I fit.
University: thriving. Hungry study, bold questions, professor praise. Cap and cords—reclaimed proof.
Her voice lingered. Wounds scar, but don’t rule.
Demystifying Greatness
Greatness seemed gifted. Kobe, Tiger, Terrell Davis, Michael Johnson—born stars.
Myth blocked me. Then: How, not why?
Practice. Sacrifice. Kobe’s dawn drills. Tiger’s swings. Habit, not magic.
Buildable. Game-changer.
Habits That Stick
MBA era: habit obsession.
Dawn rises. Deep reads. Rewrite. Critique. Refine.
Rituals remade me. Still do: journal, feedback, deliberate build.
Greatness? Solitary persistence, sans spotlight.
Vulnerability’s Gift
Laptop hid raw notes—too real, too dull.
What if someone needs it? Publish.
Echoes returned: thanks for honesty, not polish. Seen—and seeing others.
Reframing Others
Stories shared, lenses shifted.
Nephew’s pause: my fears. Coworkers’ quiet: my doubts. Friends’ wins: hidden costs.
New responses: affirm, probe, honor paths. “What was the cost?” Wise kindness.
Forever Becoming
No finish lines. Chrysalis to wings. Growth: survive, courage, silent push.
Your turn:
- Old labels?
- False stories?
- Share to free another?
Greatness grows—slow, private, relentless.
Yours awaits in the quiet.
