Over the last month and half I’ve gotten tons of phone calls, text, Instagram and Twitter comments from folks in my hometown saying, “You sold out” or “you abandoned Memphis” one person said. Some were more vulgar and used expletives. I even got a text saying I changed and my success was fake, as if to say I was doing all this to impress someone instead of just living my life. So when I was at the airport in Phoenix after I missed my connecting flight to Oakland I decided to jump in a rental car and had to the mountains. Piestewa Peak to be exact.

I have never been rockclimbing or anything close to it. But looking at the top reminded me of how I felt when I was in Memphis. There was no one at the bottom encouraging me, no signs or guidance telling me how to get to the top. No rope. No climbing manual and most importantly; no safety net. It was just me and God, and the danger signs telling me about the risk of climbing, falling rock warnings and etc…

But what about the rush you get when you make it to the peak? Or when you realize your accomplishment; loathing in that feeling of elation for overcoming one of your fears. Knowing that you beat the odds. Rejuvenating your faith and then there’s the personal confidence boost; a sense of empowerment that you can do anything!

Now I’m not saying no one helped me achieve my goals. In fact, there were many people who helped me. But were any of my critics who continue to contact me online or via text there? No. Did any of them encourage me or tell me to keep going? No. As a matter of fact, These “so-called” friends did the exact opposite. When I realized half the people I thought were my friends were secretly wishing I would fail and praising my failures I was devastated, but I never lost sight. I lost weight. Literally and figuratively. The deadweight curtails your momentum and stifles your growth.

Some of you may never experience what I have and this journal entry may not be relevant to you at all. But I wrote this to motivate others who maybe experiencing some of the personal hardships I encountered when you’re trying to advance and the people around you don’t understand what you’re doing and don’t support you.

You have to be a risk taker and somewhat crazy to go out on a limb and start your own business. You have to have courage to believe your idea will change the business landscape. But you don’t have to carry the baggage of people at the bottom trying to hold on to you. Just let them go.

My companies all started as ideas that many people thought were stupid or unachievable. I didn’t leave my hometown because I was chased out, forced out or unsuccessful there. I left because God told me that where I started was just the beginning. I left because I dared to dream.

If you have a dream, chase it. If you have an idea, don’t let someone who isn’t qualified to critique you shoot it down. Turn your idea into a set of plans that you can carry out. Set goals and when you accomplish them, set even bigger goals. But most importantly never give up, Aim for the Top and Ignore the Bottom(feeders)