09.29.2025 | “Not every lion who chased a zebra caught one, but every lion who caught a zebra chased one.” – African Proverb
My take: It’s the pursuit of ambition, the hunger for something greater that pushes individuals, (and lions), to commit to something. To try. DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL. FAILURE IS BOUND TO HAPPEN IF YOU DON’T TRY.
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09.28.2025 | “A man who can walk away from what he wants for the sake of what he needs, is a man who will never be controlled. BE THAT MAN”- Anonymous
My take: It’s the theme of discipline that seems to hit home for me the most. The person that has the strength to prioritize health, values, and morals over short-term desires and temptations can not be enslaved by impulses or external temptations. Be that man- not only for you, but your future family. They are counting on the man you are becoming today.
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09. 27. 2025 | “A charging bull always looks at the red cape, not at the man with the sword.”– Harvey Specter
My take: If you’ve ever seen a charging bull, (hopefully through a streaming device and not face to face), it almost seems possessed; captivated by the red cape. Drawn to it, eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.
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07.24.2025 | “Enjoy the space between where you are and where you are going.”
My take: There are few of us out there that have this fire inside, this drive, it’s hard to explain. It’s a feeling of duty, a responsibility to be monumentally successful.
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07.23.2025 | “The desert teaches you more about water than the ocean ever could.” – African Proverb
My take: I think it goes to show how we never appreciate something until its gone. It’s unfortunate, no matter how grateful we are for our health, opportunities, and stability, we never truly understand it’s value until its gone.
As loving and grateful we are to our immediate families, the inevitable loss of a parent or sibling is a pain words cannot capture. It goes to show how no amount of gratitude can prepare us for that kind of absence.
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07.22.2025 | “Too busy watering my own grass to notice if yours is greener” – Anonymous
With social media, we’re constantly tapped into everyone’s so-called “life”. But what we see is a curated illusion. This distortion can leave us feeling inadequate, endlessly comparing our seemingly “bland” lives to others’ filtered moments.
Instead of falling victim to this kind of mindset, we should focus on DEVELOPING as human beings. DEVELOPING into the man or woman we look up to. Building a strong character, and helping others in the process. Remember, a candle loses nothing by lighting another. Lets grow together, but not fall in line of envy.
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07.09.2025 | “The longer you stay on the wrong train, the more expensive it is to come back home.” -A Japanese proverb
If you feel like you’re in a ditch, the second best time to start climbing up is now. The best time was before, it’s never too late. The longer you stay in that ditch, in that mindset, the victim mindset, the longer it will take for you to come back.
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06.30.2025 | “Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people learn from experiences, stupid people have all the answers.” – Socrates
We should all strive to learn from everyone around us. Life is constantly teaching, we just have to be aware. Falling into the trap of thinking you have all the answers is a slippery slope, not easy to come back from. Growth begins with humility.
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06.11.2025 | “A man’s worth is measured by the things he can walk away from.” – Imam Ali
In this quote more than others, there are various ways of interpreting it. “Things” can refer to a lot. Often times, we are so blinded by the instant gratification, the dopamine hit, or the high, that it overshadows the inevitable cost. As an example, I’ll bring up watching pornography. In the moment, people’s minds get distracted by the temporary pleasure that offers a quick escape from loneliness or stress. Instead of working to solve the deep-rooted problem, they cope with it by seeking short-term gratification.
Knowing this, it is now OUR responsibility to simply WALK AWAY from the coping mechanisms we use to hide our insecurities. If we know something is bad for our mental and physical health, why do it? No questions asked, just DON’T do it.
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06.10.2025 | “Nothing can ever be gained without losing, even heaven demands death.” – Fedor Dostoevsky
Often times, we think success is easy. We think winning is easy. Let’s remind ourselves, “if it were easy, everyone would do it”. Everyone wants financial freedom, everyone wants the Rolex, everyone wants the Porsche- But not everyone is willing to pay the price… the price of sacrifice.
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05.28.2025 | “Don’t sit at tables where they talk about others, because when you get up, you’ll be the next topic.” – Tupac Shakur
I try to distance myself from parasites- people who feed off others lives. People who don’t have enough attention given to them. “Don’t tell [name] I told you but…”. There’s your sign to keep them at arms length.
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05.27.2025 | “A cat that dreams of becoming a lion must lose its appetite rats.”- African Proverb
One of my all time favorite quotes. This quote reminds me to achieve greatness, I have to abandon old habits and distractions holding me back. Rats symbolize insignificant habits that prevent us from reaching their full potential.
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05.27.2025 | “Short term gratification is poison to our life goals, dreams, and ambitions” – Bedros Keuilian
More often than I want to admit, I find myself starting something and not finishing it. I’ll use this website as my primary example. I get these short bursts of motivation to update it. I commit to it for a week or two, then slowly, my motivation diminishes. What I’m left with is a yet another commitment, unfulfilled. Although discipline is the most reoccurring topic featured on the website, I still have yet to acquire it. I can tell myself and you it starts today, but actions speak louder than words. Thank you to my loyal supporters who continue to check on the website for weeks without me touching it. I’ll do it for you (and me).
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05.26.2025 | “What a blessing it is to be tired in the pursuit of a challenge of your own choosing.” – Anonymous
Oftentimes I reflect on what an opportunity I have had to be able to go to school and learn what interests me. The gift I have is to be able to have been playing tennis and baseball since I was five years old. Private coaching, tennis equipment like rackets, shoes, and strings for over a decade cost a fortune. That being said, succeeding in school and playing competitive tennis at a high level are extremely challenging. The gift I have had, is the opportunity to be challenged academically and physically. Most children and young adults are not blessed with the opportunity to be challenged the way I was. All glory to God. Thank you.
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05.14.2025 | “Everything is born from change.” – Marcus Aurelius
Bedros Keuilian says “Change can take place in an instant, when you decide to flip the switch.” Change CAN happen overnight. As far as I’m concerned, if we make the decision not drink alcohol and we stick by our word for one day- that’s change. We changed…. ONE DAY. All it takes is to flip the switch. Change CAN take place in an instant.
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05.12.2025 | “Health is a priceless wealth. Invest while you can.” -Bryant McGill
How could we use our monetary wealth without having health to keep us alive, active, and prospering? We can’t. Our health is something we can invest in everyday. Eating healthy foods, exercising daily, keeping mental clarity are just a few ways we can invest in our health.
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05.09.2025 | “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.”- Seneca
Just like friction is required to polish a gem, trials and tribulations are necessary to shape and improve us. Without facing the inevitable obstacles and challenges head on that life will throw at us, we will never reach our full potential. Welcome adversity.
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05.08.2025 | “No man is free who is not master of himself” – Epictetus
Rather than wealth or status, TRUE freedom is born from full control of our own impulses, emotions, and thoughts. Those of us still controlled by their desires and external pressures have not freed our minds. Unlocking self-discipline grants us the ability to make rational choices based on reason and thoughtful consideration, rather than be swayed by emotions or external pressures.
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05.07.2025 | “Just because you love the ocean doesn’t mean you have to drown in it.” – Anonymous
Similar to nature relying on maintaining homeostasis, we need to find a balance. The ocean can refer to anything we love, anything from a hobby to a relationship. Just because we love something deeply, like the ocean, it doesn’t mean we have to let it take over our lives. The “drowning” metaphor suggests that this love or passion can become so intense, it potentially leads to consequences. It’s about finding a balance and staying in control, even while cherishing what we love.
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05.06.2025 | Braun Levi “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” – Anonymous
Braun Levi was an opponent of mine on the court, and a friend off the court. I had the opportunity of going head to head with him in a singles match when he was a freshman at Loyola while I was a junior. After I got annihilated, we sparked up a conservation, and from that moment, I felt like I had known Braun for years.
Throughout the years we would see each other at tournaments and catch up. We saw each other two weeks ago for the first time in a while, he got taller and bigger since the last time I saw him. He was telling me about his future college plans. Braun was tragically killed this past Sunday. He was a senior, about to graduate, and had a promising future ahead of him. He was nationally ranked in tennis. If I remember anything from Braun, it’s how happy he was every time I saw him. Having fun, enjoying life, messing around. Braun was a sociable character. I didn’t know him for long, but it felt like I did.
Please keep him in your prayers. Live like today is your last.
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05.05.2025 | “Fall in love with the process, and the results will chase you.” – Anonymous
The man who loves walking, will walk farther than the man who loves the destination. The man who loves learning, will know more than the man who loves being right. The man who loves discipline will achieve more than the man who loves motivation. The man who loves the sport will outlast the man who loves the applause. TRUST THE PROCESS, LOVE THE PROCESS.
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05.04.2025 | (Lori) | “The journey into self-love and self-acceptance must begin with self examination… Until you take the journey of self-reflection, it is almost impossible to grow or learn in life.” – Iyanla Vanzant
“This quote reminds me that self-love doesn’t come from just being kind to myself, but from being honest about who I really am. Through self-reflection, I’ve learned to recognize my strengths and face my flaws without shame. It’s not always easy, but taking the time to understand my thoughts and actions has helped me grow into a more confident and compassionate person. Without inner-work, true growth and acceptance aren’t possible.” – Lori
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05.03.2025 | “Money is power- and if you don’t master it, you’ll be ruled by those who do.” – Robert Kiyosaki
I’ll end the argument here. Money buys a home in a safe neighborhood, it buys healthy food, it buys experience, it buys opportunity. Of course, money cannot buy love, it cannot buy a family, and it cannot by a sense of belonging. Without money, families are forced to live in dangerous neighborhoods, not able to afford healthy foods, not able to travel and learn about other cultures, etc. Money buys freedom, and that’s something no one can argue with.
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05.02.2025 | “It is essential that we not respond impulsively… Take a moment before reacting, and you will find it easier to maintain control.” – Epictetus
Every action has a reaction… Taking a step back to reassess our situation is crucial to finding a mature and appropriate response.
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02.19.2025 | “I learned that every mortal will taste death, but only a few will taste life.” – Rumi
To taste life is not merely letting time elapse, it is having discipline, having purpose, having determination. How can we truly taste life by living a life without these?
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