Enough.

2025 is now behind us and 2026 is already our reality, striking us with its cold breeze like the Michigan weather we are enduring today.

In 2025, I endured a lot… A lot. The good thing is, I surrendered my usual energy of being a problem solver to everyone’s situations and became selfish with my time. Believe me, I had to do it. 2024 was a year where I adored the cape that I wore, providing an answer to every problem I encountered, whether it belonged to me or others. In 2025, I didn’t carry those weights any longer, but I did take on new burdens.

This past year was probably the biggest year of my career. In January 2025, around this same time, I set a goal to raise $1,000,000 toward the endowment of the program I currently serve. By June 2025, I was over halfway there. I will be blatantly honest, time moved so fast that I cannot even tell you how I did it. I was so focused on hitting the goal that there were moments I failed to embrace. I know storytelling was a huge part of it, but God was ultimately in control. By December 31, 2025, I had raised over $1,000,000. Today I am just now taking the time to fully absorb all that I accomplished throughout the year, with that $1,000,000 standing as one of the most significant pieces of it.

During the year, I gained access to some extremely powerful people across the country while building a track record as a successful fundraiser and developer in my region. It seemed as if I was in a movie, shaking hands of some of Michigan’s biggest change-makers, ideating about ways that we can empower the education system in our region. We all knew that money is the obvious component, but there are far too many wallets that don’t understand the genius of the students we serve. This year was about planting those seeds, building partnerships, and leveraging stories of our people to help amplify the transformative actions that will eventually take place in our Communities… the ones that look like me. 

I stand on that, and that’s part of my life’s purpose. 

But you wanna know what’s crazy? Despite the success, I still felt a sense of emptiness. With my relentless, competitive nature, I became so engulfed in being successful in my career that my most important roles as a husband, provider, and household leader suffered. Even my relationship with God, my Creator, suffered because of my desire to be great. I found myself selfishly demanding the voice and direction of God, only seeking Him during moments of chaos. That’s not how it works. I expected God to show up whenever I called, even when I was not being consistent. Additionally, I often came home to my wife after work drained of energy and capacity to truly be present. I felt it, but kept telling myself things would go back to normal once the work goal was accomplished. All of my energy was captured by my burning urge to be transformative at work.

To my fellas, let me be the first to tell you, this is not the way to lead your household or serve as a husband. As men, we are taught to keep going and not let up so everything around us becomes a reflection of our hard work and labor. My brother, the moments you have on this earth are precious. That is why it is so important to prioritize what matters most, God and then family.

My wife and I have continued to grow, but that required some honest conversations with her and with myself. I had to face the truth that although I was dominating at work, I was underwhelming at home. That was a hard truth to sit with, especially because I truly value my wife and my role as a husband. There will always be seasons where work demands more, but God and my wife should always receive my best. They now do, because I took those lessons on the chin. I had to boss up or fail, and that loss was not one I was willing to take. There will be people who do not understand your values, but mine are rooted in God’s will, not my own.

I will say that the tunnel vision I carried throughout the year developed a version of myself I did not know existed. Distractions came in disguise through relationships and opportunities, two things I value deeply. There were moments that challenged me to choose integrity over pride. I held my tongue. I turned down things I knew would only satisfy me short term while starving me of sustainability. I did this because I choose Purpose over Perception…every time.

I say all of this to say, although I did a lot this year, was it truly enough? The answer is no. Doing a lot did not mean I did my best in every area of my life. 2025 was not a year of failure, but it was a year of clarity about what truly matters. I am excited for 2026 because I no longer carry the stress of trying to do more. I now carry the torch of doing my absolute best.

And my best will always be enough.