Food For Thought

Read about how I approach life as a new black CEO

Why I Started Reading…

Trick Your Mind To Achieve Your Goals

How To Judge Your Professional Success

Do You Have Authentic Conversations On A Regular Basis?

What’s the price of ignoring your mental health?

The First Step In Doing Anything Is To START!

Getting Out of the Bleachers of Life

FOLLOW ALONG

@karl.sona

karl.sona

Do you love the work more than you love the reward

Do you love the work more than you love the reward?
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We loathe the process of the work that’s required to do something remarkable because it takes time. We can’t see all the growth happening beneath the surface.

We become eager to display the bounty of our harvest for all to marvel at, but when it takes longer than we’d like, we start searching for a short cut or second guessing whether or not it’s worth it.
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It’s an interesting thing because anytime I’ve reaped the reward of the harvest, whether it be the money or the thing the money allowed me to buy, it never quite measured up to the joy I experienced while working towards it, and anticipating what it would be like.
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The joy was always a bit more short lived than what I expected.

The excitement to show the harvest off always wore off quicker than I thought it would.
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Maybe some can relate.

If that’s you, why are you growing in-patient if the pursuit of the thing is where the well of joy runs the deepest?

Do you trust the vision for your life? ____ I did

Do you trust the vision for your life?
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I didn't always... In the beginning, it felt muddy, inconsistent, and fleeting.

Overtime, I realized where I was going wrong.

I was so caught up listening to everything and everyone around me, that my inner voice naturally took a back seat to all of the outside influence.

Sure enough, confusion, frustration, and inaction would creep in, and my momentum would be crushed.
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We never know exactly how the vision is going to unfold, and I would argue that we don't want all of those details.

But that's why it's critical to keep a close ear to your inner voice. The inner voice, especially when it's tuned in to what you want to create, will be the greatest source of energy to propel you towards your vision.
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When the vision feels too large, the inner voice will break down the next step required to keep you moving.

Is it always spot on? Mine hasn't always been, but I've learned there's real value in progress over perfection.

Relying on the inner voice as a source of strength, provides you an opportunity to build more confidence in your ability to trust yourself, especially as you listen more, and it provides the answers that were once missing.
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As my friend Erin Person said recently, "keep listening to the voice inside of you and living in your purpose and passion".

What's my favorite beverage to relax with after a

What's my favorite beverage to relax with after a long day of back to back sales calls, podcast interviews, and team meetings you may wonder? I'll give ya one 3 word hint, and it doesn't involve hitting the bottle either .... @gameboxwine

I recently discovered @gameboxwine, and let me tell y'all... the wine has been a game changer, quite literally! First off, it tastes amazingly fresh every time! They offer a Pinot Grigio, a Chardonnay, a Cab, and my personal favorite the Red Blend which sips smoothly, and finishes with a yummy fruit forward note. I especially love it chilled.

Now I have to be honest, I don't usually go for boxed wine, but this time was different because the packaging is what initially hooked me... not only is it more eco-friendly compared to the alternative, but each box comes with fun games, mysterious riddles and puzzles. Think cards against humanity, meets sudoku, meets crossword puzzles. Simply perfect, if you're looking to unplug from your screen.

Most importantly, it's always fresh when I come back, and it's the bag that just keeps on giving . Check out @gameboxwine to grab a box somewhere near you!

You have to feed what you want to live, and starve

You have to feed what you want to live, and starve what you want to die.
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How many of you are building towards your dream? How many of you feel like a part of you is slowly dying?

Maybe your interests are changing, perhaps friendship circles are shrinking, or maybe your commission checks are drying out as you put more energy towards the new dream.
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�I've experienced a lot of these feelings this year, and I call these fringe moments.

�So what is a fringe moment?

�Well, they occur when you've put so much energy and intention into a new direction, that you begin to naturally outgrow your current environment. You find yourself on the edge or the fringe of growing into a new environment.�� One that is in more alignment with the person you're aspiring to become.

�The tricky thing with fringe moments is you don't always realize how much growth you've experienced that has propelled you to the fringe, that has prepared you for a successful leap into your new environment where you will thrive.
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�As a result of this, the leap can feel further away than it actually is.

It may feel like there's more to lose than there is to gain, and it can be very tempting to retreat backwards from the fringe, and to seek comfort in the known and the familiar.
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Understand that your life can change in a moment, and it's these moments where I've found peace in continuing towards the fringe by keeping one fact in mind.

�You have to feed what you want to live, and starve what you want to die.
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�So which version of yourself are you gonna feed?

Over the past year, I've been really focused on th

Over the past year, I've been really focused on the issue of the wealth gap that exists for minorities, and what efforts can be made in order to help minorities create more value, and subsequently, more ownership in America.
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Last fall, I was in Kansas City for work, and decided to take a walk around the city before dinner. As I walked through downtown, almost every corner I passed had homeless people, all of whom were black, all of whom seemed hopeless.

I was talking to my mom on the phone about what I was seeing, and we ended up having a passionate discussion about the generational traumas that still exist, dating all the way back to the transatlantic slave trade from Africa, that have created significant barriers between blacks and opportunities to prosper.
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I'm no historian, but I can definitely appreciate how important familiarizing yourself with the past is, if you hope to be a positive force for change in your future.

Unlike my family that willingly immigrated over from Africa, many blacks in America today were descendants of ancestors forced into slavery with no real recollection of where they come from.

And I realized just how difficult it is to change your future, if you don't even know your past or where you come from.
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It's not good enough to look at the wealth gap issue and just accept it at face value for what it is.

It's not enough to listen to my black friends that are working to build great companies, but that don't have access to the funds they need to start or grow, and just accept their stories as "our circumstance".

Instead, it's time to learn about the issues of the past, and to figure out how I can be a part of the solution going forward.
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This is just my story.

We all have the chance to learn about problems we consistently see, and to decide whether or not we want to be a positive change for good going forward.

Will you?

So, what makes me, Karl Sona, unique and special?

So, what makes me, Karl Sona, unique and special?
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�If you asked me that shit some time last year, my heart and brain would most likely start rushing and tripping over one another.

My heart would kick into gear working to produce the honest answer, and my brain would be in overdrive trying to come up with something that sounded like a smooth bar lmaoo

And ultimately, I'd be left tongue tied, with a head full of cricket sounds.
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This is real talk. I'd struggle to answer this question, because I hadn't done the work to tune out the outside noise, and to look within to see my unique gift.

�I had to realize and accept that here was no perfect blueprint to follow, no perfect influencer to consult, and no perfect seminar to attend that could provide these answers.

There is no substitute for the introspective work required.
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So how do you begin to do the work?

�For starters, don't be afraid to do the work. Take time in silence, reading, praying, meditating, or whatever works best for you.

Be intentional about exploring those facets, realizing that you find that which you are looking for.
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�Secondly, understand that the answers you're searching for may not come up immediately, and if they don't, this IS NOT an indicator that you don't have anything special.

This is a worthwhile process, and things that are worthwhile, simply take a while.
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�Lastly, reflect on your experiences so far, whether it be your career, relationships, or whatever.

�One of the most difficult things for me to understand when I was beginning, was that all of my experiences were not random.

�They've all been planted in my life to teach me something deeper and to unfold the next natural step.
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�You owe it to yourself and the people you will one day impact to engage in this work.

Because no one else can bring your uniqueness and your specialness to the world; only you can.

Sometimes, the biggest BLIND SPOTS we have in life

Sometimes, the biggest BLIND SPOTS we have in life and business, relative to our inner greatness, ARE OURSELVES.
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It's so easy to take for granted or not even be aware of what you possess that makes you a STANDOUT amongst the crowd.
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You know why?
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You're too busy admiring and emulating the greatness of OTHERS, that you fail to realize what you've got right in your hands.
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There was an incredible parable highlighting this point that I came across a while ago.
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A long time ago, a farmer wanted to go digging for gold. So he decided, he would sell his farmland to free up his time to go out and hopefully strike gold.
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So he sold his land to a willing and able buyer, and carried on to join the gold rush.
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Shortly after purchasing the farm, the new owner began digging around. And do you know what he found?
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Massive chunks of gold laying right in the ground!
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Morale of the story: Don't be the farmer. Invest the time to RECOGNIZE HOW INCREDIBLE WHAT YOU HAVE IS. And when you do, offer it up to the world... it's your duty to.
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Who sits on the board of directors in your life?

Who sits on the board of directors in your life?

These are just some of my people♥️

Relationships truly are everything …

Shout out to #adecomeforemilia

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