Can we talk about how my dad told me to STOP calling him for career advice?

Listen, my dad is one of my best friends. He is my #scifi right hand, amusement park rolldog, and #meditation accountability buddy. He’s also given key advice & motivated me through every single major #achievement in my life (alongside my mom). So, when he told me to STOP calling him for career advice, I was shook.

?? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ??????, ?????????????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????????????????????????.

He explained two things:

"?????? ???????? ???? ???? ?????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ??????????.” You see, although my dad is one of the smartest people I know, his career hasn’t been “#successful” by societal standards. He calls himself “a failed #entrepreneur that never recovered.” He explained that, as I grow in my career as a lawyer, I need advice from people in the same lane - multi-hyphenate folks with skin in the game who’ve navigated corporate spaces, sat on #boards, managed teams, and birthed creative ideas. In the humblest way possible, he said his time as my mentor had passed. I needed to #levelup and seek mentors who’ve been where I want to go and have the battle scars to prove it.

?? ????????????.

But he continued to his second point and this one was even tougher to hear.

He said, "?????? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ??????????, ?????????????????? ???????? ????????????." He talked about the very real human emotions of #fear, #longing, and the road not taken that can sometimes be projected on others who have big dreams. He explained that not everyone around me is going to be #healed enough to extend the support I need. He told me that I was taking BIG swings, and that meant I had to protect my #confidence, #courage, and #peace.

I didn’t want to believe him, but it reminded me of when my very sweet and very loving #grandma stared at me directly in my eyes and told me that ?? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????????, ???? ?? ???????????? ?????? ???? ???????????? ?? ?????? ??????????.?Multiple law school acceptances later including a full ride to an ivy, my grandma sent a letter apologizing. She explained that as an 80-something year old Black woman, who was born during segregation and grew up in the backwoods of Mississippi, ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?????? ????. ???????????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ??????????, ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ???????? & ??????????. ???????????? ???????? ?? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ??????????’?? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ??????????. She admitted that her comment to me was rooted in the depths of fear based on her own experience. Talk about being a witness to a growth moment of one of your elders.

WHEW - that was a lot and I still haven’t grappled with it all. ?????? ?????? ??????????’?? ?????? ?????????????? - ?? ??????????’?? ???????????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? career ???????????? ??????????.?He’s become more like a mental endurance coach, always sending me the perfect supportive message, exactly when I need it ??

????, ???????? ???? ?????? ??????????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????????????? “??????????????” ??????????? ??????’?? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ??????!