The motivating moment in my life - Taught me to "Stand UP! and Rise to the occasion"

What motivates you.. I learned as a young man that I can do anything in my life if I don't allow anyone or anything to tell me I can't..

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How I felt as a young Mexican in an All White School.

We moved from the North East Side of San Jose to the West Side when I was about 4 years old..  My parents were very worried that we would be recruited into gangs.  My brother was beat up at school when he had a broken ankle and they told him if he didn't join thy would hurt him everyday..  Thank God my parents took this threat seriously and moved us to the West Side of San Jose..  I went to kindergarten and made many friends from all nationalities, Mexican, Black, Asian, Caucasian.  It wasn't until I went to middle school that I noticed prejudice from Teachers and Parents.  I was called many names, "Spic", "Beaner", "Cholo", "Dark Meat"..  I didn't know what these names meant but I knew they were meant to be mean.  I went to Martial Arts in 7th grade at Choi's Tae Kwon Do, on Kooser Ave under Master Ed Fong 2nd degree BlackBelt.

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The martial arts helped me to build confidence in my life.  Even though I was kicked to the ground over and over, bleeding from my mouth from sparing with young Brown and BLACK-BELTS at age 13 - 15.. They taught me to STAND UP!..  No matter what happens STAND UP! even if you know you will get knocked down again,,  STAND UP!

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At Age 14 I was an A - B Student maybe once in a while a C but that was not the Norm.  So when I was in 5th grade I was told from my teacher who I knew had no respect for me and she treated Mexicans that way.. very few in our school but the few in her class was always told to "SHUT UP.." Not please be quiet,, Just "SHUT UP!.."  So little did she know I was really a math wizard.  I would always challenge the teacher when she was teaching Math,,  Not to be mean but because I never had a mentor that would show me how to succeed..  I had to read the chapters ahead of the class at home and when I came to class I had many questions and answers.  So I challenged the teacher from time to time and she lost respect for me..  Why,  I was good at math and would always show the class how to reduce or how to find a fraction and convert to Decimal..  She thought I was trying to get attention..  In a way she was right..  I grew up with a neighborhood that had very few Mexican's but mostly Caucasian.  When I would walk home from school parents would not allow me inside their home if I had a white friend.  And most were white. So I knew what White society thought of Hispanics in the Neighborhood.  When I would take the Math tests I would get an A or A-..  very few B's..  but I knew the answer and how to apply the formulas..  I studied them like a Comic Book.. Over and over I read them until I got the answer.  The only problem knowing the answer was I never liked to do the homework..  I actually would just place the answers on the sheets and send it to the teacher.. She would complain and give me an F..  Even if the answers were right.  She said I had to prove it by writing it out.. I would show her on the board and she knew I was right and tell me to just sit down..  she would never say "oh nice Michael" or "Good Work Michael"..  I never felt like I was winning..  "Just sit down.."  the class thought I was wrong in my answer as she would never confirm or deny I was right.  At the end of the year the principle sent a letter to my parents stating  "Michael is being kept back another year because he flunked Math class".

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I was so upset I asked my mom to take a day off from work and come to school and talk to the Principle.  The principle agreed to meet with us and she repeated what the teacher said.. "Michael never finished his homework and is getting failed grades." I asked the principle to allow me to take the final test and if I pass can I move on to 6th grade..  The principle asked the teacher and the teacher said I would have to get 95% on the test to pass 5th grade.  All of my other classes grades were OK..  but I loved math..  So I took the test..  two hours later..  The principle told my mom that I would be going to 7th grade..  Due to my 100% test score she thought it would be a waste to send me to another year of the same kind of math and she really thought I was something special..  she had known me from incidents in school, like one time the fourth grade teacher slapped me for cursing at her,  was I out of control,, No!, I was frustrated on how they treated non-whites at school, but never at this level of understanding..  They never had a student pass at 100% let alone a chubby Hispanic 5th grader.. So this started me on my journey into 7th grade  Where I was truly challenged over and over again due to my color and nationality.. Being tested in every way and being knocked down over and over again..

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I learned a great lesson from this first encounter from White America..  "Don't let anyone get you down or keep you down..  STAND UP! and RISE TO THE OCCASION."

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I have written a book about all of the times I was inspired to STAND UP! in my life's journey.. if your interested in this book email me..  I am about to publish this book in order to inspire others to STAND UP! when they tell you your not worthy and your going to be nothing in your life.

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The Five lessons of inspiration I promised you are:

1) Find a coach  / mentor who can support you when you need inspiration - Guide you on your daily path 4 life, someone who will create a process on how to achieve goals and how to overcome the obstacles that are binding you from moving forward toward your dreams and life's passion and who is willing to tell you the truth because they care.  Not a friend or parent.  A professional Mentor or Life skills Coach.  They usually have a program that takes a few months of coaching and will help you understand the Mental and Spiritual Skills it takes to reach your Goals.

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2 ) Never listen to anyone who has less than good things to say to you.  You are what you hear and you are what you think, so only allow those things that are motivating you to move forward..  Lifting you higher and allowing you to grow in your spirit.  The good thoughts alone won't get you to your goal.. It's the daily repetitive actions that get you to your Goal.

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3) List all the things you want to achieve.  Make a daily schedule with your goal in mind..  But they must be aligned with your ultimate goal each month.

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4) Remove all the friends that are losers in your life..  The Neigh Sayers, The Negative noise in your daily life. You will become what is in your environment.  If your environment is successful people striving to be great! then that is who you will ultimately become.

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5) Feed your mind with good things daily.  This means reading books that inspire you, Videos that help you learn to overcome and even music that has no words..  just relaxing uplifting music..  Remember all frequencies are noise..  Your conscience never sleeps and is always listening..  so give it some inspiration to feel good about itself daily.  Turn off negative news feeds.. they are poison to your Spirit.

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If you have read all of what I have written so far I am adding a few more just because your listening.

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6) Always be ready for failure..  Without failure you won't be able to build character in your life..  it takes many failures to be a winner.. And I actually don't use the word failure in my program just Character building.

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7) When you experience haters in your life as your moving toward your goal know that you are on the right path for success.  Losers need company..  They hate to see someone that they know become successful.  Eventually they will stop talking to you as they should... because they are not willing to STAND UP! in their life to make the necessary changes that winners apply to their life for success.

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8) Be kind, Be Loving and treat everyone with respect and remember that there is always someone that is struggling with life more than you are so do something kind for someone else..  Pass it on..  It will do more for you than anything you can do for yourself.

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9) When your broke and think life has you pinched against a hard-place..  Remember that when you are at the worst times in your life is when you must be at your best because your passion to succeed is stronger than when you have a thousand dollars in the bank and this is the time to give unselfishly to others who are struggling more than you..  It's only when you give all that you have to give is when life changes for you.  When you struggle in life the Universe (GOD) wants to help you more than any other time on your life.. Only then will your life truly change.

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10) Most people fail at things they hate to do.. So if your going to fail ..  FAIL at the things that you truly want to do in your life.  Because failing at what you truly want to do will only make you better each time until success is the only thing you know how to do.  You must make it your daily challenge to learn from your failures..  Because a champion must fail until he is the champion. So STAND UP and NEVER GIVE UP!..

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If you want to contact me for coaching or need some inspiration and want to learn how to become a winner in life contact me so I can add you to my coaching schedule and we can discuss what your looking for and how we can put a program together for you to be successful.  I can help you with an interview that your nervous about or a relationship that is not working out..  But you have to make the call..  I can only help those that are willing to STAND UP! in their life.

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Have a blessed day.

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Michael Vasquez - Dream it, Believe it Receive it...

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