Tag: writers

What If It’s Not Failure You’re Avoiding… But Success?

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

Quiet Fear of Success

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. ~Marianne Williamson

Believe it or not, I spent years researching leadership and success, exploring what truly drives high-achieving leaders forward. What I did not expect to find so often in practice was not just a fear of failure:

but a quiet, often unspoken fear of success.

Not because leaders don’t want to succeed, but because they understand, consciously or not, that success changes things.

  • It raises expectations.
  • It increases visibility.
  • It shifts relationships.
  • It demands a new level of responsibility.

And sometimes, it requires becoming someone you have never been before.

I’ve worked with high-potential leaders who hesitate at the exact moment they are ready to move forward. Not due to lack of capability, but because of what that next level will require of them.

This often shows up as:

  • Overthinking instead of deciding
  • Staying “busy” instead of moving forward
  • Delaying opportunities that are clearly aligned
  • Downplaying readiness

At its core, it’s not about ability. It’s about identity. And sometimes, the quiet question underneath it all is:

“Am I ready for the version of me this will require?”

This is where intentional leadership matters. Because growth isn’t just about skill, it’s about alignment.

In the GreenLight Framework, this is your Yellow Light moment:
Pause. Reflect. Assess. Not to retreat, but to move forward with clarity and conviction.

Leadership Reflection:
What opportunity have you been hesitating on, not because you are unprepared, but because stepping into it will change you?

That might not be your red light. It might be your green light, waiting on your decision.

Africana Arts And Humanities Festival

I am still processing the beauty, the brilliance, and the warmth of the Africana Humanities Festival. To the organizers, thank you for creating a space where our stories, our scholarship, and our voices are not just welcomed but celebrated. Being featured as an author and speaker at this 250 anniversary festival was an honor.

Great partnering with co-session presenter R. Manasseh Thornton

To every single person who stopped by my table, sat in my session, picked up the assessment, asked questions, and shared your own stories with me, YOU are the reason this work exists. The conversations we had confirmed everything I believe about why The GreenLight Factor needed to be written.

🚦 So many of you are standing at an intersection right now. A career decision. A relationship. A dream you keep putting on hold. A path that looks right on paper but feels wrong in your body. This book was written for that exact moment.

The GreenLight Factor is coming soon and your pre-order means the world. It tells me the message is landing before the book even hits shelves.

Signup to attend a Greenlight Lab today. Let’s get you to your Greenlight.

Authors This is For You If You Are Experiencing These 4 Signs

when you have something to do life will not allow you to move forward until you do it. ― Iyanla Vanzant

When you have something to do, life will not allow you to move forward until you do it. So if you caught that writing bug and can’t seem to let it go, then follow that lead. How can you know? Here are for signs that both aspiring and seasoned authors are stuck.

1. You’re Always “Working on It”… But Never Finishing

You have ideas, drafts, notes, and even chapters. But nothing gets completed.
You keep tweaking, rewriting, or starting over instead of moving toward a finished manuscript.

What’s really happening: Perfectionism or lack of structure is keeping you in motion, but not in progress.

2. You Keep Second-Guessing Your Voice or Message

You wonder: “Is this good enough?” “Will anyone read this?” “Should I change direction?” So you rewrite, dilute your message, or abandon strong ideas.

What’s really happening: Lack of clarity and confidence is causing you to disconnect from your authentic voice.

3. You’re Consuming More Than You’re Creating

You’re reading books, watching writing videos, attending workshops. But not actually writing consistently.

What’s really happening: You’re hiding in “learning mode” to avoid the discomfort of execution.

4. You Don’t Have a Clear Path to Publishing

You have written (or started writing), but you don’t know what comes next. Self-publish? Traditional? Hybrid? So, the manuscript sits… and sits.

What’s really happening: Uncertainty about the publishing process is creating paralysis.

Know that being “stuck” isn’t about talent, it’s about clarity, structure, and support. As an author of 11 books, I have been there and now teach the process throughout different communities. If you identified with any of the signs and need help, let’s connect now and get you moving. Clarity is on the other side of the ‘Ask’.

Happy Writing!

Culture. Creativity. And Impact At The Africana Arts & Humanities Festival

Join authors, scholars, legal leaders and cultural storytellers at the Africana Arts & Humanities Festival. On this occasion I join with literary creatives as a featured author to celebrate 250 years of black life, culture, creativity, and impact. This literary event promises powerful conversations, with dynamic voices shaping our communities today.

Organizers voice that this year’s speakers reflect the diversity of our culture and history.

Register Now and learn about my newest book ‘The GreenLight Factor,’ a Leadership Discernment Framework based on the Traffic Light metaphor for navigating life’s intersections

🗓️ Saturday, March 28, 2026

📍African American Library & Cultural Center

🎟️ Free and open to the public. Come listen, learn and celebrate.

Before You Read The GreenLight Factor, Meet the Woman Who Lived It

I Am Woman

Every book has a story behind it. This one is mine.

Before The GreenLight Factor existed as a book, it existed as a life. A series of roles, rooms, and relationships that quietly shaped everything I now know about leadership.

I want to do something I don’t always make time for: properly introduce myself. Not just my credentials, but the journey behind them.

I Am a Certified Master Leadership Coach

This isn’t a title I hold lightly. Becoming a Certified Master Leadership Coach meant times of deep study, practice, and honest self-examination. It means I have sat across from myriads of leaders. Leaders at all levels and helped them find what was already inside them.

The greatest coaching insight I have ever received? The green light is rarely about permission from the outside. It’s about permission from within.

I was recognized for exemplary service within the community. As a result, I continue my quest to help Crown the Next Generation. Being the strategic leader and archetect behind the 30 Under 30 Emerging Leader in Washington DC, is testament to my commitment to emerging leadership development. I have served as Chief Judge and now working towards celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the program in June.

There is nothing more powerful than watching a young leader step into their own green light.

I Led HR Strategy Across the Andina & Caribe Region for a Big Pharma Company

Operating across cultures, languages, and borders taught me that leadership is not one-size-fits-all. The best leaders I encountered, and tried to be, were the ones who led with both strategy and soul. Who understood that behind every org chart is a human being trying to do meaningful work.

That experience is woven into every page of this book.

I Served as VP of the Hospitality & Human Resource Association of Broward County (HHRABC), FL and President of the Writers Group of South Florida

I have always believed that leadership must extend beyond the walls of any organization. Community leadership taught me that showing up especially when no one is keeping score, is one of the most important things a leader can do. And leading a writers’ group? That lit a fire in me that culminated from my other books on leadership, success, inspiration and faith.

And Now, here’s my Newest Book

The GreenLight Factor is the book I wish I’d had at the beginning of my leadership journey.

It’s not a manual. It’s a mirror. A roadmap built from real experiences. It exemplifies the wins, the pivots, the moments of doubt. The breakthroughs that came when I finally stopped waiting for someone else to give me permission to lead boldly.

I wrote it for the leader who knows they are capable of more but keeps waiting for the “right” moment. For the professional who has been told to wait their turn. For anyone who has ever dimmed their own light to make others more comfortable.

Your green light is already on.

One More Thing

If you stay around long enough, you will also learn that I am a mom to two incredibly driven, slightly workaholic adult children who work in the corporate world. I take partial credit and full responsibility for any overachieving tendencies. 😄

And I am grand mom to two dogs, one a beagle. Who are without question the wisest members of my youngest household. These dogs are the greatest teacher of strategic rest I have ever encountered.

I share all of this not to show you that the path to this book was not a straight line. It was a full, layered, beautifully imperfect leadership journey.

And that’s exactly what The GreenLight Factor is about.

Thank you for being here. Follow along. The best is yet to come.

💚 With purpose.

🟢 Pop Culture Contrast: Leadership Is Not Squid Game

When the world watched Squid Game, one scene stood out, the childhood game “Red Light, Green Light.”

Move at the wrong time? You’re eliminated.

In that world, movement is fear-driven.
You move because someone shouts.
You freeze because someone is watching.
You survive by reacting quickly enough.

But leadership is not Squid Game.

In real leadership, “Green Light” is not about external permission.
It’s about internal alignment.

You don’t move because someone says “Go.”
You move because:

  • The timing is right.
  • The values are aligned.
  • The strategy is clear.
  • The cost has been weighed.
  • The mission demands it.

In a fear-based environment, people move to avoid loss.

In a GreenLight environment, leaders move to advance purpose.

One is survival.
The other is significance.

The GreenLight Factor is not about reacting under pressure.
It’s about discerning when to accelerate, when to pause, and when to redirect without panic, performance, or elimination.

Because leadership is not a game.
And your movement should never be dictated by fear.

Need help? Let’s chat

Cheers!

Photo Squid Game

Get Up And Move

All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Get up and move. That’s me. Finally selected a ‘walking’ friend in another state. I’d have her as an accountability partner for my need-to-move decision. To exercise. To stay healthy. To think. To write. My goal was simple. Walk at minimum twice weekly as a start (secretly hoping for more). But two times per week was manageable. After-all, the week has 7 days. I drive out of town a lot so twice should be achievable.

And We’re Off!

Walked 30 minutes! Yea! I did it. Before our midweek check-in, my friend sent me a video on the 2nd day. I screamed by text. “Don’t rush me or don’t bother with the accountability.”

Then I looked at the video. It was doing sit ups. Rolled my eyes since of late I have been experiencing a bit of back pain. There’s no way I can go that low much less to do the sit up.

Then I did it. Oh so satisfying! Yippee!

Next Steps

I snuck away. The weather wasn’t great. Cold. Windy. But I walked. Went a slightly longer route to get to the regular route. Why? Because there was a lady slowly running ahead of me. Not wanting to bump into her space (or more-so she into mine), I walked around. She ran ahead, then disappeared. Nowhere in sight.

I walked along. It worked to my benefit because I added another 10 minutes to my stretch. Horrible back pains but I did it slowly, but surely. Stopping to stretch along the way.

Got home. Did what I love. Wrote about my steps in this medium. Hmm, what if this is an inspiration to write, to put it in a journal of sorts?

Climbed the stairs. Then looked at the wide-open space between rooms and laid on the floor. Guess what I did? 30 sit-ups in blocks of 5 and 10. I’m so very proud of me!!!

I think I can do this! Again. I’ll keep going. One would never believe I was a track and field athlete (smirk).

So that’s how you do all things uncomfortable. No matter what it is. Career, education, financial, relationship, homeownership. Whatever your goal, you accomplish it one step at a time. One day at a time. Bigger goals become accomplished.

Cheers!

You Can’t Lead From Empty …

Leaders, if you are constantly pouring into your team:
… solving
… deciding
… carrying
… fixing

When do you refill?

Self-Care is Self-Love

Burned-out leaders can’t build thriving team. It’s simple, but it’s often ignored. Because too many leaders wear exhaustion like a badge of honor.

Self-love isn’t spa days and slogans.
It’s boundaries.
It’s rest.
It’s saying no.
It’s asking for support.

Burned-out leaders don’t build strong cultures.

If your leadership feels heavy lately, coaching gives you space to reset, without judgment, without pressure.

Get coached now.

Cheers!

Author Community Showcase

Life has no limitations, except the ones you make. ~Les Brown

Such an honor to facilitate the gathering of leaders and creatives. The influence, and impact reminds me of why I engage in the work of leadership development.

The intrigue on the faces of attendees, aspiring, debut and seasoned authorpreneurs left a lasting impact. The Greenlight Leadership Factor was definitely felt.

Located minutes from the Broward Mall, the West Regional Library provided the perfect location for easy accessibility for both authors and patrons.

The rich learnings and takeaways was indeed a vibe. Can’t wait to build the craft as the learnings excite.

Thanks to all who made the event a success Dale Mahfood for moderating the panel discussion with Dr Rose Stiffin Filmmaker Jeff Carroll
and Bles Chavez-Bernstein
led to an engaging time with the community. Event hosted by West Regional Library in partnership with Writers Group of South Florida

As the saying goes,

Writers write. Readers read. Together they are one.

Cheers!

5 Self-Published Authors Who Made it Big & How You Can Too

1. E.L. James – Fifty Shades of Grey

  • Starting Point: Self‑published as an e‑book and print‑on‑demand.
  • Breakthrough: Went viral through online word-of-mouth and book clubs.
  • Result: Sold over 150 million copies; major movie trilogy.
  • Lesson: Leverage niche communities (like book clubs, online forums) to spark buzz.

2. Hugh Howey – Wool

  • Starting Point: Released short dystopian story independently on Amazon.
  • Breakthrough: Readers demanded more; he expanded it into a series.
  • Result: Bestseller, foreign rights sales, and Apple TV+ adaptation Silo.
  • Lesson: Listen to your audience and let their feedback shape your next steps.

3. Colleen Hoover – Slammed

  • Starting Point: Self‑published in 2012 while working a full‑time job.
  • Breakthrough: Book bloggers and social media amplified her work.
  • Result: Multiple #1 NYT bestsellers; Netflix adaptation of It Ends With Us.
  • Lesson: Build genuine relationships with influencers and reviewers.

4. Andy Weir – The Martian

  • Starting Point: Posted story for free on his blog, then on Kindle for $0.99.
  • Breakthrough: Readers recommended it heavily; caught publisher’s and Hollywood’s attention.
  • Result: NYT bestseller and Oscar-nominated film starring Matt Damon.
  • Lesson: Offer value first—sometimes giving content away builds your biggest fanbase.

5. Amanda Hocking – Trylle Trilogy

  • Starting Point: Self‑published paranormal romance e‑books.
  • Breakthrough: Priced affordably and marketed directly to YA readers online.
  • Result: Over 1 million copies sold; multi‑million‑dollar deal with St. Martin’s Press.
  • Lesson: Use smart pricing and targeted marketing to quickly grow sales.

Takeaway for Aspiring Authors

Self‑publishing is no longer “Plan B.” It’s a proven path to bestseller lists, film deals, and global readership—if you combine quality writing with smart marketing.

Your next step:

  • Identify your audience
  • Engage them before your book launches
  • Use online platforms to amplify your reach

The Hidden Cost Of No Boundaries

Time spent rescuing is time not spent leading.

It’s the Hard truth. Leaders who say ‘yes’ to everything often:

🔭Get seen as Dependable
But not Strategic

🔭Helpful
But not high-level

Because time spent rescuing is time NOT spent leading.

BOUNDARIES create space for:

  • Thinking
  • Strategy
  • Growth
  • Influence

Without them you stay Stuck in reactive mode. Ask yourself, are you Leading or constantly rescuing?

If your leadership feels reactive instead of intentional, it’s not a motivation problem. It’s a boundary problem.

Coaching helps leaders set professional boundaries without guilt or fear. Let’s chat about our boundaries lab if this resonates.

Cheers!

Overly Nice Leaders Burn Out

Being a “Nice” leader without Boundaries often lead to:

•Overcommitment
•Emotional exhaustion
•Resentment
•Being the default problem-solver for everyone

Support doesn’t mean self-sacrifice.
Availability doesn’t mean 24/7

Boundaries are not unkind.
They are a leadership skill

The leaders who last long-term learn how to say:

🔭I can help. Here’s when
🔭That’s not mine to carry
🔭Let’s find a better process

If you feel stretched thin but still “showing up” for everyone…
It may not be a workload issue
It may be a Boundary Gap.

If this resonates, let’s explore.

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