Take a Step Forward Every Day

You can see my totally cheesy grin in the picture.

Earlier this summer, I committed to launching DiversityMBAPrep.com. Of course at the time, I was working on a consulting project that was taking up all of my time. For months I was heavy on ideas and light on action, but there was a little voice in my head and very loud yells from a few friends telling me that now was time for this site. So I hired a developer to build the site and I planted myself on the couch to write the site content. And today I give you DiversityMBAPrep.com!

This is a week that I will never forget – this is the fourth day of seven and I can already make that claim. On this day, day 4, I become the founder of something, which I never thought I would be say about myself. But it was day 1 that will fill my heart for years to come. Monday Night Football at Ravens Stadium in a skybox – I love football, LB Ray Lewis and die-hard football fans (and of course, the World Champion New York football Giants who had nothing to do with Monday, but I want to make it clear that I’m a Giants fan!) It was such an incredible venue to watch a game and with totally raucous and committed fans – phenomenal. Even that spectacle is not really why day 1 was so special. I got to share my first MNF game with Mohammad Ali and his wife, Lonnie Ali thanks to an amazing friend, Ellie. Yes. The G.O.A.T. The Greatest of All Time! I cannot adequately capture in words the feel of being in Ali’s presence. Let’s be clear – he’s just a man, flesh and blood, but with one chant from about 500 people seated below our box of “Ali! Ali! Ali!” I was transported to the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle! It was awe-some.

Lonnie Ali (an UCLA Anderson MBA alumna) addressed a group on Saturday and in talking about her husband, Mohammad, she said that as a young man he had ambitious goals (and would tell anyone who would listen about those goals). And she shared that he took a step forward every day – inching closer to his goals by taking a step forward every day. Every day. That really resonated with me that we have to take a step forward every day.

Lonnie and Mohammad have committed to share with the world the principles that guided Mohammad Ali meteoric impact on the world – respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and spirituality – not so that we can try to be Ali, but so that we can find the power within ourselves to be authentically who we were called to be. Thank you, Lonnie. Thank you, Mohammad. Today, with conviction, I take a step forward.