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PREP BEFORE THE PROMISE: The Opportunity Means Nothing If You're Not Ready · The Black Sheep Leadership Podcast

• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Black sheep, let me ask you something.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: What would happen if the opportunity you've been praying for showed up tomorrow?
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Not next year, not after you had time to get yourself together, but tomorrow.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: That promotion you've been wanting, the business opportunity you've been hoping for, the chance to finally step into a road you've been praying to get into for years, would you actually be ready?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's something that I've learned.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we're so busy asking for the opportunity that we haven't stopped to consider what the opportunity is going to require from us.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: See, getting the opportunity is one thing, but being able to handle it, that's a whole different conversation.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what we're talking about today.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: I want to welcome you to the Black Sheep Leadership Podcast.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Athena Renee, and this is where the under dolls, the Misfits, and the Black Sheep, come to turn pain into power so that they could build a life by design and leave a legacy behind.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if this is your first time tapping in, welcome home, fam.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Pull up a chair, we're glad you're here.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're back again, welcome back, fam.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for trusting me with your time.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: I don't take that lightly.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's do this quick vibe check.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Because if you're easily offended, sensitive, or crybaby, entitled, waiting on somebody to come save you, or you're allergic to accountability.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Get your ass up out of here.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: This ain't your safe space.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: So go ahead and tap out now.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're ready to think bigger, move smarter, and you refuse to lose, and you refuse to live beneath your potential, stay locked in.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Because by the end of this episode, you're walking away something that you can execute immediately.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get to work.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Today's briefing is called The Prep Before the Promise.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: The opportunity means nothing if you're not ready.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to make one thing clear before we get started.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying every opportunity you miss is your fault.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the timing is just wrong, man.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: It is.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes people make unfair decisions and sometimes doors close for reasons that have nothing to do with their qualifications.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: But there are also times when we get so focused on wanting something that we neglect the preparation required to manage it.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why we're talking about it today.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: So let's unpack it.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: One thing you must understand is the opportunity is not the whole assignment.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to think about it because a lot of people want the title, they want the promotion, the bigger paycheck, the successful business, the beautiful relationship, the platform, or the leadership role.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: And there's nothing wrong with that.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: There's nothing wrong with wanting those things.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: But the part that people don't always think about is what happens after they get them.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because the promotion comes with decisions, the business comes with customer expenses and responsibilities.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: The relationship comes with communication, compromise, and emotional maturity.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: And the platform, it comes with people who are going to pay attention to what you say and what you do.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: In other words, the reward may look attractive, but the responsibility is what determines if you can sustain it.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: It determines if you can keep it.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Think about somebody who wants to become a manager.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: They might be excellent at their current job, they know the systems, they meet their deadlines, they come in every day, they consistently perform well.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: But managing people that requires a different set of skills.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now you're dealing with coaching, conflict, delegation, attitudes, decisions that affect an entire team.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: See, being a strong individual contributor, it doesn't automatically make somebody a strong manager.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: And that's not an insult, family.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: It just means the next level requires another level of preparation.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the black sheep lesson.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, don't prepare to receive the opportunity, prepare to carry the responsibility that comes with it.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: See, family, one thing you got to understand is when the opportunity comes, it's too late to get ready.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's why we always talk about staying ready.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Why?
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because when the opportunity comes, it's too late to get ready.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: See, sometimes the very thing you've been asking for can become overwhelming when you haven't developed the skills or systems to support it.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that brings me to an ancient story that I think is really worth revisiting.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Thousands of years ago, an imprisoned man was brought before one of the most powerful rulers in the world.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: The ruler had experienced some troubling dreams that nobody around him could interpret.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: And this prisoner didn't he just didn't offer an interpretation, he also proposed a strategy.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: He explained that a period of abundance would be followed by a severe salmon famine.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And he recommended that during those prosperous years to store food and prepare for the difficult years ahead.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, now you'll find this account and more about it in uh Genesis chapter 41.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what fascinates me about Joseph's story isn't simply that he went from prison to a position of authority, it's what he did when he finally was given the opportunity.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: He didn't walk into the room and say, Well, thank God I'm finally getting my moment.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody give me a crown and come up in a corner office.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: No, he didn't say that.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: He brought insight, a plan, and guess what else, y'all?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: A solution.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: He brought insight, a plan, and a solution to a serious problem.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: See, a lot of people they want you to look to them as a leader, but guess what?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: They only come with a problem and complaining and criticism.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: They don't come with a solution, and the preparation wasn't just about Joseph's personal success, it positioned him to help other people survive a crisis.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Think about that, fam.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: The opportunity was connected to real to a responsibility much bigger than his own comfort.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: See, a lot of people, when they finally get to the position that they're in, they become what we call gatekeepers because they don't want nobody else.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: They feel intimidated by anybody else that might possibly be interested in other opportunities that's in that same department.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: They start to gatekeep the information.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Here's something else we shouldn't overlook.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: Joseph had already experienced years of difficulty before that moment.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: His story included family betrayal, false accusations, slavery, and imprisonment.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Those experiences were not good simply because something good happened later.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: But the biblical account shows that Joseph exercising responsibility and judgment in different circumstances before his anointed and appointed time in leadership or in authority in Egypt.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: And when that opportunity arrived, he had something useful to contribute.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: See, the position gave him authority, but his judgment gave him something to do with it.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: The distinction, that's a distinction that I want you to remember.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: The position gave him authority, right?
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: But his judgment, the way he carried himself, gave him something to do with it.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can want the promotion, the platform, or the opportunity, but what problem are you preparing yourself to solve once you get there?
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: See what I'm saying?
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of times, the things that you're doing right now, when the opportunity comes, you just do more of that.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's why they say money don't change people, money simply expands or shows more of who you already were in the first place.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: It just gives you more options.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: See, when you meet people that's arrogant now, you're like, you know, they got their new house, their new car, they're acting arrogant now, and all of this.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: And we're not talking about the people that are just truly happy and excited about how hard they work for what they got.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: We're not talking about that.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: We're talking about the people that identified with materialistic things, and now that they got more things, they are like we look, we're like, man, they're out of their mind, they're super arrogant.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: No, they were already arrogant, they were already materialistic.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: The things they have now just continues to feed the person that they already were.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's where this gets practical.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: Some people are waiting until they become a leader before they start learning how to lead, they're waiting until they launch the business before they learn about money management, they're waiting until somebody offers them an opportunity before they develop the skills that would make them a strong candidate.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: They wait until they get all these material things before they feel like a king or queen and wealthy.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Black sheep, that's backwards.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to wait until somebody gives you the title to start prepping for the responsibility.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to move into management, start learning how to communicate clearly, organize projects, solve problems, and work with different personalities.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't work with different personalities, study how to deal with different personalities.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to start a business, learn how to understand your customer, your price, your offer, track your expenses, and deliver what you promise.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you're preparing for career change, identify the skills employers actually need and start closing the gap.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: And please, family, don't confuse buying another course with developing the competence, okay?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can have 17 degrees, certificates, 12 notebooks, and a color-coded planner that looks like a Nash admission control.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: But can you actually do the work?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Can you manage it?
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because that's what matters.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: See, knowledge is important, but application is what develops capability, okay?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the most valuable things you can do during your preparation season, family, is to practice before the stakes become high.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: This is why we're talking about prepping before the promise.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: When you talk about you want a large home, this is why vision, this is why vision boards are so important.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can visualize these things, and here's what's cool about it as you look at it, you continue to look at it, look at it, look at it, it really starts to uh not only become a part of your psyche, but you start to think about the phases of getting that thing.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: So, let's say, for instance, if you have health, wealth, family, and finance on your uh vision board, and one day you're just looking at your wealth side of it or health, it doesn't matter, but as you're looking at it, you're gonna go through the different phases of that, right?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: You should be your mind will start to bring up the different phases of those things.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: The first phase is the acquiring of it, because you're thinking about it right now.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, your vision board, you're like, Man, you know, I really want this thing, I want to acquire it, I want to get it, right?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: So then, so once you're steady thinking about it, you're planning on doing those things, and then after that, um when you um when you after you think about it, um or after you acquire it, now you want to do your you're like, okay, you got it now, right?
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now you want to be in the upkeep or the maintenance phase.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: You're in the maintenance phase of it.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna be different than acquiring it, right?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: And last but not least, if possible, you want to multiply it and you want to keep it safe.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so it's not just about me getting it and looking like, oh, I'm doing this and I'm doing that, or I got the title and all as well.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's about getting it, keeping it up and maintaining it and flipping it and keeping it safe.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so that's why application.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: This well, this is first of all, this is why that vision board is so important, but it also helps you think about what to do in your season of preparation before the stakes become high.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's say, for instance, even if for your work or your job or your career, volunteer to coordinate a project, build a sample portfolio, practice the interview, test your business idea on a small scale.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need a perfect environment to begin developing useful abilities, and you don't need everybody watching you while you do it.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: You don't, family, you don't need everybody watching you while you do it.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes your preparation happens quietly.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: This is why Black Sheet Family, we always talk about moving in silence.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Moving in silence.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, it brings us back to something that we've discussed in the Sundays reset.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Your lock-in season is where you stop talking about what you're doing to become and start developing what the future version of you actually need.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: Here's another thing you must understand.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: I want to address this about preparation.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Preparation, family, is not perfection.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: It is not perfection.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: I already know somebody listening is about to take this message and use it as an excuse to procrastinate.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: No, don't do that.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: There's a difference between being prepared and waiting until you feel completely ready.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Some opportunities require you to learn while you're doing the work.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: You won't always have every answer, every skill, or every resource in advance to study, and that's okay.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Preparation is about developing a strong enough foundation to take the next responsible step.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Perfectionism is when you keep moving the finish line because you're afraid of making a mistake.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I need some of you to stop discussing fear as a preparation.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: You say you're researching, but you've been researching the same idea for three years.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: You say you're waiting for the right time, but every time a reasonable opportunity comes along, you find another reason why you can't start.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: And at some point, you got to determine whether you're genuinely preparing or you're simply protecting yourself from the possibility of failure, or you're scared to fail.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Some people have a fear of failure, but the only way you can even try to attempt to get good at something is you have to try it, be willing to try it and do it horribly, do it bad.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: You have to be willing to do that.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is why a lot of times it is so much easier for people to criticize you, family, when you do something and you don't do it as good.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: The thing about it is you got the guts to do it while it sucks, and then you're gonna continue to improve it over time.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: But see, most people want to sit back because they got this fairy tale bubble lifestyle where they want everybody to think they're perfect, and that's why they're living a life of plateau.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: It just might look beautiful on the outside, but I meet so many people, family, they got all of these material things, but their life is plateauing.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: What do I mean?
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: There's no progress, and they might say they're happy, but they stressed out, they're stressed out, family, because they didn't count the cost of all the stuff they have now.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: They're just in a whirlwind, they just in a whirlwind of a bunch of debt and stuff, they hustle backwards, like we talked about doing things backwards.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: No, we're not doing that, we're not doing that.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the questions that we're asking ourselves: what do I actually need to learn before I begin?
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: And what can I learn responsibly along the way?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: See, family, as I continue to uh evolve my business and my career, this is what I always do right here.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: I always ask myself, what do I need to learn before I get the opportunity?
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: And what can I learn along the way?
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: And it could be small steps when it's along the way, because those are not always the same thing.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Here's another reality, family.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: Even when you're prepared, things can still go wrong, things can still go wrong.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: I remember I saved thousands and thousands of dollars when I first started my business.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Guess what?
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: Things still went wrong.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Preparation does not guarantee the outcome, it proves your ability to respond when the opportunity or the unexpected challenge arrives.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's the real advantage.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: It improves your ability, it improves your chances, right?
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: It improves your ability, your skill set to respond and/or react when the opportunity or something unexpected happens.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's the real advantage.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: So even though you're preparing for that opportunity, the job, maybe for you for an example, right?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: It haven't come yet, but just because you've been reading the book, you haven't even been doing nothing heavy, you've just been doing light stuff, watching a couple videos on YouTube.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: Just because you've been doing that, when the opportunity, when the interview comes or somebody calls you, you can actually still be able to speak to that and give yourself an advantage because you've already been studying it.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the black sheet play.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: This is why you gotta prep before the promise.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so here's what I want you to do this week.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: Think about one opportunity that you've been hoping for.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's a promotion, a new career, a business, a healthier relationship, or another important goal.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, instead of focusing only on what you want to receive, ask yourself these three questions.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, what responsibility comes with this opportunity?
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Look beyond the exciting part.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to think about the decisions, skills, commitment, or pressures that will come with it.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: Second, what or where am I currently underprepared for it?
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: Be honest without beating yourself up, family.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: This is bossed up assessment.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: When you're trying to understand what I need at this time and what I don't have, family, that is not a weakness.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: Don't ever beat yourself up for having an honest assessment because only you know where you are.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's just like money-wise, you don't want to go from Texas to New York City and you know for a fact you only have 50 bucks, right?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: You did an honest assessment, don't beat yourself up for not having more.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: It is what it is, but you work with what you have, right?
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: So you might need more money, you may need stronger communication skills, better financial habits, more knowledge, or simply being more consistent.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: Only you know though, but you must ask.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Number three, what's one thing that you can do this week to close that gap?
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Not 20 things, family, just one.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_00: And you don't always say one family, because one day at a time, great things start with one, one meaningful action.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you enroll in a relevant course and actually complete the first lesson.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you ask somebody experience for guidance, maybe you create a budget, practice a skill, or finish a project you've been putting off.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever it is, make it something you can execute because preparation isn't about sitting around hoping your moment arrives, it's about becoming more capable while you're waiting.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes that preparation helps you recognize opportunities you wouldn't have noticed before.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, family, I want you to consider something.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to come from a powerful family, have a perfect background, or start with every advantage to develop powerful and valuable skills.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: And you definitely don't need to wait for somebody else to recognize your potential before you start investing in it.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: That's a power play.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Don't wait for somebody to recognize you and validate you.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: You've been validated the day you were born.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: Your current position may not reflect where you're what you're capable of doing, and it don't reflect where you're going.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: But what you do with this season still matters.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: See, Joseph's story reminds us that preparation can serve a purpose beyond personal recognition.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: When his opportunity came, he had a plan to help other people and step right into it.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: So don't just ask for the door to open.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself whether you're preparing to walk through it and handle it with what's waiting on the other side.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: See, the promise may be what you're hoping for, but preparation is what you can work on today.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_00: And that's your intel briefing.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: Listen, family, if you're thinking about making a career move or positioning yourself for better opportunities, check out the 2027 Career Period Report.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's designed to help you explore career directions, changing workplace demands, and a way, different ways to approach your next move strategically.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: You'll find the link in the episode description, okay?
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because the goal isn't just to find another career, start a job, it's to make a better informed move.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, family, don't just hear today's lesson.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: Run the play.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's all we're talking about, family.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: Run the play.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not here just talking your head off.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: I enjoy talking, right?
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: But run the play because information is everywhere and execution is rare.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see you in the next Intel briefing.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: Take care.