The Little Black Notebook for Success

The Little Black Notebook for Success

Imagine being taught all of your life to go to school and get a good education and you will live happily ever after. Newsflash…turns out so many have gone down this road only to end up scratching their heads and asking “where did I go wrong?” Don’t get me wrong, you have your doctors and lawyers making a mark on the world, but what about you’re everyday “Joe”? Will he ever be able to enjoy the so called “American Dream”?

Charles grew up in the projects of Third Ward TX, where he saw his dad work two jobs to provide for the family. His mother worked a part-time job as a sitter for a neighbor in the community. Days would go by where Charles never saw his dad or mom for days at a time. Both of his parents were high school graduates but never pursued college. They both expressed the main reason for not going was due to their lack of readiness and they did not have the resources or finances to further their education. All they knew growing was to find a 9-5 or 10-6 to keep food on the table, clothes on their backs, and a roof over their head.

One day in passing Charles decided to ask his dad “if he could go back and change his childhood, what would be the one thing he would do differently?” The room became quiet as the anticipation of waiting made it feel like an eternity. Mr. Williams, Charles father became speechless for about five minutes. It was almost like I had struck a nerve. It was almost like my dad had taken a journey in his mind on a time machine back into his past. He placed his hardhat and keys on the table, as he pulled up a seat at the dinner table.

Well son…, I wish my parents would have taught me about financial literacy.

What is that Dad? Is there some type of guide or little black notebook that outlines the steps of financial freedom?

Truth is son, many high schools or colleges do not offer financial literacy courses to better prepare you for the world. The world of finance is becoming more and more complicated, and understanding it is a vital skill, just like reading. For most teenagers like you, college will be one of the most significant expenses you will incur in your young life if you choose to attend.

Let’s get back to your question son. Financial literacy ranges from a spectrum of subjects such as line of credit, credit score, debt, budgeting, financial investments, unsecured loans, stocks and bonds to name a few. Out of all of these subjects son, I would say debt and credit scores are what continue to plague many Americans today.

Dad what exactly is a credit score? A credit score consist of three important numbers until death. Wow Dad! That sounds very scary. It can be scary son like a bad dream you are trying to wake up from. Your credit score typically ranges between 300-850 which is designed to represent your credit risk, or the likelihood you will pay your bills on time. The lower your number the harder it will be to get approved for credit, homes, cars and employment. The higher your number the more power you will have to negotiate anything you can possibly dream of.

Did you know that some jobs will not hire you because of a low credit score? Just imagine being qualified for your dream job only to be denied the position because of your credit score. Oh, that’s not any good said Charles.

In the long run son, if you take the time to learn these lifelong essential rules to financial freedom, you won’t have to work so hard like your mother and I. So if I could go back and change that one thing in my young life, financial literacy would have definitely been at the top of my list. Well it looks like you get the main points of our conversation. I’m going to go ahead and head into work for a couple of hours. The two embraced with a quick hug as the front door closed behind Mr. Williams.

By this time it was time for basketball practice. Since Charles parents were busy making ends meet, he decided to join his high school basketball team. Basketball was his therapy and helped him focus on education and the hopes of going to college on an athletic scholarship. Most of all basketball kept Charles from out of the gang and drug activities his neighborhood is known for.

Charles was offered a partial scholarship to a junior college in Idaho upon graduating high school. Words could never describe how proud his parents were of him for accomplishing the one thing they did not. It was a bitter sweet moment because he was finally leaving home to explore life out of state as a college student athlete.

One day, while hanging out in the student lounge, Charles noticed a writing contest for a chance to win $20,000. Being an out of state transfer all of his expenses were not paid by the school. They only paid for his tuition and books, which left him to pay for housing and other expenses. As Charles read the contest rules he became more and more excited because the topic was right up his ally. The contest entailed to express why financial literacy is essential for teens. Charles eyes lit up like a fireplace on a cold winter day. All he could think about was the day him and his dad had their talk about financial literacy and the freedom it will bring to your life.

Charles hurried back to his dorm room and began to write his essay. He decided to title his essay “The Little Black Notebook of Success through Financial Literacy”. In his preface he first described how his parents had to work day and night and all of the family time they missed together. Also how he often dreamed about the days of jumping in the car with his parents and riding out across the fifty states or vacationing on the sunny beaches in Florida. Unfortunately, those days never came and all he knew as a child was to work hard and hopefully one day enjoy the fruits of your labor.

As he doodled back and forth on his notepad thinking of a caption that would stand out and resonate to young adults like himself, he decided to look at some TikTok videos. One of the videos he came across was named “Work all your Life or Let Your Money Work for YOU?

Perfect….. Charles said.. We all know how much everyone loves money especially teenagers and young adults who are trying to keep up with the latest trends and designer clothes.

Chapter 1: Do You Know What Money Really Is? Guess what? NO, you really don’t know until you have learned about Financial Literacy. Financial Literacy can save you a lot of sleepless nights, wasted years of dead end jobs, low credit scores and years of endless debt. Once you master what money really is and how it can change your life for the good or the bad, your whole outlook on a dollar bill and life will change dramatically.

Charles went on to write more tips and guidelines in his little black notebook in hopes of touching millions of teenagers across the world. His mind began to wonder what he would do with the $20,000 if he won. The first thing he noted was to take the $20,000 and invest it four different ways into the market. Secondly, he thought about self-publishing his book over financial literacy and donating hundreds of copies all over the world to middle and high school students. Charles worked into the wee hours of the night. Reflecting on everything he remembered from his childhood and the moment he realized he could live a prosperous less stressful life. People often say “money” is the root of all evil but money is what makes this world operate on a daily basis. If you don’t educate yourself on money and the power it holds, life can and will be miserable.

Buzz…Buzz… the alarm startled Charles as he had dozed off while finishing up. He realized he only had fifteen minutes to submit his essay for a chance at $20,000. His mom would watch Family Feud every night before going to bed and Charles always would hear Steve Harvey say “if you and your partner get 200 points, you and your family will win $20,000”. We often joked about going on Family Feud one day to test our luck.

As the sun beamed on Charles face through his dorm window the next morning, he noticed he had a missed call from the dean’s office. He hurried to brush his teeth and shower in anticipation of the unknown.

Charles sprinted across the campus as if he was on a fast break for a breakaway dunk. Knock... Knock… Come in Mr. Williams. Charles asked “how did you know it was me”? The sound of your knock sounded so clear like the sound coming from a pair of SONY headphones.

It was as if you knew your hard work and dedication had finally paid off.

Well Mr. Williams! Dean Matthew began to speak softly into the atmosphere; not only did you win the $20,000, but you have been selected to be featured in April’s Smart Money magazine. Charles heart sank into his lap and a tear fell down his cheek because in that moment he knew not only did he win financially, he won emotionally above all else. After seeing his childhood, he could have just stuck to the norm but decided to use all the tools his dad instilled within him to push through to be a bright spot for the future generation.

Valentine’s Day was approaching and his parent’s 25th anniversary fell on that day. He really wanted to surprise them for all of their sacrifices through the years. Charles hurried over to his banking institution and purchased a cashier’s check for an unknown amount. He then went by his local store and purchased a card for his parent’s. Within the card he enclosed the cashier’s check and wrote out these words; “BECAUSE OF YOU; THERE WOULD BE NO ME” I really appreciate everything you did for me as a child and wanted to bless you and dad with the honeymoon y’all never had.

It’s never too late to rewrite your narrative, but it all begins with YOU!