I’m AJ, born and raised in the North Suburbs of Chicago. I’m an entrepreneur at heart. My passion is music and cinematography. I like most sports and enjoy entertainment in all its forms.
I let the world and everybody I held closest to me see.
That’s really where I was at and (still am) prepared to stand on what I said.
But let’s revisit it if need be:
What is the turning point in my life?
The turning point in my life was deciding to sell my best pair of sneakers. I needed money as far I could tell. My income got cut off and I was at the point where I wasn’t even sure what my next meal was gonna be.
Deciding to sell my best pair of sneakers
Nike Dunk Low Retros (Size 10) got announced for sale on my Instagram page.
I bought these shoes with every intention to wear them eventually.
I even had an unworn pair of socks that I planned on wearing with them to match my boo.
But on October 31st, 2025 I recorded a short clip that would change my life.
There was a level of vulnerability that I decided to share with the world in announcing I’m selling my shoes.
I put my face in the video (even recorded it twice), and hit upload after I thought it was somewhat decent.
I’m only talking about some shoes that cost $116.02 by the way.
How am I able to share the exact amount you might ask?
Let’s discuss what should be done in a community where you might be hip to the fact your members feel misunderstood for some reason.
This is group management at its finest when you break it down.
To take a step towards grasping this concept is to take accountability for the outcome of a program that you’re choosing to be apart of.
What should be done if you feel any members of your community want to feel more understood?
Consider hosting a team meeting of some sort if you want to better serve your community. They’ll for sure feel better understood as you learn more about the individual that makes up the entirety of the group. This form of management will ideally ensure your organization’s goals are aligned with the agenda of everyone else involved.
Better understanding the individual through team assembly
Team meetings is one of the most effective methods to facilitate the development and improvement in understanding when it comes to your community.
With these gatherings you’re able to focus your time, energy, and efforts towards things that improve both—the now, and later.
There’s more to serve your fellow members, but you’d be surprised with how far a simple conversation could go!
Immediately what comes to mind as far as benefits that could be reaped from this (or given out) is customizing the message to serve a specific individual or subgroup.
This becomes your opportunity to address areas of growth that’s needed to thrive.
There’s some level of awareness that’s present if you’re aware of members feeling a lack in some area.
That’s where your confidence can be present in addressing this situation.
You have to go in with a mindset that’s completely devoted to solving a problem, and it might not be one you even think is yours.
What’s something you believe everyone should know.
Everyone should know that wrestling is the most universal skill that anybody anywhere could and should learn. That may be a bit of a hot take but I truly do believe that! When you really dissect the science of what wrestling really is, you eventually understand that it’s an ongoing shift of power.
Wrestling is universal in global terms
Do your research and you should find that wrestling is the oldest sport in the world! It shouldn’t be a surprise that combat is a form of entertainment that could capture anyone’s attention.
It’s believed that man wrestled with other angels. Can you believe that? Even if you don’t, humor me. Wrestling is imposing your will on another person. It could catch your opponent off guard, or wear them down into submission.
Every country worldwide have an understanding of some sort as to the value and hopefully the importance of wrestling as a skill. Well maybe not South Korea, but I digress.
Regardless, the things needed to be successful in it is dependent on the greatest resources of any successful community. You have to be strong—mentally and physically, have counsel that can assist you with your growth, and overcome an obstacle to earn the wins that’s passed down in the sport.
This gonna be straight gold if you’re familiar with physical acting that’s got a dash of reality tv in it.
We’re gonna be discussing something that could’ve been done sooner, but here we are finally getting to it.
I’m talking about wrestling and what it takes to make a highly marketable.
How to create a wrestling character
Wrestling characters are born through a variety of factors that play into the final product. In my experience, I find that it happens through practice. From there the wrestler experiences adversity and successes that’s dependent on the mindset of the athlete. Also is that they have to be coachable in some capacity and take advice from counsel outside of their existing knowledge.
Embracing the growth that comes with practice
“Practice makes perfect.”
That’s a saying that’s all too popular but I was told is incorrect from my first ever Spanish teacher Señor Bill (God Bless the dead).
He challenged my class to believe the saying “practice makes better.”
It makes all the sense of the world when you think of it. Practice isn’t everything, but it is a lot.
In most cases it prepares you for an event or competition that lasts for only a small part in comparison to the entire process.
There’s plenty of less pressures and such that goes into practicing.
That’s where you’re able to develop your tendencies, be a little more free, and come to grips with your style as a wrestler.
The lesson adversity teaches us
Adversity is yet another aspect of wrestling that is valued.
I personally believe that it’s slept on because of our instant gratification culture.
We tend to not care much about what it takes to get our final product. Just the results.
But let’s keep the focus on the athlete this time around.
RealTalkAJ 
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