Since childhood, my passion for tennis has been unwavering. Whether playing on the court, watching matches unfold, or engaging in discussions about the sport, tennis has always been a significant part of my life. So, you can imagine my excitement when I learned about a book that uses tennis as a metaphor to impart lessons applicable in both our professional careers and personal lives. "The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance" by W. Timothy Gallwey promised to unveil strategies for enhancing focus, awareness, and performance under pressure, among other valuable skills. I'm thrilled to share that the book surpassed my expectations. Its insights were not only enlightening but also immediately actionable, offering guidance that I could apply both on and off the court. As I reflect on the lessons gleaned from its pages, it's evident that they will continue to shape my approach to tennis and life alike. To learn more about my insights, read on!

In the dynamic realm of sports and life, a fascinating interplay exists between the challenges we face externally and the battles we wage within ourselves. Imagine a tennis court where the clash of racquets and the swish of balls serve as echoes of a deeper competition – the battle of the mind. It's within this arena that W. Timothy Gallwey's masterpiece, "The Inner Game of Tennis," comes to life, uncovering strategies that stretch far beyond the boundaries of tennis and extend their reach into both our personal and professional spheres. This book introduces the idea that unlocking peak performance does not solely hinge on refining physical skills; it's about mastering the "inner game." As we embark on this exploration, we'll uncover the wisdom within these pages and discover how a game played on the court becomes a metaphor for excelling in the fast-paced game of life.

To fully grasp the profound impact of "The Inner Game of Tennis," we must seize one of Timothy's early lessons: visualizing the desired outcome. Rather than allowing the inner voice to dictate every move, a more effective approach is to close your eyes and mentally envision precisely how you want events to unfold. Gallwey's insight encapsulates this: "If we let ourselves lose touch with our ability to feel our actions, by relying too heavily on instructions, we can seriously compromise our access to our natural learning processes and our potential to perform." This underscores the importance of relying on the instincts of our intuitive self (Self 2) to reinforce the neural pathways to optimal outcomes. This very principle lays the foundation for our journey through "The Inner Game of Tennis." Consider the intensity, focus, and split-second decisions demanded of a tennis player on the court. Now expand this canvas beyond the match, intertwining these strategies with personal and professional pursuits. If you're curious about how lessons from a tennis book can guide us in mastering mental challenges across various facets of life, continue on. In the following sections, we'll dive into the teachings that unlock the secrets to elevating our performance both on and off the metaphorical court.

The first lesson introduced is the differentiating between the internal battle. The first person you face before you step on the court or before you even get out of bed. This may seem obvious but when you implement the tennis analogy as well as the imagery strategy, this example becomes much more clear. We have all heard this example before, the internal conflict, the devil and angel on our shoulder, etc. However, Timothy explains this internal conflict as Self 1 and Self 2. At its core, Self 1 represents the mental consciousness that incessantly instructs what one should be doing, while Self 2 embodies the physical self that executes the actions. Self 1, the analytical mind, tends to overanalyze, criticize, and interfere with performance, whereas Self 2's role entails natural, effortless performance when granted control.

Differentiating between self 1 and self 2 has many benefits. However, one main benefit in separating these two selves would be the ability to focus, stay in the present, and remain relaxed and concentrated. Avoiding the back and forth argument between yourself will allow you to focus on the challenge ahead with nothing holding you back or second guessing your moves. A lesson taught that I found interesting and oftentimes find myself doing the opposite of is wishing for your opponent to mess up. We have all found ourselves wishing for a break and putting extra thought on the idea of someone else’s mistake benefiting you. However, Timothy’s suggestion was to hope your opponent hits that serve in. This will increase your preparedness and allow you the ability to practice that extra shot. Although it may not actually be practice, in the situation of matchplay, if we have that mindset that even gametime decisions are practice then pressure is released. We will also then tend to imagine ourselves taking the victory, finding a way to win and not wishing for someone else’s mistakes handing you the win. A common example of this is when returning serve. I often find myself wishing the opponent will double fault and hand me a free point. The issue here is that I am then half expecting the serve to go into the net or go long so I am at a disadvantage of being unprepared when that does not happen. If instead I am focusing on my return of serve then I am already preparing myself to begin the point and strategizing what I can control.

Building upon this idea of getting extra practice in and not wishing or expecting mess up’s to benefit you is one of the most crucial lessons the book touches upon that might truly be the most difficult to capture. It is the idea of winning through losing and embracing setbacks. This topic can easily resonate with anyone and definitely does for me. One situation that I constantly go back to is when I was laid off from a new job that I moved to a new city for a month before my wedding. While there is never a good time for bad news, this was even more inconvenient and stressful. While it would have been easy to roll over, give up, turn in my keys and write everyone at the company off, that was never an option for me. Instead of being salty and burning bridges, I embraced the setback. I looked at this as an opportunity to aggressively network with no shame and to use every resource I had. I set up conversations with executives with the company including the CIO. I spoke to everyone I could, not as a means to gain anything but rather to learn. My motivation was not setting up meetings to ask for a job but rather to listen about their work and accomplishments. Their take on industry matters, what is going well or what are areas of weakness. Two weeks later I had multiple job offers on the table to choose from all of which were promotions with significant salary increases from the same company. While I was blessed, beyond lucky, and receiving grace from God that I did not deserve, the main action taken was being willing to find victory in losing and embracing the setback by looking for adjacent opportunities.

After introducing Self 1 and Self 2, Timothy sums the goal of realizing the relationship between the two “harmony between the two selves exists when this mind is quiet and focused. Only then can peak performance be reached.” However, I think the true explanation of the goal between harmony is best described when Timothy writes, “great music and art are said to arise from the quiet depths of the unconscious, and true expressions of love are said to come from a source which lies beneath words and thoughts.” That might be the most beautiful way of saying shut up your mind and just do it! You might think, well in my normal days I don’t do so much music/art making or expressing my love is easier said than done. Which if you are thinking that then you have just realized the sneakiness of Self 2! Acknowledge it and work on quieting Self 2 by going straight into action and stopping all the thinking. There is one point of imagery Timothy gives us of a cat stalking its prey. How focused the cat is and attentive in every step. It is pretty obvious that the cat has peak tunnel vision at this moment, it is not weighted down with all the thoughts of what could happen, what has happened, what will happen. The cat is not focused on the fact that if he does not catch the prey then dinner might not be an option. No, the cat knows its goal and is stuck on what he needs to do without a mere thought of the consequences if he fails.

It is obvious that we need to stay focused but it is not easy and is especially difficult to know what to do when we begin to lose focus. Well for starters one tip Timothy gives is to let go of our inclination to view everything that happens as good or bad. This is the basic principle of the Inner Game. Instead of being mad or happy when an outcome occurs we can switch this mindset by using descriptive words or explaining the reality of what is happening instead of using judgemental words to describe the events around you. Another useful analogy Timothy Uses, “when we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small, but we do not criticize it as ‘rootless and stemless’ we treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed. When it first shoots up out of the earth, we can't condemn it as immature and underdeveloped. The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change’ yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.” You may have heard this rose analogy before and think that while it is a great example, I am not a rose and I would not judge a baby on its ability to do adult tasks. But Timothy also provides an on court example which is more so easily applied to real life examples. He explains that when playing tennis and you hit a ball out, a majority of people will describe that as bad, be mad, and demand themselves to hit the ball in. The correct, Inner Game, approach would be to notice how far the ball went out and end the judgment of “bad” with descriptive facts. Dig a little deeper and get analytical in ways such as, I keep hitting my forehand about 2 inches out when I am trying to go cross court. This will help the mind calm down by thinking more specifically and things will become undistorted as we begin to unlearn judgment.

One actionable example Timothy gives is to imagine that you are on camera. That you are the greatest tennis player ever (Coco Gauff or Tommy Paul) and there is a documentary being created on your greatness. After every shot, every task, imagine that you just hit the most amazing and beautiful competitive shot the world has ever seen. Do not focus on the camera panning the shot over to the shot or your opponent but rather imagine that the camera kept its focus on you. How would you imagine your mannerism to be after the shot. Whether you miss the shot or not imagine that camera only knows how well you do based on how you hold yourself.

Changing habits and forgetting current habits is difficult. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could go back as children with our current knowledge and relearn everything for the first time and avoid all the bad habits we have picked up before they became routine. Well, while that is not possible, it is possible to start new patterns “with childlike disregard for imagined difficulties.” Isn’t that the main reason we never pick up a new habit or start something new. We are always imagining the difficulties. Children are often so quick to disregard all preconceived notions of difficulty or fear and that is the goal we should all strive for going forward. One way to achieve childlike disregard is to not focus on changing anything but watch the change come naturally by experiencing what is happening, “don’t intellectualize it. See what it feels like to ask yourself to do something and let it happen without any conscious trying.”

Instead of fighting all of these bad habits we need to focus on the action, let go and get going. A visualization Timothy gives is that we cannot just focus the mind by ditching it, we have to put it somewhere. That somewhere is focus! In order to achieve that focus the simplest tennis example is watching the ball. It is one of the first lessons a tennis player learns, to watch the ball. Simple task but not so easy. When we are told to watch the seams we start to focus in. We then begin to benefit from more than just actually seeing the ball but also noticing the spin and direction of the ball as well. I never really understood the line in the Patriot “aim small, miss small” until I read this example. We know we need to focus/watch the ball but it is a bit too vague. Instead, the idea of focusing on the seams or the lettering on the ball is a focused enough target that when aiming there you will not miss by much. The Inner Game goal is to focus on being relaxed, not tense and not overly controlled. One interesting pointer Timothy gives is listening to the ball bounce. This sounded super odd to me but when I put it into practice, I understand my focus improving tremendously. Additionally, I remember watching The Great British Baking Show and one of the contestants would listen to his bakes. While I am not entirely sure if this actually helped him or not, it was obvious that the unorthodox ways of focusing sometimes present the most impactful results as we begin to learn new habits through new means.

In closing, "The Inner Game of Tennis" has illuminated the path to peak performance on and off the court, offering invaluable insights into mastering the inner game of the mind. Through the exploration of Self 1 and Self 2, the cultivation of focus, and the embrace of setbacks as opportunities for growth, we've gained a deeper understanding of how to excel in the game of life. While we've touched upon key lessons in this journey, the book contains a wealth of wisdom waiting to be uncovered. While there are plenty of lessons learned that I did not touch on such as relaxed concentration, non judgemental observation/awareness, using feedback to make adjustments, growth mindset, and many others. From the power of visualization and the importance of relaxation to the art of learning through experience, there's much more to explore within its pages. I invite you to dive into "The Inner Game of Tennis" and discover the transformative potential of its teachings firsthand. And if you're inspired to delve deeper or discuss further, don't hesitate to reach out. Together, let's continue the conversation and unlock the secrets to mastering the inner game, both on and off the court.

I have for a very long time loved the fast food restaurant, Cookout. Going into my final year of undergrad, Oxford Mississippi was blessed with a Cookout. The line was often all the way towards Jackson, yet somehow you never had to wait very long to get your food. Not only was the speed insanely quick but it was also a deal that you could not beat. For 5 dollars you could get an entrée, two sides, and a drink. It did not make sense. I like to think that the CEO of cookout said, "let's make a restaurant that defies all the laws of science! It will be made for the people and because it is for the people we will name it Cookout so everyone who comes will feel as if they are sitting in backyard of their family cookout!" My love for Cookout only grew when I moved to Houston, Texas for my first job after school. It is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. My love for them was made public when I tweeted how much I missed them and to my surprised they tweeted back how much they also miss me! My love for Cookout grew so strong that I moved back home closer.

For these reasons I knew that Shahzad and I's next typical food adventure had to be to Cookout! The true story is that when Shahzad and I got into the office that specific Friday to our surprise no one on our team had showed up and no one informed us that they were all working from home. So we took an extended lunch to go to one of those Amazon return stores. It was a bust and they had nothing that was interesting to us! When we walked out of the store it hit me where we were! It was the same road that I would take to meet up with a class buddy to do school work with. I remembered that each time I would finish a major assignment, I would take a slightly longer route home to pass by the love of my life and treat myself to a chicken quesadilla, cajun fries, and a BLT! Sometimes I would upgrade my drink to a shake for the amazing price of one dollar!

I told Shahzad to jump in the car and did not tell him where we were going! Deep inside he knew it would be awesome! The quest to Cookout required crossing state lines and passing a wreck in the middle of the intersection and Shahzad was shocked that he had to enter a new state for such a deliciously.

The arrival was a bit hectic because of the wreck and then because Cookout's dine in was closed. With such a huge menu selection it was a lot to digest in such a quick matter of time. We had a quick conversation over if a hamburger was ham or beef and after a few seconds I gave up the fight because it is America's fault that they would name such a popular food that had no ham at all in it a hamburger. I guess a beefburger sounds weird but I am sure it wouldn't have if we were introduced to it that way. Shahzad coming from a country that appreciated a lot of spices stuck to the cajun spiced menu items. This included cajun fries, cajun chicken wrap, and cajun chicken sandwich. They sure did put that cajun spice on his food too cause upon opening the box it flew all across the car! The only downside was that Shahzad had wished he upgraded his huge tea to a shake! I told him that he would not have regraded it but that it would be a good excuse to go back!

Overall his review was what I expected... Shahzad is uncultured and does not appreciate the finer things in life. He quickly redacted his subpar review of the food being good but not great to the cajun spice was pretty spicy, the cookout special sauce was amazing, and the best part is that the price vs quantity is unbeatable!!

This post from January 31, 2022 was never posted until now, July 11. The immediate reason for not posting was because we forgot to get a good picture and I was not sure what to post with it! I also did not edit the post and have yet to check it for grammatical errors or to spice it up some more. I might not do that for another while but I definitely need to go ahead and post this memory. I think the main reason for not posting it though is because I miss my good work buddy, Shahzad. I hate that I have only been able to see him once since my departure from DHL. We still talk and have a ton of plans to continue this blog. Maybe me wanting to start writing in it again will be reason enough to reunite with my good work friend! Until then, here is our trip to Cookout!

Here goes back to back posts highlighting Shahzad's journey through the Deep South's most cliché culinary experiences. Shahzad, being in America for two years, give or take a month or so, had never experienced a good home style Cracker Barrel meal. Originally, you could have convinced me that this was a requirement to move to America. If not America then at least it had to have been an entry requirement to move to Tennessee! I found out that I was wrong but the lack of needed policy action from our elected officials did not make this blunder of his any better. The unfortunate news is that Shahzad and I have not been able to work together for the past few months because of the "need" at work for support on different shifts. Though our work partnership had been temporarily halted did not mean that our friendship followed suit. Especially getting so close to the holiday spirit there was a desire to showcase the magic that is Cracker Barrel into a Thanksgiving meal!

Twas the night before Thanksgiving, I had just finished my shift and Shahzad was preparing for his. Our plan was simple, I would take my lunch break late and Shahzad would take his early so that we would stagger our times and be able to enjoy a feast even though our work times were different. Last minute Shahzad called an audible due to an accidental nap and an increase in work demand at Yeti. This did not stump our plans as we were determined! Now this meant that Shahzad would just be a tad bit late going into work but it would be well worth it!

When Shahzad walked in, I was not surprised at his shock that we did not walk into a restaurant. I had to explain to him that the "Old Country Store" portion was what made Cracker Barrel so special. The only upsetting part was that we were rushed to get back to Yeti and that we were quickly seated. The experience did not end with a quick sitting though, it was only accelerated!

When we sat down the walls glistened with ancient artifacts and pictures that fully completed the setting that is Cracker Barrel. To his surprised we were met with the free appetizer of biscuits, cornbread, and jjelly. Quickly, we ordered the Chicken tenderloin dinner and all the starch as sides. We had steak fries, mac and cheese, fried okra, mashed potatoes! It was truly a delight! I have always been a HUGE advocate of Cracker Barrel's honey mustard, as it truly is the best honey mustard in the world. Although Shahzad claims to be a bbq kind of sauce guy, I feel as if the honey mustard more than met his expectations. Before the meal, I was even able to explain the iconic peg game that I feel as if Cracker Barrel must have invented.

Overall, the meal was a Thanksgiving miracle. It felt slightly rushed but as always sitting down at a Cracker Barrel for your first time has to give the illusion of going home to Water Valley, Mississippi and sitting down at Grandma's for some biscuits and good ol' fried food! I am sure Shahzad will admit that the taste was not the best tasting chicken he has ever had but I know if he is ever in search of some good comfort food or that feeling of going home to his southern adopted Grandmothers that he will head straight to Cracker Barrel.

This food review is so long overdue that I had to go back in my camera roll to confirm when this food trip actually took place. I was shocked to see that the date was September 30th. However, before Shahzad tells me that it has been to long, I have to remind him that this trip was one he had already experienced and it is not my fault that DHL has recently separated our work partnership through shift times. With that being said, it does not take away from that fact that this story needed to be recorded because every trip to Buffalo Wild Wings for Thursday BOGO boneless wings contains memories of sauce that needed to be captured and reflected upon for years to come.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, Shahzad is from Pakistan and has come to America to enjoy our delicious culinary cuisines such as Waffle House and the Walmart Deli section. Apparently when he came here in search of the perfect gas station chicken on a stick, he also received his Masters as a computer genius (nerd) and got his dream job as an Operations Systems Analyst at DHL Supply Chain in the pyramid mecca of the world that is Memphis, TN. I hope I have also mentioned Shahzad's love for chicken as he considers himself a connoisseur of all things poultry. For these reasons alone, you should not be surprised that after a few brand new culinary experiences that Shahzad had an urge to visit the good ol' faithful that is BDubs. It also helped that today was Thursday and we all know how we are balling on a budget.

As I look back on this day and begin to write, I remember that Shahzad and I had been planning this trip for over a week. He was very excited and reminded me each day leading up. My sister was getting married a week later and I told him that the trip may be postponed. When Wednesday rolled around he reminded me about Thursday BOGO wings. I let him know that I may have to reschedule. On Thursday, my stress level was at an all time high and I told him I would have to rush home after work and would not be able to eat. He said that was okay but as I quickly sprinted out to my car, I saw a look of devastation on his face. The wings had been on his mind for weeks now. As I sat in my car slowly making my way out of the parking lot, I stopped. I realized what it meant to be there for someone and how necessary it was to sacrifice a little time for a friend. I called him up and told him that I changed my mind and I would have to take time for dinner at some point so I really was not wasting any time if we had a quick early dinner.

This turned out to be the right decision because to my excitement BDubs had done it again! I have always been interested in those crazy unique food items. Even when they are terrible, I love the excitement of trying a new flavor or a crazy food collaboration! That is why I was in total shock when I saw the limited time Doritos Sweet Spicy Chili Wings. My little sister had introduced me to these chips a few years back and I realized they were the undisputed best chip in the world. I thought she was crazy when she said that because, I don't like spicy and I do not super love the color purple. I know that both of these things is how Dorito tricks people and turns away the haters. Because they are not even that spicy and the color purple must be an illusion because it now only enhances the flavor. The waiter came and I had to ask him to confirm this was a real flavor and not an early Halloween Trick or Treat game. He said it was real life and took our order. He was confused when he asked Shahzad what he wanted to drink and Shahzad's response was "no water." He was like okay well what might you want to drink then. Shahzad just smiled without giving a response. He brought Shahzad a water anyways and Shahzad explained that water would take away from the full wing experience by partially filling him up. This might be the tell tell sign of how respectful Shahzad is to his love of wings. It was truly an eye opening moment as Shahzad accidentally shared the wisdom of giving all you have when you are face to face with your true passion and an opportunity that you have waited for, to him chicken and BOGO wings.

On top of our delicious scrumptious wing experience we were again put in shock when our wings were accompanied but our own small bag of Doritos Sweet Spicy Chili. This meal was too good to be true as the wings were delicious and a side bag of chips that we did not even have to order! Amazing! Looking back and reflecting on this situation, I realize that all the anxiety I had for things I needed to get done all gone done! I enjoyed some amazing wings and realized that sometimes all you have to do is let the anxiety settle in and go enjoy the finer things in life like a limited edition BOGO wing.

We later had another experience at BDubs to make sure we got another serving of BOGO wings. This time it was on DHL's dime as we were with a higher up. The wings were still magical but the trip was a bit more chaotic. We were rushed for time to get back in a reasonable time frame, there was some awkward conversation points, some accusation of chicken still clucking and salad being too soggy. That may be a story for another time or maybe just insider talk by Shahzad and I. But to continue with the lesson learned I wont take away from the magic of wings and will continue to focus on the simpler things in life. It is true that the world is not too complex for simple answers. We just have to realize that the simple answers are enough.

The Ole Miss Rebels! My alma mater, home of the city I was born in, and the most beautiful place on Earth has given me so much. Although I have recently earned a new alma mater, Ole Miss will forever be my primary rep! Honestly, as long as I try to have a second favorite, I truly cannot even consider any other school. It will always be the Rebs #1, then those that I am indifferent towards, and then everyone else that I could "not" care less about but probably cheer for whomever they are playing against. However, yesterday was a classic new story involving my love for Ole Miss and the experience she gives me.

Going into this season I knew that I was going to already miss two of the Rebel's home games, the season opener and the Arkansas game. For this reason MK and I decided against buying season tickets. Our alternative would be to enjoy the tailgating and see where the day takes us. Early in the week we knew that Saturday was calling for rain but we have not been to an Ole Miss game since the Matt Luke era. We decided that doing our own tailgate for the first time would be smart because a game like this we would be able to tell if this is something we would like to do or not. After waking up and doing some home work we made lunch and my sister who is a sophomore at Ole Miss came over. I gave her a brief history of Ole Miss Football during my tenure as a student and why the Ole Miss vs. Liberty game was one that I was very excited for, due to the potential drama. I was getting very excited for my first game back in two years.

The night before Sam, MK, and I packed his car and threw the tent up in the Grove. Working for Lt. Gov Delbert Hosemann, I had to rush the Grove to set up a tent multiple times and it was the worst experience ever due to the rude professional tent services. However, this time I was doing it with friends and we were going much later to avoid any crowd. Everything went very smoothly. When gameday rolled around the rain stopped and it seemed as if we would get a sunny game! I was sort of upset because I was sweating some sort of way in pants and duck boots. It was not until we were sitting in the LRC as I was nostalgically experiencing one of their amazing hamburgers for the first time since I graduated when the sky fell out. But we were determined to go to the game! An hour before original kick off we marched through the Grove with a little bit of rain and made it to the Vaught and up to our seats. The rain was not stopping and was actually coming down much harder. We took cover in the stadium tunnels and as lighting lit the sky we knew this game would not start anytime soon. Foolishly we decided to go back to the LRC. After having to pick up MK on multiple occasions to prevent her from getting soaked in the mini rivers all over the place we finally made it back.

We dried off a bit and then realized that it would probably be a couple hours before the game actually started and then it would be close to midnight when we would be taking down the tent, table, chairs, and food. We knew it would be best to go ahead and do what we could now and avoid having to take things down after the game. We left MK and Christene back at the dorm and braced the storm to our tailgate site. Taking everything down presented a few difficulties but nothing we could not handle. Realizing the food was salvageable was the boost we needed to get things going. However, Sam was parked at the Jackson Ave Center and the rain was still steadily falling. We did not talk much, we knew we were both struggling. The few words we exchanged were to confirm we were both doing okay and to acknowledge that bad days truly make the best stories. We briefly laughed while taking quick breaks about how we will tell our kids about our experience taking over a tailgate of our own.

After finally reaching the parking lot Christene and MK drove up to find us. We packed Sam's car and Christene drove us back to campus. She dropped Sam off at the game while MK and I decided to forgo attending. MK, Christene, and I drove through the Chickfila drive thru line, foolishly turned down an offer to get anything we wanted for free, drove through a closed Arby's line and finally decided to make Cheeto Mac and Cheese which surprisingly was not bad. At the end of the day, we decided there was many things to improve upon if we are to ever do a tailgate again without paying for a company to do the heavy lifting. At the end of the day though we laughed, we learned, we enjoyed each other, and the Rebs won!

After giving Shahzad my in depth very detailed breakdown of the most typical restaurants in the greater Memphis area we decided on our first stop. Though the decision was not overwhelmingly in favor of any one of the options he was very interested in the black berry tea from Chili's. The large variety of menu options as well as the more than fair prices associated with the deal was more than enough to settle on the famous Chili's Bar and Grill. We finished our work for the day, jumped in my car, and headed across the (TN/MS) border to the Chili's. Due to Shahzad coming to America in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I knew this would obviously be one of the top American cultural experiences he has had thus far so I decided to enrich him upon some of the most superlative music. I started off strong by introducing him to Mr. Brightside... Honestly, we could have listened to that song on repeat and everything would have been perfect. However, I had to keep it going! There were many songs that could have been played but I made sure to hit him with other sure classics. When we finally arrived at the Chili's, it was surprisingly empty. And by that I mean there was one other couple that may have been in their 70's and a few other stragglers that came in after us. I hope that he just assumed that we had rented out the entire room or that the Chili's party usually begins much later than 4PM. I lead him to the 3 for 10 menu as that was my go to and we really did not have to look much farther as Shahzad is a self proclaimed chicken tender aficionado. He got the spiciest of sauces and of course had to get the black berry tea. I was offended when he was shocked that his meal came with a side of fries and a whole corn on the cob because I tried to warn him that Chili's will treat you right on portion size! After munching on a delicious meal partnered with tremendous service we shared stories of family and cultures. When the bill came out we had a brief argument on who would take it and Shahzad insisted that where he comes from it would be wrong for it to be any other way than he to take it. I knew that there would be many opportunities for me to return the favor as we both struggle through the "OSA Training Matrix." All in All the review is a solid two thumbs up! The best one yet for sure! Although our fearless leader/manager gave us a good roast the following day for choosing Chili's and being so very pleased with our experience, we knew that there was no better option than the place where Michael Scott defied the business world and closed deals that no other art of the deal could have dreamed to accomplish!

In an attempt to escape from our least favorite work site we decided to take a trip to the closest restaurant there was, America's Drive Thru. It was a rainy day and we had been working endlessly all day. I knew the only thing that could get us through the day was a nice cherry limeade! Unfortunately the experience was never fully complete as we circled the smaller than most parking lot. After three or four laps we parked and the app to receive half priced drinks did not even work. We pulled out and pulled into a spot closer to the front in hopes that the cellular service would be better. To our misfortune it was no better. We settled on popcorn chicken and ate it back in the conference room. Due to a rough first experience, I know it will take a lot of convincing and the right mood to get Shahzad back to Sonic. When we do return, our order will already be placed so that we can receive the mobile benefits with peace of mind!

What is probably the most satisfactory meal to date was our trip to Huey's. What made this meal so great was not how good the proclaimed best burger in Memphis was but because the entire meal was on DHL's tab. The sausage/cheese platter and loaded tots were more than scrumptious even with Shahzad having to eat around the sausage and bacon. The appetizers were ordered without much of out input, as I am sure the options we had would not have been either of our choices. We munched without much argument though because Shahzad and I are big picture kind of guys. We were not putting much stock into the appetizers as we knew the entrees would be where boys become men. Shahzad went with a unorthodox spin on his go to chicken sandwich and ordered the chicken philly cheese sandwich. From his expression and sure confusion it was obvious that the sandwich scored somewhere along the 4-6 range. As for my selection, there was a few options peaking my interest. Our boss's boss's recommendation interested me the most because he told a story about how the last time he was in Memphis for 14 days, he went to Huey's 10 times and ordered the same thing. With this information, I had to go with the Patty Melt! After reflecting on this journey, I would say my review is slightly higher than that I predict Shahzad's was. Overall, I think we were on the same page and that we would never turn down a free meal. Aside from the meal we found out that we have some pretty cool work employees as we were able to come together around the table with Vince, Mike, Brandon, and some IT guy from Ohio.

August 2, was the second day of the month but the first day of the month’s work week. It was also the first day of the job for soon to be DHL Supply Chain legend Shahzad Merchant. Shahzad claims to have only been in the United States of America, “the states” as some call it, for two years, first arriving when he began his master degree at Memphis State (otherwise known as University of Memphis). However, this is very unlikely because the first thing I remembered him saying was “Merchant… like the English word” at this moment I was very skeptical but because I am a stay in my lane you do you boo and ill do me kind of guy I brushed it off and continued to do what I usually do at work which is usually much of nothing.

However, my suspicion resumed when we spent the day off our home site and at Meguiar’s. I was suspiced when I looked over to see him staring at a scrumptious looking at their menu favorite, the Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich. This was suspicious because we were supposed to be on a conference call (I was not listening but was at least pretending to) and he was looking at his lunch menu obvious enough to try and use it to spark the conversation that he has never had a sonic sandwich. He then preceded to invite me to a bite to eat at… Chipotle… a restaurant he has already claimed to have experienced. I am thinking who sees such a beautiful chicken sandwich and decides he’d rather experience the salmon vanilla ridden Chipotle when right down the road he could have experienced a classic crispy chicken sandwich fried to perfection, a route 44 cherry limeade (half off when ordered on the app), and chili cheese fries because I am not a huge tot guy. All of which this order would be delivered in the most iconic fashion in the American food industry, Roller Bladed car hops. This was only one of many strikes Mr. Shahzad received, the first was calling a picture of me taken three weeks ago fat and double downing on it multiple times as a way to gaslight me into thinking it was a compliment of how much better I look 3 weeks later. The most recent is him informing me Marshmallow’s are apparently pork which I find a hard time believing even though his extensive research seems to check out.

To the point of this factual evidence based 100% true scholary publicized article both reviewed, confirmed, and approved by Phoenix University, Go fighting phoenixes!, which is to give Shahzad a detailed-ish, depending on how I feel as I write, breakdown of must have restaurants in a decent distance from DHL Supply Chain and Logistics Goody’s site so that he can choose which one we should go to.

CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE

The not so hidden gem of America has to be number one on the list. During Shahzad’s and I’s infamous trip to Meguiar’s I told him that something I recently had was so good that I almost slapped my momma. He looked at me appalled by the disrespect. However, I explained how a Southern Man prides few things over his respect and love for his mother. Which is why often when something is so delicious it is common to use the expression that it is so good that you cold slap your momma or grandmother because of how disrespectfully good it is or how good it is you almost lost your mind.

At Cracker Barrel you will find an extensive menu from all day breakfast, to fried chicken, to steak, and everything in between. Greeted with a fresh basket of biscuits, cornbread, and a “nice to meet y’all” from the sweetest southern staff you can find it is surely to live up to the hype!

This southern cooking will not disappoint and is a staple of America! CHILI’S GRILL

Chili’s has long been known as one of the world’s finest culinary experiences. It is truly no lie that Chili’s has always been great since the founding on March 13, 1975. However, Chili’s was recently propelled to excellence from Scranton legend Pam when he “felt God in this Chili’s.” Since this moment Chili’s has won countless awards and hosted many Dundee award shows. What sets chili’s apart from everywhere else is not just the magic that brings people together and tears down barriers and bad thoughts but instead is the ultimately diverse menu and the amazing deals. Truly a class act way to ball on a budget, Chili’s offers multiple options such as the 3 for 10 which allows you to order a beverage (which at most restaurants is like 3 dollars), an appetizer, and an entrée all for the amazing price of 10 dollars. And not only do they have this amazing deal but the menu options are limitless!! There are wings, burgers, the worlds best eggrolls, chicken, and so much more! Not to forget the drink option is not just sodas and water but amazing teas with awesome flavors.

We briefly mentioned the magic ability chili’s has to bring others together but we definitely need to highlight what this magic is. It is much much more than the atmosphere that secretes love for others but the trademark 2 for 25 which says come and be one. This 2 for 25 is when two people come together in friendship sharing an appetizer and dessert but still get their personal entrée! All for the amazing price of 25 dollars.

COOKOUT

I cannot say enough about Cookout… truly I could write the longest book in the world just about cookout. Not only because of how amazing it is but because of how extensive the menu truly is! The sign says fresh burgers, bbq, hot dogs, and shakes but they are not doing themselves justice because they are much more than that. They truly have the worlds best chicken quesadilla and their service is second to none! Always ready to serve fresh food instantly it is almost as if they are your personal chef reading your mind before you even order! You may say wow! Such an amazing place but how is it affordable for anyone! Well they have reinvented the way anyone operates because for 5.99 you can get a drink, a main dish, and two sides! And for sides go ahead and make it another main dish cause it can be a quesadilla or chicken nuggets! They have also won awards for the best every home sauce! You may say you don’t want a drink… well that is okay! Because you can upgrade that drink to one of their over 40 flavors of milkshakes for one dollar!!

They may call North Carolina home but their home away from home will always be my heart.

WAFFLE HOUSE

Honestly if you have not been to waffle house yet then idk why I am writing this… I feel like I am not the one to write a review that can capture what Waffle House means to America… So, if you have yet to try this deliciousness, do not take my word for it. I will forward you to Robert Owen Brown of Hernando, Mississippi to explain what you have missed out on

The other day, I achieved what might be the greatest accomplishment of my life. I finally finished the last Harry Potter book. I began this journey while working in West Virginia right before the Coronavirus Pandemic began. Though I began this journey very late in my life, I have always considered myself a huge Potter head.

While reading the books, I realized that I have not always been a Harry Potter fan. In middle school, my friends and I played Harry Potter Scene It. I was embarrassed when I could not even answer the question, “Who is the Author?” I sort of always considered the kids who read Harry Potter as the smart ones in the spotlight and read often. It could have been that I started to love Harry Potter so much because I thought it would make others think I was part of that smart crowd! It could have even been that every year for Homecoming, a friend and I would find the closest day that could pass for Wizard theme, and we went as Harry and Hermione. Honestly, I loved Harry Potter because of how fun it was to dive into the magic! Even as a self-proclaimed Slytherin, I loved the story and everything that came with JK’s wizarding world.

In my sophomore year of college, Ole Miss played FSU in Orlando. I still remember that devastating loss Ole Miss suffered to open up the second darkest time in my Ole Miss fandom, right after the best few years I have ever experienced in sports. However, that trip was one of the best ever because of the pure excitement I felt walking through Universal Studio’s Harry Potter World. I enjoyed a Butter Beer at the Leaky Cauldron, and I will never forget when the dragon on top of Gringotts breathed fire. It truly was such a fantastic moment, but the issue was that I still had never read the books.

Reading through the books was one of the most fun I have ever had. At times I would go multiple days not reading, but then at other points, I would be completely hooked, only looking forward to picking up the book again. I even chose reading the book over studying for my master’s courses or ignoring my job duties for my new job. Overall, I think the book even helped me learn a few lessons at a point when I really needed them. The more apparent themes in the book would be love and friendship, how both love and friendship is the most powerful form of magic and luckily a form of magic that we muggles get to wield every day. However, it was the last few chapters are the ones that hit the hardest. It was the end of the book when Harry marched to his death, reunited with his loved ones, and looked a certain uncertainty in the face. I remember reading a few of the pages multiple times and even just sitting to reflect at multiple times.

Now for the hot take that I know everyone will hate.. I may be the only person to ever admit to having this opinion, but… the movies are better than the books! If Harry Potter has taught me anything, it’s that it is entirely okay to have that opinion and the ultimate ultimate lesson is not to let others say you are crazy and to gaslight you! I could write pages upon pages about how much I love the movies. The books were good, but nothing will ever beat watching the films for the first time and seeing the magic with my eyes!

Stephen, I am not sure that I know much more than you do now but I guess I have had 6 more years of doing this thing! I think you are going to be proud of yourself at what you’ve accomplished because it is things we never really even imagined. You have also grown so much. Not height wise, I am pretty sure we haven’t gotten any taller but as a person. I think it is safe to say that we enjoy where we are more often now and take plenty of time to enjoy the moment. However, life really does move fast so there is always room for growth right there. You are definitely going to see your fair share of confusion and struggles but you have a great team in your corner to lean on. It will change but that change will always end up being for the better so do not be so reluctant to accept it when it happens. You will fail at that but again it also figures itself out. The main thing to remember is that everything works itself out. Like a wave there are many ups and downs along with many crashes but when you’re at the top enjoy the breeze and pay attention to the view. If you make sure to do that then come up from the crash will only be that much more exciting!
Never stop dreaming.
-Stephen

This blog was originally created for my capstone class at UofM in my MBA program. As you can see in the previous blog posts the purpose of the blog was to follow a company of my choice, AMC, and write about their company strategies correlating with the chapters of our textbook. I enjoyed creating the website and writing the intro blog so much that I decided whenever I finished the class I would transition the blog site into my own for personal use. So here we are!

Every mentor I have ever had at some point always gives the advice of taking notes. The way they describe the importance and strategy of notes is often like praying, do it often, and about everything! However, It is definitely easier said than done. At night when I am laying beside my physical journal, I am often too tired to turn over, open my notebook, turn on the lights if I’m in bed, and start writing. My handwriting has also gotten a lot worse since I am no longer writing often as I did in high school and undergrad. I have also heard the advice of pulling over to the side of the road if you are driving but that also isn’t convenient at all which means I don’t usually see that as an option to do. Even the more obvious things I think to myself, oh I will remember that easily! But an hour later I have completely forgotten what I swore to myself I would remember.

I use to be big in writing in my physical planner. I put everything in it and often used the notes section. As time has progressed I use it less often. A few years back I wanted to start reading but physical books got on my nerves. It was too difficult to carry around and when I actually was able to open them up it just sorta got in the way. Then I listened to a podcast about this guy who reads over 100 books a year. Which seems impossible to me as my goal is much lower. His advice was that he doesn’t accomplish his goal by sitting down hours at a time. Instead, he accomplishes his goal by reading a few minutes at a time and finding those few minutes all throughout the day. This means when he’s waiting in line for coffee.. he’s reading. When he’s on the bus heading to his destination.. he’s reading. He found little increments throughout the day and that is when he found time to work towards his goal.

All of these above thoughts clicked on me when I asked the question of how do I make it easier to actually take notes and implement the strategy from all of my mentors to journal more often. The solution came to me in the form of this blog that originated as an AMC strategy analysis in my last semester of graduate school. I would be able to share my thoughts, jot ideas, and allow myself a way to record everything going on in my head. If the thoughts and words are good enough to share then I can hit publish. If they are private or something I am still working on and developing then I can save to draft and come back later! Altogether, I decided this would be a creative platform for me to finally put forth the strategy that each of my mentors explained as a critical part of success!Breakdown:

Breakdown:

This blog is no longer about AMC! It is not officially SWGC Blog!

It really is important to draft down thoughts, ideas, things you hear. It does not only help to serve as a reference but also helps to open your mind and have a conversation with yourself.

Organization mixed with convenience is very helpful! That is the benefit of making my journal a blog that is always in my pocket! Fingers crossed I have wifi most of the time!

The biggest takeaway I have is that by making this public I will allow myself to be more real. If not a single person reads these then at least I will become more comfortable with the idea of reaching out to people and it will hopefully transition into how I conduct my actions towards others.

This is the introductory blog post where I will share my random thoughts on many different topics.

Stay tuned for exciting content and engaging discussions covering various ideas, experiences, thoughts, opinions!