I wanted to share some of my thoughts that I have been thinking about lately. Life has a way of testing the edges of who we are. Not in the moments when the world is watching…but in the quiet hours when no one sees the fight inside you. Silence, rebellion of thought, shadows mistaken for truth, the weight of vice, fear, chains, and walking alone on the fog-covered road — they all point to the same truth: Personal development isn’t a hobby. It’s a battle. A long one. A lonely one. And most people never step into that arena. Over the years, in war, in policing, in leadership, and in the work I do with Project Sapient, I’ve learned something simple but uncomfortable: - When you decide to think for yourself, the world labels you a rebel. - When you choose the truth, you become a threat. - When you outgrow your cage, you become “difficult.” - When you walk ahead, you’re treated as if you’re beneath. But that’s the path! Growth requires silence in the face of those who don’t value your words. It requires the courage to trust your own mind in a world that rarely uses theirs. It requires standing in the light while also staying comfortable in the shadows. It requires owning your vices instead of hiding them behind the crowd. It requires releasing what controls you — even if it leaves you standing alone. And it requires the strength to walk the long road into the unknown… without applause, without validation, without a map. Here’s the truth I keep coming back to: A man is forged in the dark. Character is built where no one applauds. And the freedom you seek is always on the other side of the chains you fear letting go of. If you’re on that road — keep going. Most people won’t understand you. Some will doubt you. Others will mock the path you chose. But growth was never meant to be understood. It was meant to be earned. Stay disciplined. Stay awake. Stay dangerous. Stay sovereign over your own mind. Forward. Always.

DELEGATION: MOST LEADERS TALK ABOUT IT… VERY FEW ACTUALLY PRACTICE IT. The other day, I was talking with a couple other Sergeants, joking around about delegation. We were laughing, trading stories, giving each other grief like we always do, but in the middle of it, something hit me: They didn’t actually understand what delegation really is. They understood “assigning tasks.” They understood “getting things off their plate.” But true delegation? That wasn’t on their radar. And that’s not their fault. It’s a leadership culture problem. Too many people think delegation means telling someone, “Hey, go do this.” That’s not delegation. That’s task assignment. Real delegation is empowerment. It’s a tool that builds capacity, grows people, and strengthens the organization. Here’s a quick story. There was a call for service that an officer got during the shift. The officer had to do some background and get information from a cell phone carrier. I delegated this to the officer. There was a couple of reasons I did that. Sure, I could’ve done it myself. I felt it was a great learning opportunity for the young officer to go ahead and tackle. I then told the officer if he had any questions feel free to ask me. I didn’t assign him a task. I delegated something to him for a couple of reasons. First to learn the process, and to empower him. I’ve learned that there are three pillars to delegation. 1. TRUST YOUR TEAM This is the foundation. If you don’t trust the person, you’re not delegating, you’re waiting for them to fail so you can step in. Trust means believing in their competence and intentions. And without trust, you’ll default to micromanagement every single time. 2. LET GO OF CONTROL The hardest one for most leaders. Delegation means accepting that the task may not be done your way. But if the objective is met ethically and effectively, the path they take is part of their growth. Autonomy builds ownership. Ownership builds leaders. 3. COACH—DON’T ABDICATE