Bad Apples And Babies

In the photo above, I am with my nursery school teacher. I vividly remember dressing up as a samurai that day for school. I was in a Japanese kimono, thinking that I was the coolest 4 year old in town.

Many of my friends call me foolish, but I truly believe that people are inherently good. If there is one belief that has been reinforced throughout my life, it is this one. Just this year alone, I have experienced so much kindness, love, and support from family, friends, teammates, athletes, acquaintances, and strangers on my crazy adventure to build Asia’s first multibillion dollar global sports media property. Don’t let the bad apples from your past taint your belief in humanity. Humans are good. There really is goodness in everyone. I think it is important to remember that everyone was once a baby. And babies are innocent and pure (and awesome). No one is born to hate, to lie, to steal, to cheat, or to kill. My assumption with everyone I meet for the first time is that they are good. I always try to put my best foot forward with everyone I meet until I am proven wrong. I do my best to treat others as I want to be treated. However, I am no altruistic fool. If my trust and faith are misguided, I immediately cut those people out of my life. It is no secret that I have a nasty temper. I have certainly had my fair share of bad apples in life. The trick is never to lose faith in the goodness of humanity though. Every new relationship is an independent, fresh start to do something great together.

If you choose to see the good in others, your world will open up in incredible ways. You’ll be surprised. I know because it has happened to me all of my life. I am truly blessed to live the life of my dreams today because of the countless number of people who have helped me along the way. I don’t believe it is a coincidence. When you choose to see the good in others, they will behave accordingly. When you put your best foot forward with open arms, people can feel it. When you do good, people know it.

Chase your greatness. Dream big. Do good. And never let your faith in humanity be stripped away. Life might be full of suffering and tragedy, but it is also full of beauty and love. #WeAreONE #gratitude