One question that seems to be prevalent in today society is why are we failing as individuals, as a people, as a society?

I venture, the answer is;

We are the reason we are failing.

We are self-sabotaging our own success and potential.

But, How?

I am sure by now most understand that success is built.

Success is not happenstance. One just doesn’t wake up successful.

Success is the outcome of a series of intentional contributions toward a specific goal or objective.

Success is not individualistic.

Inversely no one fails on their own.

No one succeeds or accomplishes anything on their own, contrary to the belief of some.

Generational wealth is built, over time, usually through the concentrated efforts of more than one individual, and it is the same with success.

One has to make purposeful contributions that will move him or her, their family, nation, or society toward a goal.

Actions are the smallest units in building success. Each action performed on a consistent basis builds habits. Skill, character, and knowledge result from habit building.

Success takes purposeful, directed action.

Just as one can build success one action and habit at a time one can also destroy potential for success one action or habit at time.

Continued actions of a toxic nature are antithetical to progress. Failure is the result of continued toxic actions, lending to toxic habits. Toxic habits destroy character, defile knowledge, and leave people incapable of contributing anything lasting or worthwhile.

What does that have to do with us failing as a society, as people, as a family unit?

Toxic behaviors (micoagressive behaviors) of individuals are eroding our potential and sabotaging our success.

As individuals we help build or destroy the potential of others through our actions, speech, and behavioral interactions with others. Not all of our contributions are blatantly obvious.

Microaggressions are small subtle toxic actions, behaviors, often subtle that we communicate to others via our interactions. This is often looked at through the lens of race.

As Dictonary.com defines it “a microaggression is a subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a minority or other non dominant group that is often unintentional or unconsciously reinforces a stereotype.”

However, micro-agressive behaviorism is not isolated to race alone. Micro-agressive behavior, no matter who it is inflicted upon, is destructive and is at the root of mass failure.

How I came to draw this conclusion

Recently I was fully engaged in a profound documentary. This documentary focused on issues that a specific subset of individuals faced. The issues were incessant and contributed to a great deal of suffering. The pain was so deeply rooted that it was generational in nature.

The purpose of the documentary was to get to the root of the suffering, to expose the rot at the root that it might be eventually pulled up and the suffering relieved. The hopeful outcome being a cessation of the perpetuation of a longstanding ill.

In my observation there was one thing that most of the suffers had in common. They were all subjects of microagressive behaviors. Someone, somewhere in their lives had interacted with them in an extremely negative manner under the guise of friendship, love, familial bonds, or well-intentioned friendships. These subjects had been in some manner subject to constant subtle attacks, which over time eroded their self-confidence,.

With this discovery I realized that a lot of failed dreams in life are rooted in self- destructive patterns often programmed into individuals from childhood as a result of micro-agressive exposures.

People are suffering from generational behavioral assault that over-time has destroyed their self- confidence and undermined their potential. To break generational curses we must address our microagressive behaviors.

We can no longer engage in negative small talk or behaviors, at the expense of people, especially those that are our family and friends. Words and actions are powerful.

We have to be more attentive to how we are interacting.

Every time you interact with someone you are either building them up or tearing them down.

How can a man be fed poison and bring forth sweetness.

Our thinking is shaped by our experiences and interactions. As the saying goes, “You are (I am) the average of the five people you spend time with.”

This is how my thinking is formed.

This is how I become.

Proverbs 23:7 states, “As a man thinketh so is he. “

Rene Descartes said, “I think therfore I am. “

If it is our hope to succeed we must change how we interact, thereby changing how we think, act, and build.