We recently connected with James Bowens and have shared our conversation below.

James, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary define success as a degree or measure of succeeding, or a favorable or desired outcome. Success is relative and we all have varying beliefs about what it takes to be successful. I believe success is a full alignment of what an individual will do, will not do, and what a person genuinely wants. On the onset, the previous statement may seem to lack word fluidity, but I assure you that this declaration is not a waste of word play.

Will

I believe the journey to success begins with individual will. The will encompasses persistence, determination, and overall willingness. Challenges, obstacles, and unfortunate events can serve as tools of discouragement that we may encounter in our lives. Asserting our will over these occurrences is a power that we possess which simply states, I will continue to make forward progression despite my current circumstance(s) or any circumstance(s) that attempt to derail me.

Will not

The journey toward success continues with the mentality, “I will not quit”. After displaying mental fortitude using our will, we must make a declaration of what we are not willing to do. Morals, religious beliefs, and acceptable human behavior general considerations. This category consists of an unwavering desire to seek our purpose and not give up on the journey. I will continue moving forward and I will not give up.

Want(s)

At this level, we should not want anything that will rob us of our goal(s). Distractions will appear on the road to success, but we must be vigilant and ensure that we always maintain our focus. Our wants sometimes hold us captive and if we fully execute our wants today, we can sacrifice a brighter future in the days to come. We should not want anything that will remove us from our course.

Success begins at the point of convergence of what someone will do, will not do, and what is desired. These three powerful forces are keys to obtaining a measure of success in any area of our lives. This mentality fully accepts that challenging times will come, and our journey will not be perfect. There are things what we will never be able to control, but there are others that will lead to great personal power and success if we stop for a second and contemplate, “What does it take to be successful?”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am an entrepreneur who grabbed ahold of discipline and its related benefits later than most. I failed college and was subsequently kicked out back in 2007. I have obtained my Bachelor and Master’s degree in the Information Technology discipline since that time and it only took me 3.5 years in total to obtain both degrees. In 2017, I began my fitness journey as fitness was only supposed to be my outlet from a rigorous school schedule. I wondered if I could use my brain to change what I saw on the outside and it began to work.

I have grown a sizable following on Instagram in the present day buy creating content others wanted to see while remaining creative and consistent throughout the process. This success led me to the creation of my Choose2BeGr8 clothing brand which I am working on now.

I am also a real estate investor in the San Antonio area. I believe that investing in oneself continuously naturally created the desire the improve the world around me. I spend my days investing in others under the scope of physical health and invest in properties to make the lives of others easier by knowing that I corrected issues that arise when seeking to obtain the “American Dream” of homeownership.

I am most proud of the fact that I did not quit even when I was not hopeful. I am also proud that my past mistakes did not dictate my future potential. I was not in the position I am today only four and a half years ago. In fact, I was sleeping on a couch in a basement trying to figure out where I missed it in life. I never imagined that the guy sleeping in the basement would inspire and motivate people around the world. If I can obtain a measure of success based on my origin, we all can make it.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I failed all my college courses and was subsequently kicked out of college in 2007. I felt bad about this experience because I knew I could complete school. The finish line meant more to me than the degree itself. I believed that if I could build the fortitude to close that chapter, I would have the discipline needed to carry me through life. I finished both my undergraduate and graduate degree in a total of three and a half years and I was going to two colleges at one time to accomplish my goal. In the summer of 2017, I passed ten classes concurrently. My resilience was born out of necessity, and I am glad that I was able to close that chapter and move on with my life. The discipline gained during that process still fuels me today.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is a monumental category that has its own quirks but can also serve as a gamechanger in business. I built my Instagram audience initially by being consistent with my postings. I had the quantity over quality mentality. Five years later, I transitioned into the quality before quantity mentality. I focus on inserting creative elements to my posts to attempt to stand out of the group of 1.4 billion active users. My approach is to create content that is relatable and has value in it whether it is entertainment, inspirational, motivational, etc. Planning posts over a prolonged period is helpful as well. I use Instagram stories for posts that are spontaneous in nature and reels for posts that have connected themes to future postings.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjamesbowens/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrjamesbowens
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjamesbowens
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mrjamesbowens