Book Nook: Shattering Black Male Stereotypes - Eradicating the 10 Most Destructive Media Generated Illusions About Black Men

Born to a single mom with six children, he grew up in the projects of Corpus Christi, Texas. By eleventh grade he dropped out of high school and was heading nowhere. Still, he was propelled by a dream of having an extraordinary life. With persistence he got a job, and by age 21 had worked his way to mid-level manager of a multimillion-dollar building supply center. Eight years later, divorce, bankruptcy and foreclosure had him contemplating suicide.

Michael Taylor might have called it quits then and there. Instead, he began a 25-year journey of personal transformation. Having endured all the mental trauma a person can, he became a motivational speaker, a radio talk show host and an author.

That extraordinary life he'd been dreaming about was where he ended up, helping men and women reach their potential. And he's been happily remarried for 16 years.

I had a chance to interview him to learn more.

Why did you decide to write this book? 
Despite what you may see in mainstream media I believe black men are positioned to experience unprecedented levels of success in society today. The doors of opportunity are wide open for those of us who are willing to put forth the effort and make our dreams come true. Of course there are challenges like racism and discrimination but ultimately our success depends on our willingness to invest in our own potential and to take advantage of the infinite amount of opportunities that are now in front of us.

I wrote this book to support men of color in changing their internal narrative about what it means to be a black man today. We are all aware of the negative narrative perpetuated by the media but the key to our success is to change our own inner narrative about ourselves and what we are capable of. I believe when a black man becomes aware of the 10 illusions that I point out in this book it can empower them to change their mindset fro being a victim to being a victor.

Why is it so important to work to shatter stereotypes?

When black men accept negative media stereotypes it keeps them from reaching their full potential. A positive mental attitude is the foundation of a successful life. When a man accepts negative stereotypes he then acts consistent with them and that keeps him trapped in mediocrity. Shattering stereotypes empowers and transforms their thinking and mindset, and when you change your thinking you change your actions, and when you change your actions you change your outcomes. It’s important for black men to see stories and examples of black men who shatter the negative media stereotypes so it gives them hope and optimism that they too can overcome negative stereotypes.

What reasons do black men have to be optimistic about the future?

There is no segment of society that does not have black male presence. We are astrophysicists, geologists, doctors, entrepreneurs, writers, public speakers, media moguls and we’ve even been president of the United States. Never has the doors of opportunity been open wider than they are today. The reason these doors are open is because of the sacrifices and commitment that people of color have made to give us equal opportunities in this country. We must continue to open doors for generations to come by sharing the knowledge and wisdom we’ve gained from the past and at the same time focus on a future filled with possibilities that inspire the next generation to continue the trajectory of success we’ve been on for the past 50 years. It all begins with a sense of optimism and a belief that our upcoming future will be better than our past.

How can black men promote positive changes to help reduce social issues?

First and foremost black men must be willing to invest in their own healing and transformation. This means we must invest in our emotional, intellectual, psychological, physical and spiritual aspect of who we are as human beings. Taking care of our emotional and spiritual health is paramount to resolving a lot of social ills that plague our communities. The great philosopher Lao Tzu once stated “If you want to remove the darkness from your world you must first be willing to remove the darkness from yourself”. Our goal should be to remove any darkness from our own hearts and minds and then support others in doing the same. The only way we can do this is by building support systems and networks with other people who are committed to eradicating the multiplicity of challenges we are faced with. It all begins with the belief that our best days are ahead of us and not behind us and then taking action to create solutions to the challenges ahead.

To read more about Michael Taylor, visit www.coachmichaeltaylor.com, www.facebook.com/coachmichaeltaylor , www.twitter.com/coachmichaelt, www.instagram.com/coachmichaeltaylor, and www.linkedin.com/in/coachmichaeltaylor.