You will never erase me...

As I was reflecting today during my afternoon walk with my children, I was taken back...
Back to the journey.
Back to how life unfolded, not always the way I planned it, but the way it needed to go.

You know, life’s funny like that. You don’t always notice the lesson until you’ve been through the storm.

I’ve always found comfort and strength listening to motivational speakers. Guys like Jordan Peterson, Jim Rohn, and lately, David Goggins.
And it’s not just their words—it’s their experiences.
The way they lived through the pain.
How they got back up and made something from it. That’s what speaks to me.

David Goggins talks a lot about his “Rocky moment.” That scene in the movie where Rocky’s getting pounded, down on the mat, and somehow—somehow—he gets back up. That scene changed Goggins' life.
And I get that. Because it wasn’t just a movie—it was truth.
The hourglass of life doesn’t stop for anyone. Time keeps moving, whether you’re ready or not.

For me, my “Rocky moment” wasn’t in a movie theater.
It was in my childhood. Sitting in front of a small TV, watching old Chinese historical dramas dubbed in Vietnamese, because I couldn't speak English yet.
And there was one story… one character that stuck with me all these years.
His name was Sun Bin.

Now, some of you may have heard of Sun Tzu, the legendary author of The Art of War.
It’s a book that’s still studied today in business schools and military academies, but not many have heard of Sun Bin, who also authored his own book, rediscovered in 1972.

For me, it didn’t matter who came first or who wrote what.
What mattered was what Sun Bin represented to me and how his story helped shape the course of my life.

For me, Sun Bin became a symbol. A symbol of perseverance, of resilience, and of mental strength when everything physical had been taken away.
He was one of the most promising military minds of his time.
But he was betrayed by his best friend.
Jealous of his talent. Afraid of what he might become.
He accused him of treason and had him punished.
They crushed his knees.
They tattooed his face.
They stripped away everything a man could be proud of in that world.

In a culture that worshipped strength and honor, he was left crippled and disgraced.
But here’s what hits me every time I think of Sun Bin:
They tried to break his body, but they couldn’t touch his mind.

Mental strength in the face of destruction.
Wisdom in the shadow of betrayal.

He didn’t get up to be who he used to be.
He became something more.
He studied in silence.
He sharpened his mind.
He turned humiliation into focus.
Pain into wisdom.

He waited his whole life, disciplined his mind, and sharpened it for the moment when he would return to reclaim what was his.
To prove his haters and doubters wrong.
And when the time came?
He didn’t ride out for revenge. He moved like a shadow.
He rose up and led his state to a decisive victory—against the very man who tried to erase him—and cemented his name forever in history.

Sun Bin didn’t just win.
He made history, and he did this by enduring agony. Through the pain and turmoil, he always knew that one day he would come back, and he would take back what was rightfully his.

That story… that’s what I go back to when life throws me a curveball.
Because we’ve all had those moments—often in life, we feel like we’ve been betrayed, beaten, or left behind.
When we question our worth, our strength, our value, commitment, and our direction.
When someone we love says something hurtful.
When people we trust take that trust for granted.
Or when people we thought loved us ended up not liking us very much.

But let me tell you something I’ve learned:
Every scar you carry—is a mark of survival. A badge of honor.
Every time they counted you out? Is when preparations need to begin.
Every time someone said, “You’re done”—that was the universe whispering, “One day. Just one day.”

You see, faith is a powerful thing. Do not ever lose faith in yourself. The world can forget about you, and all around you can be null of your existence.
BUT YOU MUST NEVER FORGET ABOUT YOU, because with patience, and with time and planning, you can and will come back stronger than you ever thought possible.

You’re not broken.
You’re being refined.
Shaped by fire.
Sharpened by pressure.

I’m not standing here today because I had it easy. I’m here because I learned to walk with the pain.
Because like Sun Bin, I’ve been through seasons where I couldn’t see a way forward…
But I kept going.

When I was locked up in that cold, dark basement every day for those 8 months, for 7-8 hours, it was Sun Bin that I always thought about.
It was his story that helped me endure those painful times.
I turned the fear of darkness into a passion for the night because I knew that one day, I would find the light.
And the person who put me there would be touched by it, left with a burn forever etched into their soul.
He may have tried to erase me, but he helped develop me into the great person I am today.

And I want you to do the same.
So whatever you’re facing, depression, addiction, regret, loss.
I want you to remember this:
Let them take what they want. But don’t ever give up your fire.
Because when they think you're finished…
That’s when you rise.
Not with anger. Not with revenge.
But with patience and purpose.

Be like Sun Bin.
Let your scars tell the story, not of a victim, but of a warrior who refused to stay down.
Because your story isn’t over yet. It just hasn’t reached the good part.
Your next move could be the one that turns everything around.

And here’s what matters most:
Don’t wait for permission to rise. Because YOU do not need anyone's.
Don’t wait for the world to tell you it’s time.
Because TIME doesn't stop for anyone.
The battlefield doesn’t wait. Life doesn’t wait. Purpose doesn’t wait.
You rise now—not because it’s easy…
But because you still can.

So keep walking.
Keep showing up.
Keep sharpening your mind when the world tells you you’re finished.
Because you’re not done. You’re just getting started.

So live your life, and live it fully, not just for yourself, but for those who went ahead.