Growing up I was always fascinated by the way things worked. I spent more time taking toys apart and reassembling them, or retrofitting them into hybrid versions of themselves than just playing with the actual toy. This fascination has followed me into adulthood, as I have forged a career out of designing solutions.

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Working in the field of Building Automation and Energy Management Engineering, I have spent years finding ways to design and operate electrical, mechanical, and software systems more efficiently for critical buildings (Hospitals, Labs, Data Centers, etc.). The unique assets none of these systems consider on paper, however, are the individual personalities of those responsible for installing and operating the aforementioned technology. This is where I began to recognize that an ability to communicate and articulate complex messaging for various audiences, actually held as much if not more value than any of my skillsets. 

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Typically, I tend to apply a positive attitude during adverse situations- which, in this line of business, is often. In doing so, I not only gained success in my career but also noticed consistent patterns in people during high-stress situations. I found there was a distinct correlation between the quality of efficient communication and perceived stress levels. So, I began exploring how I could possibly improve participant morale within these environments regardless of role or responsibility. My concept was fundamental; foster the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals to help them control and communicate their thoughts more clearly. Simple enough I ambitiously imagined, but where to begin…

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I started by making a conscious effort to pay closer attention to verbal and non-verbal cues when in social settings with colleagues, friends, and family. Interestingly enough, the tell-tale signs began to present and now actively looking, signals were more evident. Equipped with this newfound sense of awareness, I was able to readily detect causes for concern. I developed an aptitude to tactfully inquire about an individuals’ overall well-being, e.g.: a simple question, a show of compassion, or even a subtle, non-verbal gesture. These actions would often spark deeper discussions, which led me to an eye-opening realization: In my conscious effort to recognize others and learn more about their needs, I learned much about myself as well. There is truth in that we learn more from others, and that a watchful eye can avoid danger. 

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What I observed is what we would typically expect: high stress, fatigue, burnout, and bad habits leading to poor life choices. I found terms, such as depression and anxiety, used loosely, out of context, or incorrectly. Understanding what causes or defines these disorders is paramount for identifying them and seeking the proper treatment. Furthermore, it has been determined that depression is typically predicated on worries of the past, whereas anxiety stems from fear of the future. There is a distinct differentiation between the two and the terms are often misused or misrepresented. Regardless, these terms should be recognized as a trigger and appropriate attention should be given when one presents with them.​

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This is a small example of the bigger picture at play but provided evidence validating my findings and prompted further research. It's clear that the more education we gain on these topics (our overall mental state and abilities), the better we can look out for ourselves and subsequently those around us. Using myself as case study number one, I began to evaluate my routine and how I handle stressful environments. Some may say that I handle stress well and keep calm- and I believe that I do- until I don’t.​

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We all experience setbacks and/or weaknesses, but with proper planning, we can better prepare for these challenges when they arise. For the first time in my life, I stopped focusing on how I can accomplish the things I do and started focusing on why I do them. This type of self-reflection can seem scary at times because we don’t always want to understand our motives or admit our fear. However, being honest with ourselves is imperative to formulating a plan for our future and once accomplished, is actually easier than we imagined.​

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In lieu of my self-discovery, I expanded on my prior education and perceived knowledge of these psychological and philosophical topics. With the intent to better understand the human mind, I have researched a wide array of studies spanning anything from recent data, to narratives dating back to biblical times. The general consensus would agree that we, as emotional beings, have a strong susceptibility to falling prey to cyclical stress and anxiety traps.​

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Inversely, the conclusion is not to shelter, but rather expand our mental capacity by using a variety of healthy techniques. This reasoning made sense to me, as it felt seemingly familiar with my current practice, but there was clearly much I had yet to learn. Recognizing the fact that we can do things without even knowing why we do them has compelled me to not only think deeper but to also visualize this process of how we think. It was at this point that I began to gain clarity on my own mental outlook as complex concepts took on a more simplistic form. I do not proclaim to be an expert on all matters psychological and neurological, nor do I have a doctoral degree to speak from, but I am an expert in processing and communicating information clearly for optimal performance gain.​

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Understanding how this informed vantage point has improved my life personally, I began to develop a comprehensive way to communicate the messaging to help others, and hopefully make a positive impact in their lives as well. Still motivated similarly to that of my childhood years, I now stare at a much larger, more complex challenge but with all the same ambition. I'm excited and energized to collectively build upon the knowledge that surrounds us and improve our way of thinking. As we better understand how we as individuals operate, we can improve our process of reaching endless possibilities. The goal is simple: decide we’re capable, and then take the actions required to achieve our dreams.​

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As people, we are motivated by what we need, what makes us happy, and what we want (typically in that order). When these priorities become rearranged, we may find ourselves out of balance or not feeling in control of ourselves and our goals. We are empowered by what we are good at, what makes us feel important, and of course, what brings us a sense of achievement. However, getting there isn’t easy- it takes discipline, hard work, patience, and the right mindset. Naturally, we all must learn some lessons the hard way in life, but what if we could minimize them? This notion of reverse engineering tasks and finding efficient means of operation has been my life’s curiosity and inevitably brought me to develop the program 'T.E.A.M. Mentality™'.​

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T.E.A.M. Mentality is based on a philosophy of simplifying the complex in order to gain a greater understanding of how we think and operate. My goal is to help others discover the raw power we all possess, the power achieved through one's mindset. More than just a saying, there is science-backed evidence that shows us how our thinking patterns will impact our performance. This science is the basis of our program and the inspiration behind our T.E.A.M. Mind Map ©. Without strong cognitive awareness, we risk never reaching our true potential. Our brains are infinitely perplexing but when categorized into more manageable segments and terms, we begin to unlock the mystery behind why we do anything.​

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In hindsight, I began my research during college at Northeastern University. Being blessed with a division one football scholarship, I entered college being told I could take all the classes I desired. Without a definitive direction, I figured I’d explore multiple fields in the hope of finding a true passion. Engineering was the logical choice but felt too familiar with growing up in a construction household. I chose a university in the city because I grew up in a rural country setting and decided college was where I could experience new things. With ambitions to improve the legal system, as well as help people overcome financial challenges, I chose Criminal Justice and Business as my two main academic focuses.​

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​Football certainly taught me much about myself and challenged me both mentally and physically (which was the type of training I was used to). Where things became more intriguing was in learning about psychology, philosophy, ethics, criminal law, as well as how people conduct themselves in society. I also paralleled much of my business teachings with these criminal justice lessons and identified the correlations between both. I often concluded that if society had more formal financial training, we might organically diminish much of the criminal activity we face. After finding that I loved both areas of study, I went on to explore multiple professional avenues after college.​

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Luckily, I was given good advice early on: that my twenties were meant for working hard, taking chances, and figuring out what I should focus on in my thirties. Needless to say, I did all of that (and then some) in pursuit of my dreams. From working in the Sheriff’s Department to Business Consulting, I purposefully migrated through professional opportunities until I hit a wall. The economic fallout ensuing from the crash of the 2008 housing bubble served as a rather distinct wall that provided my inevitable pivot into design and construction. In 2010, the growth of data center construction skyrocketed given the market demand of digital expansion and IoT.​ I was fortunate to have a window into this expansive career path and dove in as the opportunity presented.

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A good friend of mine who was aware of my unique professional pedigree suggested that I join his team as a project manager for building automation and controls for new Data Center development, and the rest was history. Now, not all my endeavors were home runs, but I soon realized that my failures taught me more important lessons. My mistakes provided a much-needed point of reference for what a win should really feel like. This is also where 'little wins’ began to show their value because, without the experience of failure, little wins often go overlooked. Tracing back throughout my self-reflections, I can cite these collective experiences (and difficult decisions) as where I first challenged my own processes. Furthermore, I wondered if others thought similarly about the choices they were making.​

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For years I have been met with questions like, “How do you fit so much into your schedule?”, “When do you find time to sleep?”, or “Why do you work so much?”. Over time these questions have fueled my curiosity: Why do we do anything?​

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In fairness to the arbitrary questions above, I don’t feel like I’m doing any more than anyone else. I maintain a normal life and enjoy myself with my family and friends regularly. I schedule ample time for decompression and aim for a sufficient amount of sleep each night (targeting 7 hours). I do however believe the time I spend being productive is different. After much discovery, both internal and external, I narrowed my research down to one main consideration, or benchmark for success: How do we, as individuals, think about making decisions?​

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With a vast and unique background, both professionally and athletically, this experience has only helped to categorize my research data. Recognizing patterns between my own experiences and those which I’ve researched, I began to cross-analyze my personal observations against those of various social, psychological, and neurological sciences. In doing so I recognized a consistent theme around self control. A single commonality most people possess regardless of geography, ethnicity, financial status, or physical stature, is the ability to control one’s own mindset. Our mind dictates more than just our attitude. It’s through our mindset which we view our surroundings and determine our path in life.​

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Our path is unpredictable but by making good decisions in the present, we improve our chances greatly for guiding our future in a positive direction. Reducing the fear of unknowns and the fear of failure will ultimately open a world of possibilities. I am passionate about helping others, and I find great value in the lessons we learn from working together. As iron sharpens iron; we as people collectively sharpen one another, by supporting each other's strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, our brain operates more effectively when allowed to think collaboratively as well. Neuroscience shows us where areas of the brain fire given sensory signals received. These signals then lead to chain reactions lighting up more areas of the brain as they collectively ignite in response to whatever initial sensory inputs have been presented. This simple awareness of such neurological activity is enough to prompt us to think differently about how our brains function with a purpose. As we better understand how and why this happens, we can begin to harness our thought process in a way that will allow us to improve our mindset. In doing so our brain’s internal ability to function more collaboratively can also improve, sharing information between areas of the brain in new patterns. This is where the shift begins and productive results will follow, much like the improved performance shared by a team.​

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We ourselves, already operate as a team with a mind capable of multiple skillsets and personalities all waiting for direction on how to proceed. As we dial into our own needs, thoughts, and wants, we have the ability to achieve the greatest version of ourselves. In return we become stronger teammates to those around us and collectively will do amazing things, starting with properly respecting each other’s thoughts and opinions.​ T.E.A.M. Mentality is a program that has been designed to open minds and heighten self-awareness. Please join us in building weaknesses into strengths and strengths into talents. Are you ready to discover the power of your mindset?

“Our mindset is what we make of it, we all have the power to choose greatness, it starts the moment you believe you’re great” – Justin Simmons