Yusha Assad

Why We Stop Believing

“You’re bigger than what you think,” the preacher said, “but you can never be bigger than what you think.” I was sitting at a friend’s funeral when he opened with that line. His point landed hard: my friend’s time to become more was over—but ours isn’t. So he asked the room the only questions that matter. Do you have the belief? Have you seen yourself in a bigger capacity? What do you actually want? He was preaching about hope. And here’s what I’ve learned since: hope isn’t soft, and it isn’t...

I walked into my director's office ready to demand a raise. I had the receipts—my team and I were adding real value. I came in hot. Latroy surprised me. He didn't deny my impact; he validated it. Then he drew two line graphs—one for my growth, one for the company's—and told me the truth: “You've grown. The company hasn't. So the raise isn't on the table. But here are your options.” He offered flexibility, resources, and support to grow me beyond that place. Then he handed me books. I left...