A few days ago I posted Success Tip #78 - Know Your "Why" and I promised to write an article telling the story of my "Why" so here it is 😉

At the time of posting that tip I honestly didn't have a full understanding of my "Why". Over these past few days I have put a lot of thought into it and noticed that everything stems from one thing. I now call that thing "Gifts From My Father".

My father, George Frater Sr., is an incredible man that has played a huge role in shaping me into the man I am today. I have categorized all the things my Father has given me into 3 categories:

1. The Genes
2. The Model
3. The Love

The Genes

Being my birth parents, George and my mother Gloria, have obviously given me the gift of their genes. I highlight the genes as a gift because I believe that, in many situations, I do the things I do simply because it's in my DNA. Not because of anything I've seen, anything I've been taught, nor any of my life experiences, but simply because it is in my DNA. It is extremely hard for me to explain, but I've noticed that my mind, body, spirit, and emotions tend to operate on their own accord when it comes to certain things. I don't tell myself to deeply analyze my thoughts, that I should remain calm when things go horribly wrong, nor that I should feel compassion for others. These are things that happen naturally, many of which I see in my father. So with that, I thank both of my parents for the amazing genes!

The Model

For my 25 years on this earth, I have watched the actions of my father and have learned so much from his character. He has been an amazing role model in my life and I would like to highlight that as a gift he has given me. The most notable aspect of his character is his willingness to give.

George is practitioner of altruism - the unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

Whether it be through donations, volunteering time, ministry, etc. he continuously pours his heart and soul into helping others in any way he knows how. Another notable aspect of his character is his work ethic. As an immigrant from Jamaica, George came to the United States with nothing. Starting out as an apple picker in Massachusetts, he managed to use both his skills and ambition, to move to Trenton, New Jersey and build his construction business from the ground up. Day-in and day-out over the course of my life, I have studied George's work ethic and have used it as a motivator for my own. Using him as a model gives me a benchmark to constantly push towards. Even today with him in his late 50's, his work ethic is still extremely hard to keep up with! The last notable aspect of George's character that has made him an amazing role model is his willingness to learn. Since his days in Jamaica, George has made it his business to be a seeker of knowledge. The amazing stories he has told me about his childhood paints a perfect picture that shows his dedication to learning. The story that stands out the most is about his decision to begin taking carpentry classes. While many of his peers spent time having fun and hanging around, my father decided that he would walk to the nearest carpentry class, which was about 5 miles away, each day to learn the trade. He uses his desire to learn to this day. He makes a strong effort to learn how to utilize new technology such as smartphones and mobile apps to continue his learning on various topics. Watching him has taught me that no matter what problems are thrown at you, you can always learn how to solve them. This lesson has grown into an obsession with learning for myself and I credit it to much of my success.

The Love

The Genes and The Model are gifts that George has given me subconsciously. Through raising my 3 siblings and myself with my Mother, consciously George has giving us the gift of his Love. Whether through struggle or prosperity, George has never fallen short on providing love for our family and many others. His love has come in many forms such as time, presents, stories, punishment, lessons, knowledge, laughs, and more. His love is the perfect example of "The Gift That Keeps On Giving". He has given me so much love that it's only right that I give it back to the world in as many ways possible.

Thank you George for your gifts of amazing Genes, great Model, & immense Love.

YOU ARE MY "WHY" 👍🏿