For those of you who have supported and followed my progress thus far, you know that "Going Against the Grain" is the basis of all my work. I believe in being who you are and living in truth of self despite what others say, what is popular at the time or circumstances. I truly believe we would be in a much better place if we can embrace this simple belief ... be who you are ... be beyond the expectations ... be beyond the obvious!

This way of thinking and living is not easy. We often like to judge, stereotype and criticize each other. We lost a great human being in Michael Jackson but if it is one thing, MJ lived in truth! What he believed, he practiced. Though many of us may have disagreed with his beliefs and often labeled him as strange, he gave us who he really was and because of this, he lived a full life.

He went against the grain and went on to inspire billions of people. He was known and accepted globally. How many of us can say the same? Many of us who live to "fit in,"don't even inspire those who live in our neighborhood.

Going Against the Grain is a lifestyle that is inspired by people such as MJ, Ghandi, Rosa Parks and countless other notables who persevered in honesty despite any opposition. My books, speaking, programs and commentaries all stem from this core belief.

Thank you for allowing me to enter into your email inboxes for the past 5 years and you can definetly expect much more to come from me in the future! This is all just the beginning and I am honored to have had your stringent support for so long.

In order to continue towards my success, I had to believe in my ability to hunt for it. Lions of the wild have the daunting responsibility of only surviving on what they kill. They do not have the luxury to use fancy weapons or machinery to kill their prey nor do they have the luxury of simply going to a grocery store to purchase their food. This makes their ability to hunt more critical than ever. It is critical to themselves, their families and the overall circle of life. For many years thousands of species of animals have successfully done it. They find their prey and successfully capture and feast on them. To lions, this is what they interpret as successful. What do you consider being successful? Whatever you find it to be, you must study it and hunt it if you expect to be successful at it.

St. Thomas native Devin "Dutchie" Robinson is a six-time author and columnist. He can be reached at www.devinrobinson.com.