Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Thomas.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
My name is Christopher Alexander Thomas, and I am 29 years old. I was born in Fort Knox Kentucky and raised in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. I moved to Florida when I was 9 years old and have been here ever since. I currently live near Tallahassee FL. I developed a passion for writing when I was 14 years old and always had the goal of becoming an author. However, along the way, my ambitions of becoming an author were cut short due to my lack of discipline needed to start a project and finish it. Over the course of my high school and college education, I struggled with anxiety, over thinking, and fear of making mistakes which pushed my dream further out of reach. I continued on with life by getting a job and getting married and continuing to put my dreams on the back burner. Then the pandemic came which put things into perspective for me. Life is short and I can’t afford to put my dreams on hold any longer. I can now say I am a published author and founder of Millennial Oaks, which is a digital space that houses various content that encourages others to invest in themselves and find their purpose.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Learning to balance life, work, and marriage, while pursing becoming a full-time entrepreneur was a significant challenge. I overcame this by improving my time management/allocation. We all have 24 hours in a day. How we use those 24 hours determines our productivity and how successful we can be. I chose to use my time wisely and maximize the hours I would usually spend watching sports or doing other “down-time” activities. Another challenge during my authorship journey was avoiding comparing my progress or lack thereof to others. I made sure to take my progress one step at a time because comparing yourself to others is a “joy-killer.” Additionally, suspending my leisure activities such as travelling, spending time with family and friends, and attending events was very difficult but necessary to focus on accomplishing my goals. Finally, learning not everyone will support you on your journey to success, even family, was a hard lesson for me, nevertheless, I received tremendous support from those who embraced my story which I greatly appreciate.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
Before you commit to pursuing your goal, create a plan. Think about the steps you need to take and how it will affect not only yourself but those you love and are close to you. Sometimes pursuing your goals takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Sometimes you may not have all the resources you need to succeed all at once when you need them most. You may have to divide your plan into different phases to ensure its full potential of being successful. Don’t let your day job or other obligations allow you to forget about your passion and dreams. Don’t forget to invest some of the energy you devote to your job to yourself. Investing in yourself is one of the best decisions you can make. All in all, take a deep breathe and know that you can do it! Your journey will come with twists and turns, just remember to enjoy the process and know you will make mistakes but don’t be to hard on yourself. Be careful of the way that you talk to yourself. There will be times during your journey when you will feel lonely. During that time, you can be your biggest cheerleader. Speak positively to yourself and remember this is a marathon not a sprint. Trying to achieve overnight success detrimental in the long-run.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
To me success means putting action behind an idea. Some of us formulate ideas to accomplish a specific goal however some don’t get started. Success is not always defined by a financial gain nor is it always linked to an award or recognition. Sometimes just helping someone find their way is success in of itself. Success also means creating or building a future that will last beyond our lifetime. Success is thinking about your family and sacrificing a portion of your time, in order to bear fruit for the future. Success is not just a short-term plan, sometimes it takes years of dedication. Success is seeing growth in your perspective, your attitude, and your actions toward the things that used to hinder you from achieving your goals. Success is hearing God say “Well Done.”
What’s next for you?
The sky is the limit from here. Now that I have published my first book, I definitely have more novels on the way. I plan on continuing to create awesome content for my website, sharing my knowledge and encouraging others to invest in themselves and pursue their dreams, as well as moving through the publishing process for my additional books. Also, I look forward to collaborating with other entrepreneurs and small business owners to create solutions to some of the problems not only in the community but in the small business and entrepreneur space. I plan on attending various conferences to network with others, expand the Millennial Oaks brand, and nurture a better relationship with God. By next year I want to get closer to becoming a full-time entrepreneur and volunteer more of my time in the community.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Individuals interested in connecting with me can subscribe to my website, follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, or send me an email. Website: www.millennialoaks.com Instagram: @Mr.Millennialoaks Twitter: @CAlexThomas1 Pinterest: @Millennialoaks Email: C.AlexThomas@millennialoaks.com