There is one sentence that sounds wise, compassionate, and enlightened—but has quietly kept millions of people stuck: “Money doesn’t make you happy.” It’s repeated by well-meaning people, quoted in speeches, shared on social media, and used as a moral shield against ambition. And while it contains a sliver of truth, the way it’s commonly used has caused real harm. Because the truth is this: money doesn’t create happiness—but it absolutely creates access. And access changes ev

Before you start a business, there is one truth you must fully understand—because it will shape everything that comes next: No matter what you start, you are the employee. You are employee number one . Not the visionary. Not the mogul. Not the boss with freedom. At the beginning, you are the worker. Most people fail in business not because they lack ideas, intelligence, or passion—but because they misunderstand this reality and resist it instead of mastering it. ⸻ The Reality

Most people think wealth is about saving money. Wealthy people know it’s about buying time . If you make $100 an hour, doing anything worth less than $100 an hour is quietly costing you money—even if no cash leaves your hand. Let’s say you spend two hours cleaning your house instead of paying someone $50 to do it. Most people think they “saved” $50. They didn’t. They lost $150 . Why? Two hours of your time at $100 an hour = $200 Minus the $50 you didn’t pay = $150 opportunity

Most people don’t stay broke because they lack talent. Most people stay broke because they act broke. They carry themselves like someone trying to avoid loss instead of someone preparing for growth. They shrink their world, limit their access, and make decisions based on fear rather than strategy. What they don’t realize is this: Broke behavior attracts broke outcomes. Wealth behavior attracts wealthy outcomes. Wealthy people aren’t rich because they happen to have more mone

How the bold, the focused, and the disciplined are already winning the future. Most people look at the future the wrong way. They think time is something you wait for. They think opportunity is something that arrives later. They think success is something that happens someday. But leaders—the real leaders—know a powerful truth: 2026 doesn’t start in 2026. It starts right now in the decisions, habits, focus, and preparation you build today. This is why 2026 will belong to onl

There are gamers… and then there are Group 7 Gamers — the players who walk into the lobby with a presence you can feel before they even load into the map. They’re calm. They’re sharp. They communicate with purpose. And whether they win or lose, they walk away stronger than they started. Group 7 Gamers are built different not because of their K/D ratio, their rank, or their gear… but because of the mindset that powers everything they do. This is the mentality that sets them

Most people think the most valuable thing they own is their house, their car, their job title, or the numbers in their bank account. But none of those things come close to the real asset that determines your future. Your mindset is the most expensive thing you own—because it controls everything else. Your mindset is the lens through which you interpret the world. It determines whether you see obstacles as stop signs or stepping-stones, whether rejection becomes trauma or tra

Most people try to inspire others by talking. Leaders do it by living . You don’t inspire people by preaching discipline—you inspire them by showing what your life looks like when discipline becomes a lifestyle. You don’t inspire people by telling them to dream bigger—you inspire them by becoming the proof that big dreams are achievable with sacrifice, strategy, and alignment. To build a life that inspires others to grow, you must first build a life that you are proud to liv

Most people try to inspire others by talking. Leaders do it by living . You don’t inspire people by preaching discipline—you inspire them by showing what your life looks like when discipline becomes a lifestyle. You don’t inspire people by telling them to dream bigger—you inspire them by becoming the proof that big dreams are achievable with sacrifice, strategy, and alignment. To build a life that inspires others to grow, you must first build a life that you are proud to liv

In a world that is changing faster than ever, our communities need a new generation of leaders—young men and women who are disciplined, confident, mission-driven, and ready to serve. The JLBC Cadet Corps , serving youth ages 12 to 18, was built to do exactly that. From the moment a cadet steps into the program, they are introduced to the values, expectations, and high standards that define America’s frontline professions: the United States Military , law enforcement , and the

Most people talk about “breaking generational curses,” but few understand what it actually means to build a generational legacy. The truth is this: Every family tree changes when one person decides enough is enough. You may not come from wealth, influence, or opportunity—but wealth, influence, and opportunity can come from you . That is the heart of Legacy Loading . When you are a first-generation wealth builder, you are not just improving your life. You are rewriting your f

Most people spend their whole lives chasing money. They sprint toward the next opportunity, the next raise, the next “big break.” But here’s the truth most never learn: Money moves faster than you can chase it. Systems move money toward you. If you don’t understand that difference, you’ll work harder than ever and stay exactly where you started—exhausted, confused, and wondering why nothing is changing. Let’s break it down. ⸻ 1. Chasing Money Is Reactive. Systems Are Strategi

Every year, thousands of service members who dedicate their lives to protecting this country face an unexpected and devastating reality: one injury — sometimes small, sometimes life-altering — can end their military career overnight. Not because they want to leave. Not because they can’t serve in any capacity. But because the system they trusted has a hidden policy gap that leaves them with no other option. It is a gap most Americans don’t know exists. A gap that costs servi

🔎🔥 By Covenant of Courage • JLBC Cadet Corps • Warrior Bootcamp Real loyalty is never bought. It’s never forced. It’s never demanded. Loyalty is earned — through truth, transparency, and the courage to lead with integrity. In a world filled with misinformation, hidden agendas, and surface-level leadership, people are hungry for something real. They follow leaders they trust. They stay loyal to leaders who are honest. And they commit their energy to missions that are transpa

By Kirk B. Carlson, Founder & CEO — Covenant of Courage & Group 7 Network ⸻ A New Wave of Collaboration Is Coming Across the region, a powerful shift is taking place. Veterans are rising. Young leaders are stepping forward. Creatives, entrepreneurs, athletes, and community organizers are hungry for places where they can connect, build, and grow. That’s why Group 7 Collaborative Networking Events are officially launching — coming to an area near you . Group 7 is more than a m

“WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW” Founder & CEO — Covenant of Courage Executive Director — JLBC Cadet Corps Creator — Warrior Activated & Group 7 Network Lead Advocate — Reasonable Ranks ⸻ A Movement Built From Courage When Covenant of Courage began, it wasn’t just an idea — it was a promise. A covenant that every veteran, every young person, every family in crisis, and every person who felt forgotten would have a place to rise again. Today, we stand at a defining moment in that missi

Motivation is loud. Purpose is quiet. Motivation comes and goes like the weather — unpredictable, emotional, and dependent on how you feel in the moment. But purpose-driven leadership ? That’s something different. It’s stable. It’s anchored. It’s the force that keeps people moving long after the excitement fades. In every community you build — veterans, creators, youth, families — purpose is the difference between a team that survives and a team that wins . Here’s why. ⸻ 🔥

By Kirk Carlson — Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved. In 2006, long before social media transformed the way we discover and promote music, there was a raw creative world pulsing beneath the surface — the indie scene. It was loud, unpolished, unapologetic, and full of artists who didn’t wait for permission to express themselves. For anyone who lived it, captured it, or stood backstage holding a camera the way I did, it was a defining era. But beyond the music, 2006 indie cu

By Kirk Carlson — Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved. In 2006, long before social media transformed the way we discover and promote music, there was a raw creative world pulsing beneath the surface — the indie scene. It was loud, unpolished, unapologetic, and full of artists who didn’t wait for permission to express themselves. For anyone who lived it, captured it, or stood backstage holding a camera the way I did, it was a defining era. But beyond the music, 2006 indie cu

By Covenant of Courage • JLBC Cadet Corps • Warrior Bootcamp Classrooms create students. Self-education creates leaders. Every great leader — in the military, in business, in community work, and in personal life — shares one defining trait: They never stop learning. Self-education is the difference between someone who waits for instruction and someone who builds their own path. It is the fuel behind purpose, discipline, confidence, and influence. And in a world changing faste