You Are Going To Stay Where You Are Until You Let Go

In this episode of Struggle2Success, Sterling Brown speaks directly to fathers, uncles, brothers, and men everywhere about breaking free from the enslaved mindset. Through raw personal stories and hard truths, he unpacks how anger, grudges, and negative influences can chain us down—and how faith, discipline, and letting go are the only way forward. This episode is a call to men to stop surviving and start thriving, because every choice you make is either a deposit or a debt in the lives of the generations behind you.

Chapters

• 0:00 A Message to Men About True Strength
• 1:49 Carrying Anger Like Armor
• 4:48 The Consequences of Holding On
• 7:27 Breaking Free From the Enslaved Mindset
• 10:02 Faith and Discipline as the Way Forward
• 12:24 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Transcript

Sterling: 0:19
 To all my dads, pop-pops, uncles, and brothers—this one’s for you. We carry more than our last name. We carry the weight of our decisions, the ones we make in private, the ones our families feel in silence. Far too often we think strength is just about providing, but real strength is presence. Real strength is discipline. Real strength is letting go of your pride, the grudges, the enslaved mindset—so our kids don’t inherit it. We don’t just live for ourselves; we live for the generations behind us. Every move you make is either a deposit or a debt in their future. As we step into today’s episode, I need my men to reflect. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, because your family is watching the choices you make right now.

Announcement: 1:13
If you have ever been told by someone that you’re not capable of attaining success, if you have made mistakes or lived in an underprivileged neighborhood, then this podcast is for you. You are now locked in to Struggle2Success. Struggle2Success aims to inspire individuals to navigate life’s challenges with courage, fortitude, and unwavering determination. So if you’re in your car, jogging, or somewhere else trying to find the calm in the storm, join Struggle2Success, airing every week. Remember—life is trials. Stay focused.

Sterling:  1:49
 Hello, my wonderful people. Today’s message is simple, but it cuts deep. You’re going to stay where you are until you let go. And when I say let go, I’m not just talking about grudges, mistakes, or bad habits. I’m talking about the enslaved mindset that has too many of our people trapped. I’ve had anger built up in me more than I can explain. Let’s just put it out there—I’ve been angry at the world, angry at my situations, angry at myself. I think it was in the Wakanda movie when the sister said, I just want to burn the world down. That’s how I felt. It was a metaphor, but I was disgusted and in a bad place. What I realized was I was carrying anger like it was armor.

Sterling:  3:05
 There was someone, in my law enforcement capacity, who really rubbed me the wrong way. It was beyond me to let it go. I felt this person disrespected me—they made it personal. And I always said, “You can say anything to me, but don’t disrespect me.” Easier said than done, right? I carried it. When I originally wrote this episode, I planned to say I had moved past it. But being transparent, I felt guilty, because I hadn’t. I almost came to blows with this individual. I almost lost my career in law enforcement over that moment. I let this person get under my skin so much that I was ready to throw hands.

Sterling: 4:46
Thankfully, some people intervened, and it didn’t go that way. And I thank God for them, because they were trustworthy individuals. To the young men listening: watch who’s around you. If you have a crew that eggs you on, wants to see you throw hands, they’re not for you. Whether you’re a young man or a grown man, remember—you are supposed to be a leader, a father, a protector. You let people down when you allow anger to control you. And you let down the people who helped you get where you are, or who are helping you get where you want to go.

Sterling: 6:01
Here’s the truth: that anger was chaining me down. Some time passed, and I looked at that same individual later—and nothing had changed in their life. Same mindset, same negative energy. Meanwhile, I had grown, achieved goals, and moved forward. Holding on hadn’t hurt them—it was only hurting me. That’s what happens when you hold on. You think you’re punishing them, but you’re really punishing yourself.

Sterling: 7:13
Another example: one day, I was walking into the facility where I work. Someone drove by, slowed their car, and yelled out, “Fake-ass cop.” I’ve been called worse in policing, corrections, and just as a man of color. But it struck me. That person either had been through the system, had a family member in the system, or was stuck in a toxic mindset. And to feel better, they needed to project hate—even when I had done nothing to them personally.

Sterling: 8:15
That’s the enslaved mindset I’m talking about. It’s projection—people carrying trauma, insecurity, or culture’s influence. Instead of being inspired by someone else’s growth, they attack it. The enslaved mind thinks like a victim: The world owes me. I shouldn’t have to work hard. If you look like me but don’t struggle like me, you’re a sellout. That mindset locks communities down. Instead of asking, “How did you do it? How can I grow too?” it’s easier to hate. We even reinforce it in our language, calling each other slurs casually. That is not freedom—it’s chains.

Sterling: 10:01
Faith and discipline, in my opinion, are the only way out. I call it the three F’s: Faith, Fail, and Failure. Faith keeps you moving when you fail. Without it, you quit—and quitting makes you a failure. But faith alone isn’t enough.

Sterling: 10:29
Letting go takes discipline. Somewhere along the way, you must release what’s drowning you. If you don’t, you’ll keep sinking and drag others down with you, like the crab-in-the-barrel theory. That’s desperation. That’s life without faith. We need to reflect on what we’re perpetuating. Am I spreading strength, discipline, and faith—or am I spreading bitterness, weakness, and destruction?

Sterling: 11:14
Here’s the difference. Holding on to survive means grabbing for anything and everything. Letting go to thrive means reaching for better opportunities, better relationships, and a better version of yourself. You can look strong on the outside and still be enslaved on the inside. We’ve seen it in public figures—they have platforms but no peace. Don’t let that be you.

Sterling: 11:59
Faith and discipline also come through failure. Get back up. Always get back up. If you’re listening and saying, “That’s me. I don’t know how to let go,” here’s my advice: accept responsibility and see yourself for who you really are. Stop pointing outward and take a hard look inward. And remind yourself daily: I am better than who I was yesterday. Don’t be afraid to let go of the past, the labels, the grudges. That’s the only way forward.

My wonderful people, if this message hit you, share it with someone who’s still holding on. DM me and tell me what you’re letting go of this week. Let’s stop living in chains and start living in freedom. Until the next episode—remember, life is trials. Stay focused.

Announcement: 13:03
Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle2Success. To connect with the show, you can email us at struggle2success.p@gmail.com. Make sure you like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. And remember—life is trials. Stay focused.