Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Little.
Charles, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Friedrich Niche once said, “He who has a why to live can endure almost anyhow.”…. And endure I did as I persisted through 11 arduous years of pursuing my BS in Mechanical Engineering to become a first-generation university graduate while working a majority of this time as a full time corporate professional to support my young family.
During my elementary years, I was placed in the ECRI program for students with a special reading and language educational need. This label would create a stigma in my mind, limiting the belief in my learning potential for years to come, though, I would not allow the judgment of others to remain my life’s truth. My pertinacious nature would stoke the fire of my work ethic and creativity causing me to rise above and overcome the limiting beliefs of circumstance as I state, “people can’t limit what they can’t measure, therefore, never allow anyone to limit your potential as they don’t possess the ability to measure your potential… You were engineered by God.” I successfully obtained my Mechanical Engineering degree from PVAMU in May of 2017.
As a speaker, I enjoy traveling to various college campuses to share my story in hopes of encouraging others to persist, doggedly, against all the odds in pursuing and obtaining whatever is their heart’s definition of success.
“Where the determination is, the way can be found.” ~George S. Clason, “The Richest Man in Babylon.”
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it most definitely has not been a smooth road. There have been many struggles, but the greatest period of struggle that I have had to endure was the 11 years of pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. During most of this time, I was working a full-time job in healthcare administration, so I could support my wife and full-time student along with our two young children.
During the Summer of 2006, I was part of a company-wide layoff. After being sent home to break the news to my wife, who was unemployed and had just given birth to our two-week-old son, It was then that I’d decided to enroll in school vowing that I would not quit until I’d graduated with my degree. After enduring 1 1/2 hour commutes, tuition costs, longs hours of study, and balancing family life, I finally crossed the finish line in May 2017 as a first-generation graduate with a four-year degree.
It was during this part of my life that I really learned the value and power behind Frederick Niche’s quote, “When you have the right kind of why you can endure any how”.
Please tell us about your work.
As an engineer, I work to design and develop manufacturing equipment. In a recent conversation with my son I’d told him, “although I enjoy building machines, I’d much rather spend my life building people”. It brings me an immeasurable amount of joy knowing that I have the desire and the ability to help others realize that they can fulfill their greatest potential. They only need to embrace the fact that they are the catalyst for whatever change is necessary for unlocking that potential and walk in it.
It is my belief that in life, a human catalyst is a person who acts to facilitate much-needed change, without themselves being consumed in the reaction of the process. Established in late 2019, Catalyst Clothing strives to deliver simple yet profound messages that are meant to positively impact you to the core through fashionable works of art. The late great Albert Einstein said, “nothing happens until something moves”. I agree with many things that he said but this statement moves me to the core.
As a speaker and owner of the new Catalyst apparel brand, I realize that how we move in life is built on the foundation of both our life experiences and observations. What these two indelible things have taught me is that if you want to experience change, you must be willing to insert yourself into the process as the agent of change. As an agent of change, my goal is simple, to inspire you to BE the agent of change… to ‘BE the Catalyst.’ As of now, we offer tees with the Catalyst logo graphic. We are currently working to release our next phase of inspirational tees. Visit us at www.1truecatalyst.com where you can purchase your Catalyst apparel, as well as, access some of our 60-second inspirational videos entitles, “inFOCUS Friday” to get your daily dose of empowerment.
On March 11th, I will be in attendance as an honored guest and keynote speaker at the Millenial Man event, hosted by Industrious Office and Men’s Fashion Influencer, David Rochez. The Millennial Man is an educational event for guests to create an awareness of what it is to be a well-rounded gentleman. As the keynote, I will be engaging the guest on the importance of mental health and mental toughness. For more on this event please contact via email at ronenpr19@gmail.com or on Facebook and Instagram @RonenPR19.
Anyone who is interested in inviting me to their next event, as a guest speaker, should contact me via email at catalystapparel37@gmail.com or via Instagram inbox @truecatalyst_.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Hmmm. I’d say that my success in life, thus far, has less to do with luck and more to do my experiences and my response to them. My power to succeed comes from the daring to dream, a pure imagination, the will to succeed, self-discipline, persistence, the willingness to grow, and a solid support group. On the road to success, I have certainly encountered fortune that has served to encourage me along the way. However, I think that it was the objects of misfortune that had the most to do with my success.
As I have stated, while speaking to a group of university students, “Some people fear success because they question whether or not they can handle all that comes with it. The remedy for that fear can be found in the valley that exists between their current position and the summit of success. That is because this valley was uniquely engineered to develop in them the presence of character necessary for them to sustain once they’ve obtained that new level of success.
It is in this belief that I find the courage to blaze forward into the unknown, as long as I can see, by faith, a manifestation of the vision that initiated me in the direction of my goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.1truecatalyst.com
- Phone: 409-354-8037
- Email: catalystapparel37@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecatalyst_/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1Truecatalyst/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Image Credit:
The three photos with the watermark signature on them were shot by Photographer Dean Green (2 images of Charles in the Catalyst T-shirt and 1 photo of Charles in the suit jackets and jeans.) IG: @dshotitraw
The family photos were live-action shots taken by us while on vacation
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