Why I'm Writing as Malik Clay
A first note on privacy, truth, and building Standard in Progress.
Why would a man, especially one claiming to live his truth and become his standard, choose to write publicly while hiding behind a name?
While it is my intention for this blog to become my evidence when my memory, fear, or doubt tries to lie to me, those dear to me did not sign up for the spotlight a blog can bring.
A pen name grants me the privilege of some privacy while I navigate the complexities of becoming the man who lives an intentional life, a life that I can respect.
I’m not Here as a Finished Man
I’m not writing because I have mastered life or arrived somewhere worth preaching from.
I’m writing because I’m tired of pretending I don’t need to.
I know there is more for me, I know there’s a level I have not reached. At times, I’m scared of what that level may demand from me. But it’s somewhere I know I need to go for the life I want.
What Standard in Progress Means
“Standard in Progress” means growth with accountability. The lessons, the fears, the desires, everything I write is for proof. Proof that I am going in the right direction. Proof that I am acting as the person I say I am. Proof that I am:
Being honest with myself and those I love
Learning to trust my intuition
Building discipline that holds steady when emotions get loud
Becoming brave enough to deal with my emotions
What This Publication Will Be
This publication will be my record of becoming, tackling categories like: personal growth, manhood, discipline, relationships, emotional honesty, leadership, and physical standards. Some posts may be entertaining, some may arrive unfinished because growth often does, but all of them will be honest accounts of what I am feeling, noticing, avoiding, and learning.
I’ve learned that growth is not clean. It is messy, it is humbling, it is often embarrassing. But it has to be done.
Who Malik Clay Is
That’s where Malik Clay steps in.
He is not a mask, a character, a fantasy.
Malik Clay represents that man who knows he is capable of more but knows motivation alone is not enough. Malik Clay represents the working part of me willing to be shaped into his standard.
Through him I get the chance to be private and honest at the same time.
I am a Black man becoming.
I care about discipline, honesty, love, leadership, privacy, strength, and self-respect. I am not trying to be perfect. Just here to do the work and document my progress.