Common Sense AIN’T Common is a book that targets young people who may hold on to the belief that life is something that happens to you, as opposed to an experience that should be lived to it’s fullest potential. In this book, Tazz breaks down the use and misuse of the term, as well as techniques that can be applied to everyday life.
Tazz is not claiming to have all of the answers, but he is using his own experiences as a guide to help others.

Common Sense AIN’T Common is filled with powerful quotes from some of our greatest thinkers and Entertainers, as well as the people that have personally shaped Tazz’s life. The book explores the beauty of mankind’s achievements, as well as the ugliness of its’ bad decisions; all of which are rooted in Uncommon Sense.

Chapters in Common Sense AIN’T Common include:

Common Sense AIN’T Common

The Limits we put on ourselves

Accidents don’t “Happen”, they are CAUSED

Obstacles Only have POWER if we GIVE it to them

The Problems with “Friends” & “Haters”

Why Family can sometimes be the WORST people to listen to

Determination is the determining factor in your success

The Microwave Mentality

You GET What you DREAM for

Excerpt

As a child, I can remember being frustrated by stupidity. I’m not saying that I knew everything growing up, but I found that certain things weren’t as obvious to some of my peers as they were to me.
In Elementary School, there was a kid who I’ll refer to as “Rahim”. Rahim was smart, but as a 5th grader, seemed more interested in sucking his thumb and being disruptive than he was in learning anything.

One day, Rahim ran past me, into the school nurse’s office, leaving a trail of blood and tears in his wake. He had a busted lip and a bloody nose, and when I tell you it looked like he had been attacked by a gang of 8th graders, it’s not an exaggeration.

Rahim was attacked… By a slab of asphalt. An attack that Rahim provoked and brought on himself.

Several times before recess, Rahim was told that his shoes were untied, but he insisted that he was alright. And he was… until he tripped over his shoelaces and busted his face wide open!

I remember recounting the day’s events to my mother, who said to me, “You’ve learned a very important lesson today dear.” I looked up at my mother, partly confused, and partly offended. “Mom’, I said. “I know better than to run around with my shoes untied. That’s Common Sense!” My mother smiled at me and said, “That’s my point. Contrary to public opinion and prior belief, Common Sense is NOT a Given. As you grow up, people will lead you to believe that everyone is born with the knowledge of how to use Common Sense. This isn’t the case.”

“Common Sense is like a muscle”, my mother continued. “It needs to be conditioned and developed over time. Your experiences in life and what you take away from them is what builds that muscle. Several people make the same mistakes over and over again. Learning from them and using those experiences so that you don’t make the same mistakes again is the essence of common sense.” (I was lucky, because my mother didn’t believe in talking to me like a child).

“Rahim knew his shoes were untied, but didn’t heed the warnings of others”, she said. “You can tell that his parents aren’t giving him opportunities to exercise his common sense at home, so he doesn’t yet know how to use it on his own. It’s sad really,” my mother said. “If he doesn’t make some serious changes, he might wind up covering a manhole in the street.”

While that may seem extreme to some, I’ve found it to be true. A lack of common sense can lead you down a path that can leave you poor, lonely, homeless and worst of all, DEAD. I feel blessed to have a mother who forced me to think critically. I feel even luckier to have been raised by a woman who was determined to make me understand that there were consequences for making bad decisions. As a child, most of those consequences cam in the form of a leather belt to my bare ass.

I’d like to say that as an adult, I’ve exercised common sense at every turn, but if I did, I’d be lying to you. The truth is that I’ve fallen on my face and left myself battered and bruised like Rahim. The good news is that I’ve learned from my lack of common sense.

I contend that learning from my lapses of common sense have made me stronger, wiser and more aware of my place in the universe. In this book I will explore the myths and misconceptions about common sense, as well as practical applications that I hope will enrich your life.

The older I get, the more I appreciate my mother’s lessons. On many levels, people’s perceptions of common sense are mythical. Everyone clearly doesn’t use it. The term itself on many levels is misleading. Let me try to break it down practically:

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word “Common” means “Something belonging to, or shared by all.” The word “Sense” (the physical senses notwithstanding) is defined as “one’s good judgment or realistic point of view”. To put it simply, Common Sense is supposed to be the good judgment that everyone has. The problem is that everyone doesn’t have (or at the very least, practice) good judgment.

Take your life for example. You probably have a great circle of friends. People who you can count on for anything. Take a minute and examine your inner circle in your mind’s eye. I’m sure that there is someone who you’ve shaken your head at because they didn’t exercise common sense. If you haven’t, then you’re either very lucky, or you’re the person in your circle that everyone shakes their head at. (LOL)

I want to be clear: Common Sense (or a lack thereof) does NOT discriminate. Many people believe that because someone has achieved a certain level of fame or financial security, that they must have an extraordinary level of common sense. This isn’t always the case, as Tiger Woods, George W. Bush, Lawrence Taylor, or Chris Brown didn’t get the memo. If you give a pig a million dollars and notoriety, it’s a rich pig, but a pig nonetheless.

If common sense and money went hand-in-hand, ask yourself why so many lottery winners go broke after winning millions of dollars. Ask yourself why there are so many famous young people in Hollywood who wind up addicted to prescription drugs, are in and out of toxic relationships, while they seem to have everything in the world at their fingertips.

Common Sense, when utilized properly, can help you live the life that is greater than your wildest dreams. You simply have to know how to use it. By the time you’ve finished this book, it’s my sincere hope that you’ll be excited, focused, energized and have a new clarity that can only come from knowing how to practically apply common sense.

I think it’s important to disclose that I’m not an expert of any kind. What I am is a human being who has learned several valuable lessons (most of which were learned the hard way) that I feel will help someone, somewhere. I want to leave the world better than how I entered it.

“Common Sense is not so common” – Voltaire

Praise for Common Sense Ain’t Common

Tazz participates in and facilitates discussions that cover all
aspects of our community. From music to comedy to religion to social
media,  he gets it how he lives. This book is not just important
because of the content, but because of the messenger who delivers it.  – Talib Kweli (Hip-Hop Artist/Activist)

Sho nuf! He ain’t never lied, Common Sense AIN’T Common. This book came right on time; Tazz Daddy does it again! He spits intellectual and insightful game on each page.  In a generation of so called “HUSTLAS,” many are focused on making dollars, but in order to make dollars you must first make cents (sense). Common Sense AIN’T Common, can help you get your money up, and more importantly it will help you get your mind up. It is common sense that helps us through the daily grind! What does it mean to be on the grind? To be on the grind one must think creatively and strategically, persevere, endure, and continually make power moves. When we lack common sense, it is possible that we are “grinding” in the wrong direction. Get your mind right!!! Reading this book is most definitely a power move.

Charles H. Galbreath, Jr., Empowerment Speaker

Life is like a video game; you do not get to move on to the next level until you complete this one.  Some of us attempt to move on without concurring the current level.  Whether that level is High School, College or your Professional endeavors you have to finish the task at hand before you move on.  My friend Tazz has done just that with this book, and now on to the next level.  What are you going to do?  Much love and peace to you

Rodney Perry – Comedian and Co-Host of the Monique Show on BET

This is a great book that you should read! Honestly  I lack common sense (Yeah, I admit it), but I can wire up an entire building with phone and computer networks so eh? I guess it balances out for me!

I’m sure you’ll learn something from Common Sense Ain’t Common.

It’s an Intriguing book Tazz! Your mom sounds like one of the Greats!  – Free, TV Personality, Writer, Entertainer

Pre-Order the book now for $12.95

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