Buckle Up and Believe

Mekka Don’s Playbook for Purpose, Passion, and Playing the Right Game

I (Diamond-Michael Scott) grew up in Columbus, Ohio, in a home where scarlet and gray weren’t just colors, they were a birthright. Saturday afternoons during football season were sacred.

My father, brother, and I would settle into our fifty-yard-line seats at the Horseshoe, our voices hoarse before halftime, our hearts racing in unison with the heartbeat of Buckeye Nation. I’ve carried that rhythm with me ever since—into life, into work, into the endless quest to find my own version of purpose.

So when I heard that Mekka Don—a fellow Buckeye, walk-on athlete, and unapologetic dreamer—was dropping a book called Buckle Up: The Playbook (June 9, 2025), I knew this wasn’t just another motivational manual. It was a call to those of us who’ve ever questioned the game we’re playing. And it comes from someone who’s had the courage to switch fields entirely.

“I was a walk-on at Ohio State,” Mekka tells me. “Your job is to make the starters better. You likely won’t see much playing time, but you’re still vital. That taught me the true nature of mental toughness—discipline, perseverance, showing up even when no one’s watching.”

That hit me. Because I remember those cold Midwestern mornings walking across the campus oval, the echoes of the stadium still lingering in the air from the weekend before. Back then, I was a student who was full of questions about what my future held. Watching the Buckeyes gave me something to believe in. But I also knew there was something more I was meant to do.

Mekka gets that.

In Buckle Up, which drops June 9, 2025, he lays out five “Plays”—real, repeatable strategies to help people navigate self-doubt, societal pressure, and the ever-lurking shadow of regret. But he also gets deeply personal, showing us what it means to step off the expected path and forge your own.

“I left corporate law in New York City,” he says. “People thought I was crazy. But I wasn’t chasing comfort—I was chasing alignment. And these Plays helped me stay in the game.”

What’s remarkable is how Buckle Up redefines strength. Mekka speaks candidly about vulnerability—something he insists has been key to his success.

“Being vulnerable allowed me to take criticism, to build a team, to delegate. That’s real strength,” he says. “Sometimes people will only take you as seriously as you take yourself. So you’ve got to believe first.”

Reading that reminded me of a moment during my own career pivot—when I was hanging by a thread financially, emotionally drained, and wrestling with the voice of my inner critic. I didn’t need a pep talk. I needed a plan. Mekka’s big on game planning too.

“It’s crucial to write things down. Celebrate the small wins. Success isn’t a destination—it’s a journey,” he says. “Prayer, meditation, positive energy—those aren’t extras. They’re fuel.”

There’s also a thread of racial realism woven into the Playbook—especially for those of us navigating traditionally white institutions as Black men. Mekka doesn’t shy away from it.

“Yes, I’ve worn different masks in different places,” he says. “But one of the best decisions I made was to be my full self, unapologetically. You don’t need everyone to like you to succeed. And when someone supports me now, I know they support me.”

As someone who’s also wrestled with the pressure to “code-switch” in professional settings, I found that deeply affirming. The world tells you to blend in. But the game changes when you start showing up on your own terms.

Finally, we get to the big question: What if you’re winning the wrong game?

Mekka’s answer is direct. “First, all is not lost. Even the wrong game teaches you something. But take small steps toward the one you do want to play. Volunteer. Network. Dip a toe in before you dive. But understand what you’re sacrificing by staying stuck—because the pain of regret is real.”

There’s even a Bonus Play at the end of the book, because of course there is. Mekka doesn’t just want you to level up. He wants you to finish strong.

So, for all my fellow Buckeyes—for anyone who’s ever stood in the shadow of the ‘Shoe, wondering if your life could be bigger than what’s expected—I say this:

Read the book. Run the Plays. Then buckle up, because as Mekka Don reminds us with every page, you’re not just in the game.

You’re built to win it.

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