Opportunity Knocks
By: Symone Collins
Oprah Winfrey once said, “Luck is being prepared for the opportunity when it comes.” The issue I see among my own generation, the Millennial, is not being prepared. We allow opportunities to pass us by, and just hope for another opportunity to come along.
I spoke with Ray Thomas, the head of Bronco-iRadio, the student radio station for Fayetteville State University. He opened my eyes to the Radio Broadcast field and the differences between our generations. As we compared our generations, I learned that in his generation opportunities were more presentable. However, in my generation, we have to go out and grab opportunities.
As the Millennial generation, we stay connected with our superficial role models through social networks. However, through this we do not gain motivation to obtain the high rank of our own role models. Instead, we focus on our own Twitter followers being verified, liking fan pages on Facebook, and gaining followers on Instagram. In today’s society, survival of the fittest and playing the game of life is all about having the hustler mentality to achieve the American dream.
One of my peers, Darius Willis, senior at Fayetteville State University, threw out the piece of paper that was labeled “Rules,” and decided to make his own rules. Willis has constructed his own production company, King Greasy Entertainment, from the bottom up. Specializing in video production and editing, photography, and event promotion, KGE has provided quality entertainment for the state of North Carolina since 2011.
Willis commented on his motivation to create King Greasy Entertainment. Willis stated, “Since I was young, I have always had a ‘Hustla’ mentality. I have always been the one to make my own money and work for myself. Then when I got to college, I finally found something that I loved and made me money. So, I started my business, King Greasey Entertainment.” In addition to his hustler mentality, Willis discussed how his mother’s struggle motivated KGE’s creation. “My main source of motivation came from not being old enough to work and seeing my mother struggle, so I had to do something to make money and I’ve been hustling ever since,” Willis says.
Darius Willis was one of the lucky few who was presented with the opportunity and was prepared for it when it came. After listening to his personal story, I realize you have to do something you have never done to get something you have never had. “You have to dare to be different in this world,” Dr. Ray Thomas stated. In sum, if it is worth it, it won’t come easy; if it comes easy, it will not be worth it.
