Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashad Young.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Many moments in life define you and change you for the better. Being born and raised in Saint Louis, there’s the importance of representing yourself to the fullest and striving for greatness. It didn’t matter your situation or story; you’re built for it. I grew up with a great supporting and loving family. A family I knew would always have my best interest at heart, no matter the situation. One of the golden nuggets I learned early on was that you have your own story, and you must write the chapters of your book eventually. I think your individual story begins once you turn 18. This is the beginning of our journey where we’re forced to embark on our individual journey to define who we think we are and who we know we can become.
My story began when I was 19 years old in 2014. I was a sophomore in college at the University of Missouri-Columbia. At the time, I desired to be a pharmacist; I envision my entire life around medicine and money. While I believe medicine is essential for us as black people to explore in, I’ve learned each of us has a unique gift to share with the world. It’s easy to lose sight of our purpose if we focus on the monetary gain with the pursuit of a career. I let a path of green blind me over the path of gold but, I’m thankful for the experience from this moment in my life.
Life has a great way of humbling you and showing you that you have little control over your life moments. In these moments, when your back is against the wall is when you find out about yourself the most. Adversity is the greatest test you will face in life because it keeps coming in your life, challenging you to see how you will respond. One thing I knew is that I had control of this situation.
I remember seeing the numbers 1.2 GPA in a fat letter from the University of Missouri. The message was too thick for me to think I did anything right. It was nicely put together, but stating if I don’t get my grades up, I would have to leave the University. Now you might be wondering, “what the hell did you do to get a 1.2?” It wasn’t because of partying or indulging in other college activities that put me in this position. It was myself; I put myself in that position. I didn’t take what I was doing seriously and allow some bad habits to bite me back this time.
I remember seeing the disappointment in my mom’s face when I headed back home from the semester. If anyone knows how it feels to disappoint parents, it’s by far the most painful experiences in life. You feel incomplete and ungrateful for the sacrifices they’ve provided for you. She didn’t yell or anything, she got up and went into her room. This silence lasted for days. I remember during that time in December coming back home knowing I disappointed her, this was all on me. I sat in my room for days trying to find the pieces of this newfound reality I found myself in. It’s these moments in life; you must understand the importance of accountability. I spent countless hours watching motivational videos and talks about adversity and how to overcome them. Then something clicked, I realize I was doing the wrong thing for my life.
There was this burning urge inside me; I wanted to be those men and women talking to people about how they can get out their situation. I made a change immediately not only to my major but also to my life. I became a different person and had a desire to want to change the world to do the power of voice and information. Long story short, I overcame that storm in my life and graduated with a degree in education with a 3.0. It was the story behind my struggle that made me appreciate the journey of where I am today. However, I encounter another storm shortly after, a battle with mental health.
I never knew about the damage of anxiety and depression. I knew how it could be linked to past and future experiences, but I never thought I would face it again. “I just got out this situation,” I kept saying to myself. After undergrad in 2017, life happened again; I found myself at home with my parents and jobless. While looking back at this, I realized it was a defining moment of allowing a breakdown to become a breakthrough. This time was my path towards finding the gold moment. During this time, I was in a mental battle with my past and future. I spent many days crying and feeling broken, but this was the moment I knew I was meant for more.
I used this time to go after something I found a new love for, writing. I spent up to two years writing my first self-help book Be Formless, a book dedicated to your growth and finding your way as an individual and embracing who you’re designed to be. My book was my first seed that lead to my second seed, my podcast: Young, Educated, and Uncertain.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course not, and I’m proud of the lessons I’ve learned from the hardships. I believe they’re challenges every day and having a smooth road wouldn’t be as impactful in my eyes. I think focusing on having a smooth road takes away from the human aspect of life. Our lives aren’t defined on the smoothness of it. They’re defined through embracing the rough times and applying the lessons that came with the hardships to make the next step better. I believe they’re challenges every day, and in my experience, my challenges were needed for me. It forced me to look in the mirror with myself and hold myself to a standard that I desire to be at.
It was needed to help convey a message to other people about my experiences to help them with theirs. I believe there’s a beauty in pain and being vulnerable. I sometimes think we as people like only to show the best version of ourselves to make it seem like we always have it together. It doesn’t do anything but hurt you in the long run. So, while I am on a positive journey, there still setbacks all the time and I embrace them fully!
I’ve learned that the most exceptional people who changed the world have faced hardships on their journey and adapted to make something great. Adaptability is the key to being successful in my eyes. The hard times are a reminder that you’re human and being human is the greatest tool to use when sharing personal stories.
Please tell us about Young, Educated, and Uncertain Podcast.
The Young, Educated, and Uncertain Podcast is a seed I believe will plant to other future avenues in my life. The idea crept in mind in 2017, and I feel as if my experience graduating from college until now provided insight on the approach with speaking to my audience. I believe timing and preparation are everything, and from the idea popping into my head to now, I feel the timing couldn’t be any better. It was something about those three words that gravitated towards me, and I feel many people can resonate with the title. The three words tell a story of the mindset many young adults feel daily. Our youthfulness gives us a burning desire to learn and strive for more, but the uncertainty of the future and dealing with our youthfulness, the internal pressures of expectations can be troublesome. We want everything now and unpacking on our journey is what I am aiming for. It’s applying the education, hustle, desire, and patience, to becoming the best version of yourself.
My goal is to educate and inform my listeners about things I find impactful for my life and hopefully theirs. When I’m not recording alone, I’m having interviews with great young people who want to promote their dreams and aspirations to my audience. When you have a platform that is predicated on sharing knowledge, it’s imperative to use your voice as a resource for others. Especially in the times of today where the world is dividing itself once again. It’s an obligation for me to uplift and create exposure to people in my community doing great things.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe the industry of podcasting and writing will change greatly over the next decade. I believe this is just the beginning for podcasting! This year has shown me the importance of acquiring a skill and learning how to market yourself on a virtual level to create leverage when the physical world opens back up. I believe things will go virtual progressively as businesses will want people to market their platforms through the people who influence an audience. Podcasting and writing are very over saturated today, and for a good reason, a lot of people like to speak and write. However, it’s almost slightly trendy because of the freedom it presents. I think you’ll see who will still be around within those five to ten years if their intentions on doing this are right from the beginning and being consistent. You have to be in this industry for the love of providing information and not for the money. It’s not a get quick rich scheme, and truthfully it takes years for most people to gain the exposure they desire. I’m excited about the change either way!
Pricing:
- You can purchase my book with this link! 9.99 on Amazon https://linktr.ee/RashadYoung
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/RashadYoung
- Email: rashadyoungauthor@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashadyoung_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rashad.a.young/
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