Soldier for Life: Freestyling my way to success

UNITED STATES

07.06.2015

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Installation Management Command         

By 1st Lt. William Bland

“Dreams will only be dreams if you do not wake up and do the work to make them a reality. Success only comes to those willing to work for it. I want to continue to develop as an artist and performer while using my abilities to boost the morale of fellow Soldiers.”--1st Lt. William Bland, U.S. Army

My parents got divorced when I was very young, and it was difficult for me. My older brother became my role model and I looked up to him. When I say, “looked up to,” I mean that I literally wanted to do everything that he did. When I was in the fifth grade, he was in high school. He came home from school one day and told me about a group of kids who were "freestyling," which I learned is essentially rapping off the top of your head. Since my brother thought it was cool, I immediately latched onto it. In the beginning, I was not very good at it.

However, I began to fall in love with it and use it as a way to express myself and cope with things I was going through. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I began to venture outside of freestyle and write down lyrics. Then, in college, I began to participate in open mic nights, talent shows and local hip-hop charity fundraisers for needy children. Any chance I had to grab a microphone, I took it! It was at this time that I began to realize what I could do with music. Not only could I express myself, but I could also inspire and motivate others.

After I graduated from college, I continued to rap in local shows and fundraisers, but something was missing – I wanted to make more of an impact. I remembered how amazing and motivational it was for me when I was in basic training and saw the 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show.

After I saw the show, I began to write my song "Certified Soldier," which I used in my audition video for the 2015 Soldier Show. And now, the biggest and most fulfilling opportunity I could have ever dreamed of has become a reality. When I initially saw the show, I thought it would be amazing to do, but I didn’t think that I would ever be able to.

Now that I am here, I get to see and learn things that I never thought I would be able to. I get to work with astonishingly talented people every day, and do what I love to do to – inspire and motivate others. When I joined the military, I knew I wanted to serve, but I didn’t realize that I could do so by doing what I love to do. It was because I believed in myself and took a chance that I am in this incredible position. Any artist knows it isn't easy to be one, because you constantly have to put yourself out there and hope that your art is received in the same way that it is envisioned. But, if you constantly live in fear of trying, you are not living. Dreams will only ever be dreams if you do not wake up and do the work to make them a reality. So, here are my tips for achieving your dreams:

Identify what you want. You need to know what you want in order to achieve it.

Assess the expectations. Once you have identified what it is that you want, you need to do your research. Ask yourself: What exactly do I have to do in order to achieve this goal? What is expected of me?

Set benchmarks. Give yourself a timeline to achieve these expectations. This will keep you on track and help you remain focused.

Believe in yourself. Tell yourself, “I can do it!”

Take pride in your accomplishments. When you finally achieve your goal, give yourself credit! Don’t undervalue your hard work

I share my story with you not to tell you how unbelievable it is that I am living my dream, but to inspire you to live yours. No matter what it is, you can achieve it if you are willing to work for it. So, today is the day that I challenge you to start the path to achieving your dream. I will continue to share my story in the hopes that it will inspire you to work for your dreams. It is not always easy and no one is going to hand it to you, but it is all worth it when you live the dream! HOOAH!

• Date Taken: 07.06.2015
• Date Posted: 07.06.2015 20:28
• Story ID: 169199
• Location: US