Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamar Phillips. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jamar, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I honestly think it started a while ago with not liking to be told what I couldn’t do. Even as a kid, if you told me that I was not capable of doing something I would always find a way to do it and be great at whatever it was. As I started to grow I realized that as cliche as it sounds, the people who are telling you the most that you can’t do something are usually the people who feel that they are incapable of doing it and tend to project their fears or beliefs.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am an R&B Music artist. I have been singing since the age of 3, dancing at 9 years old and I started writing songs at 10. What really makes me stand out as artist is that I was inspired by generation of innovators who were more passionate about being an artist that perfected their craft. I will never forget the time I spent working on my new EP, “Proceed with Caution”, that I just released in late June. There were so many people rushing me to just drop music but I wanted to make something that not only I would be proud of but something that was different and going to stand out amongst my peers. The goals was to show people more of who I was and what I was capable of making them feel.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, I believe that three of the biggest areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey was to be genuine, to trust your instincts and to not be afraid of being amazing. The best bit of advice I could give someone early in their journey would be to definitely take the time to learn who you are. A lot of people grow up with this idea of who they should be or what they should do based on what your parents, your community and what society tells you. Every person has something unique about them that no one else can fully explain, so don’t let them write your definition.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My late grandmother has been the most impactful person in overcoming challenges not only as an artist but also with life. When I almost decided not to move away from home to pursue my music career she literally pushed me into the car and reassured me that I needed to pursue my passion. She always made it her mission to keep my head in the game even when I had no idea of the sacrifices she was making along with ones I did know. Knowing someone like that not only teaches you pursuit of passion or sacrifice but they also teach you love for others and love for what you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jamar/proceed-with-caution?
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JustJamar/
Image Credits
De’Andre Henderson Shawn Mayo
