Meet Elijah Morris

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elijah Morris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elijah, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I get my work ethic comes from many different experiences in my life. But the main two things for me were one; to never remain the same person I was yesterday. The ones who stay the same will never evolve. Remaining the same person in the body doesn’t sit right with me. I would miss so much in life and lastly, I want to show the world what I can do. I feel this need to show the world what I can do. If it’s something where that I do don’t reach millions I am okay with that. Longs it reaches enough to change people in the world.

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?

Suppose I had to talk about myself on how unique I am. I would have no choice but to tell you from the middle, end to the beginning. It’s my junior year of college and a single tap would change my life. The first video I filmed and edited for my university. I studied the art of cinematography for two years in college. Yet, I grew fear that felt like lead in my belly. Showing my peers my first creation could almost kill me. Although it was unnecessary. My work transcended. In under 6 months, I became that quiet kid who would take pictures for free. To become the Lead Videographer for my entire school. I wish I could stop there but suddenly I had an opportunity for an internship at Disney. I took a risk and left for the semester to grow outside my norm. That experience was “Magical”. I came back for my last semester. I looked up and it was graduation day. But my craft was still hungry. I wanted to become a Master within my love for film. So when I got accepted to Full Sail University’s master’s program. I also accepted the challenge to become different from those who settled.

Now you have my middle and my current end. So where did it begin? Where did my passion and unique ability get forged? There was that time when I was watching my favorite show Xiaolin Showdown at 5 years old, to block out the cops giving my mother divorce papers from my father. Maybe when I was 13 years old and Legend of Korra came out on Nickelodeon studying all the fighting moves as a distraction from my mom’s death due to stomach cancer. Forced to move to Florida. Perhaps when the world changed in 2020. So I decided to pick up the hobby of collecting DVDs of my favorite cinema while that same day my Aunt and Grandma died a day apart.

Now I am not saying I am different because of the death and depression I faced. Millions face this around the world. I am different because of my results. I never declined in turmoil, I excelled in it. I never let the pain be my end but a powerful beginning. I adapted, I took risks and I dreamed and lastly, I didn’t quit. That’s my difference.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Adaptability

Social Understanding

Self Love

If anyone studies these they will put themselves in more safer conditions. I had the first two down pack but when it came to Self love… I didn’t even know what it is was. When I did it was like finding a new person. Then I realized without self-love the other two skills are unfinished. All I can say is do it now until you have no time to love yourself.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

At the moment I live in my car. Now on paper, I am about to graduate with my with my MFA in Film Production and have two job opportunities in my field and with the life I had and willing to live. I had already prepared to live in my car. But I have to tell you it still it’s this social or mental drift I didn’t expect to effect as much as it did.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Khalif Hollis

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,