Meet Keys Will

We were lucky to catch up with Keys Will recently and have shared our conversation below.

Keys , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I see creativity as not only a gift but a necessity. My belief is steeped in my relationship with God and understanding that he is a creator, and so he made me in his image. If I’m not creating, I feel as though I’m wasting the gift I’ve been given and I’m doing the world a disservice by not sharing. It feels selfish to keep it to myself because it could inspire or help someone who may not have the courage to share their gifts.

I make my creativity a priority and include it in my daily habits. Whether I’m sitting in front of my laptop doing research on how to create my next project, or adding ideas to my notes app on my phone, I make sure to do at least one small thing each day to contribute to my vision.

I love being a creative. It’s my little taste of freedom and purpose.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m an 8th grade history teacher by day, spoken-word artist by night. My goal is to infuse the two by teaching spoken-word as a gateway to public speaking and interpersonal communication.

Poetry allows the freedom to play with language in a way that is unique to the writer, while also learning and implementing key techniques. I am self taught since the age of 9 and have been writing poetry for over 20 years. Since the beginning of my performance journey, I have become a stronger presenter and communicator and I would love to teach that to my students and help other’s who may struggle in those areas.

I believe clear and effective communication is the key to everything in life, whether used personally or professionally. It’s the compass that helps us navigate life.

In addition, I have started my digital greeting card business called “Write Occasion” currently available on ETSY. My vision is to create and emotionally connected world using the art of poetry.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

One skill/quality that I believe has been most impactful to my journey is being personable. I enjoy meeting new people and learning about them, which allows me to create individual and personal relationships with them. I’m one of those people who likes talking to strangers. I will literally talk to anyone!

Another skill/quality is being charismatic. I enjoy making people laugh and I like to be open and make people feel comfortable. I can walk into a crowded room and make everyone feel like my new best friend.

Lastly, I would say resilient. I have gone through a lot of challenges in my life but have managed to stay focused and continue to achieve my goals. This seemingly came natural to me in my late teens, early 20’s and has absolutely carried me to where I am today.

My advice in terms of being personable and charismatic is to just be yourself. Don’t be so guarded and listen more than you speak. People just want to be heard and acknowledged. Seek to understand and learn more about them and give them the space to share. You never know what can come from it.

In terms of resilience, I would say to always refer back to your past challenges and how you’ve overcome them. Your track record will prove to you that you can and will get through whatever your current situation is, even if it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to. You have survived, and will continue to do so. Nobody or anything can stop you unless you allow it to. Also, take responsibility for your role in how things have turned out.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The Alchemist! I first picked up this book in my junior year of college and instantly fell in love. I read it at the beginning of every new year as a reset and reminder that I’m on the journey to finding my “personal legend”.

The Alchemist is both entertaining while educational and full of gems and wisdom. One of the most impactful nuggets is that when you’re in search of your personal legend, the universe will arrange itself for you to find it. Everything works with you when you’re in alignment. I love the consistent use of the word “Maktub” throughout the book, which is Arabic for “It is written”. I even have it tattooed on my right forearm!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Onlykeyswill__