CORY YOUNG
Rare is it to find a person who isn’t constantly confronted with self-doubt. Rarer still is it to find the person who persists through the doubt, determined to make a point and overall betting on their own person for the successful endeavors they know they are destined for. Many of us struggle for a variety of different reasons. Perhaps we feel trapped by our finances; maybe we feel confined by our lifestyle situations… There are judgements that we cannot escape, from others and from ourselves; and there are situations and experiences that perhaps drown us into hesitation, and avoidance. Shall we say hello to the ego?
Defying the ego is certainly something that requires strength and pure + total self belief. The ego is that little voice that questions our potential for the pure reason + purpose of ensuring we stay put, stay in the tiny boxed lane that we know our life to be, and never venture outside of it. It also is of the main reasons we don’t take a risk in pursuit of our passions + desires; that we don’t bet on ourselves. Rare is the person who successfully is able to tuck their Ego aside, face their fears, and step into the uncomfortable - over and over again. Rare is a person like Cory Young.
Cory Young is an artist (singer + songwriter) based out of Temecula, CA. Cut to the chase, Young autitioned for American Idol in 2019, and naturally all 3 judges exclaimed a unanimous + resounding YES to his talent. But after having experienced a brief appearance on the show, Young was removed from the show early into the season. However, unlike many artists who walk away defeated, Young decidedly took a positive approach; taking this experience as a lesson ultimately teaching him gratitude for the opportunities life extends his way, and inspiring determined action to utilize the influence created around him from the show for his benefit.
Next thing he knew, he was running forward, heart-led towards the calling that he knew was his birthright. With these new experiences in his pocket, he had a deeper understanding that, while exposure was great, it alone wasn’t enough to make him “successful.” His success relied heavily upon his own choices, actions, and effort. Wisely, he utilzed the momentum from the show to create a career for himself, establishing a loyal fan base that generated high interest in his music, and increasing traction and the spread of his name + sound.
Life isn’t a fairy-tale, and no story can move forward without life thrusting lesson after lesson our way. Naturally, as we all do, Young honorably revealed a very human experience - despite his success, he finds himself struggling with doubts about his career.
“Once you start to hit your late twenties or thirties, you do start to feel a little like..more susceptible to the idea that maybe I'm supposed to do something else…”
The fact is, doubt never leaves. Fear never leaves. Stress never leaves. It can show itself in various different forms, coming to us with different faces, some nicer, some more aggressive; but our reality is one of human experience. And naturally that trails in the more debilitating of mindsets. And this is where self-confrontation becomes such priority. This is where re-framing the mind takes precedence. These experiences may never fully leave, but we can always control our own reaction to them. Do we sink or do we swim when encountering such?
I wont go around the bush, and you likely assumed correctly - Cory Young swam, and continues to swim. Because he bets on himself; he chooses himself; he knows what is his birthright. So he chose to become aware of the power of the ego; he recognized that doubt doesn’t really go away, no matter what feats a person feels they accomplished. American Idol or not, he recognized that utlimately, it is up to him to push past the doubt, and pursue what is his. A true example to all of us.
And none of his pains, efforts, and struggles went in vain. Walking with life in hand, he took all the lessons he felt called to be cognizant of, continue to adjust his thinking to one of self-belief, and continued to work hard. Resulting in scoring various High Profile TV music placements along the way.
Admirably, one of his songs will be featured in the new + upcoming Liam Nissan movie.
When you hear that little voice in your ear telling you it’s better for you to be complacement, and grow comfortable in the familiar terrain you’ve never left - think of Cory Young, and push yourself to go into the uncomfortable. Pursue and persist.
