Benjamin Major shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Benjamin , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I think a lot of people struggle with asking for help, especially when going through tough times in life. They might be afraid that they’d be misunderstood, rejected or even ignored. I’ve been there myself plenty of times, but have learned that opening up and reaching out to someone is a huge step in the right direction.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
What’s up! I’m Benjamin Major, a recording artist from Salt Lake City. I’ve been recording and performing hip-hop music for over 10 years and have been a massive fan of music in general for as long as I can remember. I’m also apart of a group called blockparti along side Coblin and Erasole James. I’ve had the opportunity to perform on stages that I grew up seeing my favorite artists on, which for me is something I’m extremely proud of. I come from a family that immigrated to the US from Bosnia due to war in the late 90s, a few years after I was born. My parents came to the states with practically nothing and were able to build a life that granted security and opportunity to my sister and I. Through them, I’ve learned what it means to be resilient in even the most difficult moments in life.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Haha, man I’d like to say that I’m still that same kid, but the world definitely has a way of hardening you up. I was a very hyperactive, imaginative kid. I loved playing outside with my friends, video games, sports, music, etc. I was off the walls with energy a lot (no red bulls needed back then). My teachers actually complained to my parents that I was always getting up in the middle of teachings and going over to my friends desks to play. Just completely disassociating from whatever school work the teacher was trying to conduct lol. I grew up with one older sibling which is my sister Annie and since she was busy with her own life/friends and my parents were busy with work, I had a lot of time by myself which I believe has helped me in being a pretty self sufficient person. I never have a hard time finding something to do. Though I definitely still feel that I am that same kid at heart, life’s experiences have provided me with a lot of wisdom and I am grateful to be where I am now. Hopeful to continue on the same path, so we’ll see what else life has in store.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Without suffering, you do not grow. Success can offer opportunities and insight, but true growth comes from the endurance of hardship and painful life experiences. I do believe that suffering, however, is something that is within our control. Painful situations in life are outside of our control, but what we choose to do with those situations is what is in our control. We can choose to suffer after hardship and pain, or we can choose to learn and grow from the experience. I think of the Buddhist “Second Arrow Parable” when I think of suffering.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
I think I rely heavily on the ideas of the ancient Stoics in my day to day life. Their reflections and teachings have influenced my perspective a lot throughout my 20’s and have gotten me through some tough chapters in my life.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop giving my time and energy to anything that doesn’t make me feel alive. Mundane 9-5’s, pointless conversations, energy spent on people who don’t contribute any quality to my life…anything that doesn’t add value to each ticking moment. I try to live that way regardless, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. At the end of the day, we’re all still human so not every moment in the journey of life is going to be glamourous. Sometimes, life is boring and soul sucking. That’s totally okay.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/benjaminmajor
- Instagram: @benjaminmajorut
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@benjaminmajorUT
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/benjmajor
