Life presents everyone with challenges, and some individuals encounter seemingly insurmountable situations yet manage to overcome them. Personally, I have consistently embraced these challenges rather than shying away from them. I often reflect on the likelihood of a situation resolving in my favor, and repeatedly, I discover a path forward. While some may attribute my success to luck, I believe that luck only favors the prepared. In moments when it appears that no solution exists, one must be ready to create an opportunity to make one. Like the saying goes, you missed 100% of the shots that you do not take. So why not take it when you have a chance?
I do not find myself overly more capable than most of my peers. The distinction lies my ambition, and the opportunities presented. Those in which I have pursued to the extent I permit myself. I wish to avoid future regrets regarding actions I could have taken, words I could have spoken, or situations I could place.

In school there was this girl that I had the biggest crush on. But for some reason I had never directly introduced myself or spoken to her. Rather, she was always in another group or with her tribe, that never intersected that with mine. But to me, she was just drop dead, gorgeous. I was always curious if we had anything in common, what it would be like to witness her smile and laugh because and with me. I wondered if she noticed me as much as I noticed her. She was just a wonder.
One day I decided to let all the guessing go and approach her. I convinced myself that at least knowing if she had the slightest bit of interest was even a win itself. So, I had to make my move. Nearing the end of our PE class, I noticed that she was sitting on the bleachers alone observing the play on the field. I had decided to walk up to her. As I approached, I could see that giddy schoolgirl shuffle. You know that “I’m making sure my hair is right and that I am looking as cute as I believe I am” - girl move that they do. I’m not gonna lie. It was better confidence, but I still pressed a little nervous. I introduced myself and asked if I could join her. She said that she would like me to. We sat there and talked for the rest of the class... I cracked jokes, and continued with witty banter that made her laugh and smile all throughout our conversation. It was refreshing, and I honestly felt relieved if not, a weight lifted. As class had come to close, we walked together from this class to our next subjects. From there, we exchange numbers and talked continuously, one thing led to another. We eventually revealed to each other that we noticed each other for quite some time, but we’re just waiting for the right moment to make that introduction. Moral of the story I could have had this happiness and experience a lot sooner had I not Taken the chance and approached her.

For years, I had made a name for myself at university for being a top help in IT. I’ve been given the position to facilitate entire lab infrastructure set up, as well as general and advance maintenance on student and faculty technologies. As a student having a job was a major plus. Able to make money doing Work in the field that you were studying made the overall education aspect worth it. But with time I have become complacent. One day, a professor entered one of the labs that I was servicing to ask for help on the situation that he had. I had resolved issues like this a hundred times before, so I explained to him the solution, answered all his questions, and reassured him of the overall outcome of this approach. He was extremely impressed by how eloquently I explained everything and made it digestible for him to understand. After which he and I sat there to have a conversation. He asked me outside of the experience that I had working for the university who industry would know of my accomplishments, who would know of my knowledge of overall technology and IT work? I had never been asked this before, let alone thought of it. See throughout my entire college career I had always been persuaded to go to the annual career fairs. I have never done so. Like I said, I was complacent with the job that I was working., Making good money, setting relatively my own hours, and I like the individuals that I worked with. I just assumed that upon graduation, I would continue as such. The professor then stressed to me that having outside experience and exposure, would only further any career that I would see post college. And that I should look into doing research as well as seek other opportunities outside of my current position.
After the conversation, I gave it much thought. He was right in what he had said, that I had little experience outside the university. And that this would make me less marketable career wise if thing did not work out with staying on board as IT after graduation. What were my options? I had never made any attempts to communicate my interest outside of the university. So, I begin doing some self-reflection, thinking onto what companies did I have desire to work for. What were my passions? What company could I see myself excelling in? Where would I feel proud to work? As a dreamer, the first answer that would come to mine would be NASA. So, I sat down and started doing some research. At this time, NASA was not in the forefront of the media, and it was not a parent to the overall operations of what NASA was currently pushing forward. I ended up finding a website for potential co-ops and internships with the agency. At first in my head, I thought what are the odds that out of the millions that apply I would be wanting to be chosen. But on a whim, I signed up anyway. At least I could tell myself that I put the application out and leave the cards to fall as they will. After filling out the application, I completely dismissed the process. I looked for no other backups in companies nor did actively monitor the application status process and fell back into my complacency. Around a week would go by and I was filling out my schedule for the coming school semester, while also filling out my work schedule for oncoming IT projects for my department. Amid my work, I received a phone call. Lady on the phone introduced herself as a higher coordinator for a NASA facility in Virginia. At this point, I believed that this was surely a spam call, or prank call. I still answered the call and allowed her to continue with her line of introduction. When she asked if she was speaking to Brandon Murphy, I agreed that I was him. She then went on to mention that I was the top candidate for the position at their facility, given my work experience, and current path. She explained how I was the perfect fit for this project and would like to discuss with me the options of taking the position. I was completely taken aback. She explained the project and it was one in which I was extremely interested. She would continue the conversation stating that I did not have to decide right away. But this opportunity was one that they received hundreds of applications for and that they would have to give each candidate two days maximum to make their decisions. As I was first on their list, she said I did not have to decide right away knowing the school semester was just about to start. Trying to play cool I told her that I would give it some thought. I did not. I called first thing the next morning to accept. And I have been working with the agency of my dreams since then. Moral of this story, taking a chance putting yourself out there may result in you achieving your dreams. Even when they are dreams that you do not know you’d want to strive for.

At this point in my life, I had never been on an airplane. Any instance of needed travel I had always done by ground vehicle. One afternoon while on assignment was NASA, I was sitting home at a rental property reviewing some documents for work. The homeowner would have the property positioned adjacent to an airplane runway. One in which he would have his own airplane hangar attached to the home. It would happen that this weekend the homeowner/pilot desire to take his plane flight. In his preparation, he would approach me and another tenant to see if we would like to join him on a flight. My first thought return to I had never been on a plane before and did not know what to expect. But curiosity said, and I nervously agreed. Our pilot would instruct us on the pre-flight preparations and prepare for our flight. Once on the plane, we would be educated on the nozzles and gauges that were present. He explained the safety measures that were in place for us. And then we were off. He pointed out all of the takeoff procedures that he was following. He showed us what nominal gauge readings. We should pay attention to it. And before you know it, we were 100s of feet within the air flying. For me, it felt like an elegant filling of a roller coaster. As we started to set into our flight path, the pilot looked over to me and through his headset asked, “would you like to fly?” Completely shocked, nervous, and excited I would answer yes. He motioned for me to take the copilot seat and handed me the copilot headset and began to give me instructions. After brief instructions which seem like an eternity. He would hand the controls over to me, and I was flying. I began going through all of the progressions of the instructions I was just taught, and he said that I was naturally grasping all of the concepts and nuance to fly. He sought to longer give me instructions, but rather navigate me where we would like to go. He would have me fly out over the ocean to oversee a ship carrier, carrying cargo, to flying just within regulated airspace of our agency’s facilities. To finally over some main attractions of the local area. The moral of this story was when the opportunity arose I did not let fear set in, and it ended up taking me to the skies.
At times, we tend to talk ourselves out of opportunities that arise. Upon one of my contracts with NASA I was given the opportunity to be trained by one of the astronaut conditioning trainers. One in particular that trains astronauts in the aquatic center. For a select few of us, this instructor Offered to certify us in scuba diving. Initially, I was put off from the idea…. You know, Black people, and water…. but I eventually convinced myself when would I get another opportunity such as this? And so, I agreed and took on the challenge. I proceeded through the class, and with each lesson became increasingly comfortable with the idea of being in the water, to the point that I felt comfortable even almost natural, swimming and diving. I would eventually come to enjoy the process. I enjoyed the class so much that given the opportunity to take the advanced lessons to become an advanced scuba diver I immediately accepted. This was not without its own challenges and difficulties, but ones I was willing to face. As a part of the advanced training, I was required to dive deeper than I had ever dived before and do so during a nighttime environment where visibility is limited or not existed at all. Anyone with fears of the dark drowning and claustrophobia would have had a tough time during this portion of the training, but I found it exhilarating.

The narratives presented illustrate the significance of embracing opportunities, highlighting that taking risks can yield positive outcomes. When opportunities arise yes, way out your options, but remain mindful of experiences that may otherwise be missed. Every situation offers valuable lessons, and distancing oneself from potential opportunities leads to the forfeiture of these insights. Regardless of whether the lessons are advantageous or disadvantageous, or positive or negative, they are ones to be experienced for growth and understanding.