We had the good fortune of connecting with Devan Renea and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Devan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In the entertainment industry risk is everywhere, especially as it pertains to navigating the pathways of your career success. When I initially started out in the game, I took MAJOR risks because where I come from opportunity, very much like time, waits for no one. Like the mantra of a true hustler I believe, “you gotta get it, or you’ll get got.” So, following my dreams inevitably lead me to take all sorts of risks; like pursuing and obtaining four degrees, packing up and relocating states three times, the last of which was cross country, or throwing myself into the creative deep end at Warner Bros. when I was only an intern.
Risk has always been a factor throughout my career and ultimately my life because I agree with Thomas Jefferson’s philosophy, “with great risk comes great reward”, so in a way risk has been that special fuel which has propelled me closer toward my dreams. Yes, of course there is always the fear of failure, but the fear of not pursuing my passion has always eaten at me far worse than anything else ever could. So, I’ve always preferred to glitter risk with a bit of optimism to get me through those difficult moments of ennui. I think the late, great, John Witherspoon from Ice Cube’s Hood classic, “Friday”, echoed it best when he said; “You win some, you lose some, but you LIVE, you LIVE to fight another day” — and LIVE to fight another day I do indeed, RISK be damned!
