Speaking from experience

“I like to think those experiences will help with my public speaking, because I don’t have a plan for a career. I don’t have a plan to settle down and work in an office. It’s just not what I want to do. Ultimately I want to make an impact on the world, that’s my ultimate goal. I don’t know what it’s going to look like but that’s number one."
Ryan Fila, senior, motivational speaker
Ryan Fila’s number one goal is to make the world a better place. It may sound cliché, but Fila doesn’t care.

Because he means it.

Fila has managed to put his words into action showing those around him that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Fila has known many obstacles in his life, but it’s the way he approaches those obstacles that has ensured his success.

“Failure is one of the best teachers,” he said. “At the end of the day you have to make something of your life.”

The son of working class parents, Fila had to make the most of every opportunity no matter how subtle.

“I remember there was this basketball hoop on this slab of concrete near where I lived. The backboard looked like it was from the 1940s, the rim was rusted and there was no net,” he remembered.

This modest basketball court was Fila’s introduction to sports and a harbinger of the role they would play in his life.

Fila played high school football in Sedalia, Colo. but opted to forego his college athlete aspirations, a decision he would later regret when he attended Colorado State University and watched the football team play on Saturdays.

“Watching the football games was terrible because I knew I could play with them,” Fila said.

Determined to prove his talent, Fila transferred to West Hills Community College in Fresno, Calif., where he played football for two years. A major leg injury in his second season seemingly forestalled his plans of playing at a four-year university, but there was one college that was taken by Fila’s ability and offered him a chance to play two more years — Minot State.

Fila secured a starting position on the Beaver football team as a wide receiver and played in all 22 games of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, garnering at least 300 receiving yards each season. However, it’s Fila’s off-field accomplishments that sets him apart from the traditional student athlete.

“There’s so many ways to get educated. There’s education from life experience, school, social interaction,” Fila said.  “A lot of education gets tied to math and reading but that’s not necessarily where you learn the most.”

In addition to excelling in the classroom and on the field, Fila started his own YouTube channel, Motion Impact. It is through this channel that he produces motivational videos and offers them up to the viewing public.

“I want to effect individuals who feel stuck and need motivation and another perspective to lift them out of their situation,” Fila said.

Fila felt compelled to explore public speaking after he gave his father’s eulogy in the summer of 2016.

“That sparked the realization that public speaking was something that I could do,” Fila said.  “It instilled some confidence and gave me a bigger purpose because it hit so close to home.”

The constant thread through Fila’s life is his determination to overcome obstacles, make the most of his experiences, and maintain a positive mind set.

“I like to think those experiences will help with my public speaking, because I don’t have a plan for a career. I don’t have a plan to settle down and work in an office. It’s just not what I want to do. Ultimately I want to make an impact on the world, that’s my ultimate goal. I don’t know what it’s going to look like but that’s number one,” Fila said.

On March 6, Fila will present “College: My Story, Your Story,” a panel presentation on how to maximize the college experience. The event will be held in the Beaver Dam at 7 p.m. 

 

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 02/02/18   


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