This past Sunday was the conclusion of one of the most compelling series I have watched in a long time. Full of action and so much drama, the biopic is a story I was completely familiar with. But somehow there I was, gripping my seat filled with anxiety and excitement over the suspense. I had literally forgotten the outcome. 2 am in the morning, completely immersed overtaken by the journey, the story, the legend.
It brought back so many memories, pure nostalgia of when I played the game. The growling practices that I loved so much. Self-practice at night in boarding school after prep on the court shooting in the dark and at times, by myself. The show reminded me just how much I loved this game, how much heart and soul myself and the team put into practice.
My first memory of the sport was a brand. If you didn’t have “Air Jordan’s” or “Nike’s”, what were you doing with your life? It was everywhere at the time. Playstation game covers, t-shirts, posters, and of-course shoes. In high school, we drew both trade-mark logos on everything. From the back of our school books to etching it out on wooden tables. Obsessed does not even begin to describe the audacity of our actions, to share the iconic image with everyone, willing and unwilling. At the time we had no idea what brand was, but what I know now for sure, it definitely and totally impacted us far beyond our reality.
Brands give us space and opportunity to create powerful long-standing statements about who we are, what we stand for, our true identity, dreams, wishes, and aspirations. They evoke a depth that is hard to describe but somehow, it captured our imagination to things we thought were not possible. The Ideas plated last months and years and in some cases, decades. The difference between a brand that lasts and one that fades, purely at the core comes down to the story you are telling.
With the birth of social media, we have democratized this journey. We all have the chance to participate while creating or recreating ourselves, showcasing to the world what we feel we are, that is an articulation is what our story is all about, the deeper understanding of self and our creations. What I want to do in this space is walk through the journey of the creation. From seeding, to break through, to scaling purpose for self-actualization, to become all we were meant to be.
This is not about how to be talented but how your talents can create a whole new life for you, no matter your status, age, or direction.
Let’s “Observe” and “Transcend.”
