This really speaks to me. For a long time, I chased a clear, confident identity, someone who knew exactly who he was and what he stood for. But the deeper I’ve gone into building my businesses, whether it’s writing, historical preservation, or martial arts, the more I’ve realized that identity is fluid.
Each project I’ve started didn’t just come from me; they helped shape me. I’ve sometimes wondered if I created these ventures to express who I am… or if I’ve been using them to figure that out. And honestly, the line blurs. When you pour your time, energy, and values into something, it becomes a mirror. Sometimes you like what you see, sometimes you don’t.
But what I’ve learned is this: authenticity isn’t about having a fixed brand or persona across everything I do. It’s about the impact I leave behind in each space, how I show up, how I treat people, and what I fight to preserve. Whether it’s through a book, a short story, a nonprofit mission, or a conversation, those quiet echoes are what speak louder than any bio or pitch ever could.
So no, I don’t always recognize the person in the mirror. But when I look at the ripple effect of what I’ve built and how it’s helped others connect with the past, find meaning, or stand for something, I feel closest to the real me.
Thank you for sharing this Michael. It's quite possible that the shaping of ourselves is both an expression and exploration; you are spot on in my opinion that the line blurs. I think looking into the mirror though, we sometimes get stuck looking at the slow creeping change of reflection thinking we are looking at someone we previously were, or some one new.
We are in fact the same person we always have been, but that person, that sense of self-reflection and understanding is whats fluid. Once we reach a certain level of introspection, whether we like it or not, it just opens us up to another level of things we aren't at the top of. It allows for more growth, but it's an uncomfortable path.
This is a really beautiful post that describes resonance instead of pressure with sharing how we help others. Ya'll need to follow Chris to learn more about leadership that unifies and helps the budding leaders, the dandelion leaders, to rise up.
This really speaks to me. For a long time, I chased a clear, confident identity, someone who knew exactly who he was and what he stood for. But the deeper I’ve gone into building my businesses, whether it’s writing, historical preservation, or martial arts, the more I’ve realized that identity is fluid.
Each project I’ve started didn’t just come from me; they helped shape me. I’ve sometimes wondered if I created these ventures to express who I am… or if I’ve been using them to figure that out. And honestly, the line blurs. When you pour your time, energy, and values into something, it becomes a mirror. Sometimes you like what you see, sometimes you don’t.
But what I’ve learned is this: authenticity isn’t about having a fixed brand or persona across everything I do. It’s about the impact I leave behind in each space, how I show up, how I treat people, and what I fight to preserve. Whether it’s through a book, a short story, a nonprofit mission, or a conversation, those quiet echoes are what speak louder than any bio or pitch ever could.
So no, I don’t always recognize the person in the mirror. But when I look at the ripple effect of what I’ve built and how it’s helped others connect with the past, find meaning, or stand for something, I feel closest to the real me.
Thank you for sharing this Michael. It's quite possible that the shaping of ourselves is both an expression and exploration; you are spot on in my opinion that the line blurs. I think looking into the mirror though, we sometimes get stuck looking at the slow creeping change of reflection thinking we are looking at someone we previously were, or some one new.
We are in fact the same person we always have been, but that person, that sense of self-reflection and understanding is whats fluid. Once we reach a certain level of introspection, whether we like it or not, it just opens us up to another level of things we aren't at the top of. It allows for more growth, but it's an uncomfortable path.
Glad to see you putting yourself out there.
This is a really beautiful post that describes resonance instead of pressure with sharing how we help others. Ya'll need to follow Chris to learn more about leadership that unifies and helps the budding leaders, the dandelion leaders, to rise up.