Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?

We have had the good fortunate of connecting with Nobel Laureates, titans of industry, rockstars and rising stars across dozens of industries and we have always found their stories about who they were early on to be most fascinating. Below, you’ll find members of the community sharing their responses to this key aspect of their stories.

Mary Tamura

I am proud to say that I am now the person that I thought I would be before the world told me. I would try to fit into many boxes, to go the route that many people have gone. But diverting the path and making my own really made me come back to who I was as a kid and brought back my creativity. Read more>>

ania thomas

Before the world taught me who I should be, I was someone completely free—living exactly how I wanted, unattached to anything. That kind of freedom was beautiful, but also extreme. I still miss it, yet I’ve come to realize that having some structure and the ability to truly attach to something gives me the grounding I need. Read more>>

Prince Baggett

Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a curious builder—fascinated by stories and culture, and driven by the thrill of creating something from nothing. Over the years, navigating studios and big deals sometimes pulled me toward titles and expectations. Read more>>