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.

Robert Burrell

I was that kid going along with what was expected by anyone after they graduate from high school. I always knew that moving to the big city and chasing my dreams was always the goal, but I never knew how to begin. Read more>>

Daniel Marsh

Since childhood, I’ve always been a curious and creative soul. I was always fascinated by science, art, technology, nature, literature, and storytelling. When I was very young, I dreamed of becoming a marine biologist because I love animals and the ocean. When I was a teenager, I was convinced I wanted to design roller coasters and become an engineer. Read more>>

Nikolay Mikheev

Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a kid who lived inside imagination. I was always passionate about art and visual images, constantly paying attention to shapes, colors, and textures around me. My imagination worked effortlessly, and visual creativity was simply a natural part of how I understood the world. That creative instinct stayed with me as I grew. Read more>>

Nia Lee

I​ love this question. I spoke briefly about it in my last interview with CanvaRebel but I think considering this question is good from time to time. I want to start by saying that kids are smarter than what we give them credit for. It’s been proven that kids, specifically BIPOC children, become aware of their identity and struggles fairly early on. Read more>>

Julia Wiss

I remember an early childhood memory – I was sitting at a dinner table with a bunch of adults – the man next to me says, do you always ask this many questions? As far back as I can remember, I was curious, bold and ambitious. I didn’t belive in a ‘no’ or limitations. The world never told me who I had to be. Read more>>