WHAT MAKES YOU, YOU

When you walk into a new space,

when you meet new people,

they ask questions—

most of the time, with good intentions.

They want to get to know you.

Sometimes, though, their questions are just a way to fill the silence.

"So, tell me about yourself…"

Your education.

Your parents.

Where you were born.

Your titles.

Your achievements.

The CV version of who you are.

But why don’t we ever list:

Our fears?

Our flaws?

Our many, many failures?

Why can’t we write those down?

As if everyone’s life is made of success stories alone.

As if we all must have a five-year plan at all times.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Honestly? If I knew, I’d tell you.

But do you really know yours?

What we’re really doing is asking each other for an idealized version of our stories.

We rarely talk about the many failures

that built the success.

Yet, what makes me who I am today is not just what I have achieved—

It’s the mistakes I made.

It’s learning to make peace with them.

It’s the lessons I took from them.

It’s the fact that I didn’t give up.

The more we can embrace our failures, our flaws, our gaps—

the more we can speak them aloud with courage—

The more success will become inevitable.