Choosing Your Path

As I was graduating High School, my teachers and counselors always told me, "You can pretty much do anything, you can go anywhere." I believed them. My grades were up there, I had high aspirations and I was really motivated. I remember as my name was getting called up during graduation the Superintendent read, "James Cabrera, attending Stony Brook University with a double major in Physics and Mathematics... looks like you're going to have a very busy schedule ahead of you!"

That was the plan, but things never ever usually go to plan. Everyone usually has some kind of inner struggle in deciding where it is they want to go with their lives. The most common one is what you want to be doing versus what you expect to be doing. Going through college most students visualize themselves undertaking socially-highly-regarded positions. The money-making, secure future. It's either that or doing what their parents want them to do.

The real world is tough. I repeat it time and time again. When you're going through college everything is planned and you're just going through a set of actions to an apparent and clear goal, your degree. But when you're let out into the real world, it's all you. There is no clear goal. At first you think it's accumulating as much wealth as possible, and for some people it stays as that. For me however I quickly realized that's not what I want my goal to be. In all honesty I don't think the accumulation of wealth should be anyone's goal.

Your goal should be finding something you'd be content doing everyday. Something you wouldn't mind waking up to every morning. Something that you could still do even when times get rough. Your path shouldn't be dictated by other people's expectations. I've read and been told stories of people who live their lives doing their hobbies, and take on multiple part-time jobs just to make rent and afford food. If you love a hobby enough that you could put up with that lifestyle, I say go for it.

I say that people should do what they, themselves, want to do. Don't chase money but chase your passions. Strive for meaning more than money. That's what I'm looking for right now.

Getting Lost

I'm normally the type of person to always pre-calculate things and always have a plan before going out and doing anything. One day during my break from doing anything website related my friend, Khristine, told me about trying to go out and get lost once in a while. Maybe you'll find something cool, or something you never thought existed before. There are some cool inspiring things that might arise from trying to get lost.

We ended up somewhere in King's Park and found a random dock. Khristine thought we should take some "emo" pictures but I wasn't really experienced in how to pose for an "emo" picture. Here were the results with some post-processing by me.

James

Khristine

I'm going to try and get lost more often when I'm feeling uninspired and unmotivated.

Branding Yourself

Coming from an advertising design background, I've come to learn the relative significance of Branding to a Company's image. The same can be said for individuals as well, but not in the professional sense. In our personal lives there is actually a lot of branding taking place.

Nicknames are what come to mind first. By having a Nickname you are essentially taking that first step in branding yourself as a person. Nicknames commonly arise naturally. Long or common given names get reduced to shorter and/or more memorable ones just as a consequence of frequent interaction. Their purpose is to uniquely identify an individual with a memorable and recognizable similarly-sounding name. Sometimes if you're given a nickname it is good to embrace it and carry it to help better identify yourself and set yourself apart from other people.

Establishing a look. What you see is what you get. Although some hate to see things in this light, the reality is that it's true. People will take how you look, or appear, into account in their minds when they identify you. When someone mentions your name they will have a certain image pop into their brains based on how they previously seen you before. When people hear the name "Travis Barker" most of them will immediately think about his tattoos.

Maintaining consistency. Be respected. People will remember you and know who you are better if you are reliable. Also if you remain consistent with your actions to establish a solid character. If you're all over the place or try to be "everything" then you will be spread thin and be very hard to recognize. Think about a clump of dough. If you form all of it into a solid shape in a small concentrated area, you will easily be able to notice the dough, and even shape it however you want within that area. However, if you take a roller and try to spread it out over as big of an area possible, you will no longer be able to recognize the dough at all.

So why would you need to brand yourself in your personal life? It's about establishing your identity, the way you want it. You don't want to be mundane and fall into the sea of humanity, or becoming just a typical ant in the ant farm. It'll also help you to become more successful and increase your opportunities in whatever you do. People will remember you through some of the ways you've chosen to brand yourself. In networking with other people, you will also have a leg up.

Do you choose to "brand" yourself? Do you believe it does you any better?

Starting Out

All self-started, up-and-coming, hopeful individuals find themselves very desperate early in the game with respect to opportunities and money. It's so easy to get yourself involved in causes that you don't wholeheartedly believe in. Much of the time you may find yourself smudging your ideology to justify taking on questionable opportunities in hopes that it will propel you towards your real goals. Although worth is most commonly measured by the meniscus of wealth, in modern days more emphasis and value is being put into integrity.

Know Where You Stand. I know it sounds lame but it's very important to take some time before even beginning any kind of endeavor to write some kind of mission statement. Don't just write down the typical mumbo-jumbo or gloss over it. Think about yourself, your ideals and where you'd like to go. Take it seriously. You can't build a building without having a solid foundation to put it on.

Follow It. Saying and doing are two different things. Nobody wants to look like a hypocrite so if you truly know where you stand then keep your ground. Nothing more needs to be said about this.

Resist Temptation to Sell Yourself Out. Sometimes the easiest way is not the best way. Despite contrary belief the best things are not those created with the intent of selling them. Focus on your goals, your beliefs and your mission. That's the only way you can reach your highest potential. This is the only way you can get quality recognition, and build a strong following. People will know you're serious and not just someone who rides the waves. They will give you the best support you need, even when times get rough (which they will). It's never about getting exposure or appeasing other people.

I look up to those who are able to maintain this balance like Johnny Cupcakes and The Hundreds. Even Oakley. Despite coming off as a huge corporation they still pour money back into their products and to sponsor and support the sports and activities from which their core consumers belong to.

Do you know where you stand? How good of a job are you doing at maintaining your ground?