Who am I?

I don't like going to events.

But I love being at events.


It’s a funny contradiction, right?

I find the idea of what to wear, which route to take, and just thinking about everything as too much trouble. I’d rather just teleport to the event, step out in a cool outfit, and join the fun—grinning and shouting with excitement. (I know someone reading this can relate. Don't be shy.)

What I truly love about events is the promise of new experiences: meeting new people, hearing fresh perspectives, and gathering bits of information that open me up to new possibilities.

It gets even better when I get to be part of the planning—listening to super smart, experienced people, and, yes, even collecting some merch or winning something that says “I was there!”

Yet, amid all the excitement of meeting new people, I always had mixed feelings during networking sessions. I see people as doors to fresh opportunities, but I really didn't like the "Can I meet you?" moment—or the challenge of introducing myself.

Every time I had to explain who I was, I’d struggle with words:

"Should I say I'm a student? I'm more than that."
"Should I say I'm a brand guy? But that's not the full picture."
"Should I say I am a writer? Well, maybe that works."

And so, I mostly resorted to simply saying "writer."

But experiencing this over and over again made me dread titles. Each time, I really wanted to describe myself better—beyond titles, positions, jobs, or projects.

I remember one event—LinkedIn Local Ife—where Glory Ihinose, our captivating host, had us write down a list of about 11 thought-provoking questions to ask our new contacts.

Questions like, “What’s your best food?”, “100 million naira or 100 million followers?”, and “What’s one thing that people love but you don’t get the hype around?”

The energy in the room was electric. Those questions sparked deep, meaningful conversations, and I even met three incredible people that day. It was a game changer.

That experience opened my eyes to better ways to answer the question, “Who are you?”

It’s such a simple question, yet it rarely gets answered in a way that captures our true essence.

So today, I’m not asking you to list your job title, your certificates, or any labels society has given you.

I want you to ask yourself: “Who am I?”

If you stripped away all those labels, who would be left?

Think of your personality—are you funny, serious, playful?

Consider your likes and dislikes, and even the little details that make you unique. Maybe you’ve read a thousand books, or perhaps you have a random scar on your left arm. These are the things that define you.

At the end of the day, what matters most is that you’re brutally honest and sincere with yourself. This isn’t about impressing anyone—it’s just between you and you. No judgments, no pressure.

I need you to be brutally honest and sincere.

Once you can answer, “Who am I?” with clarity, you’ll become more self-aware, and the blurry lines of your identity will start to sharpen.


*****


Don’t know where to start? Try this prompt:

List 3 qualities you believe make you different from everyone else.

They could be something you love, something you dislike, or even an interesting fact about yourself. Just be honest and let your true self shine through.

Clarity begins with understanding who you really are. I’m excited to see what you come up with!

Cheers,
Gee.