This week, I’ve been thinking about how we perceive ourselves and what we truly want from the one life we have.
Steve Jobs once asked:
“If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today?”
It’s a confronting question. Especially when you pause long enough to really hear it.
The last few months, after some health setbacks, I was forced into that pause. And what came up wasn’t fear, it was clarity. A realization of how much of our identity we quietly outsource to our roles, our titles, our relationships, our work.
Founder. Partner.Father. Mother. Leader.Daugther.Son
Useful. Needed. Productive.
But underneath all of that—who are we?
My conversation with Cici brought this home for me. She said something simple but powerful:
Supernova is only the beginning. It doesn’t define her.
That stayed with me.
Because we come into this world alone, and we leave it alone.
Everything in between, the work, the labels, the applause, is temporary.
And yet we spend so much time building lives that look good from the outside, without always asking whether they feel true on the inside.
We often tie who we are to what we do or to the people around us. But what happens if the job disappears? If the company gets acquired? If we’re laid off? If our kids leave for college? If the thing we built no longer needs us in the same way?
What would still matter to you?
Legacy isn’t what you achieve. It’s how you move through the world. How you treat people.How present you are in the moments that don’t come back.
As Maya Angelou said:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
So maybe the real work isn’t doing more.
Maybe it’s remembering who we are without all the noise.
Choosing a life that feels aligned is not just impressive.
Choosing connection over constant proving.
Choosing meaning, even when no one is watching.
Because in the end, we walk our path alone.
And the only question that really matters is:
Did this life feel like mine?
What I’m Reading
Manifest — Roxie Nafousi
A book I’d recommend reading as the new year begins. It feels like an invitation to release the past, get clear on what you want from the future, and understand how much the way we think shapes what we create.
Traction — Gino Wickman (still reading)
This book was recommended to me by a mentor when I told him I wanted to start my brand. It’s a practical, no-frills framework for building companies that actually run well — especially when growth starts to outpace your systems.
The 5 Types of Wealth — Sahil Bloom (still reading)
I’ve been following Sahil Bloom for a while and genuinely admire his work. This book, being a New York Times bestseller, only adds to the intrigue, and I’m excited to dive in. It feels like the right mindset reset to go into the new year with intention.
What Else Dropped This Week
Off Script
From Scotland to Sephora: How Cici Turned Insecurity Into Her Superpower
Under the Hood
The Power of Cultural Disruptors: Why Being the First in the Room Creates Entire Markets
→The Power of Cultural Disrupters
On My Reading Desk
In the gen AI economy, consumers want innovation they can trust
Inside the rise of brand romance, where celebrity love stories double as business deals
Note to My Future Self
Don’t confuse who you are with what you do.
Don’t build a life that looks good but feels empty.
Choose presence over performance.
Choose alignment over applause.
You come alone.
You go alone.
Make sure the life in between feels like yours.
Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.
— Sai Menon
New Debrief is out every Friday