WHAT’S YOUR MANIFESTO? — 003
Ekow
21 — Bronx, NY
Student
“Success isn’t subjective. It’s defined by the person chasing it.”
A conversation about purpose, success, responsibility, and what it means to build a life that extends beyond yourself.
Some people spend their lives trying to figure out what they want. Ekow seems more focused on figuring out how to get there. The conversation moves through ideas of success, instability, and purpose, but repeatedly circles back to one larger question: What happens after success finally arrives? For Ekow, the answer isn’t really about himself. It’s about who gets reached for afterward.What’s been taking up your headspace recently?
I’ve had a lot of internal dialogue recently.
Whether it’s conversations with you, Ethan, or just people around me in general, I feel like those conversations have left me with a lot to think about.
If I had to boil it down to one thing though, I’d probably say purpose.
Not necessarily figuring out your purpose, but figuring out how to achieve it.
Everyone has goals in life, and the thing about success is that it’s not objective.
It’s subjective.
Success is really a metric based on the person who’s beholding it.
Being that I don’t come from the most stable household, some people would probably say that some of the goals I’m trying to attain might be out of reach.
So for me, it’s really trying to figure out ways of making those goals not only tangible, but achievable.
Because ultimately I don’t want to waste my time.
I’m from the Bronx and I’m four hours away right now.
So purpose and time have really been on my mind.
What does purpose look like to you?
Purpose isn’t necessarily one thing.
I think purpose is subscribing to an idea, or somebody, or a way of believing that’s greater than yourself.
Then applying what you’ve learned through your day-to-day life into that practice and actually putting that ideology into action.
I think that’s what purpose is.
When it comes to finding your sense of purpose, some people are helpers.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re limited to working in a hospital or a nonprofit.
There are so many ways to help people and so many ways to achieve that.
What’s your manifesto right now?
My manifesto would really just be to give back.
In all facets of that phrase.
Being around different people recently has made me realize that success isn’t simply attaining some form of monetary value, accolades, or status.
It’s really about what you do as a result of gaining those things.
What do you do with that access?
What do you do with that position?
How do you help the people around you?
To me, that’s what it’s all about.
That’s my purpose.
To help those who are in need.
Those who don’t have a voice.
And more importantly, those who feel like they don’t have a voice.
🎧 Sound of the Manifesto:
Human Nature — Michael Jackson