I’m a son, shepherd, and starter

Those are what I consider to be the 3 most important things about me. I could speak to each of them at great depth, describing what each of these simple words mean to me and how it is I seek to manifest these aspects of my identity in the world.

But not everyone is so clear. I wasn’t either. I took me a great deal of time to arrive at synthesizing the complexity of who I am* into just 3 words and 18 characters.

*Because everyone is complex and unique, not because I’m special by any means. You are complex and unique, too.

But it’s not impossible. There are several great tools in the world to help us discover more about ourselves. Books, personality assessments, online courses, contemplation, and counsel are all great places to start. Self-discovery is a long process, arguably a lifelong process. We are always learning, and yes, we should always be growing.

Still, I would contend that who people are at their very core is fairly static. Moreover, I would say there is an imprint of God Himself that has been placed in us by design that we must discover. As a result, answering the Who question becomes an effort of synthesizing all that we know of ourselves. It requires we recognize the patterns of our personal history to derive meaning out of what might otherwise feel ethereal or hard to describe. It’s about realizing our truest selves.

To help people arrive at answering this question for themselves, I put together a robust online course that walks people through relevant questions and exercises at their own pace. It was 20 years in the making, and it’s the best wisdom I have to offer on the subject. This course not only helps people arrive at answering who they are, but it helps them discover a way to stay true to themselves and live life on purpose.

In other words, a single how-to article about describing yourself in three words just won’t suffice.

The Oscar-nominated actor, Richard Grant, got it right when he said, “The value of identity of course is that it so often comes with purpose.” I’m a son, shepherd, and starter, and I do everything I do out of those parts of me.

So, once again, who are you?