Move | Educate | Illustrate | Shock | Amaze | Awe | Excite | Encourage | Love | Welcome
I was pleased with this selection and thought it represented exactly who I aspire to be. The interesting thing, however, is that I don’t think it necessarily represents who I am at the moment. The main reason for this, I realized, was that the “interactive” verbs we chose from were all extroverted and action oriented. If was to describe myself I’d say I’m much more introspective and, more often than not, aware at the cost of inaction. So, in a way, these words all represent the direction I hope I’m heading; namely, being able to better interact with and contribute to the world around me. One way I’ve always been able to do this is through my work.
Throughout my life thus far, I’ve always felt I was much more effective in communicating myself through my creations. This took the forms of writing, formal speeches, and even music, and I still feel that the way I present myself in my work is often more representative of myself than my informal interactions.
So, ultimately, I’d argue that these verbs are more indicative of how my work interacts than how I personally interact. Hopefully, as my sense of self develops, the two arenas will become closer to, if not indistinguishable from, one another.