What's Your Formula? Uncovering the Persona You're Meant to Become
Who were you? Who are you right now, in this moment? And most importantly, who are you becoming?
We often think of our lives in chapters, but I believe we all have a personal "formula"—a dynamic, ever-changing recipe that defines us. Think of it this way: The 1.0 version of yourself is your past. It’s the collection of all the experiences, challenges, and successes that have forged the person you are today.
The present, then, is a metamorphosis. It’s the crucible where everything that came before is applied, shaping the person you are destined to be. This future self—the 2.0 version of you—is defined by what you do today.
To navigate this transformation with intention, it's incredibly powerful to distill your future self into a persona or an archetype. This isn't about creating a false identity, but about giving a name and a shape to the best version of yourself you are striving to bring into the world.
For me, that persona is The Shepherd.
Embodying The Shepherd
The idea of "The Shepherd" emerged years ago during a coaching session. I was encouraged to be more casual, more myself, to simply flow. This advice resonated deeply and later materialized in the name of my home in the south of New Zealand, "The Shepherd's Hut." Over time, the name became a part of me. People started calling me The Shepherd, and I began to see—and become—the very persona I had envisioned.
So, what does The Shepherd represent?
Patience and Flow: It invokes a sense of casualness and patience. As a former ultramarathon runner, I was used to tapping into a state of endurance and flow. The Shepherd embodies this, but with a quieter, more observant energy.
Resilience and Solitude: A shepherd must endure the elements, often alone in the cold. They are observers more than speakers, comfortable in their own presence. This persona reminds me to embrace that quiet strength.
Compassion and Care: At its core, the role is about tending to others with compassion. It’s about care and guidance.
A Modern Link to the Past: The Shepherd is an ancient archetype, but my interpretation connects this timeless wisdom to the present moment. It’s solitary but also deeply interconnected with the world it observes.
This image of The Shepherd is me. It allows me to step out of the noise of the world and connect with a simpler, more authentic version of myself. This is the essence of my formula.
Discovering Your Hashtags
This beckons the question: who are you? When you close your eyes and visualize the best version of yourself, who do you see?
A powerful way to start defining your own formula is to identify your passions—what I like to call your personal "hashtags." These are the core elements that make you uniquely you. If I were to hashtag myself, the list might look something like this:
#Narrator #Writer #Creative #Hiker #Paddleboarder #Movement #MobileLiving #NewZealand #Mountains #GlobalCitizen
I love to record and narrate. I'm passionate about movement, not just in my body through hiking and cycling, but in objects like planes and vans. I'm defined by places—the mountains of New Zealand, my Australian roots, and the years I spent as a global citizen in Singapore and Asia.
The list goes on, but each hashtag is a thread in the tapestry of my identity. Together, they form the basis of my formula.
Your Formula is Your Unique Contribution
By identifying and sharing the passions that make up our formula, we offer the world the most authentic version of ourselves. This is how we connect, learn, and grow.
The key thing to remember is that everyone has a formula, and it has three distinct qualities:
It's Uniquely You: No one else has your specific combination of experiences, passions, and dreams.
It's Always Changing: Your formula is not static. It evolves as you do, adapting to new experiences and insights.
It's How You Relate: It’s the lens through which you see yourself, the story you tell others, and the energy you bring into the world.
We are all inspired by the formulas of others. When someone shares their authentic self, it gives us permission to do the same. This is the collective. This is the beauty of our interconnectedness.
So, take a moment today. What are your hashtags? What persona are you stepping into? Start defining your formula, and watch as you become the person you were always meant to be.