What is Identity? More Than Just a Reflection
Identity. It’s something we think we understand—our name, our past, the face staring back at us in the mirror. But what if that isn’t the whole story? What if who we are is more fluid than we realize?
Over two years ago, I began a personal experiment to explore this very question. How much of our identity—both how we see ourselves and how others perceive us—is shaped by our appearance?
A Two-Year Journey of Transformation
During this period, I documented my physical changes while reciting a monologue I’d written, titled What is Identity?. I kept the background and shirt the same to ensure that the only variable in this project was my outward appearance.
You’ll see every step of this journey: from the beginning to the end, with all the changes and “in-between” moments that reveal how much—or how little—changed beneath the surface.
This visual record captures more than just physical shifts; it raises deeper questions about how much of our identity is internal versus external.
The Question at the Heart of It All
As I reflected on this process, one question stayed with me: How much did I really change? How much of my true self shifted beneath these outward changes?
This video series is an invitation to question the nature of identity. How much of our sense of self is defined by how others perceive us versus what we know inside?
Identity in Life and Fiction
This exploration has always been at the heart of my writing. Identity isn’t just a personal question—it’s a recurring theme in the stories I tell:
- In Outside In, a man becomes his opposite to understand who he truly is.
- In The Investment Club, broken strangers discover that our greatest investment is often in one another.
- In Focus Lost, characters confront the fine line between passion and obsession.
- And in my children’s book, The Snail and The Butterfly, a young snail’s dream of flying meets an old butterfly’s reflections on purpose.
Through each of these stories, I’ve delved into the layers of identity, exploring how it shapes and connects us.
An Invitation to Reflect
This project, and the stories I’ve written, are an invitation to you. Who are we, really? How much of our identity is defined by what others see versus what we know to be true inside?
I hope you’ll join me in this exploration of self—not just through this video but also through the pages of my books. Because maybe, just maybe, the real journey of identity is one we’re all on together.
Feel free to share your reflections in the comments or connect with me on social media. Let’s explore this question of identity, together.
