A Deeper Meaning
The shoes I wear are an article of clothing that represents me. Not in the sense that it shows my personality or in some kind of visible representation, but in the way that the shoes I wear have a deeper meaning to me. Although it is quite an expensive way of representing myself, my sneaker collection holds a deeper meaning to me than just the shoes themselves (or the cost).
To start off with a little background of myself, I began reselling shoes as a side hustle a few years ago, and I quickly fell in love with the sneaker world. Previously, I had been secluded in a world where I would never see shoes that cost more than $100. As I took more interest in the sneaker industry, my eyes were opened to a world where people regularly spent up to $300 on a single pair of shoes! Recognizing the high demand, from that moment on I slowly began my sneaker reselling journey, working to grow my capital, and reinvesting 100% of the profits I made back into my business. I was fascinated with the idea that people spent so much money on shoes, and the amount of demand sneakers held. During this time, a dream of one day owning a large collection of sneakers of my own began to formulate, but for a while I never bought a pair of these expensive shoes for myself to wear.
Then came July 2020, which is when I finally set my eyes on a pair of shoes that I wanted, and I made the purchase. However, I refused to wear them for well over a year after purchasing them. It might sound silly, but for my first pair of shoes that was noticeably more expensive than any shoe I'd worn before, I wanted to feel like I really deserved to wear them.
And so I created a system for myself. I began to set goals for myself, both academically and for my business, and I decided to reward myself with a pair of shoes whenever I reached one of these goals. For example, getting good grades for a semester, a good score on an AP exam, or reaching a certain profit threshold in my business are all things I began to reward myself for. To make it all the more meaningful, my sneaker collection is completely funded by myself, using a portion of the profits from my business.
Not only did I begin to cherish the shoes I bought for myself, but it also began to incentivize me to work harder towards my goals, which would result in me “earning” more shoes for myself. This worked perfectly because I created an arrangement where I wouldn’t spoil myself, but at the same time, I could grow my sneaker collection.
All in all, the shoes I wear represent my accomplishments. To any passerby on the street, they may appreciate the shoes for the brand or the design, but to me the shoes I wear mean a lot more on a personal level. At the moment, I have just over 10 pairs of shoes, and I plan on slowly increasing my collection alongside my accomplishments throughout my life.
I remember when you started the shoe business and it being the only thing I heard you and Ekam talking about. I'm really happy that this activity that started out as a curiosity has turned into such a big part of your time, happiness, and your goals. I admire the amount of effort and energy you put into the business, and I am really confident that you can expand even further when you get into college as you learn new skills and make so many more connections. I also relate to you when it comes to that decision about not wearing your nice shoes. For awhile after Ekam got me my shoes for my birthday, I refused to wear them or even remove them from the box for two months except to remind myself of how they felt and to see how they looked with my very limited wardrobe, but now I've gotten to the point where I wear them all the time now. I might need you to hook me up with some basketball kicks before the season...
ReplyDeleteIt's really cool to see how far your curiosity took you. I'm impressed that your fascination with the sneaker industry led to you starting your own business, which in turn allowed you to grow your own sneaker collection. It's great that you're able to find a balance between your business and academics and that your shoes have a much deeper meaning than what appears on the outside.
ReplyDeleteI really like how each of your shoes can represent one of your accomplishments in life. That gives each pair a cool backstory as well. I always enjoy seeing what shoes you have on each day lol and hopefully I'll be able to see some new shoes throughout the year signifying new accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI always liked shoes like so many others but not for the same reasons. I knew people bought them as a form of self expression however for me I just thought they looked cool but never understood how they represent your self more than just match your outfit. I guess for you shoes are more of a sign of progress and a way to prove your experience, journey and over all accomplishments with your business. Personally I couldn't have the self control to hold off on buying shoes until I reach a goal. It's honestly a really cool thing to see people taking a passion and capitalizing on it. Very cool.
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