Anyone. Someone.

Hello hello.
Time for yet another SoGv2.
I call this Anyone. Someone.

I am still not my 100% and thus I am not sure if there is a lesson that I can share with you guys that may make this piece worth reading. But I do have an important rant to make. A rant so important that I will publish this on every known platform known to mankind (and that I have an account on).

So I saw David Letterman talk to Kanye West and while I was seeing it, I was struck by lightning like a million times. Before I launch in the rant about it, here's the link, in case you haven't see it (it's on Netflix). It's about an hour long and most part of that hour keeps you engaged, entertained and makes you think!

Truth be told, till this episode happened, all I knew about Kanye was that he's the husband of Kim Kardashian. And all I knew about Kim is that she's a fashion model in the US and has a fan following that would put our Khan's to shame. I had read about their media empire, their fashion business and other interests that you typically ascribe to socialites. But I had thought of the two as a fancy Page 3 couple with zero substance.

After I saw the episode, I did not become an expert on their internal or business affairs but to me, a few things did stand out. And I think, these are important to anyone who wants to be someone. I for one want to a someone (and not just an anyone). You?

Anyone - aam aadmi, whose influence reaches their immediate family and maybe neighbors. Most aam aadmis would be forgotten in less than 15 years after they die. Not just that, nothing they said, did, created, etc would ever leave a mark. I know harsh.

Someone - a public figure, influence reaches most anyones (as described above). These would be remembered for at least two generations as doers, thinkers, creators, maybe even troublemakers, iconoclasts et al.

So what are those things that I am taking away from Kanye? Here's a list.

1. Eponymous Brand
Like Naval said, you have to have an eponymous brand to be able to do things that go beyond your immediate circle of influence. Yea yea, way too much Naval happening. Kanye has launched a music label, created a line of clothes, kids products, represented artists, produced live concerts and I don't know what all. He could do all this because he had this brand that he could leverage. In this day and age, what can we leverage at scale?

You are known by 50 people in your city? Super. But will those 50 open doors for you when you extend yourself from what you already do to new things? Will you be able to reset your career in 5 years?

2. Family
Kanye has this very visible support of his wife. And for him, his family seems super important. He talked about his mother, his estranged father, his children and the fact that his mother would've loved to see the grandchildren. I think I am blessed to have a great family that supports me in everything I do. That's part of the reason I don't have too many insights or ideas into this concept of family.

This has been a recurring theme for most giants. And at the same time, a lot of giants have been devoid of any familial ties. You know, walk alone kinds.

I need to investigate more into this. Let's see how this goes.

3. I don't know what to call this...
Kanye said that he loves people who love to argue. That means these are people are vocal about their opinions and are willing to get into a debate. Debate. Not a war. You could come out wrong in a debate. And that means you are willing to learn. And grow. And then take chances.

4. Can't to can.
He talked about his time in Chicago (or was it NY?) when everyone around him would tell him that he can't do this, can't do that, can't do it like that, etc, etc. And to him, in those cants, finding that win became important and that made him do the hard work and practice and all that.

He said he had this delusional confidence to go get things.

I am taking away that when the whole world knows that you are wrong and you know that you are right, you ought to follow that gut, that delusional confidence and get it.

5. Crazy
I don't mean to use this word loosely but what I gather from Kanye is that often when you are not in harmony you get into this creative space where you can cook up things that you can not in your regular state. Now, you could be wired to do it on a regular basis (you know, you have that 'spark'), you may need to use (aka abuse) substance, listen to music (and/or activate other senses), get medicines. Or whatever. But the ones that do extraordinary work often have this extraordinary trait that most others do not have. And this extraordinariness flags them and starts to cause trouble!

Wow, that was such gross oversimplification of a complex idea that Kanye had!

Apart from these 5 key things, other things that I could relate to

He said that he loved people being the maximum version of their characters. This line defines what I want to be in life! Someone that helps people become the maximum version of themselves. Thanks, Kanye for this.
He is aware of his limitation as a musician (that he is not the best). And he knows that he needs to go beyond that. That's a really important trait to have.
Kanye does not vote and yet believes that it's ok to have opinions on things. On this very thing, I had an argument with my best friend. I wish I was as eloquent as Kanye!

***

So yeah.
This is it.
It would help if you have these five (and others) if you wish to become a someone and not remain an anyone.

Today's giant is Kanye.
These are what I take away from this conversation.
Please do see the video.
Please do tell me what you take out from it.

If nothing else, it's entertaining, to say the least.
And before I end this, in case you wish to read a conflicting perspective, here (though I don't agree to this person).

Over and out.

Thank you for your time!
With gratitude,
@saurabh
2139, Wadhwa Address, SoGv2-27
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TAGS: Kanye West

STREAK: 27

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Anyone. Someone. (#SoGv2 - 27)

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