Fun fact: I am the most unathletic person you will ever meet. If you don’t believe me, watch the video of me rollerblading—it’s on my Instagram (you have to scroll through 567 dog photos to find it).
Ironically, or not ironically, I am ridiculously competitive, which directly challenges my athleticism, often with disastrous consequences. Case in point: I have a permanent dent in my leg from mountain biking, where my speed, lack of control, zero skill, and a set of handlebars all came together to celebrate the end of my two-wheeling career. This is a Bode quirk: I am stubborn, committed, stupidly fearless, and incredibly uncoordinated.
Our quirks, much like my time on the Allendale Christian Middle School basketball team, make us memorable, weird, and authentic; they’re who we are. No one will remember your name, job title, or the other boring stuff you tell them. What they’ll remember is how you showed up, what you wore, the interesting things about you…it’s the stuff that makes you unforgettable: THAT is your Big Deal Energy.
When you own, truly own what makes you, you; you’ll see your quirks as an advantage; your story as a differentiator and your ambition as power.
Your “weird” isn’t a weakness. It’s your Big Deal Energy™️.