Inspiring: Gilbert Arenas

I like to root for the underdog. Maybe I see elements of myself in them. I'm not just talking about any kind of underdog (there are different types, you see). I'm talking about the underdog who lifts people up with their story. This week, I'm handing the YISI inspiration badge to Gilbert Arenas.

Arenas, also known as "Hibachi" or "Agent Zero" is a basketball player for the Washington Wizards. What's that? You never heard of the team? Me neither. Not until I came across Gilbert Arenas in 2007. I was having a tough semester at school but my spirits brighten up a little after I watched this video:


And this is not some dumb post about how Adidas lifted my spirits. In fact, the brand has nothing to do with this post. Arenas got me thinking when he said "it wasn't even about basketball anymore." How many of us set our hearts on something and forget to see the bigger picture? We listen to what people say about how impossible our goals are. Like Arenas, we're asked to sit on the bench. Arenas inspires me because he has proven to the world that he is not a zero (literally, he changed his number). And yes, he made some bad choices during the 2009-10 NBA season but he has also made some good ones too. His story inspires me to get back up and play with heart.

Inspiring: John C. Maxwell

When someone gives a detailed and honest breakdown of an area of interest that you have, you can't help but appreciate their input. Today's inspiration is of an author that I have come to respect and admire:

John C. Maxwell is known for his books and seminars on leadership. From reading and listening to him, I have learned that leadership is about empowering and inspiring people rather than merely dictating and managing them. I also like that he is upfront about his faith. Some people might tone down their faith in order to get mass appeal but that hasn't been the case for him. Mr Maxwell provides readers and viewers with insightful knowledge while also acknowledging the source of his wisdom. There's no doubt that Mr Maxwell is a respected leadership expert and a man of God to be reckoned with! Thank you Mr. Maxwell for giving me a better appreciation of life and leadership.

You can follow him on twitter @johncmaxwell for a healthy dose of advice on life, learning and leading.

Inspiring Thursdays

As you might have noticed with the headings, each day has a focus on a particular subject matter. So far we've had Digital, Design & Innovation. Today is a little different from the rest. While I've spent some time sharing my thoughts on ideas, brands and whatnot. Today I am changing focus to...people. Every Thursday, I will be featuring people that inspire me. People from all over the world, working in different industries. Today's feature is none other than Franchesca Leigh Ramsey from franchesca.net.


I came across Franchesca's blog in 2008 and after watching a few of her videos, I was drawn to her bigger than life personality (the video below is one of my personal favorites). Although I discovered her blog a year before I started mine, her blog was one of the reasons why I reconsidered the "blogging thing."

With a BFA degree from Miami International University and aspirations to be a comedian, singer and entertainer,  Franchesca holds down more than just a graphic design degree. In 2008 she won the Red Carpet Reporter competition to interview celebrities for the 2008 Emmy's and she rocked it. She was also one of the many hosts of YouTube's LIVE stream.



What's there not to like about Franchesca? She is a shooting star with a bright future ahead of her!

new look, slightly different blog

I finally saw Julie & Julia and I’m glad I went to see it. I don’t think I would have had patience for the book but the movie was inspiring all the same. It got me inspired to keep my blog updated. If you’ve noticed, I changed the look of the blog. But that’s not all that I plan to change (writing more often is a start). Expect more topics, ideas, and everything else in between.


Aurevoir, pour maintenant :)