Rough Draft
Identity is what defines us as a person. Everyone one on earth has their own unique identity. To showcase my identity, I created a collage of images and descriptive words, called an identi-kit. This identi-kit shows what I feel like is my identity to myself and the others. My identi-kit identifies me as a mixed martial artist. The identi-kit has images of a deadly shark with mixed martial arts gloves on that say mixed martial arts on the front and fight shorts with the words competitor and warrior on them.
It also has descriptive words like “killer instinct” and “fight” which describe my spirit. There are three assumptions that come to question when asking about one’s identity. The first is if you were born with this identity? The second is if this identity was shaped because of culturally influences? The third is if the identity was created because of personal choices in your life? My identity was formed by all three assumptions of identity. orn with. Me joining and training in mixed martial arts were both culturally influenced and a personal choice.
My brother and brother-in-law influenced me in mixed martial arts and then it was my personal choice to train and experience mixed martial arts. My never give up and go for the kill attitude was what I was born with. My identi-kit shows that my identity is a mixed martial artists that is disciplined and has a killer instinct when it comes to competition. The images and words on the identi-kit were carefully chosen to fully project my identity. One image that was chosen is an image of a shark that looks ferocious and ready to go one more round.
This image displays that I am the same way. When it comes to training and competing I am mean and will go one more round to win. Quitting is not an option in my life. There is a phrase on my identi-kit and it says “Killer Instinct”. This phrase was chosen because it is very descriptive and shows that I have the killer instinct to fight through the pain and suffering. There are many images of fight shorts that have words on then that are very important in my life. The two that are my favorite have the words “Warrior” and “Competitor” on them.
These words were chosen to reflect my identity as a competitor and a warrior when it comes to mixed martial arts and life in general. One image on the identi-kit shows the word “Hayabusa” which is the fastest falcon in the world. To me hayabusa means to be fast and quick but do not hurry. The Hayabusa is the fastest bird in the world that is fast and quick but does not screw up. My life revolves around working fast and quick but not to mess up at the same time. The images and phrases put together on the identi-kit help others to identify me because they are all very descriptive and imaginative.
The identi-kit forms my identity to other people because to train and compete in mixed martial arts you have to be much disciplined, self-motivated, and have the killer instinct to go and fight with another human being. I was born with my identity and at the same time influenced and made the choice to do what I do. My identity was created by all three assumptions of identity while with others it could be just one or two assumptions that made who they are. I was born with me living my life in the fast lane. I have to keep on moving and trucking without ever stopping.
I was born with my killer instinct and passion for competition. My involvement in mixed martial arts was influenced and a choice. Everyone has their niche in life. Some people are good at football, others in academics, while I was good at mixed martial arts. I was not interested until my family started to getting me involved by watching live mixed martial arts events on television. As I watched more events the more I became interested and encouraged to get involved. Then came my personal choice to start training in mixed martial arts and I never regret making that decision.
To some extent identity is a performance. For some people it’s to satisfy the likes of others. For some it’s trying to join a certain community. For most identity is not a performance. Identity is not something you can “put on” or “take off”. Sadly for others identity is exactly what was just stated. In order for some people to be happy and impress others they put on an identity in order to fit in. For some it’s a personal choice and for others they are influenced by the culture that surrounds them. What is cool to some may be uncool to others.
To some smoking dope is cool and if you do it you are cool but to others like myself I do not think smoking dope is cool. I do not think it is cool but I do not hate anyone that does smoke it because that is their identity and a personal choice. My identity is not to impress anybody or to fit in with a certain crowd, my identity is what makes me happy and what labels me to other people. People want to be cool and be liked, so they commit to an identity that is not who they really are. The thing that makes us is us. For me my identity is what it is and others may not think it is cool or not right but it is who I am and what makes me.
My identi-kit showcases who I am and what I am like. It displays my label to me and others. It shows that I love the aspect of competing and having the killer instinct to do so. This is important because it shows my identity is not something you can just put on and then later take off. Every image and phrase on my identi-kit is a little piece of who I am and what I offer to others. My images and phrases were the perfect strategies to display my identity and in doing so helped me to identify myself. What makes us who we are?
