I measure everything in units of time, it's the currency we all can't recuperate. Like Thanos, it’s inevitable. And with every passing moment, priorties and preferences change. 10 years ago I never thought I'd one day look at a backyard in a suburb with envy. As my birthday this year approaches, I started thinking about who would I be if I "grow out" of the sneakers I love so dearly?

The past two decades have seen a surge in motivation figures with the rise of social media. As a natural pessimist and skeptic, I tend to view these figures the same way I watch the Fast Franchise - pure entertainment, comedy and occasional beautiful cinema. Kobe Bryant’s given us countless quotes throughout his two decade career and into retirement, many of these read like a “Guru 101” playbook. But why does Kobe beyond basketball invoke a different reaction from me compared to all the other quote-machines out there?