Unlocking Your Unique Value through Your Unique Tapestry
Original Bonwire Kente: source pictures from the Bonwire Museum, near Kumasi, Ghana.
Danny engineered me
Simmone let the Mini go
I blew the engine nearly
Marnie held me down from the day we met yearly
Anyone who helped me out
Thank you, sincerely
Four minutes forty eight, ya boy ain't finished yet I mention all these names, but I ain't no one's silhouette
I done built my own brand up so before you try and interject
Sprinkle some respect upon my name and watch your nxxxx rep
Anyone who say I ain't the GOAT,
Incorrect
Disrespect
Disconnect
When they was tryna work out what to call it, I just caught the drop....
- Autobiography, UK Hip Hop Star Ghetts, 2021
In my native Ghana, there is a little town 20 miles north of the country's second city Kumasi.
This little village spun a fashion sensation that is still wildly popular 400 years later worldwide.
I am wearing a variant of this as I type this newsletter in my office overlooking the sea.
The town is called Bonwire, (pronounced Bon-we-ray) and the cloth is called Kente. (pronounced Ken=Tay). This town is where the above picture was taken.
But don’t be deceived.
Not all Kente is created equal.
The tapestry of the original Kente cloth is produced through an elaborate process by traditional weavers using the original Bonwire loom which has largely stayed the same for over four centuries. And no two cloths are exactly the same. Each cloth can cost up to $5000 per piece.
Then there is the Kente which is done by industrial print machines. They are produced in greater quantities and cost around $200 - $1000 per piece.
Then there is the mass-produced Kente, typically produced in China for the diasporan and West African market which can cost as little as a fiver (Thats what I'm wearing now, - gulp🤪)
The value of the cloth is in its uniqueness.
This same principle applies to our lives.
I have been slightly alarmed as to how many assessments there are that promise to tell you exactly who you are, how you will function in a particular environment, who your ideal spouse is, and many more.
This is not new – it's been around for millennia, starting with – you’ve got it – your star sign.
These assessments are helpful, no doubt. I’ve done a few myself, and my books contain a few and I’ve found them incredibly useful.
But we need to remember one thing.
Our value is found in our uniqueness.
And our uniqueness, like the tapestry of the original Bonwire kente cloth, is a complex mix of our traumas, our personality, background, culture, traits, genetics, life experiences and many more. And it's unique to us. To me. To you.
So, the next time you take an assessment of your personality type, read your star sign prediction, or take an assessment that grades you from 1 -10 in any field, remember this.
You are unique.
You are different from anyone else.
And the value you bring to the world is in your uniqueness.
And yes, we must work hard to improve ourselves, smooth our rough edges, and get healthier, emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.
But the improvement is not to make you into a mass-produced carbon copy which has little value (like the Chinese-made kente imitation,) but like a diamond in the rough - to shape you and remove all the rough exteriors so you can shine brightly as your unique self.
But you want to be an original, like a Bonwire Kente piece.
That’s where people will see your value.
That’s where you will stand out from the crowd.
The humongous, massive, gigantic crowd.
So going forward, what parts of your life do you need to shave off so people can see your uniqueness? Where are you trying to be a carbon copy?
I've tried that, and almost immediately, people could sense the duplicity, and my value plummeted.
Becuase within that uniqueness - lies our true value.
And when you discover your uniqueness, every other thing will (almost) naturally fall into place.
Let’s do life,
Steven.
NB: If you want to learn more about finding your uniqueness, check out my article on authenticity here:
Whilst you're here...
Work with me. I can public-speak, mentor, write or consult. Hop onto www.stevenadjei.com for a taste, read what people say about my work, and holler at hello@stevenadjei.com for a chat. I'd love some feedback as well on the above article.
Buy my book. You won't regret it. It's won several awards and has been number 1 on Amazon in more than EIGHTEEN categories. The direct links are below if you are in the UK or US. If you already have, I'd love an honest review on Amazon. Reviews really do help us out :)-.
Talk to me: I won't judge. I've been through every kind of pain you can imagine, and I can work with you to help overcome (or manage) your business pain and turn it into victory.
Rooting for you,
