Winged Victory of Samothrace

I keep Phil Knight’s memoir sitting on my dresser as a reminder of everything I can accomplish in this beautiful life. His passion and obsession captives me. His anomalous view of himself and the world around him is strikingly, oddly similar to mine. I have underlined his mindset of “how can I leave my mark on the world, unless I get out there and see it?” over and over again. 

There are not many actions more romantically thrilling than a one-way ticket. After earning his MBA from Stanford, he traveled the world. He was aflamed with curiosity about the world; all he could see, and all he could explore. First Hawaii, then Japan. Nike started to materialize in front of him. Then Hong Kong, to the Philippines, to Bangkok, to Kathmandu, to India, to Kenya, to Cairo, to Jerusalem, to Istanbul, to Rome, to Florence, Milan, Venice, Munich, Vienna, London. And then finally Greece. Walking into the Temple of Athena changed him. He reflects, “I do not know how long I stood there, absorbing the energy and power of that epochal place. An hour? Three? I do not know how long after that day I discovered the Aristophanes play, set in the Temple of Nike, in which the warrior gives the King a gift– a new pair of shoes. I do not know when I figured out that the play was called Knights. I do  not know that as I turned to leave I noticed the temple’s marble facade, decorated with several haunting carvings, including the one where the goddess inexplicably leans down to adjust the strap of her shoe.”

Walking up the Daru staircase in the Louvre, The Winged Victory of Samothrace towered above me, and I immediately became speechless. Nike is the Goddess of Victory. Athletes who wanted to win worshiped her. She crowns gods and victorious athletes with leafy circlets or holds palms to symbolize victory. In this Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era, Nike strides forward, with the wind blowing her wings back. Her feet are firmly planted on the ship’s bow. I feel great energy and a rippling excitement from the opposing forces and her vertical pillar of strength. 

I see a lot of myself in Phil Knight and in the Goddess of Nike. I have the same passion and obsession that they have. I want to be the best at everything that I do and I want to leave my mark on the world. I want to live with no regrets and I want to take risks. Along the way, I want to inspire others to believe in their abilities as well. Passion drives me to action while obsession makes me want to do the same thing over and over again. I never get sick of it. I am obsessively passionate.