Shoe Dog

Phil Knight

May, 2017. Berkeley, California.

On an early spring morning in the heart of Northern California, I sat quietly, sipping my coffee in the front yard of my college apartment. It was the last day of classes before summer break and I had one last exam to prepare for before I was free. This time, freedom would present itself in a different way. A freedom I hadn’t experienced before.

I was a senior in my final semester of college, preparing to close a special chapter of my life and move on to what we often consider, “the real world.”

Given my fleeting study motivation and the onset of an intense nostalgia, I put down my computer and picked up a book that I’d been reading throughout the semester. It was certainly not one to be found on any of my assigned reading lists and wouldn’t better prepare me for my evening final, but it was calling.

It had taken me some time to finish this book, not because I neglected it but rather because of how much I enjoyed it.  Each page and each chapter spoke to me in a unique way and I just didn’t want it to end. I’d often find myself rereading sections just to crack another laugh, give another smile and re-live the story as it played out before me.

As the birds and rustling city around me began to wake, I cozied myself into my chair and read on. I figured it was appropriate to close a book that had meant so much to me during a time where I too was preparing to close a special chapter in my story – college.

With sun making its way higher into the sky, my fingers slowly turned the final pages of, “Shoe Dog - A Memoir by the Creator of Nike.” I suddenly found myself overwhelmed with emotion, reflecting on the incredible life story of Phil Knight. The ups and downs, wins and losses, important characters and moments that made up Phills story and gave life to the world’s greatest sports brand – Nike. I realized how similar I was to phill as a person. His family, friends, philosophy and struggles in school. Those challenges on the field etc. I didn’t quite truly know how to pin it all down, but it was a deep-rooted feeling that I couldn’t shake. I then realized that I’d even been a participant in Phils story in a way, wearing Nike religiously throughout my life and athletic career. (Cleats, uniforms, workout equipment, you name it.) Nike wasn’t just a brand to me; it was a way of life. It was a team in itself that gave unity and a voice to people around the world. The pure and honest celebration of movement, athletics and sport, dreams, athletes, past and present and a message of hope and inspiration. Nike is and always will be for those who are original and dare to test the limits of physical possibility. In their words, Greatness.

My mind drifted away from Phil’s story and shifted its focus on my life as I sat in a flimsy patio chair in my front yard. As Nike always inspired me to chase my dreams on the field, they inspired me to chase my dreams off the field as well.

Athlete or not, I recommend this book to anyone looking to chase their dreams.