Mirror In Shoe Dog, By Phil Knight

A “mirror” in literature can describe human experience and reflect it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives as part of the larger human experience. Shoe Dog, An inspiring novel by Phil Knight, the creator of Nike, and his journey to the top, is seen as a mirror to me because Knight's story reflects upon my personal beliefs, experiences, and interests. Many of Knight’s experiences closely correlate with mine, the main one being his journey with running. He thoroughly describes how he got into running and how it changed his life, mindset, and helped him deal with difficult situations in his life, especially building his business. Similar to me, Knights first sport was not track, nor was it going to be. At the beginning

The quote highlights that when you run, the act of running becomes the destination itself. It encourages runners to find joy and fulfillment in the journey rather than solely focusing on the end result. As a long distance runner, I can reflect on this quote and use it in my own life. By stating that the effort may not always be justified by a clear destination, Knight implies that running is not always easy and can inspire runners like myself to push through physical and mental barriers. The last thing I believe I share with Knight is our personal beliefs and values. He claims a big part of building Nike was to keep pushing and have faith. He states, “Have faith in yourself, but also have faith in faith. Not faith as others define it. Faith as you define it. Faith as faith defines itself in your heart” (Knight 364) I identify with this quote because it invites individuals to define faith on their own terms, which I strongly believe in. It acknowledges that faith is a personal and subjective experience, different for each individual. This empowers me along with other individuals to connect with something larger than ourselves in a way that resonates deeply with one's own heart and

A thematic statement for Shoe Dog could be “The relentless pursuit of a vision, along with determination and resilience, can turn dreams into reality.” The key secret to how Phil Knight made his way to the top and made Nike into a multi-billion dollar company was his persistence. During one of Knight's long runs in which he comes up with his “Crazy idea” to create a shoe business, He quotes, “Let everyone call your idea crazy…just keep going. Don't stop. Don't even think about stopping until you get there, and don't give much thought to where “there” is. Whatever comes, just dont stop” (Knight 7). This shows Knights undying determination to not give up and let other people's skepticism get in the way of what he wants and sees possible. It also shows how he is focused on the journey of his success and not caught up on the future and possible setbacks. He is continuously moving forward and not stopping for anything. Another trait about Knight that was a key factor in his achievements is his courage and confidence. He states “Fear of failure, I thought, will never be our downfall as a company.” The quote acknowledges that fear of failure can be a significant obstacle for individuals and companies. However, it suggests that this fear will not slow their progress or cause their downfall because Knight does not have that fear and will not back down for anything.