Introspection + Contemplation + Ideals

Coming out of university, I felt the pressure to identify myself for the rest of my life. Who am I? What was I to become? Someone great? Software developer? Engineer? All sorts of titles emanated from the dominant and impenetrable corporate monoliths.

A few days ago, I was asked by a coworker, "what is your brand?" All new hires in our company go to a huge convention to get indoctrinated in the ways of the company. And there, we are convinced that we work for a great company and we are told to develop our "brand" - what you are known for.

While this is good advice, and I still believed in most of the corporate indoctrination, the question didn't sit well with me - "what is your brand?" I mean I believe in striving and developing myself in a broad sense, but to state my "brand" then and there... In the few moments of the conversation, the concept of my "brand" became a cliche to me.

In a few words, how is it possible to explain yourself? - as if to pitch a business idea in an elevator. How is it possible to explain who you are, everything you do in the different facets of your life, every meaningful thing you believe in, in a mere sentence?

I believe who we are encompasses our whole lives - beginning to the end. We are like a book, and a day of our lives is a page. Who you see now, who you judge me to be... can only have come from the few pages you've seen.

And anyone that quickly assumes you fall into some category, and doesn't bother with getting to know you... there is a category they will quickly fall in to - I'm sorry to say.

"What is your brand?"

Honestly, I don't feel like selling right now... so keep reading.

Which to me is about thankfulness.

In the past, I used to think that I didn't need money and wealth because I found contentment; I need very little to be happy.

For my parents, it was different because they grew up in a country rebuilding after war. For them it was a world where everyone was trying to survive and get ahead. But here I am, thinking at one point that I was enlightened and better than this.

Of course it's easy to think like this when I have not tasted poverty and have been well provided all my life.

Question:
So then which is it?

Is it the fact that I've lived a good life, with much support from family and friends that I can say I am humble and thankful? A result of exterior influences?

Or is this something in my core, that would be thankful and humble despite hardship and injustice?

Answer... sort of, not really, more questions:
If the answer is both external influences and internal character, then I can accept that. But then I'm left to wonder, in the truest sense of introspection, what kind of person I would be in a hostile environment.

If I grew up in a country with poverty, in a broken family, and hence felt a huge sense of injustice at the world... would I still be as I am now? Or would I be bitter and full of anger. But then am I now legitimizing those that do bad things because of their external influences?

Or for those that have been given so much and are still not content, that still have a sense of injustice, greed and entitlement... are they to be pitied because they can't find contentment even with so much?

Or does this really matter at all? Don't worry because I still remain thankful and content.
Hmm... Paul did speak of the secret of contentment. I wish I could speak to him now...

Perhaps this is an overdose of introspection and my head hurts.
I think I will move on to more productive things.