In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Hakeem Bourne McFarlane for a raw, powerful conversation about addiction, identity, masculinity, discipline, and what it actually means to choose yourself.

For Hakeem, “Choose Yourself” is not a slogan. It was born from grief, collapse, masking, substances, jail, and the long work of rebuilding a life from the inside out.

Hersh and Hakeem explore:

• Why choosing yourself is not selfish
• The difference between being a good man and being good at being a man
• How achievement can become camouflage for grief
• Why discipline is freedom, not punishment
• The danger of masking pain with productivity
• How public accountability can become an integrity loop
• Why what we consume shapes who we become
• How vices quietly become identity substitutes
• And why your story should be the root of your brand

Hakeem also shares the five-pillar Choose Yourself process, his path through addiction and recovery, and how he turned personal transformation into a community, movement, and message.

At its core, this episode asks:

What version of yourself are you choosing when nobody is watching?

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Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image.

You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix.

Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/