The three words that saved my life | Blake Mycoskie

After building TOMS into a global brand whose one-for-one model had provided more than 100 million shoes to children in need, Blake Mycoskie says he became so depressed that he planned to end his life. He says telling friends and family that he was not okay saved his life. His account draws a distinction between outward achievement and inner well-being: success did not protect him from a crisis, and speaking honestly about it became essential.

Mycoskie says he had been misdiagnosed as bipolar and prescribed four medications. With his psychiatrist, he spent five months tapering off them. His anxiety worsened during that period, he says, before his mind began to settle. He presents this as part of his own experience, rather than as a general treatment prescription.

He came to understand his accomplishments in tennis, business, and TOMS as efforts to earn a sense of worth. In his telling, each success made his feeling of inadequacy louder instead of resolving it. After his therapist suggested an affirmation, he repeated “I am enough. I’ve always been enough” for 20 minutes each morning and night over 40 days. Around day 28, he says, the words began to feel true, bringing lightness and peace.

Mycoskie argues that shame and silence around mental illness can intensify isolation and risk. He says he nearly became a statistic because he felt ashamed to tell friends how he was doing. He contrasts the openness with which people discuss physical illness with the tendency to whisper about mental illness or pretend to be fine. In his view, an honest conversation with at least one person can reduce suicide risk; asking for support need not mean disclosing everything to everyone.

To illustrate the gap between common experience and willingness to talk, Mycoskie cites U.S. Department of Health information that 50 percent of people will be diagnosed with a mental health condition in their lifetime. At an audience event, he estimated that about 40 percent had broken a bone, while far fewer raised their hands when asked about a history of severe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or another mental health condition. The contrast, as he presents it, is between the visibility of a physical injury and the reluctance to acknowledge mental distress.

Mycoskie says he is dedicating his life and resources to the We Are Enough Giving Chain. It uses a beaded “enough” bracelet as a reminder of inherent worth and a sign of support. Sharing the bracelet can signal that someone is not alone and create an opening for an honest conversation. He believes that kind of openness can save lives, connecting the bracelet’s message to the disclosure that he says helped him survive.