Do you know who you are? I mean really…do you know? Can you tell the story of who you are to someone else in a few sentences that highlight what’s uniquely awesome about you without stuttering?
How the Pros Do “Personal Branding”
For years now, I’ve been following the adventures of a husband and wife power branding duo: Gloria & Ricardo of Wedge15. The story of who they are according to Facebook has always been compelling to me.
Last night, I finally met them at a prelaunch event for their upcoming Branding School (co-hosted with the Confidentpreneur; an old friend of mine who can teach you how to actually believe yourself), and I discovered why the stories they send out into the world are so compelling.
It’s because they’re both very certain of who they are and what they stand for. They know their real personal stories inside and out, and they’ve used that to craft their shared story. They call this branding approach “Real. Fake.” Which I love. On some level what you share with the world is “fake” because you plan and craft it, but (and it’s a big but), it’s still based on the real you. That’s what makes it work.
Confession Time
While I’m an expert on exploring others’ stories, I’m still struggling to share mine. Even though I’ve transformed lives with my work, many people who know me have no idea what I do for a living.
The nutshell version: I show changemakers why they’re here (their life purpose), and then I show them the factual evidence in their life story.
There’s a compelling story about how and why I can do this. So, why haven’t I told it? (Hint: I’m scared of being branded as “spiritual”; but WTF, that’s my gift.…)
Your Shit is Golden
I haven’t shared my real story for the same reason most of my mover-and-shaker clients need help sifting through their own life stories for gold; we often confuse our gold with shit, and we try to hide it. Tweet this
Yes, the things we think are shitty in our story, are often the real gold. Go figure. When I create a Life Purpose Roadmap for my clients, I tell them: “Your struggle is your superpower.” Tweet this
Instead of looking at the gold in our real story, we waste time trying to imagine what others want or need us to be (and attempt to build our brand around that). Why? Because we’re not taught to see ourselves as the hero of our own story; which is a drag, because if we aren’t, who the hell is? Tweet this
Master Your Story Before Attempting Any Personal Branding
And that story decides what is possible for us in our lives. It also shapes how other people respond to us. So understanding and shaping this story, both for ourselves and others, is where our real power lies.
Take Action
If you’re struggling to create your personal branding, start by telling your story to yourself. Keep working on it until you believe in it, and actually feel inspired by the main character in that story: you!
Like “Shit, look at all the stuff I’ve learned in my life that can help save others time and trouble! Yay me.” :)
If you aren’t yet clear what story you’re telling yourself, and you’re keen to learn why you’re here and which of your shit is actually gold in your life story, check me out.
Then attend Wedge15’s Branding School (launching this fall) or hire the branding experts of your choice, to help you share your story with the world. If you’re still lacking confidence, have a chat with the Confidentpreneur.
Now…go get ’em! (You do remember I’m writing this blog to myself, right?)
If you think these words are useful, why not share ’em? You never know whose life will be changed by just a couple of clicks. ;) And though I haven’t figured out how to get people to comment yet, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with this. We are all teachers and students together.
- It taps you into your purpose + life's calling.
- This gives you focus + motivation + momentum.
- It comes with a video tutorial + mini-course.
- + 6 days of life-changing secrets on harnessing the power of your subconscious mind to do bigger things faster + happier.
You really couldn’t have shared a more raw and riveting reflection (yes alliteration much) account of branding. It is so frigging hard. And the “discover your brand in 1 hour” workshops and all that jazz just make it more trivial. It’s deeply and profoundly an exploration and a process that is never complete. But that point at which we arrive at a story that resonates with us and our ideal customers, that is when we’ve hit on our authentic personal brands. Thank you for the kind words and for being open to inspiration at our Branding Over Dinner conversation.
Thanks so much Gloria! I like the way you clarified that: first we arrive at a story that resonates with us, then we test it out to see if it resonates with our ideal customers. It def has and continues to be a challenging and profound process for me. Thanks again for the inspiration and experience-based wisdom.
I’m still working on clarity, on my story, I’m getting there, slowly, but still working…
Me, I’m still working on clarity, on my story, I’m getting there, slowly, but still working…
Ardean, that’s awesome. As long as you have a strong intention to get clear on it, it will unfold for you. That’s my experience. And if you get impatient, that’s what I do for people. :)