What's Your Brand?

 

When people hear your name do they immediately think of certain qualities you portray? Does your reputation go beyond those who know you personally? Your personal brand is how you appear to the world. It is the essence of what separates you from everyone else.

       You may not think you have a brand, but you do. Every action you take, every opinion you proclaim, and every social media post you make shapes your brand.

It’s a Brand New World

 

If you wish to develop yourself, your career, or community standing you must not only be aware that you indeed have a brand, but you must also manage your brand to come across in the exact manner you intend to be portrayed.

Every one of us has the power to create and conscientiously improve our personal brand. How you manage your personal brand will determine how others view you, whether or not they will do business with you, and ultimately what level of influence you have. Like it or not, your personal brand plays a critical role in shaping the level of success you have in life.

“Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde

       Every strong brand is based on truth, sincerity, authenticity, and passion. Your personal brand will crumble if it is not based on these tenets. There is no other way around this without the threat of eventual compromise to the brand…and to your reputation. Trying to project anything other than your true self will result in frustration and sheer exhaustion. So relax, be yourself, and enjoy the ride as you project the genuine passions you already have.

 

       Is your brand working for you? If not, it may be time to re-brand. To do that, you must first determine just what it is you’d like to be known for. What sets you apart from everyone else with similar backgrounds and interests? Are you particularly good at something? Do you have broad experiences that generate interest or a following? If so, great start. If not, consider some or all of the following elements as you shape your brand into something that connects with your audience.

What is your Superpower?

Your Superpowers are the things you do better than anyone else. These are typically your natural gifts or talents, but they can just as easily be those skills you develop based on your passions and interests. Because these are the things you do with little effort, you may have a tendency to take them for granted or overlook them. Don’t miss the opportunity to use your superpowers to your advantage when crafting your brand.


What drives you?

Your passions energize you and can make you attractive to others. Your passions evoke a real and noticeable connection to an informed position the likes of which others perceive to be an authority. Use that passion and form it into a well-respected brand.

 

Knowledge projects power. Power attracts attention. Attention is the essence of brand recognition. CAUTION: the wrong kind of attention will destroy your brand. Be careful to keep drama, chaos, and overt opinions at bay as you craft your brand.

Every tweet you send, every picture you post, every opinion you offer incrementally reveals what you value and lends itself to establishing your brand. Understanding how your posts influence your brand is critical in guiding the direction of your brand.

       The strongest brands are those that generate trust, hope, enthusiasm, drive, determination, compassion, and other positive ideals that lift the human spirit. Does your current brand speak of qualities that support these tenets? The good news is that everyone has a chance to project a strong brand. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remembering.

What do you value?

Your values are your operating principles. They drive your brand and support the integrity of your word. Your values are directly connected to your conscience and affect how you feel, behave, and react. When you are living in alignment with your values you are energetic, confident, and happy.

      

Your personal brand is influenced by your connection to other brands. Look for strong brands and align and leverage yours by associating yourself with them. Look for the hidden opportunities that are available to you to support, get involved, or connect with strong brands.

 

       You must know your values and strive to operate in alignment with them if you are to have a strong brand. Do your social media posts support the brand you are trying build? Do they confuse, conflict, or clash with your intended brand messaging? To create a strong brand, all aspects of your life must be congruent with the intent of your brand and to the values you support.

What is your purpose?

An entire narrative can be written on this one question. Each and every one of has a purpose on this earth. Our purpose is connected to WHY we feel we are here and WHAT we will leave behind in terms of a legacy. You may not feel as though you have a legacy to leave behind, but in varying measure, we all do.

       Your purpose helps you to identify what to pursue and to the extent you will go to make an impact. Purpose is typically connected to some kind of service. To discover your purpose, think about your deepest hopes, dreams, and desires, and connect them to service. Be quick to recognize the thoughts that move you emotionally, spiritually, and compassionately. Doing so will lead you to the discovery of your purpose. Finding our purpose is perhaps one of the deepest connections we can have with our innermost self. Discover it and the path to your legacy will be revealed.

Offer genuine value.

       People are attracted to things they value. If your brand projects value, it will resonate with the masses. Strive to offer the greatest value in everything you do. Offer positive, uplifting, and empowering messages, products, and services that improve the lives of others, and do it better than everyone else. Don’t resist the tides of change. Change is inevitable. Avoid or resist it at the risk of your own peril.

“For things to change, you must change.”
     ~ Jim Rohn

Whatever your mission or objective in life, projecting the right brand is everything. In today’s world, the question is no longer IF we have a personal brand, but whether you choose to define and cultivate your brand or allow it to be defined for you.

       A strong personal brand is something you must be consciously aware of and is dependent on a strong narrative. It rests on the story you have created for your life. It must be well cared for, consistently monitored, and adjusted as necessary. When you begin to see yourself living through the lens of a brand, your perspective will change and you will become more mindful about how you approach the personal brand you are trying to define and aiming to live.

 
Until Next Time...

~ G ~


"If people like you, they will listen to you. If they trust you, they will do business with you" ~ Zig Ziglar

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Introspection is proud to announce its affiliation with writer ~ Elisabeth Auld ~

 

Check out her wise, knowledgeable, and often entertaining perspectives inside the edition of Gals in Blue.

 

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Get your copy of Gary's first novel Dream Operative, a #1 Amazon.com Best-Seller! NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com and NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. Get your copy today at: FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com.

 

Triple-S

I often wondered what made the difference between those who are successful and those who are not. By "successful" I mean those who seem to be able to achieve most anything they set their mind to in order to bring about quantifiable outcomes—results. As I took a deeper look I began to understand that outcomes are driven by forces, not all of which are readily apparent. So I began looking at things from the inside-out, which was more of an intuitive move on my part than anything else. Turns out, there was more to my instincts than I first realized.

Results, I discovered, are typically materialized by the law of cause and effect. The effect, in this case, is tied directly to the achievement of success in whatever form we can imagine or readily define. The cause is the culmination of everything we must do in order to achieve the effect.

I learned that one compelling reason we do anything is tied directly to why we do it. The why is driven by emotions and is closely connected to the level of effort we're willing to put forth to attain pleasure or avoid pain.

Whether we achieve success to any great degree depends largely upon three basic principles I call the Triple-S: our Strategy; our Story, and our State. Each deserves some elaboration, so I've decided to dedicate the next couple of posts to focus on each one, beginning with strategy.

Strategy

I've written extensively on the importance of having a plan for success. Our plan is driven by the strategy we employ to achieve our objectives. Without a strategy to support our vision, dream, goal, destination, or objective, there is no point in taking any action whatsoever, else we find ourselves running off in random directions essentially achieving little more than frustration.

Unfortunately, most people stop just after the vision part and, all too often, fail to enact any kind of strategy to put their vision on a map and get started with the process of achievement and the pursuit of success. Without a strategy, all that essentially exists is a dream or a vision, which is a vital part of the process. But a dream or vision by itself does little more than create a fleeting fantasy that reinforces the notion that dreams can never really be achieved. Don't buy it for one second!

As an air traffic controller I would meticulously examine the flight plan of each and every aircraft that was under my control. The flight plan defines the pilot's intended course of action—the strategy—designed to reach an objective, in this case, the intended destination. Success in aviation is defined as the safe and uneventful journey of an aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. In life, success is defined by an achievement of some kind. We set a course by clearly defining our destination and by following a strategy to reach that objective.

The strength and reliability of our strategy rests upon our convictions. (There's that "why" again.) It goes without saying that if we are driven to achieve something and if we want it bad enough, we'll find the right strategy. There is no better illustration of this than the dichotomy of the two opposing groups (those who are successful and those who are not).

The success of our strategy rests upon our daily rituals or behaviors. If our rituals don't support our strategy we'll never make it to our objective. Our rituals include all of the obligations, distractions, habits and routines we use to define the construct of our lives.

My curiosity to discover the differences between the two groups led to my own transformation as I began to make changes in my rituals. The differences were subtle at first but significant nonetheless. The significance eventually turned into what my wife likes to call "critical mass" or what I call "terminal velocity." Each of these terms relate to how small changes in behavior or strategy eventually reaches a tipping point of profound momentum, the likes of which produce amazing life-changing results!

Do your rituals support your strategy? If not, are you ready to do whatever it takes to get off the path you're on and start seeing real results? Start by taking a serious look at how you define your life and whether or not your rituals are really helping you to reach your objectives.

Where can you make small changes that will result in life-changing momentum in your strategy? Should you read more? Should you watch less television or get up earlier? If you look close enough you'll see the areas you can change to affect a significant transformation in reaching success. Your only job at that point will be to react to the changes you need to make.

So what's stopping you? Uncertainty? Fear? Great news—those are merely illusionary gates you must walk through. They're in place to separate you from the unaware and uninformed (people). How's that for a bit of encouragement? You can be different. You can be great. You can achieve it all if you'll take a good honest look at your strategy.

To recap...

1. Determine your why
2. Plug into the emotional power of your why
3. Create a strategy
4. Change your rituals to ensure the execution of your strategy

Until next time when we'll take a look at Your Story...

-G-


"Greatness is not where we stand but what direction we are moving." 
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes


We're proud to announce Gary's next book, set to be released this year. FEAR is a Thief is the first in a self-empowerment series that is written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Get your copy of Westfal's first novel Dream Operative.

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com.

For a comprehensive perspective on the diversity of Gary Westfal, please visit his website (www.gwestfal.com).
 
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