Following on from my previous post about the The Art of Honesty, I’m touching on the idea of personal branding.
Many people take branding to mean that they’re creating an image or persona, then conforming to it. Acting, or putting on a show. For many companies and personalities that’s definitely the case, as a lot of those entities make a financial profit from selling a dream.
That’s the bottom line for them.
Making sales.
Some people spend most of their lives developing these personalities to please the world and to make a name for themselves. It can be mentally and emotionally exhausting to spend time developing a false personal brand, only to have to keep living up to that image day after day when it doesn’t really align with your values.
It doesn’t have to be that way, especially if you’re more focused on living your dream life rather than simply making a bunch of money.
Now I’m not saying that everything you do should be without branding. I have multiple projects on the go, and some of them are strongly branded as entities in their own right.
This idea simply relates to the “personal brand”, the person you want the world to see you as. The character you personify on a daily basis. Instead of working on creating a fabricated “personal brand”, consider spending the time searching within yourself for your true style, your personality, your energy, your vibe.
Your passion.
Take some time out to get in touch with yourself, figure out what your dreams are, and understand the passions that drive you to succeed. You might find that you’ll go though a number of transformations along this path of discovery, changing your mind several times about what you really want. I’ve certainly experienced a few changes, and I hope to experience many more as I explore this path.
Part of this can be learning to be honest with yourself, and learning to be transparent in your communication. I’m not completely transparent, although it’s definitely something I’m currently pursuing. I’m still finding my voice. I don’t think it’s a state that can truly be reached 100%, I’m pondering the idea of being on a constant path of uncovering a truer form… a lifelong journey that slowly strips back the layers of image and ego that I’ve painted onto myself over the years.
Most of us have spent years building up an image of what we think we’re supposed to be, and how we’re supposed to act. It’s become so ingrained in our psyche that it’s reality.
We live in the Matrix.
…and waking up isn’t going to be easy.
It may take some time to begin uncovering your deeper purpose, along with the true reasons why you want to succeed (and perhaps the true reasons why you might not be allowing yourself to succeed).
This is not about trying to be who other people want you to be, or who other people think you are.
It’s not about who you think you should be because society told you that’s the right person to be.
This is where the honesty part comes in. You need to figure out what your values are. Take as long as you need to really uncover your dreams and be honest with yourself about what you stand for and want out of life.
What drives you to want to grow and to learn new things? If you could do one thing all day without worrying about money or time, what would it be?
When you take the time to uncover the values that you hold dear, and when you dedicate your self to living true to those values, your personality will begin to shape itself as a true reflection of your dreams.
The world loves to dream.
The world loves passion.
Once you begin to find your true voice under the layers of fabricated image, and as you begin to reach out to the world with your creativity and energy, you will be recognised for the values you represent. It’s how the world will begin to see you. It’s how your family and friends will begin to see you.
If you’re honest about living true to your values and being transparent in your dreams and in your business, it will also be how your audience perceives you. By uncovering your raw passion and showing it to the world, you’re opening yourself up to an entire universe of connections and relationships with people that love what you love.
What is your true passion? What lights your fire? When your passion is burning brightly inside you, it may surprise you the places you will go, and the people you help to lift up along the way.
“A candle loses none of it’s light by lighting another candle”
Are you showing off the bright burning fire of your true passion to help light the fires of others?
