When you think of Target, Disney or Nike, you feel a certain way. Those brands have strategically created their advertising, products, experiences and messaging to give you those feelings.
Target puts forth fashion-forward products, clean and bright stores and value pricing that attracts the suburban mom and the modern millenial. Disney puts forth family-focused attractions, memory-making resorts and exciting products that attract generation after generation of kids and families. Nike puts forth ads and products that reinforce the spirit of athleticism and self-motivation that attract amateur and professional athletes alike.
Did you know that you’re a brand too?
You put forth certain attributes, characteristics and behaviors that people associate with you – and those attributes either attract people or put them off. In other words, people either think you’re awesome or think you’re a jerk – or something in between – and YOU have the power to control those feelings. This is YOUR personal brand!
Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, the President of the United States and the Dalai Lama all have personal brands that they live and breathe every day. They have teams of people who work with them to ensure they are living up to their brand standards (or lack thereof – Justin Bieber).
Your personal brand is not to be taken lightly. You may not have a team of people helping create it for you, but the way you present yourself publicly and privately determines your career success, relationship status, self-confidence, health and happiness.
Your personal brand is your trademark and defines the path your life will take. Click to Tweet
If you’re awesome, people like you. They want to help you out and spend time with you. They will tell other people about you and connect you to opportunities. You will naturally attract success because others want to see you succeed – because you’re awesome.
If you’re a jerk, people avoid you. You constantly feel like the world is out to get you – because no one likes a jerk. And jerks may get the girl or guy, but those relationships aren’t usually great or very long-lived because someone is always getting the short end of the stick. Jerks are generally unhappy because they are never satisfied with the way people or the world treat them. People just don’t like jerks. They don’t want to hire them. They don’t want to date them. They don’t want to hang out with them.
How can you determine what your personal brand is – awesome, jerk or somewhere in between?
The best way to get a quick pulse on what you’re putting out into the world is to do a quick – and super honest – audit of your behaviors. Here are five ways to check in on your personal brand:
- Take a look at your last few weeks of social media posts. What is the tone? Are you generally positive or are you constantly complaining about your life?
- Think about your last family gathering. Was it drama-filled and stressful or was it supportive, loving and fun? Did you instigate drama or create peace between relatives?
- What is your current relationship status? If you’re single, look at the reasons your relationships failed. If you’re married or in a relationship, what is your relationship like? Are you constantly fighting or picking on each other? Do you put each other’s needs first and have a mostly peaceful relationship?
- Last time you were out with your friends was it a gossip-filled slam session or a laughter-filled get-together? Do friends turn to you for advice or do they avoid you? Are you always seeking out others for support and dependent on others for your own happiness?
- Are you happy at work? Do you find yourself having bitch-fests in the breakroom or do you keep the peace? Are you a complainer but never take action to change your situation or are you upbeat and a supporter of change?
By looking at these five scenarios and HONESTLY assessing how you behave in various situations, you will get a good feel for the vibe you are putting out into the world. The key word here is HONESTY. Many times we create our own drama and stress but it’s hard for us to admit that we are responsible for our own problems.
By doing this exercise and reviewing your personal habits and behaviors, you are taking the first step to owning your personal brand – and creating a demeanor that attracts people, not repels them.
The goal is to be more awesome and less jerk – and keep that consistent no matter who you are interacting with and what situation you are in.
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