Branding is a popular idea today. It pops up everywhere. And while we understand it is important for companies, it’s also critical that you understand how to brand yourself.
Again, I’ve never met a person who didn’t want to be heard, want to make a difference, a contribution. And yet today we have more tools to allow us to brand ourselves, and at the same time, more competition for people’s attention.
The first step in branding yourself is not finding a logo, getting a Twitter account, getting on Facebook, or having a blog or a podcast. The first step in branding yourself so that you can be heard above the herd is to free your mind.
Yeah, way before we get into the toys, graphics, and the other cool tools available to us today, to push forward our message, we have to start with us. If we are our own brand, we have to understand what’s going on inside of us that keeps us from becoming clear and constructive in our ability to find out what we want to do and do it with unique excellence.
There are three things going on in your head right now that you have to free yourself from.
The first is apathy. Apathy is the lack of emotion, the inability to care about something enough to obsess over it or to suffer some inconvenience or sacrifice in the pursuit of it. Apathy is rampant. Look into the eyes of people you see every day. It seems as though the light is out. Most of us start out excited, enthusiastic. But over time, parents, friends, relatives, and teachers, beat us down. Apathy is something you’re going to have to eradicate from your mind.
The second is the debilitating sense of insecurity. It wraps around your brain and talks to you and asks, “Who are you to want to be heard? Who are you to dare to moo out loud? Where did you come from? What training have you had? What insight could you possibly offer?” And those voices begin to dictate how you think and behave. You’re in bondage.
Third, along with apathy and a deep sense of insecurity, comes a sense of rejection or humiliation.
How many times have I seen a gifted artist, writer, or musician in Nashville become paralyzed with the fear of rejection? To not pitch the song, not go for the showcase, do something to sabotage because of the fear of rejection and humiliation.
If you’re going to “moo” out loud and establish your own personal brand, and make a difference that will outlive your life, you’re going to have to free yourself from apathy, insecurity, and the fear of rejection.