The Key To Creating Your Best Personal Brand
The other night, my roommate and I watched a documentary about Brian “The Boz” Bosworth, former University of Oklahoma and NFL linebacker. “The Boz” was this other side of Brian, the crazy, outspoken and controversial side. But Brian was another person, and with all the fame and fortune, “The Boz” got bigger than Brian and ultimately became his downfall.
Brian had good intentions by creating The Boz, who dominated the football field and brought victory to his school. But because his personal brand was so far left from who he really was, it was hard to convince people that he was a different man off the field. They simply couldn’t get the image of The Boz out their minds.
It’s essential to not only create your own personal brand, but to live your brand in every aspect of your life. You cannot choose how people see you, but you can provide them with a blueprint of sorts, describing what you stand for and what you believe in. Creating your personal brand is necessary for your success, and here are a few ways to create that brand.
Write a Mission Statement
When creating a personal brand, you have to think of yourself as a company. And every company has a mission statement. Even Mavenly has a mission statement. Write down all the things you stand for and keep it as a reminder for the times when things get tough. Who do you hope to be? How do you hope to leave an impact on the world? What strengths and values define you?
Establish an Image
Now, you don’t have to go out and create a logo for yourself, although that would be really cool. But by image I mean how people see you. Whether it’s your online image or your exterior image, make it yours. Come up with a cool Twitter handle that truly reflects and make your tweets and statuses appropriate. You want people to recognize you, and also recognize something out of the ordinary in case you’ve been hacked.
As for your personal image, define your own personal style. You are always free to change it up but find your signature look, one that makes people say, “That looks like something she would wear” when they’re out shopping. Make it yours.
Know When To Let Go
There may come a time when you need to “rebrand” yourself. Something may happen – new job, lost job, new outlook on life, age – and a rebranding is necessary. You won’t be the same person you are at 21 when you’re 25. You learn different things about yourself as you get older and things change. Change up your look or the way you do things, but always remember to be true to your original mission statement because that’s at the core of who you really are and aspire to be.
