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This post is the second in a series on personal branding leading up to BlogHer '07.
As stated in my initial Branding Gets Personal post, my objective is to provide perspective on how to use personal branding in a transformational capacity: to unleash your potential both personally and professionally. My economics training notwithstanding, I'm committed to the "and" rather than the "or" (guns or butter), a sentiment shared by the authors of Success Built to Last: "Making a life is as important as making a living. It's not an either-or decision."
Of course, embracing change requires a certain mindset. As Pam Slim discussed in her recent Soul Numbing post, it requires an ability to transcend the cubicle mentality. It takes courage and a tolerance for risk and rejection to embark on - and to stay the course of - your quest. A life of disruptive individuality isn't easy, but neither is living a life of quiet desperation (and which do you think has the greater potential for achievement and joy?).
The pivotal question is this: Do you believe having a sense of purpose and passion about your work is realistic and attainable? Not only is it realistic, it's a personal and professional imperative.
What's required from a mindset standpoint is both courage and commitment. We achieve our upside potential through conscious choice and determined action, not by default or deferring to others. As Lynne Seid, former President of Foote, Cone & Belding-New York put it: "Make decisions based on enduring values and what you want. Otherwise, it's like marrying the wrong guy."
The first step in the personal branding is process is establishing your brand foundation. Key action items: (1) discover and commit to your vision (or mission), purpose, values and passions, and (2) define what success means to you.
A few thoughts to get you percolating on the process....
On Vision & Purpose
The quote I use to illustrate the vision-purpose concept is Gandhi's "Be the change you want to see in this world," where the change is your vision, and your purpose is the role you play in achieving that vision.
On Values & Passion
Although their relative priority may change, values tend to be constant over the years. The challenge is moving from expressed values to lived values. What has been impactful for me is having my values in print - front and center. That simple reminder has added speed and clarity to my decision-making process. Passion is your catalyst.
On Success
Culturally accepted definitions of success, with a focus on wealth, power and fame, are fundamentally flawed. This is no reference to finding meaning, to legacy, to the passionate pursuit of excellence, to happiness or building enduring relationships. I recently asked a group what their definition of success was...silence, and a room full of blank faces. The next day, I received an email response, the essence of which was both simple and profound: joy.
When I was drafting the presentation that served as the kick-off for my business, I was torn between starting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream or Steve Jobs You've Got to Find What You Love. Ultimately, I opted for the latter, because until you find your love, you won't be able to dream as Dr. King dreamed. Personally, finding my love has been the key to expanding my perception of what I - and others - could accomplish. And if that isn't adequate incentive, consider the fact that the repetitive irritation of not loving what you do has been clinically proven to undermine health.
The business classic Built to Last revealed that values and purpose - not great products - defined successful businesses. The same holds true for your career, your business and your life. To quote Barbara Waugh, author of The Soul in the Computer, "The quest is for the story. What story is worth your life?"
Art Credit: Julie Paschkis, Courage.
