13 Ways to Define Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand defines who you are to the world, so make sure it accurately reflects you.

Question: What is the #1 question I should ask myself as I try to figure out what my personal brand stands for?

Question: What is the #1 question I should ask myself as I try to figure out what my personal brand stands for?

Why Do I Matter?

"Seriously. What's the heart of your business? Why do you matter to the world? Why are your people going to wake up and devote their energy to your business? Why are clients going to hire you? The answer to all of those questions is the same, and it starts with understanding why you matter and how you help your customers matter."


In Five Words or Less: What's My Mission?

"If you can’t describe your goals in a single sentence, it’s a strong sign you’re being too broad. "


What Makes Me Upset?

"You've got lots of positive questions to ask yourself, but I've found that we can often find our "fiery mission" by asking ourselves what we don't like about our industry or how most things are done. The clearer you are on what you don't want to stand for, the easier it is to make your mark as a personal brand."


What Are My Past Accomplishments?

"Ask yourself how those accomplishments naturally align with where you want to take your brand. A brand is a story; it needs one or two memorable themes or congruent aspects."


Is My Brand Authentic?

"Whether or not your personal brand is authentic is one of the most important parts of building your brand. People can see through what is fake, and if your brand is not authentic or isn't really you, it's doomed to fail from the start. You won't build any sort of following or respect."


What Don't I Stand For?

"A good way to jumpstart the creative process for brand building is to identify what you don't stand for. What's not your speciality? What's not in your wheelhouse? When we see what we don't stand for, it provides perspective and makes it easier to identify what we do stand for. "


What Would I Do If I Knew I Could Not Fail?

"It's a popular question, but it's one that is crucial to figuring out what you stand for. When you dig deep and ask yourself that question, you can get a glimpse into what truly matters to you and what you're most passionate about. While your personal brand may not be a culmination of that question's answer, it'll get you pretty close to it."


How Do I Want Other People to Describe Me?

"If you picture the moment that a friend, colleague or peer is describing you to someone else, what do you want them to say? Imagine what they say today (or just ask them), and start there. Is it something you're proud of? If so, build from there. If not, get in the driver's seat, and work to change the conversation. "


What's Right Under My Feet?

"The best brands communicate who you already are. They are an extension of your existing personality, strengths, interests and values. Oftentimes, we search tirelessly outside of ourselves for what our brand message should be, when in fact, it's likely already right under our feet. Revisit common threads from childhood to where you are now, and ask close friends and family for feedback, too. "


Resources

13 Ways to Define Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand defines who you are to the world, so make sure it accurately reflects you.

Question: What is the #1 question I should ask myself as I try to figure out what my personal brand stands for?

Question: What is the #1 question I should ask myself as I try to figure out what my personal brand stands for?

Why Do I Matter?

"Seriously. What's the heart of your business? Why do you matter to the world? Why are your people going to wake up and devote their energy to your business? Why are clients going to hire you? The answer to all of those questions is the same, and it starts with understanding why you matter and how you help your customers matter."


In Five Words or Less: What's My Mission?

"If you can’t describe your goals in a single sentence, it’s a strong sign you’re being too broad. "


What Makes Me Upset?

"You've got lots of positive questions to ask yourself, but I've found that we can often find our "fiery mission" by asking ourselves what we don't like about our industry or how most things are done. The clearer you are on what you don't want to stand for, the easier it is to make your mark as a personal brand."


What Are My Past Accomplishments?

"Ask yourself how those accomplishments naturally align with where you want to take your brand. A brand is a story; it needs one or two memorable themes or congruent aspects."


Is My Brand Authentic?

"Whether or not your personal brand is authentic is one of the most important parts of building your brand. People can see through what is fake, and if your brand is not authentic or isn't really you, it's doomed to fail from the start. You won't build any sort of following or respect."


What Don't I Stand For?

"A good way to jumpstart the creative process for brand building is to identify what you don't stand for. What's not your speciality? What's not in your wheelhouse? When we see what we don't stand for, it provides perspective and makes it easier to identify what we do stand for. "


What Would I Do If I Knew I Could Not Fail?

"It's a popular question, but it's one that is crucial to figuring out what you stand for. When you dig deep and ask yourself that question, you can get a glimpse into what truly matters to you and what you're most passionate about. While your personal brand may not be a culmination of that question's answer, it'll get you pretty close to it."


How Do I Want Other People to Describe Me?

"If you picture the moment that a friend, colleague or peer is describing you to someone else, what do you want them to say? Imagine what they say today (or just ask them), and start there. Is it something you're proud of? If so, build from there. If not, get in the driver's seat, and work to change the conversation. "


What's Right Under My Feet?

"The best brands communicate who you already are. They are an extension of your existing personality, strengths, interests and values. Oftentimes, we search tirelessly outside of ourselves for what our brand message should be, when in fact, it's likely already right under our feet. Revisit common threads from childhood to where you are now, and ask close friends and family for feedback, too. "


See Also: 4 Tips for Creating Business Success

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