Develop Your Brand

We’ve officially spent a month talking about how to become the best version of yourself, and now it’s time to take a moment and look at what this means for your brand. While you should always want to be the best version of yourself for intrinsic reasons, there are some extrinsic factors to consider. Today, we will look at defining your purpose, creating your brand story, putting yourself out there, and letting your brand evolve, and how each of these things ultimately helps you become the best version of yourself.

Define Your Purpose

Defining your purpose should have been one of the first things you did when you started this self-improvement journey. In fact, realizing your life’s purpose may have been what got you on this path in the first place. But if you haven’t already figured out your purpose, now is the time to do some self-reflection and figure it out. Your purpose should be greater than you; it should extend outward. No matter what circumstances you find yourself in, your purpose should always drive you forward. Don’t pick a purpose focused solely on yourself or your current situation. Your purpose can change over time, but it shouldn’t change based on your mood or the amount of money in your checking account. It may not come overnight, nor will it come without some self and situational analysis. It may involve you reaching out to someone for advice, or simply some ideas of how to pinpoint your purpose from an outside point of view. 

Find something you deeply care about, maybe your faith, family, community, a more significant need, or a combination of other things, and set your mind on that purpose daily. My purpose is to “Exalt God. Encourage and be encouraged. And engage the world.” If something I consider doing doesn’t align with my purpose, I won’t do it. Don’t compromise on your morals or convictions in order to define your purpose. Defining your purpose keeps you focused, effective, and authentic.

Create Your Brand Story

Creating your brand story is one of the most critical actions you can take when developing your brand and working on yourself. The great thing about a brand story is that you aren’t creating a story out of thin air; you’re retelling your story meaningfully to others. Everyone has a story, so stop hiding from your narrative. Own it. Run with it. Embrace it. And use it as a springboard to launch your brand. By being genuine to your story, your brand will naturally be authentic, and that’s what people want to see. Be wise when sharing your story with other people. Not everyone needs to know every detail, but you should be honest about different points in your life that shaped you into who you are today. Be sure to stick to a single brand story, and be sure to define what needs to be defined. People value other people’s vulnerability, and your vulnerability opens the doors for many deep and meaningful conversations with others. Honestly embracing where you come from and what your goals are allow you to build something that people will be invested in. Creating and sharing your brand story makes you more accessible to others and opens the door to discussions, leading to empathy and understanding. 

Put Yourself Out There

Another vital aspect of developing both as a person and as a brand is putting yourself in new situations. Many people will never be satisfied because they’re unwilling to put themselves out there. So, stop worrying about other’s opinions of you if you want to be successful and happy. Putting yourself out there may be awkward at first, and you may make some mistakes. But having the mindset that whatever you’re doing HAS to work will force you to fully engage with whatever you’re trying to do. Have the mindset, “I will do whatever it takes because I have no other options.” Remember that putting yourself out there is a small price to pay to achieve your goals. High risk often equals high rewards, so if you genuinely believe in what you’re doing, take some educated risks. If people’s opinion of you is pleasing, but you can’t sleep at night because you know you took the safe way out, then was it really worth it? If you are preventing yourself from putting yourself out there because you think you won’t be able to live with failure, remember that failure is one of the best ways to improve. Sticking to your values is also important in relation to dealing with peer pressure, so do not miss an opportunity because you are too afraid of something someone may say or think.  

Let Your Brand Evolve

The final piece of developing your brand that we will talk about today is letting your brand evolve. If your brand doesn’t evolve over time, it WILL become obsolete. This isn’t just an opinion; case study after case study has proven this reality. Changing can be scary, but more often than not, it’s necessary to some extent. Of course, remember point two and never compromise on your purpose, but realize how you achieve your goal may need to change. Keep your brand unique and about people and experiences, and don’t forget that it’s okay to let your brand change. If you keep the core of who you are at your center, then you can evolve without losing your identity, and this applies just as much to your brand as it does to you. There needs to change and growth, this is not just for the sake of your brand but also for the sake of keeping yourself from losing interest or motivation. 

Developing your brand first happens by developing who you are as a person. If you want to see the best version of your brand, you have to be the best version of yourself. This seems daunting, but if you wake up each morning determined to improve upon last week’s version of yourself in some small way, those little improvements will add up over time. Know your purpose, know your story, let people know you, and don’t be afraid to evolve. Yes, developing as a person and a brand is that simple.