After working with thousands of people on their personal brand, the #1 thing that prevents them from being successful is just not executing. Not doing it. Why don’t they do it? Usually it’s fear, uncertainty, and mindset that hold them back. Here are tips on how you can overcome the three challenges in developing your personal brand.
Challenge #1 – Fear.
Let’s face it, putting yourself out there always comes with some fear. What if I sound stupid? What if people don’t like what I have to say? What if I come across as too egotistical? Will I seem full of myself? Will people make fun of me?
These are all fears that hold us back from acting. Let go of these.
I remember writing my first blog post and worrying that I didn’t sound smart enough. Or that people who knew more than me would think I was wrong. The reality is that when you speak from experience and knowledge, you should have every confidence in what you are doing.
Pro-Tip:
If you let fear hold you back, you are only harming yourself. The reality is that you have a unique perspective and personality and can build an authentic and meaningful brand for yourself. Don’t worry about other people.
Some people are just negative. Haters gonna hate, am I right? And some people struggle with the success of others. Focus on the positive and remember that most people will cheer and applaud and find value in what you are sharing.
Challenge #2 – Uncertainty.
The second challenge for not taking action is uncertainty. Personal branding (heck, any kind of branding) is difficult, and you will NEVER have all the answers.
Many people feel paralyzed because they don’t have a great, specific definition of what their brand is, or they don’t have that perfect headshot.
I worked with a friend who waited two years to establish his personal brand because he couldn’t decide on his positioning. Think of all the opportunities he lost during that time. He could have just started posting, establishing his presence, and getting some experience around what worked for him and generated a positive response from his audience. Instead, he did nothing.
It’s OKAY to be UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
My personal brand is still under construction and always will be. There are some parts that are strong – my credibility and consistency – and others that I still want to improve – my personality and a clearer tone of voice or position.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers or if they aren’t perfect. Don’t let a lack of perfection or uncertainty hold you back.
Spoiler alert, perfection will NEVER come. Get as close as you can and get started. You’ll refine and improve your personal brand over time – but only if you START.
Challenge #3 – Mindset.
The third challenge that causes people to fail to get started is a mindset issue – they put more effort into the excuses of why they can’t start instead of just starting. Just do it. Just do it. Just do it!
Begin with the things that seem reasonable.
A very good friend of mine is a world-known expert in his field, and he is working to build up his speaking business. He is a GREAT speaker and he even has an agent. But he has a terrible, 10-year-old, amateur website. He knows this. He isn’t blind. It is seriously the #1 thing that would get him more opportunities overnight.
Yet he hasn’t fixed it? Why not? Mindset.
There is always some “reason” to not do something or to wait. The longer you wait, the longer you miss out.
Pro Tip:
Your brand will continue to evolve over time. As you learn, get feedback, and grow, you will refine and improve your brand. Don’t hesitate – develop a bias for action.
Now it is Time to Get Started
Your personal brand is an investment that you make in yourself that will pay you dividends throughout your career. Start focusing on it now, and put your fears aside, so that you can become certain and develop the mindset to take action.
Do yourself a favor and set yourself a timeline and stick to it as good as you can, so that you continue to make progress. Do not allow yourself to get stuck. It’s easy to get hung up on some big questions or wanting to make things perfect. Allow yourself some time to get the best answers possible and then move on.
The is taken from an excerpt of “Launch Yourself”, by Krista Neher. For your free action planner and bonus resources, visit www.LaunchYourself.com/book.
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