What makes a Personal Brand Personal?

We so often speak about brands in the sense of huge commercial brands, which can sometimes make it difficult to understand what a personal brand is. And the key to the difference is the word, “personal”.

Might seem simple right? But let’s dive a little deeper into what this means.

Definition of Personal

Google says that the definition of personal is, “of, affecting, or belonging to a particular person rather than to anyone else.”

Something that belongs to a particular person. Rather than to anyone else.

So, when we look at this in opposition to what we normally assume a brand to be (or as our friends at Google have defined as), “a particular identity or image regarded as an asset”, there is a disconnect.

This second definition, by default, does NOT incorporate the idea of the identity being PERSONAL.

When we bring these two together however, we get: “a particular identity or image, regarded as an asset, that belongs to a particular person rather than to anyone else.”

This is your personal brand.

What makes something personal?

For this conversation, I want to talk about the piece of the first definition focused on “affecting”. As an example, I had a conversation with a colleague earlier today who was sharing her frustration about people who don’t use proper grammar. Seeing “your” instead of “you’re” is something that drives her nuts.

It’s something that affects HER.

But it doesn’t affect everyone equally.

I would put myself in the category of bothered, but not frustrated. I have a friend (whom I love dearly) who always spells “our”, “are”. So the above grammar statement is likely to not affect her AT ALL.

This is a perfect example of what makes something personal.

And guess what? It’s tied to your values ;)

Values are personal

There is no other person on the planet who has the EXACT same values as you. And because of that, certain things affect you differently than they do other people.

And THIS is the power in a personal brand.

So often in today’s society, people promote how we SHOULD be. What we SHOULD believe. And we get really good at believing them.

Let’s say someone told you, “you must become genuinely interested in other people” (#dalecarnegie)

You understand the concept. And the benefit. And no matter how hard you try, you just CAN’T do it (I had a coach who was like this).

Your values will lead the way for your actions. And if you don’t actually BELIEVE something, it will feel inauthentic for you.

Now, I hope that most people reading this (because you’re in my network) find it EASY to live values like the one above, but the concept still stands. It’s like a business coach telling me that my business means nothing if it’s not making 7-figures. Well that’s just poppycock. I don’t believe it, and so if someone gave me a checklist of things to do to get to 7-figures, I have very little incentive to do those things.

There are no right or wrong values. There are just YOUR values. Because…drum roll…THEY’RE PERSONAL!

In Summary

Knowing the things that affect YOU personally are the key to discovering your personal brand. They are already inside of you today. It’s just a matter of cleaning out the trash of what you THINK it means to get to the heart of what it truly is.

YOU.

Not something that someone else can sell you (read my last post for more on this).

Let’s get personal. I’m here to show you how.