Personal branding is important, and it is our responsibility to take charge of our image.  We define how we present ourselves to others, express our ideas or cultivate our abilities and strengths. On this account, we should be aware and mindful of our development and illustration of our brand to fend off from misconceptions and to prevent others to shape our identity.

Many of us are taught to do our best and then let the world decide how to judge us. I think it’s better to do your best and decide how you want to be judged. And act that way.

Seth Godin

Certainly, we must look at other grounds that are not only influential to our personal and professional development but urge us to establish a personal brand. Let’s examine them:

• The unpredictability of economy –  due to political and socio-cultural disparities or the unknown in human behaviour and nature
• Globalization – accessibility to scores of skilled talents, opportunities, and competitions
• Increase in number of solopreneurs, freelancers  and the ability to work as part of a team in short-term projects
• Social networking sites are more than casual sharing, they have become a ubiquitous influence in our interactions

So how to stand out?

Be mindful of your intentions. Names, style, voice, manner, skills, and expertise are part of self-packaging, but the building blocs of a personal brand are based on conscious recognition of the objectives. Nevertheless, producing values and having a positive impact on others are the fundamental motives that must be acknowledged in the process of introspection.  

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.

Albert Einstein

To recognize your intentions and build the pillars of your branding consider the following five steps:

• Decide on your destination – What are you excited about? Where you want to be? What do you want to achieve?
• Leverage your distinctive capabilities – What people remember you for? How can you solve problems? What are the benefits of your proposition or personal trait?
• Develop your story – your experiences, your memories, your assets are part of your narrative. If you are unsure of how to put your story together, think about a role model and try to convey why you admire this person.
• Introduce yourself – make known your brand statement. In a couple of sentences state your unique values and why they matter.
• Be true to your statement – Establish your expertise by sharing your knowledge whether face to face or through well planned social media presence.

Remember embracing your notable traits and expertise is “to be the real thing”and not to fit a mould. Conformity leads to disappointment and fake behaviours however authentic representation of oneself is attention-worthy and helps one to rise above the noise.