3 Questions to Ask Before Setting Your Personal Brand Values
Before you take off on your personal brand mission, take a look back. And discover the person you were meant to be.
All good brand strategies do due diligence in discovery. Your personal brand is no different. So you don’t hitch your wagon to the wrong star, you must first look at your authentic self.
At my Papa’s funeral, my sister recalled a time when my Papa had just returned from Malaysia, where he worked. Just after returning from the airport, the first thing he did was blast Led Zeplin’s Black Dog on the record player. At nearly full volume. Even after a long trip, Papa’s energy was as electrifying as this infamous track.
My Papa and mum shared a love of music. She was the younger sister of three music-obsessed older brothers.
So, for my sister and me, a love for the magic of music was in our blood. Throwing on a record, meant singing and dancing our worries away. A businessman by day, at night Papa once took woodwork classes. Just enough so he could custom-build our beautiful music cabinetry.
I grew up in a humble home. But, vividly recall Papa once returning home spontaneously with state-of-the-art, award-winning speakers. We blared Micheal Jackson’s Scream to check what all the fuss was about. We were our father’s daughters after all.
An excess of toys was quickly lost on us, but we were spoiled with CDs. While working away, Papa would take our requests and bring back a haul. Which always included some additions he’d specially edited for the collection.
Music passed through our generations like storytelling.
So, why does it matter? Because your younger self is your best trusted advisor. Go back and ask yourself these three important questions.
1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Michael Hyatt’s bestselling Your Best Year Yet describes the importance of “thinking backward”. A chance to reflect and learn from what your experiences have taught you before you move forward.
As I grew older, my love of music turned into a love of hip-hop. And while I lacked any natural talent, I was captivated by the song lyrics of the most inspiring songs I’d find. I’d print them off, study them and pin them to my wall. I even tried to write some of my own. You might say I wanted to be a rapper!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Think of at least two examples. There are no silly answers to this question. The more unguarded you are, the more revealing this can be for the next important question.
2. Why did you want to be that?
Based on your answers to question one, I don’t imagine you’re typing your resignation letter to your current boss or clients right now. The more important part is the why.
Consider:
What messages was this trying to tell you about yourself?
What’s the story behind it?
How does your earliest dream connect to your current work, or is it lacking?
Music was how I first fell in love with the power of words. Eventually, this gracefully re-composed itself. As a marketer, I practise writing and storytelling every day. Like music, I get to find ways to speak to heads and hearts.
3. What are the common value themes?
Values work often involves a ‘values bank’. Usually a list of dozens of words designed to be thought-starters for your own values.
But, for your personal brand, this lacks an essential ingredient - being personal. You may find yourself tempted to choose what sounds most acceptable or powerful. Rather than what’s most authentic.
Humans have a recency bias. A tendency towards experiences that are fresh in our memory. Rather than what’s the most relevant.
Instead, take a trip down memory lane for your personal brand. Set your goals up for success by reminding yourself of the person you were meant to be. Even our wildest dreams are created on a bed of our values. Which are likely timeless.
Once you have done a deep dive into your earliest ambitions, define common themes. And add these to your strengths and inspiration. You now have rich data for defining your personal brand values.
For years now, my partner has kept a smiling photo of his childhood self on his desk at home. He says that boy reminds him daily of what really matters and he wants to make him proud.
As Antoine de Saint-Exupery once wrote, “and the little prince said to the man, ‘Grownups never understand anything for themselves, and it’s tiresome for children to be always explaining things to them’.”
