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The Real Brand

Caught this post on Building a Personal Brand from The Engaging Brand today.  It makes me think that you and I are the real "brands" out there.  Far too many have given up on this principle.  This is truly a tragedy!

In my upcoming book, "Waking Up in Corporate America" I address personal branding in the final chapter…seems fitting.  The following is a brief excerpt from that chapter:

WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART?

Ludwig van Beethoven is quoted as saying, “I do not write for prestige or honor.  What is in my heart must come out.  That is why I compose.”  What if we lived out his statement?  What if what is in our hearts is the key?  What if our personal brand (brand you) is the thing we should be focusing on?  It may not surprise you to know I’m sold out on Beethoven’s statement!  My quest is to assure that what is in my heart gets out.  Care to join me?

When you reach the finish line, will you be measured by how much money you made or how long your title was?  No, you will be measured by your legacy, which in many ways is your brand spread out for the entire world to see.  There is nothing wrong with making lots of money along the way, and I am in favor of great success of all varieties.  But success should be a by-product of living what is in your heart.  And believe me, your heart is the best place to begin defining your brand.  Your heart doesn’t lie, it doesn’t ignore, and it isn’t looking for approval from the outside world.  Oh, that we would listen to our hearts and have the life well lived.

One of the best examples of listening to the heart comes from my dear friend Clay Biggs.  Clay is a fine musician (he plays the drums), and I’ve known him for almost twenty-five years.  Music is what brought us together.  Clay and I dreamed as teenagers we would play music for a living.  Visions of fame and fortune danced in our heads.  One thing was true of us as well, we were very insecure—insecure about how good we were and whether we could make it. Unfortunately, these insecurities (along with other pressures) choked out the desire to be living, active musicians.  This was sad because we were wired to play and communicate through music.

Fast-forward, almost twenty years later, and Clay is playing again.  He plays more than I can believe, but what is most inspiring and sweet is Clay’s perspective.  He now is secure! He’s free from the burden of making it and free to pursue what is in his heart.  Strange as it may seem, Clay is now better prepared to express his gift than when he was more energetic and goal oriented.  This is not to say he lacks energy and goals.  On the contrary, he has them…they’re just new and more mature.

Now Clay is comfortable in his own skin.  He knows who he is and what that means.  How did he do it?  Clay would tell you he is a work in progress.  One event that had tremendous impact and defined a lot of what is occurring now was the death of Clay’s father almost four years ago.  Clay loved his father deeply, and the reality of his passing set Clay in place.

Though Clay has never told me directly, I believe he came to a point where time started to matter.  The idea of time mattering is foreign to many.  It is usually embraced by the dying or those who’ve lost deeply.  Clay realizes he won’t live forever and, while he has the energy, he must truly live.  For Clay, part of truly living is playing music, his beautiful brand for all to hear.

So as you’ve discovered, the heart is a key component in unearthing and manifesting brand you.  You have to stop holding your heart back because you fear you won’t be a worldly success.  Get the order right and you’ll see the harmony.  A key question is whether you and I are willing to take on the process of creation and living.  It is not easy, and many ignore this path.  If you plan to be truly successful, however, you’d better get comfortable with your heart and what’s in it.  The journey is worthy of your best.

Book Update III (if you’re counting)

This past week I received my fully edited manuscript back from my editor (she is great by the way).  From here things get interesting because a couple of publishers have my proposal in hand.  I’m pleased about that, but Its been a long road and a traditional publisher makes that road even longer.  The publish on-demand approach is much quicker since the manuscript and cover are complete.  I’m glad I pray for wisdom.

The process of writing "Waking Up in Corporate America" has awakened so many things in me.  It really has been a journey filled with pain and satisfaction.  For example, my motivations when I started were different than they are now.  I was so "career-minded" in my approaches.  Now I realize that many things have been planted in my heart and they must come out.  I can live with the consequences of being motivated by heart.

Beware of Power

Many parts of our culture ignore the drug of power.  Often, we confine our conversations around power and politics.  This piece from CNN details some conflict with two leading Democrats running for President.

I know many feel Barack Obama is just the "right" guy for the job of president.  Sadly, I fear he will be eaten alive by the same animal that has eaten his opponents.  You can always put lofty words around your vision, but often this comes from those whose hearts have been ravaged by their desire for power.

Maybe the DEA should put power on the same list as cocaine.

Check out this clip from the classic film Citizen Kane.

Moving Out of the Twentieth Century

Found this post today titled "Corporate Podcasting Ideas" from the The Engaging Brand.  It struck me how we can use things like podcasts to build engagement with our employees.  Organizations can make the mistake of thinking that media is nothing more than entertainment.

We’re in the twenty-first century…time to trust if we want engagement.  In other words, don’t be afraid of media (blogging, podcasts, etc.).  Use it to build something in your people. 

The Dream is You

This post is for the dreamers that have not given up their dreams.  I write this way because WE ALL ARE DREAMERS.  That’s right, every human being was wired at the start to dream.  Isn’t it tragic that most (usually by adulthood) bury their dreams.  Someone laughed at us, someone told us it wasn’t practical, someone scared us and the list goes on. 

God wired us this way to bring us back.  Back to the wonder of a relationship.  Pardon me for waxing spiritual, but have you ever met someone with no dreams?  That is not a life to be lived…it is the equivalent of being dead without the burial. 

Want to understand some contributers to depression?  Want to understand why we seek distractions?  Want to understand why we’re so overwhelmed by the good with no room for the great?  Look no further than the death of dreams…billions of them.

So if I’ve exposed you, what would I recommend you do?  Take a look below:

  1. Read The Dream Giver.
  2. Stop rejecting your authentic swing (the one who never has to wear a mask).
  3. Check-out this post on Choosing Greatness from the Servant Leadership Blog.