Summary: Are you sick and tired of the same, old, same old you? Maybe it's time you take a step back and see yourself as a brand new "brand". All you need is a bit of repackaging here, a tad marketing there, and before you know it, you've sold yourself as the best thing that's ever happened to the free world! Ever wonder how advertisers easily lure you into buying a certain product? How they keep a brand on top of your mind every time you take a trip to the supermarket? It's all in the branding, packaging, and selling. Hey, let's face it -- in this day and age, image is everything and becoming your own "brand" is the thing. It's just as easy to brand yourself as you would products. We talk in terms of labels. We label people, places, films, food, everything. We just have to brand something so that we can contextualize it in our heads. So, what more when we look at ourselves in the mirror? Think of yourself as a product that you just have an uncanny urge to sell. The first step to self-branding is to start looking for your core -- your essential self, that inner element which makes you a unique product. Now before you start experiencing brain strain, this doesn't require knowledge of rocket science. It's easy to pinpoint your personal strengths, but you shouldn't be pressured into coming up with a new, all-original image. You're simply building from what you already have. You can borrow and refresh someone else's persona thereby making it your own, borrow bits and pieces from idols and icons to imbibe and imbue unto yourself. For instance, you can be part Condoleeza Rice, part Janet Jackson, and part Cameron Diaz. Now just imagine what a character you would become! To become your own brand, you have to have a personal flair, a signature style. Sadly, however, a great multitude of us morph into the bandwagon brigade while following the current trends. Instead of standing out, you disappear into the throng of clones cloaked in boring clothing. Self-packaging is all about personal style and attitude put together in one neat bundle. Both must work in sync. You can't brand yourself as a no-nonsense worker and then dress up in colorful, revealing clothes and expect to be taken seriously. Although it doesn't hurt to be on the constant lookout for new things, to be adventurous to show your freedom of expression, you must always make sure you're comfortable with it. You can't pull off an image if it's not really you. The bottom line is, act natural. If you're entirely comfortable with your brand self and the way you're packaged, then there's absolutely no need to act out your new image. As long as you stay real, people will automatically be comfortable with you. SelfImprovementBrain.com
