I spend most of my waking hours thinking about brands. Debating their value, asking the whys before the hows. More often than not with like-minded people. And I find it fascinating … for me it’s the perfect career. We learn a lot about building a brand, about changing behaviour, about growth. But it strikes me that we rarely, if ever, have an equal fascination, or apply the same rigour of thinking, into our own personal brands.

We need more CEOs of the brand that is ‘me’.

Sounds a little pretentious, right? A nice line out of some leadership manual. But no, I really want you to think about your own personal brand ... think really hard. What’s your mission, your why? Where and who do you want to be and how do you get there? How do you turn up each day in pursuit of that vision?

Each and every one of us is born the CEO of a brand – brand ‘me’ – but we rarely devote any time to the management, coaching and reflection that it deserves. It shouldn’t be neglected – its product, service, influence and impact become our own realities. We’re defined by how we feel about ourselves and, in turn, others will pick up on this. It will quite literally shape our future in the way we wish it to be.

Here are the 7 building blocks of how I try and manage my brand:

1. Find time. Time to reflect, every day. Carve out a space, even if it’s just ten minutes a day, to think about your own brand. What is it and where do you want it to be?
2. Be better. Challenge yourself to keep moving and improve against your own goals. Personal or work, it doesn’t matter, but you’ll find it more rewarding if you feel like you’re making progress towards an outcome.
3. Manage your energy, not just your time. Find the things that you enjoy, that truly make you light up, and be sure to fuel your week with them. Hobbies, interests, friends, family, learning, escaping, exercising ... whatever it is, as long as it makes you happy then make time for it. It’ll give you energy for the other bits.
4. Do what matters to you. Don’t feel pressure to do what others expect of you. Cut your own jib - the rest is just noise.
5. Be relentlessly optimistic. In pursuit of your vision, show up every day with the knowledge that anything is possible. You’ll then infect those around you with a shared enthusiasm to do the same.
6. Be willing to adapt. If life serves you lemons, so what! In poker, the best hand doesn’t always win. It’s not the cards you are dealt – it’s how you deal with the cards (or words to that effect!)
7. Problem/solution combos. Try and find solutions to overcome any obstacles; don’t just stop when you hit a problem. Even if the solutions aren’t perfect, it’s more about the mindset you create. Focusing on a genuine solution will help you overcome anything, as well as making you feel more positive and in control. Influence the things you can and don’t dwell on the ones you can’t.

So, what is your brand, your purpose – and how do you want to show up each day?

By reflecting a little, I bet you’ll gain a lot.