The 1 Thing Holding Back Your Personal Brand from Being Truly Freaking Awesome

“When you judge another, you do not define them. You define yourself.” — Wayne Dyer

Anyone can teach you a strategy. A brand roadmap can be built, followed and executed by anyone who knows how to read. You can spend a pretty penny building out the prettiest brand Style Guide and wait for miracles to occur.

But if you don’t believe that your story — your true story — matters, your personal brand will fail.

Here’s the #1 thing that’s holding you back from having a killer personal brand:

YOU.

The voices inside your head. The fears of criticism. The thoughts of unworthiness. The judgment.

No matter what you present to the world, people are going to judge you. They are going to see your content, your pictures, your branding, your public appearances, your wins, your losses, your social media following — and they are sometimes going to not like it, not get it and not want it. They will paint labels, assume falsehoods and tell themselves (and their buddies) stories about you that are solely cultivated out of imagination, confusion or jealousy.

Guess what? Those people are not your people. And that’s awesome news for you. Because for every single “non-believer” out there, there will be someone (or many someones) who completely get you. Who, for the right reasons, resonate with you and want more of you. Those people are your people, and the more you lean into your unapologetic authenticity, the more you will magnetize the RIGHT audience for you.

It’s literally impossible to reach — let alone appeal to — every single eyeball out there. So why are you trying so damn hard?

If you know YOU, then finding your tribe will come naturally. Because your vibe attracts your tribe.

It simply starts with getting out of your own way. When you stop second-guessing yourself and evaluating whether or not you’re likeable, only then will your true nature be revealed. You are likeable. So own it. Get back to your unapologetic authenticity.

Look at your immediate inner circle.

The people who REALLY know you. What kind of person are you around them? What feelings do they evoke in you with ease? Tap into that person and share that version with the world. The people who truly love you are essential for boosting that apologetic authenticity.

Where do you feel the most inside your genius zone?

We all have those moments where we lose track of time and just flow with our creative gifts. Try and identify those more frequently so you can step into them more often. When you’re in a place of effortlessness, the noises from the outside world tend to subside as a result.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Where do YOU find yourself judging others? Who are those people and what about them trigger you? We don’t see others as they are, we see them as we are. So the next time you start complaining, stop to evaluate if those traits need to be addressed in you.

Get outside your comfort zone.

The world is a big, beautiful, colorful, messy, flawed, gorgeous, perfectly imperfect tapestry of humans being. (You read that right: We are a verb, not a noun.) Ensure you’re constantly evolving, that your perspective is widening and your heart is opening up by exposing yourself to other people who are not like you. It makes you more inspired and creative. It makes you a deeper thinker and a downright more fulfilled person. To get different results, you have to try different things. This includes new ways of thinking, new ways of being, problem-solving and approaching people.

The next time you start listing your excuses why your brand or business isn’t reaching for the stars, make sure you’re not what’s holding you back. Your old thoughts. Your old judgments. Your old fears. Your old excuses. Your old patterns.

Use the power you have to create the life you want.

It’s just that easy.