WOW #047: The Importance of Personal Branding

Quote of the Week:
“You can escape competition through authenticity, when you realize that no one can compete with you on being you. That would have been useless advice pre-internet. Post-internet, you can turn that into a career.”
- Naval Ravikant 

What is THE defining factor that determines what makes some people so eager and willing to share and promote online, while others wince and recoil at the very thought of it? 

Is it:

• Age?

• Job Title?

• Gender?

• Industry?

The truth of the matter is, it's none of these.

It really comes down to whether or not you believe doing so results in a net-positive, (pleasure), or net-negative (pain) experience.

Jaak Panksepp, an Estonian-American neuroscientist was well-known for his work with animal research as a means to reach a deeper understanding of human behavior. 

Panksepp conducted many experiments. 

One in particular involved attaching a spring to a rat’s tail in order to measure its pulling strength. Two scenarios were studied: one involved wafting in the smell of cheese (pleasure), the other, the smell of cats (pain). 

The results were very concrete. 

Panksepp’s studies revealed that the lab rats pulled at 18 to 20 times more force when confronted with the cat smell vs. the cheese.

Avoiding Pain as a Motivator > Receiving Pleasure as a Motivator

As someone who has experienced both the “pre and post Internet” world that Naval Ravakant mentions in his quote, I totally get it.

When it comes to being authentic while differentiating yourself, avoiding pain (Pre-Internet) is almost always greater than seeking pleasure (Post-Internet).

The bigger point of his quote though, (to me)… is where he mentions that “no one can compete with you on being you.”  

That is a truth that has, and will continue to stand the test of time:

In life. 

In business. 

And whatever comes between.

Question: Are you using today’s tools to showcase your authenticity and uniqueness to compete on “you being you?”

If not, why is “avoiding pain” a greater motivator for you and your current business?

2 Takeaways:

1. Experiments Provide Valuable Insights. Now, what you do with those insights is completely up to you. You may not follow the results of an experiment just because they showcased a specific result - but they usually challenge your original hypothesis. Challenging our current beliefs through experiments teaches us a lot about ourselves. The more we learn about what makes us “authentically us,” makes us that much better as business owners.
   
   
2. You Being You Is More Than Your Knowledge And Expertise. It's about sharing personal stories and memories that resonate with the “right” people. Not everyone. Just the ones that matter most for you and your business. Most of the people out there shopping for your particular product or service will appreciate you sharing knowledge and expertise in your field. A smaller fraction of that group will really connect and vibe with you when you share your personal stories and beliefs in an authentic way.
   
   

1 Action:

This week, ask three to five trusted people in your circle to list out the qualities that are unique to you, and consider how you can play to those unique strengths.

Have a great rest of the week - Happy 4th!

Hubert