How far would you go to live your brand?

I wince slightly at the pain in my back but hold still knowing that any movement at this point could be disastrous.

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt it. I had the same thing a few years before but this time it’s going to last longer and I’m getting my mindset ready to deal with this self-inflicted discomfort.

The tattoo artist continues to work on the compass he is inking into my back and I stay still and as relaxed as I can. Thankfully Link is a pro with years of experience and he is very proficient and fast.

The result is perfect and I love it. It is my brand.

Would you go so far with your brand that you would tattoo it into your skin as a permanent marker of your True North?

I met a salesman who was so passionate about the brand of beer he had the logo on his arm and he could do a blind taste test and pick his beer.

Then there is the gym owner with the NBA basketball logo tattooed on his calf.

Many Australians have the Southern cross stars inked into their shoulder and in my home country New Zealand, people have ferns on their arms. Olympic athletes often have a tattoo of the rings with the year they competed as a life-long memento of their achievements.

The compass is not my first tattoo. I got the Libra?birth sign inked after my 50th birthday and I had wanted it for many years, knowing exactly what it looked like and where it was going to go. It even features in a book about tattoos that I participated in to help raise funds for breast cancer research.

But I knew when my Brand True North and The Brand Navigator came to fruition, that this is what I am born to do because I do it with ease and it fulfils and delights me. I couldn’t wait to get a symbol of it permanently marked on my body.

I know this will never change. My brand is part of my DNA and part of the way I conduct myself personally as well as in business.?

My brand gives me direction and helps me clarify my marketing messages, but also defines how I connect and communicate with the world and what I value most in life.

Do you feel like you are totally on your Brand True North?

Are you so well aligned with your business brand, that you would get it tattooed into your skin?

How far will you go to align with your brand??

How much are you prepared to step into the brand so that everyone recognises what you stand for and that you instantly for how you have positioned yourself as a leader?

If you are not feeling 100% all in or if you feel disconnected from your brand, it’s probably because there are mismatched values. You lack the purpose and reason to BE your brand.

It may be that you feel your talents and skills or expert-ease are not valued by the brand you work for or the business owners, or, if it’s your own business, that your personal brand has no input or influence over the business brand.

It may be that your guiding principles do not match those of the business or organisation you work with.

If there is a disconnect or feeling of being off the path of your brand direction, now is the time to consider why you are doing what you do.

Your BRAND TRUE NORTH is all about alignment. Knowing everything you stand for, knowing what drives you and being on purpose with passion.

I am not suggesting for a minute that you go get inked unless you really want to and you know what you want, but I am asking the question to test your brand integrity.

Integrity means a state of being whole, a complete entity.

This is what branding is all about. You know by now that branding is far more than logos and colours, it is about creating meaning.

Lauren Clemett is a Keynote speaker, International award-winning Neurobranding specialist and best selling author with over 25 years brand management experience. Lauren shares how to overcome overwhelm and lead with direction, purpose and meaning, making marketing your professional services a walk in the park!

www.yourbrandtruenorth.com