How to rise above the gravitational pull of mediocrity and allow yourself to stand out

In a world where maintaining the status quo is rewarded with the approval of others, it can be somewhat unappealing to embrace your individuality, own your personal brand, stand out and rise above. 

Just to clarify, your personal brand is not simply made up of your online profile photo and Linkedin summary, it is the sum of who you are, what you stand for and how you choose to represent yourself both online and in the real world at large. For many, their personal brand is unfortunately shaped by logic and the expectations of others. For the remarkable few, it is directed by the heart and driven by an inner conviction no one is able to restrain. 

What stands between the few and the many is the ability to overcome resistance. Steven Pressfield said it perfectly in The War of Art “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” In my opinion, the resistance is two-fold, the resistance within and the resistance we feel from those around us. Both are interconnected and born from fear. 

I am reminded of this truth sometimes on a weekly basis. Though all of my clients have different stories, the one thing that unites them is the fear of what others will think. They have an urge, desire and calling to put themselves out there, but they worry that those closest to them will cast judgment and disapproval. 

I remember one story, in particular, my client, an incredibly talented high profile jewelry designer, was setting out to pursue her passion in the field of health science. She asked if we could have a coffee and I delighted in the opportunity. Once we sat down and the conversation began to flow, she confided in me her upset. Some of her friends were very unsupportive of her new direction and had no problem airing their negative views. 

I was quick to remind her that those who resist the most, are often the same people who are too afraid to stand out and rise above in their own lives. They are the ones who will always play it safe, take the logical path, fit in and never question the status quo. They lash out because when they see someone else pursue the remarkable and put themselves out there, it makes them aware they do not have the courage to do the same. I suggested my client have empathy for them as opposed to seeing them as adversaries. 

Rather than see the opinions of others as a roadblock, we can use it as fuel. We then become sustained by the knowledge that when we own our personal brand and put ourselves out there, we are giving everyone around us permission to do the same. By liberating yourself from the fear and resistance, you help to liberate others.

No great can be achieved when we buy into the pervasive need to fit in. While there was once a time in history that fitting into the tribe literally kept us alive, we now live in the era of the individual. Though we still thrive when we feel a sense of belonging, today we have the freedom and technology to create our own tribe and connect with likeminded individuals all over the world. Being lonely and misunderstood is ultimately then a decision as opposed to the result of being yourself.

The path to owning your personal brand starts the moment you get out of your head and into your heart. It starts the moment you feel worthy enough to be seen, heard and celebrated for who you choose to be and how you choose to represent yourself. 

We all have a unique and singular role to play in this intricate game called life, we cannot fulfill that role if we insist on being who others expect or want us to be. We must listen to the voice within and be guided by our own truth. It can be scary at times but I am sure you will agree the thought of living your entire life dictated by fear and or the expectations of others is much scarier still. 

Not only do you owe it to yourself to embrace your personal brand, but you also owe it to life itself, if you don’t step into who you are meant to be, we all miss out and the world will never get to experience what you alone are here to offer.