What's stopping you from being visible?

Not so long ago, I hated everything to do with social media.

I wanted my work to do the talking for me.

I was happy enough waiting for referrals and for people to approach me.

On top of that, I was worried about being bogged down with planning content, fearing what people would think and believing it would waste valuable time I could spend with clients.

All of course, were convenient excuses - Reasons to procrastinate.

Things are very different now - I love making content!

What started as a chore now feels very natural and there is a satisfaction that comes from creating something that benefits the people in my network.

Changing your Mindset

These are four ways that I shifted my thinking and turned content creation from a chore into a hobby:

1) Being an introvert is a strength, not a weakness

Initially, being an introvert was an excuse not to be visible with my work. But then I realised it was far easier to post online than the alternative – trying to build connections in a room of people I didn’t know!

I also realised how much I used the ‘introvert’ label as a crutch to keep me within my comfort zone.

I had to let it go!

2) Writing content with one person in mind, not many

Trying to please everyone is hard.

Instead, I’d take a recent conversation I had and make a post based on that topic for that specific person.

As soon as I'd made a post, It took away the stress of getting likes and comments from everyone else because I knew the content had reached the person I most wanted to see it.

3) Realising no one cared as much about the quality as I did

We spend so much time in our heads that we naturally think that people will pay way more attention than the reality.

No one cares about how good or bad your content is as much as you, and that’s ok!

Some content will be great. Others…not so much. At the end of the day, people have fleeting memories and the good and bad stuff will quickly be forgotten – it’s no excuse not to post!

4) Treating content as a skill, not a personality trait

Making content is a skill that only will get good by first knowing what bad is, and then improving on it

The same way riding a bike or learning a new language is.

No amount of reading or courses will ever improve you as much as doing and optimising as you go along. Take it easy on yourself, like you would if you supported a friend or colleague trying something new.

The Humble Doctor

In his book, 'Wealth Warrior', Steven Chandler uses an analogy to describe how a lack of visibility holds you back.

Once I read it, my perception changed completely.

‘There is a village and you are its newest resident.

You have just moved into this village.

You are a Doctor.

You don’t tell anyone that you are a Doctor because you don’t want to come across as looking superior to the other villagers.

So, you settle into your small home in the village. The neighbours like you because you are humble and self-effacing.

One night you hear a disturbance in the cottage next to yours. Human voices. Some yells. Then silence.

You look to your window.

All seems quiet. All seems okay.

The next morning you see an ambulance pull away from their door. You step outside and ask what happened.

A little girl died last night.

She had a seizure, and no one knew what to do. The nearest hospital was 100 miles away.

She died.

You could have saved her life. Rather easily.

But they didn’t know that you were a doctor.

“Self-promote?”. I’d rather die. Or let other people die.”

It is a service for people to know who you are and what you do.

It is not bragging.’

It's Not Life or Death

I know, being visible isn’t a life-or-death situation.

But if that’s the case, then why do we make ourselves feel like it is?

What is the worst that can happen?

More often than not, our fears are magnified, paralysing us into inactivity.

Posting on social media or being more confident about our ideas and opinions doesn’t have to feel braggy or obnoxious.

What I took from the analogy above is that not making our presence known reduces the opportunities for people to see our value.

Value that is exactly what they want and are looking for.

Value that will have a massively positive impact on their life.

The Importance of a Personal Brand

The world is evolving at a rapid pace.

Technology is making us more connected than we’ve ever been.

It’s also increased the competition for jobs and business opportunities more than ever before.

For many industries and services, people have access to a global talent pool rather than a local one.

More choices mean that more is required to distinguish one individual from another.

If your identity is only characterised by the number of years worked, or the companies/clients you’ve worked for, ?you will have little to distinguish you from your peers - Those who have well-defined and well-known opinions a body of content on their social media as well as podcasts/interviews and talks that show more of your personality.

The people who have already established their personal brand will flourish, and those who still need to do so may well regret not starting earlier sometime in the future.

It is not just about being great at what you do. It is about being great at promoting what you do.

Be like Tarzan

Imagine Tarzan swinging through the jungle, from one vine to the next.

To move forward, he has to swing, and then let go of the vine before catching on to the next one.

He is consistently taking a leap of faith.

Letting go of one thing to hold on to another.

If he held on to both at the same time, he wouldn’t go anywhere.

In fact, he would lose momentum, and it would take a lot of effort to return to where he was, or to keep going.

That is, of course, if he didn’t fall along the way!

The same principle applies to you and your personal development journey.

In order to move forward, you will need to let go of the insecurities and limiting beliefs.

Take the leap of faith that will open a new world of possibilities.

Are you ready?

As the saying goes – ‘The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.’

If you want to be more visible, here are four questions to help you overcome your limiting beliefs.

1.?????How are your current actions keeping you suspended to where you are?

2.?????What fears do you need to let go of in order to move forward?

3.?????What knowledge do you have, that you are withholding from your network?

4.?????How can you share this knowledge in the simplest way?

Showing your work, reflecting on your experiences and sharing your interests is a powerful way to grow.

Not only does it have the potential to enhance your personal brand, but it also creates new opportunities for you and separates you from others in your field.

I've created some resources to help you kick-start your journey to becoming more visible. Send me a message and I will be happy to share them with you.