You are not your Brand

Have you ever heard someone say, "You are your brand"? It’s a popular piece of advice, but honestly, it’s not great. Sure, it might sound cool or empowering, but when you really think about it, it’s a mindset that can cause more harm than good. Let me explain why: you are NOT your brand—and that’s actually a really good thing.

Here’s the problem. If you start believing that you and your brand are the same thing, you’re setting yourself up for a lot of stress. Every time something doesn’t go perfectly—a campaign flops, someone criticizes your work, or you hit a roadblock—it’ll feel like a personal failure. You’ll put so much pressure on yourself that you’ll start burning out, overthinking, and making everything mean something about YOU. And that’s no way to run a business—or a life!

But what if you saw it differently? What if your brand was just a representation of you, not the same as you? When you create some space between yourself and your brand, it gets a lot easier to handle setbacks. You won’t take every little thing so personally, and you’ll have room to grow, improve, and pivot without feeling like it’s a blow to your self-worth. You’ll feel more in control and less like the world is ending every time something doesn’t go perfectly.

Now, let’s make this fun. Imagine if Tony Stark believed his personal brand WAS the Iron Man suit. Every time the suit malfunctioned, every time he had to build a better version, he’d think, "I’m a total failure!" But that’s not what he does. Tony knows the suit is a tool. It’s how he shows the world his genius and gets the job done. But it’s not him. He can step out of the suit, make changes, and focus on improving it without freaking out.

Your brand is like that Iron Man suit. It’s something you build to showcase your skills, your ideas, and your personality—but it’s not YOU. By keeping that perspective, you’ll feel less stressed, more confident, and ready to handle whatever comes your way. Because at the end of the day, you’re not your brand—you’re so much more.