Last week, we talked about the “what,” but this week, we’re going to look at the “why.”

Hopefully by now, you’ve been thinking about what your personal brand is, and it’s starting to become clearer to you.

It’s important to define why we are doing this, though, for a few different reasons:

• If you’re not clear on your goals, you’ll be more distracted by shiny things, and might end up putting your energy into something that is not going to help you out during the road. Having goals will help you to be really clear about which things you can say yes to, and which things you should pass on.
• Life is not just about us. It’s a bigger picture thing. Yes, you want to be successful, but at what cost? There are other values in place here, and it’s important to be clear what they are, as well.
• How will you know you’ve “made it” unless you are clear about what “making it” looks like?

So… why are you here? You want to build your personal brand, but for what purpose? Do you want a book deal? A speaking tour? A street named after you? Fortune and fame? To make a difference in the world? Most of these things are probably achievable, if you are willing to work hard enough.

I want you to think back over the last few weeks. Think about times when you felt really happy. What were you doing during those times? If all of those times or experiences were with your family, and not at work, that is a very telling thing. You value your family very highly, and maybe you’re in the wrong line of work. I’m not saying it’s bad to have a job so you can support your family, but you spend a lot of time at work, so is there something you can do to be happier while doing it?

I spent last weekend covering a food event in Whistler. I kept walking around thinking “how can I do more of this? And get paid for it?”

This week, think into the future. I realize that we need to be, to some degree, practical, especially those of us who have families to support. But think into the future–what is it that you really want to be and do? Get as specific as possible. What would your life look like if you were living it with no restrictions of money or time? It’s okay to blue-sky this stuff, it’s just ideas. Once you’ve done writing down what you think your ideal life would look like, pick the top three things, and then set some goals around those. Tangible, simple things you can do in the near future to get you a step or two closer to that becoming a reality. Set deadlines, and take action.

Next week, we’re going to start to round up the tools you are going to need to build your personal brand.

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