For the last decade I've been drawn to this idea of 'Personal Brand'. I even have a whole section in my personal Notion space titled 'Personal Brand' to track thoughts and ideas on how to 'build it'.
For some reason, I never really put the work in. Every few months I'd throw up a random blog post, or tweet… but never consistently. And never honestly.
I kinda assumed imposter syndrome or fear was holding me back. But I had a pretty big unlock recently that shifted the way I think about all of this.
I realized I was perverting the idea of my voice into a something else. Taking something fully mine, something I'd gladly give away for free, and twisting it into a potential revenue stream. When I'd think about writing or posting, I was filtering every thought through questions: Would this impress someone? Would they want to hire me? Would they like and subscribe?
I wasn't asking the better question. The one that actually matters: is there someone a few steps behind me on this path who could use what I've already figured out?
I recently turned 40. I'd always heard that things change then, and now I really believe it. The main thing that changed for me is I don't really care what anyone thinks anymore. I've performed for a long time. I'm tired of that game. I'd rather show up fully for my family, and write honestly for the handful of people who might actually need it.
So here's my reframe: what would I write if I knew the only person reading it was me, a year ago?