Get Your Breakthrough Online: How to Stop Hesitating and Finally Put Yourself Out There
Over the summer, I visited two of my consulting clients in Orlando, Florida, and Nashville, TN. You know what they both had in common? A feverish impulse to start. An “all-in” type of mentality. They were determined to share their stories, create content, and launch their personal brands. I haven’t been this inspired in a long time.
Now, I have to assume that part of their readiness is a result of having over a decade of experience under their belt. For context, they’ve both spent years in the trenches building their businesses and developing their skill sets. So safe to say, they were ready to share those stories and experiences with others.
Most of the time, though, these clients I’m referencing are the exception to the rule.
Most of the time, I work with people who are hesitant to put themselves out there. They might have a desire to create content and post on social media, but the fear of judgment from others is too strong that it stops them from even getting started.
Some of this hesitation may stem from lack of experience. I work with a lot of young people who see others sharing educational content and assume that's what personal branding is all about. Yet, they don't feel like experts and wonder how they can possibly build their brand without being one. Still, they have a desire to share and be creative.
Others may feel hesitant because their lives don't look the way they want them to. There's an underlying sense of dissatisfaction that taints their desire to create and share content. To them, life isn’t how they want it to be, so may as well not share anything at all. Yet, they still sort of want to.
Lack of time is another big one. Some people have anxiety around building their brand because they fear they won’t be able to keep up with it. It can be difficult to find the time to devote to creating and maintaining a strong brand, especially when there are so many other demands on our time. Yet, they still think about in the back of their mind.
Even with all of these hesitations, people still want to put themselves out there. They can’t deny the call. They crave the connection and the ability to create something they're proud of.
Part of my work as a Personal Brand Strategist is to help people reconcile these hesitations and find the courage to create content and share their authentic selves online anyway. So here’s what I’d say if you’re experiencing any of the after-mentioned hesitations:
If You Lack Experience → You don't have to become an expert overnight. In fact, it's better if you don't try to be. People enjoy following a journey, so don't hesitate to share yours, even if you're just getting started. My friend Mitchell is a great example of this. He's using Instagram to document his experience as an Amazon FBA Private Label Seller, including the highs and lows and everything in between. People are fascinated by what he's doing because they likely haven't seen it before. Only Mitchell can share his journey in his unique way, so it's compelling to watch (and he's building his personal brand in the process).
If Your Life Doesn’t Look the Way You Want it To → Maybe you think your house doesn’t look “aesthetic” enough to create in, or you’ve recently experienced a big setback at work, or you don’t like the way you look right now. I just want you to know, I truly understand how painful these limitations can feel. They are deeply constricting, especially when you do have a desire to create and share your story with the world. Most of the time, we feel anxious about our content when we compare ourselves to an ideal. We believe that there is a specific way it "ought" to be, and we feel that we don't measure up to it for some reason. However, this constant striving significantly limits our ability to advance our brands because we create content under the pretense that there is only one way to make something, one way to be. This contradicts the very essence of personal branding, which is that your personal brand is an authentic representation of your life as it is now. When we free ourselves from chasing this ideal, the possibilities for what we can create become limitless. Instead, we can accept our present reality and use our resourcefulness to create content that we are proud to share with the world.
If You Don’t Have the Time → Perhaps you’re not ready. We usually find the time for the things we want and feel excited to pursue. If you find yourself hesitating because of time constraints, it might be worth taking a step back and evaluating whether you're truly passionate about the brand you're pursuing. After all, when we're truly excited about something, we tend to find a way to make the time for it, no matter how busy our schedules may be. So, instead of letting time be an excuse, why not use it as a motivator? Take the time you need to prepare and plan, and when the moment is right, take action and pursue your personal brand with passion and enthusiasm.
