The Power of, "Yes, I Will"
"It’s 3AM and I can’t sleep a wink. I’ve been working for countless weeks straight. There are projects, deadlines, and most importantly - momentum. It’s exciting, electric. In 4 hours I will board my flight to Columbus, Ohio and as I lay here wide awake I can’t help but think of what brought me to this in the first place: a small whisper in the back of my mind saying, “Yes, I will.”
It happens that way. You say yes.
When I had the idea to develop a course on personal brand development, it was merely an idea, I didn’t even know what I would write. But I pitched it - and somehow I was convincing enough to form a partnership with an up and coming company called Mastery by Mal. I mean seriously, what is personal branding? Is that even a thing? I’m here to tell you, it is. I made it my life by studying, researching, and savoring every piece of information I could find. Ultimately I fell more in love with the concept. I knew there was value in this information. I knew it could benefit people and change the way we all conducted ourselves online and offline.
Personal branding is defining what you want to be know for. There’s a science to it - a combination of technical strategy and honest to God self awareness. It’s the idea that we can shape how people perceive us, and if done correctly, it can steer decisions, promote credibility, and open the door for a wider network of opportunities, advancements, and partnerships. And who doesn’t like that?
So I told myself I would do it. Mastery by Mal would film, display, and promote the course on their website; I would write the content and do the speaking. Looking back I was so naive in believing it would be easy. I thought I could whip it out in a few days, no sweat. Oh my gosh, wow, I was wrong. It took weeks to develop and even more time to actually execute. I think there are two types of people: those who wing it and those who prepare. Unfortunately, I fall in the ladder. I’m not the kind of person who can wing it on stage. I have to put in the time, do the work, study the lines. I’ve become self aware enough to learn this about myself and it has served me well in my career.
I experienced a deep fear on that flight to Columbus. What if I fail? What if they fly me all the way out there for nothing? What if I can’t remember what to say?
Through this process I have grown to understand that a healthy amount of fear is actually a good thing. It encourages us to work hard, cover our bases, and deliver a quality product or service. Anxiety can actually work to your advantage if you know how to control and direct it towards preparation and determination.
We filmed the course in 5 hours. It was HARD and yet incredibly empowering to bring these ideas into fruition. As I sat in front of the camera, I couldn’t help but think about the lives this information would touch. Would it help people be that much better? Would it help them in their working relationships? Could it positively shape their identities in a powerful way? It was a moment I’ll never forget, a defining moment in my career. And to think, I was sitting in that chair because of a tiny voice that said Yes, I will.
To access my personal brand development course, click here.
