I've been sharing a lot about my entrepreneurial journey lately and one of the resounding themes that keeps coming up is my own growth in my business. And it got me thinking (in my best Carrie Bradshaw voice over), if change is the only constant why do we always say people never change? Sit with that for a second, I'll wait. I'm certainly not the person I was five years ago, let alone 10, 20, etc. Are you? Perhaps some core components are the same, but I'd be very skeptical if you told me you haven't grown or evolved in how you behave, interact, or relate with people, personally and professionally over your career. If you've ever left a job, you've changed. If you've ever left a relationship, you've changed. If you've pivoted or changed careers, you've changed. If you've started your own business or gone freelance, you've changed.
Change begets confidence
In my presentations, one of the most impactful slides is how clarity creates confidence. You can't be confident in what you do if you don't know who you are, who you serve, what they need and what you can give them. But I'd also argue that as we get more clear, we change. We're changing how we approach our work, how we approach our audience, and how we think. People don't just get confident out of thin air. By growing and learning (which is change) we're more attuned to the needs of our clients and customers. By asking questions and being curious we're changing what we know about, well everything, including ourselves. The Danielle who embarked on her freelance career in 2015 is miles from the Danielle who now runs her own business. That Danielle (bear with me on the 3rd person) was a great writer but she's so much better now because she's changed. She's changed her model, her approach, her audience, her niche, her offers, and so on. She's learned and grown. She's evolved. Oh baby, has she. (she wasn't always a badass) That Danielle would never have had the patience or the confidence to teach and run workshops. (patience was never her strong suit, but hey, she's changed!) That Danielle never even wanted to speak or present. She was a writer. But she's changed.
Everything, everywhere, not at once
Since change is the only constant, we're always changing. Nothing happens overnight.
Not success.
Not health.
Not fitness.
Not relationships.
The only thing that happens overnight is a full bladder (and for those north of 40, that gets emptied during, too).
But the good news is WE do change. I always say that the beauty of Personalty Brand vs. Personal Brand is YOU'RE in control.
You get to start changing as slowly as you want.
Sharing just a bit.
Then as you change, you might want to share more.
And more.
Or not.
It's up to you. We all change at a different rate and are all running our own race.
Some of us are sprinting. Some of us are jogging. Some are just walking. And some go from walking to jogging to sprinting. You get the picture. No matter the race you're running, you — my friend — are changing.
And, if you need help with your sneakers, you know what to do. I'm ready to lace 'em up.
Claim Your Potential Podcast
Speaking of change...Are you tired of conforming to outdated ideas of professionalism? Are you ready to embrace your true self and thrive in your career? I had the pleasure of speaking to Sofie Lindberg, founder of Claim Your Potential, an organization dedicated to creating a world where every woman and girl has the tools, resources, and support they need to achieve their full potential. On this episode of their podcast, Sophie and I talked about how to create an authentic and impactful personality brand that will set you apart from the crowd.
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