Know who you are

Who are you? It seems like a simple question but is often one of the most challenging to answer. To know who you are and what you stand for, to be aware of how you’re perceived by others and how you present yourself to the world is one of the most important aspects of a well-lived life. This could be called your “personal brand.” Your brand consists of attributes that are present for every encounter you have with work colleagues, family, or friends. You could call them “deliverables,” virtues you bring to all your social and business interactions. You may take your deliverables for granted, but consider writing down your own personal mission statement. What is your purpose? What are you about? What is your vision? Does your life truly reflect what’s important to you and how you want others to see you? So often, we live our lives based on what those around us think we should be or do. We follow the path we’ve seen others take, or we pursue what the media defines as success. Eventually, and sometimes surprisingly, we may find ourselves frustrated, angry, and disappointed in life. Have you ever heard business professionals lament about climbing to the top of the corporate ladder, only to find that it was leaning against the wrong building? They were so busy keeping up with what they thought they were supposed to be doing that they never stopped to ask themselves what they actually wanted to do. Be like Paul: know who you are, honour your personal brand, and say, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”