5 Ways to Grow Your Brand, Be Creative and Become the Expert in Your Field
“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” — Charles Mingus
The
best lesson you’ll ever learn is that your education in life should
never stop. Not only that, but the best education you’ll ever receive
will most certainly not come in the classroom. You’re going to learn
through your personal experiences, family, relationships and competitive
ventures. And even when you think you have all the skills you need, you
have to remind yourself that you always need more.
As
a lifelong learner, I’m always looking for new ways to increase my
knowledge and skill. I’m always looking for an edge — something to help
distinguish myself in my field and to grow my brand. Great ideas can
last a lifetime, though some ideas are ephemeral. They serve a purpose
for a while, and then they go away. They grow stale. You need to
rejuvenate, keep thinking, ideating and coming up with something new.
Here’s
the thing — if you’re reading this article in this great publication,
you probably recognize that your personal growth is a lifelong journey.
There will be mistakes, adversity and many bumps along the way. In order
to keep growing, you can’t rely on what you learned at home, in grade
school, high school or even college. There may be no rush for you to go
out and get a Master’s degree, either.
There
are an abundance of resources at your fingertips thanks to the
Internet. I’m encouraging you to be a player. Life is a contact sport,
meaning, you can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and think the game is
going to come to you. You’re going to have to get out there and get your
hands dirty to make the plays that will bring satisfaction to your
life.
The
more I’ve made strides in my writing and coaching careers, the more
I’ve encountered adversity in a variety of forms. But this adversity has
been eclipsed by my successes. I’ve persevered through the tough times
and I’ve grown because I’ve been willing to stick it out and learn. The
more I feel I’m staying in the same place, the more I desire to keep
growing — and keep learning something new.
Don’t
sit back and think that you’ve become the expert just because you’re
getting by in your job. You literally and figuratively cannot afford to
do so, particularly when the world around you is constantly evolving.
Technology changes, and smarter, more efficient processes enter the
workforce. Bold, new ideas from incredibly creative people replace old
ideas.
If
you truly want to get what you want, you have to be willing to put
yourself out there, find a way to dedicate time and get by through the
help of others. I’ve detailed five ways to get where you want to be. We
live in an expert’s world. The experts are the ones who are sought out
for their expertise, because they’re the most knowledgeable and best at
what they do.
We
should strive to live happy, fulfilling lives that lead us to becoming
the best person we want to be. There are plenty of opportunities for you
to live this life. Here’s some methods to get started:
1. Dedicate 5 Hours per Week to Using Your Creative Imagination
“Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.” — Albert Einstein
I’ve
found the absolute best way to do this is to immerse myself in
solitude. It could be meditating early in the morning when it’s still
dark out and the kids haven’t woken up yet. It could be finding 45
minutes of piece during a midday break from work. But I strongly prefer
solitude. I like thinking of the things that I love, things that inspire
me and sometimes listening to music.
But
most of the time the most creative ideas that come to my mind are when
I’m in solitude and able to reflect on the things in life that motivate,
inspire and get my adrenaline going. I’m most creative when I’m in the
zone about doing what I love, dreaming of the end goals that I’ve set
out and thinking of celebrating in the winner’s circle.
When I wrote my first book, The Value of You,
I often did so in solitude. I thought deeply about what each value
meant to me. I thought about what inspired me most in my life and how my
dream was always to become an author. I kept going and kept writing.
Now, I’m on to new goals which I truly believe I’ll only be able to
achieve if I use my creative imagination to imbue them with beauty and
color.
Use your imagination. We’re all blessed with a beautiful mind that can create incredible things.
2. Take Advantage of the Online Courses at Your Disposal
This
goes back to the idea that life is a continuing education and we are
literally continuing this when we keep learning something new. I’ve
taken courses online that taught me how to create a WordPress site.
That’s how I created my first blog. I’ve read a lot online about
branding and marketing, because I never had a formal education in these
subjects.
I
recommend Udemy, Lynda and Coursera. But bear in mind that this
industry, like every other, is constantly changing. Something new always
comes along that’s better, more user-friendly and perhaps even cheaper.
Take advantage of YouTube and all the great learning videos there. And
remember, Google is your best friend. There’s absolutely nothing
stopping you — unless it’s a poor Wi-Fi connection!
3. Learn How to Master Social Media
If
you’re looking to become the expert in your field in 2018 and beyond,
you absolutely must use social media. That’s a must. It’s simply
non-negotiable. If you want a seat at the table, you must start there.
But it’s not just about starting and getting your seat. You need to
learn how to differentiate yourself. First, it’s worthwhile to
brainstorm on how you want to position your brand.
I
can tell you that if you’re a writer, you’re going to want people to
hear and see your most authentic voice when you’re posting and sharing
on social media. Build your strategy around authenticity, around your
passions and what makes your expertise unique. You will never, ever go wrong with this strategy.
One
of the best lessons I ever learned is that the world absolutely needs
you. It wants you to be YOURSELF and to be truly unique. And it most
certainly doesn’t want you to sit on your butt and waste your talents.
Be yourself and like anything, learn from the experts of who is
succeeding at creating beautiful, inspiring messages on social media.
Emulate them, take what you can and then make it your own. This is the essence of creativity!
4. Develop One New Connection Each Week that Becomes a Mutually Beneficial Relationship
None
of us make it on our own. We live in an interdependent world and our
successes are the byproduct of the loving, nurturing seeds that others
plant in our lives. Speaking of social media, get ready to use Linked in
to your advantage. Go out and meet people. Be willing to ask someone for help. You have to be bigger than thinking people will just come to you.
Also,
be willing to offer something. You may be looking to become a social
media genius, but perhaps you have an awesome background in web design
that you can share with the person you’re meeting. Offer something.
Receive in return. Repeat. Once you meet more people, you’ll keep
learning and growing. And you’ll gain allies and fans of you that will
help you build your brand.
5. Focus on the DOING and Keep Going
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” — Sylvia Plath
Keep
Going. Keep Going. Keep Going. Persistence and perseverance are
absolutely paramount in becoming an expert and living life on your
terms. Think of anything you’ve succeeded at, and look at the examples
of people you admire. The common thread is unequivocally that you and
they kept going to achieve your goals. This is plain to the eyes to see.
Yet, it’s not always easy to do. Focus on what you love to do, what you want to become and keep on doing. Keep producing, even on the days when you feel like lying on the couch
and watching Netflix ’til you pass out. Eliminate time wasters like
unhelpful perusing on Instagram and Snapchat. If you’re going to spend
that time on social media, use it to grow YOUR brand!
Whatever
it is you’re doing, if you find yourself at the intersection of passion
and natural talent, please continue to keep going. Pour your all into
what you’re doing and never, ever give up. Instead of looking up to the
experts, one day, you’ll count yourself in their company.
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