1. Build yourself as a brand
1.1. To become an influencer
1.2. To become a thought leader
1.3. To become a personal branding expert
1.4. To become an online personality
1.5. To become an Instagrammer / YouTuber
1.6. Social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., “democratized” people’s ability to gain social status.
1.7. Some time ago, elevating yourself in society was largely dependent on some sort of validated, external source saying so.
1.8. Today? If you have 2.2 million subscribers on YouTube, the world is at your fingertips.
2. There are massive benefits to building yourself into a brand
2.1. All of us, whether we’re conscious of it or not, are in some way, “building a brand” for ourselves on the internet.
2.2. If you’re online, you’re “playing the game.”
2.3. Even if you have almost no presence at all, your “lack of presence” is actually still sending a signal.
2.4. You’re playing the game whether you know it or not, so you might as well play it consciously.
3. How you can be more deliberate in the way you build yourself into a brand.
3.1. Everything You Do, Have Done, and Will Ever Do in Life, Has a Place in Your Story
3.1.1. People don’t buy products. They don’t buy books. They buy brands. They buy authors.
3.1.2. Think about what unique “pillars” you could associate with yourself and your “personal brand.”
3.1.3. What stories could you come back to over and over again?
3.1.4. Write about them online. Reflect on the lessons they taught you.
3.1.5. Use them as cornerstones for everything else you want to write about and share.
3.1.6. Don't shy away from parts of your life you think “not everyone” will understand, appreciate, or be open to
3.1.7. Find the common threads. These stories are part of you and will help others feel like they know who you are as a human being.
3.2. Control What People See by Being Deliberate About the Media Attached to Your Name
3.2.1. The quality of the media you publish online tells another story.
3.2.2. If people see you being filmed with a high-grade camera, they assume you’re “professional, successful, etc.”
3.2.3. Get a professional headshot.
3.2.4. Fix your Twitter cover photo.
3.3. The Best Way to Write About Yourself Is to Be Direct
3.3.1. The more direct you are, the faster you’ll scale your message.
3.3.2. People avoid saying the truth for one of two reasons
3.3.2.1. They fear coming off as being egotistical, because they’re talking about themselves.
3.3.2.2. They want to be “mysterious,” which they’re not. They’re just being confusing.
3.3.3. Say what you do, how you do it, and why.
3.3.4. Clarity is king.