What Will You Do Next - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

What Will You Do Next - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Very frequently we find ourselves at a ‘fork in the road’ that has us pausing to consider what to do next. Unfortunately, most people do not think out their next steps ahead of time before making pronouncements that prove to be premature. How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m going to…” but that something special never happens? Most often the project did not hold enough importance, or the decision was premature.  Only after deciding upon a new route to take, is it discovered that expertise in new areas is needed. People freeze up when they realize there is much new information to be learned before they may implement the project. Self-doubt and the lack of talking it out with peers to find ways to get past the unknown become too much to handle. Fear interferes with moving forward. Sadly, the lack of investigative research ahead of time has people suddenly stopping in their tracks. Ideas that get lost in everyday busywork is due to the lack of a 100% commitment. The better way to proceed is to have a long distant vision in mind, and then work backward to put milestones and goals in place with specific target dates for completion. Even better is to include a safety net plan to help ease the fear while moving forward. And the biggest differentiator for finding success is to maintain an open mind for learning from every experience good and bad. The hurdles along with errors are gifts in disguise as they point one in the better direction. But to take advantage, one has to commit 100% to persevering until success is theirs. It is the lack of dedication that has most people departing from the scene and never experiencing the success they originally envisioned. For those who are in the process of building credibility and trust, it’s best not to make grand announcements until one’s project is well under way. Only share your news when you are 100% committed to pursuing your endeavor with every fiber of your being and begin to see progress. The improved outcome is that others will see you as a motivated person who strives to learn and implement. It speaks well of your personal brand and indicates that you are to be trusted. The next step is to have a high enough purpose that the outcome will make the effort well worthwhile. Think back to pronouncements you may have made over the past five years. Are you one to follow through on projects or do you have a habit of bowing out at the last minute? Should you be one who drops ideas after telling everyone you will do something, consider whether it’s time to change your course of action. The first thing to do is to figure out if fear is standing in your way. It may be time for personal-professional development classes. Public speaking and other training will help put the fear to rest. Strive to be one who personifies trust and credibility so that others continually seek you out. Carefully construct your persona and simultaneously watch your career lift. Following these guidelines will lead you to the Smooth Sale!