"Just be yourself" is terrible personal branding advice.
You know that popular personal branding advice “Just be yourself!”
Well, that advice can suck it as far as I’m concerned.
Let me explain.
Are you ever 100% yourself with ANYBODY in your life ever?
Hells to the no!
I present different facets of myself to friends, my mom, the mail carrier, colleagues, etc. And I bet you do too.
Does this mean you’re not being genuine in basically every interaction in your life?
Again NO.
Obviously, some people will know the real you more than others, but the only time you’re 100% “yourself” is when you’re alone with yourself. And even then, I would argue there are old scripts and societal conditioning messing with your juju. (#yourbrainisadick, yo.)
The thing is- you’re a multi-faceted, multi-passionate, beautifully complex HUMAN. Personal branding doesn’t have to capture all of this- some of it can just be for you and your personal life.
I swear like a sailor. I love swearing. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, and I’m not offended when others swear or use it in their branding. But I curb it in front of my MIL because that’s not her jam. Am I really so hellbent on “being myself” that I’m going to offend her beyond belief by dropping f’bombs left and right? No. Because I respect her. And I can still be authentically me with less colorful language. Am I going to get all concerned and worried if I do let one slip? Also, no.
But swearing isn’t me. I AM ME. And sometimes I swear more or less depending on the company I’m keeping.
Now listen- I’m not making an argument to not swear in your brand copy and marketing. If it feels good to you, fucking do it. The point is, you can also have a mouth that had you sucking soap bars all through childhood and still decide it’s not something you want to lean into for your business. And this does not mean you’re not “being authentic” or “being you". (Side note: if you’re one of those people who would never even let a “darn it” cross your lips in real life, but you’re using colorful language to appear “edgy”, stop it. This is not being authentic, or “being yourself.” There are other ways to convey an edgy or rebellious brand attitude.)
This is why it is so hard to figure out how to “just be yourself!” What PART of “just be myself!” should you be???
The good news: YOU get to decide which facets of yourself get to be part of your brand and business. And you don’t have to include it all if you don’t want to. Promise.
So the next time you hear the advice “Just be yourself!” Say F’it, and tell them you’ll be whatever parts of you you choose to be. And keep the rest for yourself.
Meet Sarah
Sarah is an award-winning Designer, Creative Director & Brand Strategist for billion-dollar companies turned entrepreneur. She loves exploring the areas where business, branding, and personal growth comingle to create magic. And she’s also passionate about empowering entrepreneurs with easy tools to transform the way they do business.