Personal Branding is everyone's cup of tea and is not just about Actors or Politicians or Businessmen. It is more common than we think. You know what is the difference between a doctor and a patient? both have a fine body system, both pump blood but one takes a breath without being conscious of it and the other knows the process by heart. Now who is at the advantage? Or who can do self care? We all know the answer well, its the doctor! And now answer me that who will run for help in all directions? Yes, ofcourse, its the patient. That is exactly the difference between a person who is ignorant of Branding and a person who knows it well. Branding happens with each one of us, some remain ignorant towards it while others are much aware of it and become masters of their lives. ‘Branding' appears to be a commercial term and is like an iceberg, what appears on the surface appears light and superficial but it is deep as hell. I realised lately that ‘branding' is not just a part of our life but is deep rooted phenomenon and comes out in each word that pours down from your mouth.
Lets take a drive towards ‘Astrology', the moment we were born, do you remember we being handed over a character certificate by the universe which we call the ‘Janampatri’, just kidding! It makes our life so easy, all steps laid down for us, "at 3 you will walk, at 5 you will talk, at 7 you will dance and at 21 this and at 22 that.” Does it sounds familiar? Jokes apart, it is a valid, authentic and scientific piece of information which at the end of the day might fetch a husband or a wife for you! Are you with me on this? Now lets take a step back, just relax yourself and think about it, what exactly happened with you? The shocking truth is that universe just branded you! Oh my gosh, if universe is doing this to you then spare us guys, for we are just humans!
Lets spare ‘Personal Branding’ for a while because till the time we haven't tasted branding, we can never understand the true essence of Personal Branding. A large number of us are alien to this process and we are dealing with it, each day and that too ignorantly. The moment we start talking about branding, people start coming up with things like "spare this talk for professionals for we are common people who have nothing to do with brand" and they put a full stop before things actually begin. The truth is that Branding is shaping our destiny, every single day and we are nodding in ignorance!
When I started becoming conscious of ‘Branding', I felt transformed and I realized how it was controlling my life up till now. My face, my choices and even my goals were branded by others! The other day I was talking about the increasing number of molestation cases against women and the high vulnerability of women in India, when suddenly out of no where, I heard these words "You are a feminist, don't you see bad things happening with men out there". The moment I heard this, I knew I was being branded, everyone would view me in the sane light because that day that girl was painting a false image of mine for other people to see, I sprung up and told her that I was just a common person with a fine sense of judgement who with help of stats could easily weigh the difference in abuse rate of men and women. I told her that I don't have to be a feminist to see the difference that was obvious. You may wonder what this has to do with personal branding? Wait for a while and you will know what I am talking about. The moment I realized that I was being branded, I decided to refuse the tags which people were throwing at me passively and all of them were going unchecked. That day I decided that I will create my own tags for others to see! I wanted to put out my authentic self and from then, I took charge of my branding by becoming conscious of it and this is my friend, the very moment I met ‘Personal Branding’ face to face.
Branding can control your life to the extent of suffocation. Never underestimate its power. On the other hand, Personal Branding can transform your life in unexpected ways. The other day I was listening to a mystic who beautifully explained the science of Astrology which though authentic is a default map of our lives. It is just like those passive tags people throw at us. If we don't change the system or put our own program into it, we would be governed by the planet system. The default branding of the universe will carry us throughout our lives. The idea is to take the drivers seat and since branding can never stop, so keep on being branded but doing it actively by throwing out what you wish to take in! If you are satisfied with the passive branding whose victim you already are, then your life will be in hands of people who brand you but the moment you take charge of your own personal branding, then you will make other people see what you want them to see! Don't let branding control you, be the boss of your own life and make people see or hear what you wish them to see or hear!