ABOUT THE BOOK First released in 2003, this book was originally titled Be Your Own Brand: A Breakthrough Formula for Standing Out From the Crowd. Authors David McNally and Karl Speak realized that with the advent of our current technology, specifically, the rise in social networking, our personal and professional interactions have significantly changed. Because of this the later edition, Be Your Own Brand: Achieve More of What You Want By Being More of Who You Are has an additional chapter devoted to social networking and how this phenomenon fits into the concepts of brand management. The result is a refreshed version that walks the reader through the process of building your personal brand in a constantly changing world of growth and technology. The emphasis in this book is on making a positive difference to other people. McNally and Speak advocate the concept that to discover who you really are and grow your brand you need to determine your values and begin to build trust in your community. The idea of building trust within your community extends globally, as the significance of social media networking is discussed as well as techniques you need to adhere to in order to create a successful brand strategy. The new title in the second edition reflects the authors desire to help people achieve authenticity in their lives instead of forcing themselves into contrived versions of themselves. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Being alone is fine, but your work and endeavors must be shared with the world for people to truly know you. Authenticity: Time to Step Up A strong personal brand is a powerful way for the world to see and value the authentic you. In this section the authors really begin to delve into the concept of authenticity on a deeper level. Being authentic means being true to who you are, which, as stated previously, takes courage. By living authentically we build trust with others, because they feel they can believe in us. You have to believe that other people will understand where you are coming from, and let go of the worry that you will be misunderstood. To do this, commit to your authenticity. The authors have created a series of signposts that are designed to guide you to your authentic self. These signposts are:What is your purpose?What is your life’s vision?How will you reach your goals? By defining yourself using the above guides you will more successfully develop and deepen your brand. First Signpost: Purpose - What Is My Life About? Purpose is what gives meaning to everyone’s life. The author’s tone becomes very earnest here, as they try to convey the importance of the signposts as guides to building not just a better personal brand but a better life. Their theory, that our convictions dictate our actions, suggests that our convictions affect our relationship to others. When we introduce sales techniques such as manipulation into our lives we damage the strength of our convictions. It is important to be positive and honest to cultivate deserved trust. When you are able to solve problems and meet other people’s needs this demonstrates the depth of your convictions. Therefore, if you consistently show yourself to be driven by purpose this will underline the strength of your personal brand. Second Signpost: Vision - What Do I Want to Create? To create means to bring into being something that has never existed before. Children are very good at creating, usually because they are not mired in the world of adult responsibilities and limitations. Their perception that anything is possible provides a natural outlet for creativity. Gradually that changes for all of us, and some people construct walls and blocks around themselves that create limitations. This signpost is about creating a purpose around the idea that anything is possible and not being constrained by our perceived limitations.