Once you figure out who you are and what you love about yourself, I think it all kinda falls into place.” — Jennifer Aniston
This past weekend I caught up with a friend from college. We reminisced about old times and caught up on what was new. When we began discussing what our goals are for this year, my friend expressed to me how he was looking to build a website.
“I want to have a personal brand like yours…you tell your story so well.”
During our discussion, I gave him my best advice on what web hosting site to use, how to create graphics quickly, and so forth. After our chat, I reflected on the idea of my personal brand. I confess that when I was in undergrad, I felt like a person who was building a personal brand. It was then that I had my logo created, I thought of my website as an extension of who I was. In this time, I was obsessed with trying to get press, and get as many clicks I could to amplify my “personal brand.” As I’ve grown, I don’t really consider myself to be building a personal brand anymore, and here’s why.
Writing Is Therapy For Me
When people speak to my personal brand, a lot of that has to do with writing. I’m a person who has two books on Amazon, I spend my mornings writing blogs, and I even have some scripts that I’m proud of. The reason I write is not for clicks or popularity, I write because it makes me feel good. There are moments when I feel so alone. I always feel like an alien struggling to find my way to connect with those around me. In times where I want to talk about my feelings, thoughts, or emotions, I know that I can write and share it with others online.
The self-awareness that it takes to be able to write and share my mind for public consumption feels like a superpower. When I see a blank word document, I see freedom, opportunity, and acceptance. On my blog, I can freely share how I feel without direct judgment or ridicule. I enjoy creating blogs and writing because it is therapeutic and, for me, fun.
Brands Dehumanize People
Being a brand is excellent regarding products or services. It’s incredible to know that when you get on a Delta first-class flight, you are in for an enjoyable experience because Delta has a brand of excellence. This same type of thinking does not work that well with humans. I’m a man of many layers, facets, and dimensions. There are days when I’m up at the gym at 5am, writing a blog at 7am and suited and booted by 9am. If I create Instastories following those actions, some might perceive me as someone who is “on their A-game” or “about their business.”
Some days I’m not that person. There are moments when I just wanna wear a hoodie, lay around until 11am and binge-watch Naruto episodes. Prioritizing my brand over what I want to do in my life is limiting and dehumanizing. I take pride in the fact that as a man, I get to live autonomously. I have no restraints on what I get to do because of my “brand” or social media presence.
Brands Give The Consumer Power
No matter how many heartfelt posts I create, perfectly tailored Instagram stories I produce, people will still have their perceptions of me. Obsessing over a personal brand is the same thing as caring what people think because it would mean I’m concerned with how my branding efforts land. Giving away that power to social media and others to consume limits my own authentic power.
I like to create and share for me first. It’s safe to say that honesty, integrity, and authenticity resonate well with others. I go to sleep each night, liking and appreciating the man that I am. Regardless of how many followers I have or clicks, I get on my blogs, I try to stay the same for my own sanity. I have no interest in giving power to anyone who gets to measure my worth as a person because of my personal brand. This is my life, and I get to decide who I want to be, not a brand or social media.
Conclusion
I’m not really sure what The Chris Sumlin brand is, it’s not something I think about often. I am a naturally creative person who loves to share my life in writing and social media. I create content because it’s like therapy for me. When no one around me wants to talk about specific ideas, I can create a blog, video, or podcast about any topic I desire. I don’t think about my brand often because I’m so complex and different that I don’t think a brand can fully encapsulate who I am as a person. Lastly, by prioritizing a personal brand, that would give power to consumers of my brand to dictate my worth. I move through the world, knowing that I am already worthy of everything life would have for me.
I have come to understand that building a strong personal brand shouldn’t be of importance. Just do good work, be a good person, and have fun. If a person works on authentically being good at what they do, loving what it is that they are doing, and sharing it with the world, the brand will come as a result.