Right about now, some of you might be thinking, “Promoting myself feels so fake. That’s just not me.” I get it.
But…what if talking about what you do is not fakery, but is instead a way to make sure others know how you can help, the value you can add, and where you want to be stretched? I have come to believe that letting others know about me is less about bragging and more about letting them know that I’m here to contribute and how. That way, they’ll know how to engage with me, which helps me do the things I am here to do.
There’s more here than the external benefits, though.
- Focusing on and expressing the vision you hold for yourself can be much more than self-promotion.
It can be an exercise in helping you home in on and shine a spotlight on those parts of your life that matter most to you. Doing so can build your confidence in that it helps you understand your strengths, find work that values those strengths, and understand how to have interactions that draw out more of what you care to be known for.
- Rooting your concrete actions in your vision — particularly your aspirational vision — energizes your work.
It adds clarity and intention to your actions and choices, and from there, more power and focus toward producing desired outcomes and pointing yourself in the direction of the future you want. The vision you have for yourself is, in fact, a compelling tool for holding yourself accountable to your very highest potential.
Does the idea of taking steps to increase your visibility feel any different when you frame your visibility strategy as a way to let others know that you are here to contribute? as a way to show up in a manner that expresses without a doubt that you are using your strengths to add value? as a way to know that by telling people “this is who I am” and “this is the promise I make,” you create a trajectory of excellence for yourself as you strive every day to be just that?