A success story is the result of the way you think. By managing and controlling your dominant thoughts, you are better able to work your way toward greater success - and wealth - in all aspects of your life. To amass any kind of success in great abundance, you must "magnetize" your mind with intense desire, make a clear plan and believe you are capable of it.
Inspired by the teachings of Napoleon Hill and Andrew Carnegie in the book Think and Grow Rich and how to apply them in building your personal brand online.
Three principles for successfully building your online brand
- A well-defined goal - the power of specificity
Vagueness is the enemy of success. Whether you dream of achieving financial freedom, leading an impactful company and team, or building a strong brand, specific goals are the foundation of your success. This principle revolves around knowing exactly what you want to achieve.
How do you apply this?
- Write down your goals specifically and in detail.
- Visualize your success daily.
- Share your goals with your mastermind group for extra accountability and inspiration.
- Learning from failure - the power of resilience
In every failure there is a seed of commensurate benefit. Success is not about avoiding failure, but about using every obstacle as a learning process. Seeing your failures and mistakes as lessons, valuable new steps you can take up, will bring you closer to your goals.
How do you apply this?
- Keep your "lessons learned" list.
- Celebrate your failures as steps toward success.
- Share your experiences openly to inspire others: vulnerability is strength.
Success is the result of lessons, not perfection.
Success ie a choice, choose and be chosen.
- The Mastermind Principle - the power of collective intelligence
Imagine this: two minds come together and create a third, more powerful mind - the Mastermind. This is exactly how Andrew Carnegie built the world's greatest company. He surrounded himself with people who had the answers he was looking for. Together they managed to raise money, cast steel and build an empire.
How do you apply this?
- Create a network of like-minded, ambitious women.
- Organize regular brainstorming sessions or mastermind groups.
- Find mentors and advisors who will challenge and inspire you.
Your sccess is not a coincidence, but the result of focused thoughts and purposeful actions.
Strengthen your online position and visibility
Many people hesitate to present themselves online because of fear of criticism or the feeling of not being taken seriously. This fear paralyzes even the most experienced among us. Know that fear in itself is not the problem; what matters is how you deal with it.
Sel yourself the question, "What if my perspective is exactly what someone needs today?" by looking at it from a different perspective, reframing, everything can change. It helps you see opportunities instead of obstacles.
Even if the anxiety does not go away completely, it is important to take action anyway. Start small if necessary. Post a simple piece of advice on LinkedIn, share a valuable article with your own perspective, or start posting responses to someone else's post (and do so strategically 😉: e.g., to a potential client, customer or someone offering similar service to you).
As you hesitate and fear losing, opportunities disappear. Your unique perspective, potential and value to help others move forward remain untapped.
From fixed mindset to growth imindset
Many people focus on the possible negative outcomes. The fear of losing:
- "What if I screw up?"
- "What if I say something stupid?"
- "What if someone criticizes me publicly?"
These negative thoughts hold you down and keep you from taking your first step. But fear itself is NOT the problem. Because fear is neutral. It is how you choose to interpret and use your fear that makes the difference.
When you ask, "What if I succeed?" your brain begins to figure out how to make that happen. You begin to see possibilities instead of obstacles. You begin to plan for success instead of preparing for the failure you have imagined.
Your thoughts play an essential role here. How you look at a challenge or setback and how you deal with criticism is your choice. In the thought of a fixed mindset you think; that's not where my talent lies or I can't do it. If you think with a growth mindset you may think; you have to find ways/strategies to do it, work harder for it.
It is time to change
Every successful online entrepreneur you admire started somewhere. And they probably had fear, too. They just didn't let fear stop them. Start as small as you need to. Maybe you just post a simple piece of advice on LinkedIn. Maybe share an article you find valuable and add your perspective. Or maybe start by carefully commenting as you build toward posting yourself.
I remember well when I posted my first LinkedIn post. I was mostly worried about what "former" colleagues from my corporate career would think of it. I posted my post and immediately closed my laptop. I didn't want to see what might happen online. I went for a walk and only dared to look at my post after a few hours. And ... really '0' response to my post and everything I had imagined seemed to be a false alarm.
Now, years later, I can laugh about it. I learned that that fear was a sign of growth, of pushing boundaries. Since then, I've shared countless posts ranging from great successes to personal challenges. And you know what? There were wonderful responses, but also criticism. And that's okay.
Whatever it is, do it despite the fear of anything. Because the world needs your perspective. We need valuable creation and innovative ideas from people with unique value and experiences. Your customer needs you. And the only way to make that clear and for your clients to notice you is if you overcome your fear and make your value, expertise, skills and perspective visible and share it with them.
Because ask yourself the question:
"What if my perspective is exactly what someone needs to hear today?"
Stand strong on your position and strengthen your online visibility.
Show the world what you have to offer.
One Life. Lead it. Live it.
Have a great week,
Gerdi
Strategic Leadership, Innovation and Growth at the Personal, Business and Financial levels.
Whenever you are ready:
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PS: Have questions, would you like to speak to me in person? Send me an email (info@gerdihulsink.nl), or schedule an interview with me.
Book tips:
Other books that have helped me:
Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
The Diary of a CEO - Steven Bartlett
Tribes - Seth Godin
Principles - Ray Dalio
The Lean Startup - Eric Ries
Leaders Eat Last - Simon Sinek
Leading From The Emerging Future - C Otto Scharmer
Transformational Presence - Alan Seale
The Big Leap - Gay Hendricks
Because you know what you have to do and what you want to leave in the world
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