In today's world, it is hard to stand as unique. It is hard to have a voice in a sea of millions of different voices trying to outshine one another. With the times of digital platforms booming and people now being able to work from their fingertips, I have found a new challenge in determining where I stand in this world creatively, who I want to be, and how I want to set my life up for success. We hear it all the time now, what is your brand? We no longer have to work for companies that will swallow our creative nitches and no longer have to plan our future to work a 9-5 day job.
But, in this type of advanced world now, how do we stand alone amongst millions of others with similar ideas?
This is something that I have spent a lot of time thinking about over the past couple of years. I have realized that my mind works best with creative freedom.
I have come up with a couple of different ways that I have learned how to stand out in a digital world filled with people with the same writing dream as mine.
Networking
I have found every opportunity that I have received yet so far from people I know and people I have networked with. I have worked so hard to share my dreams and goals publically so I can be connected to others. The more people know about your passions the more easily people can connect you to similar workers in your field. Networking doesn't have to be done at a networking convention...I have heard that one before. Digging deeper than the surface level when you meet others in jobs you are impressed by or networking with friends parents, other departments at your work, emailing dream job holders with questions about their paths are a few ways that networking can happen in a not so scary way. My biggest advice is to keep everyone's information and email them back with questions and thank you's.
Being authentic
This could be the second most important to networking. I am sure you have noticed on social media platforms people trying to portray they are someone other than themselves or using others success to try to get the same results. Success doesn't happen by pretending you are something that you aren't. I have found that people find more relatability and trust in people who are unique to their own brand and are confident in what they have to offer. Being authentically you and focusing in on your strengths will make you more credible in your area of interest.
Working to gain experience
With experience comes credibility, with credibility, comes experience. The more you are willing to put yourself out there even when it comes to small opportunities you are allowing the potential for your resume to grow and become something that you are proud of. I have had to do lots of work for free to prove myself in the industry I am wanting to thrive in. Of course, that is not ideal, but to graduate with more than a handful of experience is worth the struggle to find greatness in yourself. What is more deserving than putting your everything into your passion to one day be something great.
These are just a couple things that I have learned in my fails and successes while walking through the process of figuring out my authenticity and passions. I am working to create my own brand each and every day in a world full of established brands and large personalities. We need to work to develop what we want the world to love and remember us by. Uniqueness is key.
