What does it mean to become your own adjective? It means you live your values, talents, tastes or style so passionately and openly that others know exactly what you stand for without needing to ask you.

Have you ever walked through a department store, saw an outfit on display and said, “ Oh, that dress is so ‘Mary’”? Or perhaps a friend was excited about her new job. As she recounted the details of her new professional opportunity, you were certain she had found her niche. You knew this because she had found a job that was in alignment with her personality and her passions. The job was so “her”. In each of these cases, these people have become their own adjectives.

Why is this important? Your friends, family, and co-workers are your best natural networking system. Much of what happens in our lives is brought to us through this network. We meet new friends through this network. Often we find our romantic partners through a connection from this network. Employment options surface through this network. I am not saying we ask this support system to connect us in these ways. It is a natural flow of our social relationships. The more clearly we communicate our values and interests within this network, the more accurately we will attract those who respect and share our values and interests, and the more those around us will connect us with those who share these things with us.

The way that we communicate to others what is important to us is through our daily actions. For example, you don’t need to wear a sign on your shirt that says “I love cats” to let others know you are a friend to felines. Do you have a cat, or two, or three? Do you spend time volunteering at the shelter to find homes for homeless cats? Do you stop to pet a friendly cat wherever you go? If you express your passions honestly in your every day actions, those around you will know exactly where you stand.

To be clear in this context, simply means to be honest. Do what you love. Share your flair with the world. Whatever your style might be, be true to it and be yourself.

This is the second article in a series on the concepts of Personal Branding.

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© Andrea O'Neill, 2002 The intellectual property contained in this document is the sole property of the author. You may forward this to anyone you wish in its full and complete form, using the PDF download in the left sidebar. No portions of this article may be reproduced without the sole permission of the author.