PP 081: Branding vs Defining Ourselves

Quick Show Notes: Branding vs Defining Ourselves

As we strive for “success” it can be so easy to get caught up in the notion that the brands we wear, drive etc. represent how far we have come and who we are. But do luxury items really define us? In this episode, I discuss the notion of branding vs defining ourselves.

Do luxury items really define us? In this episode of the Positive Productivity podcast, @thekimsutton discusses the notion of branding vs defining ourselves: https://www.thekimsutton.com/pp081 #positiveproductivity #podcast #brandingClick To Tweet

Episode Transcription: Branding vs Defining Ourselves

Today, I want to challenge you to take a deep hard look at the people that you consider to be “MENTORS”.

These aren’t necessarily people that you know personally, but they may be people that you learn a lot from following on social media, and really have a great respect for what they say and teach you.

While you’re taking a look at them, I want you to scroll through some of their posts, and see how they are defining themselves. Are they pushing brand name products at you? Are they telling you how they just purchased a such and such brand name car, or a fill in the blank name purse, pair of sunglasses or other luxury item?

Or Is all the information that they are giving you – content driven valuable information that you can implement into your business or into your life right now?

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

For the past week, I’ve been reading The Power of I Am by Joel Osteen, and yesterday I decided to attend one of his church services online. A major part of his sermon was about the fact that a lot of us are allowing the brands that we wear, purchase, and bring into our lives – to define us and to define our level of success.

I’ve seen a lot of this on social media, and in some of the communities that I’m in, and to be totally honest, when people are constantly sharing what they’re buying, and what they’re bringing into their life, I don’t put a lot of weight onto it.

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

The people who are sharing that — they’ve just purchased an “expensive car” or an “expensive house” or an “expensive accessory or piece of clothing” — a lot of these people could be racking up major credit card, and other forms of debt in the process. When I see these types of posts, and I almost feel like they are “Bragging Posts,” it does turn me off.

What I’m looking for out of the people that I follow is – insightful, impactful information. What can I learn from the people that I follow that I can implement into my own business or life to help me reach some next level? And the next level to me DOESN’T mean that – I’m going to go out, and buy brand name products even though I probably could.

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

I know it may be easy while listening to me to think: “Yeah Right!” You know if you start making a million dollars a year – you’re going to go out and buy a Mercedes or luxury name brand car and all these other products. Well you’re right. I may, but… that is not the information that I will be sharing on social media. And if you’re listening to this at a point that I do and I do share this information on social media please, give me a virtual slap. Send me a message and say: “Hey! You said you weren’t going to do this”.

I do not want to allow brand names to define my success, and I don’t want brand names to be able to define your level of success either. Success is not only about money. And what we wear, what we drive, and where we live.

Success comes from inside, and also from the level of impact we are able to have on the people around us.

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

Just in case you’re wondering what type of car I drive now? I actually drive a 1996 GMC conversion van That cost my husband and I a whole $1,300. Well it was $1,300 plus a little bit of work that we had to put into it when we purchased it. However, we’ve had it for almost – two and a half years now and have only, put a couple hundred dollars into it. It’s perfect for our family. It is definitely not the most beautiful car in the parking lot or on our street, but it does just fine for our needs. And, to be completely honest when the kids wreck it on the inside, I feel a whole lot better than I would if I were driving a luxury brand.

My husband’s car, the clothes that I wear, the furniture that we own, and the accessories that I have are all happily “generic.” If people who want to hire me for the services that I provide expect me to be wearing these luxury items, they really aren’t my ideal client.

I want you to think about the same for you, are your ideal clients going to judge you based upon what you wear? What you drive?, and Where you live? And if they do, is that really who you want to be working with?

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

I want the IMPACT that I’m making on people to define me. I want the way that I’m HELPING people to define me. I want the TIME that I’m spending with my family and the MEMORIES that we’re making to define me.

What do you want to define you? I would love if you would visit the post page for this episode and let me know, how you define yourself. You can find that page at TheKimSutton.com/PP081 for episode 81. I want you all to know that I will never judge you based upon – what you wear, look like, drive or where you live. If we approach each other and meet each other out there someday at an event or one on one.

Your attitude, and the way that we interact is how I will remember you.

Joel Osteen says: “That sometimes we wear so many brands that we forget what our name is”. He then said: “Brands don’t define us. God does.”

Branding vs Defining Ourselves

Moving forward through today. I really want you to think about what’s defining you. And with that said – Go forth! And make it a positive and productive day!