6 Mantras to Transform Your Brand in 2016
Happy 2016!
Just like that, another year has passed. A new year is here—full of shiny possibilities and magic waiting to be uncovered. To help you make even more magic this year, I'm sharing these 6 mantras to help you transform your brand in 2016. Join me, and let's make 2016 our best year yet!
1. Talk Less & Make More.
We both know you're capable of creating amazing things. Yet somehow, you always waste too much time talking about what you can do rather than actually doing it. You spend so much time planning what you could make that you never get around to making it.
I'm completely guilty of this one.
This is the year. Show the world what you're made of. It's time to finally get out there and prove what you can do. Start today. Stop talking about what you can do and do it already!
2. Work Smarter.
It's time to work smarter. No more trying to get thirteen things done at once. You don't make much progress on anything that way. Minimize distractions, prioritize your work, and focus. Choose with one thing, and give it your full attention.
Stop procrastinating until your deadlines are all looming over you. That only leads to anxiety, stress, and results you know could have been better. Use systems to boost your productivity, schedule your posts, and create a calendar to keep you in check. Make the time and get things done.
This is the year. Show the world what you're made of.
3. Share the Journey.
I know you share that perfectionist tendency, which makes us want to wait until it's “finished” to share anything. We both know deep down that nothing is ever finished or perfect. Our lives will always be a work-in-progress, filled with struggles and victories. People all over the world are struggling just like you, so why go it alone?
Share your journey. You can teach something to those a little farther behind, learn from those ahead of you, and make some friends along the way. People love the process. Share the rough beginnings and messy middle. It makes that polished final piece that much sweeter.
4. Work Together.
I know it's easy to constantly scroll through your feed, comparing yourself to what others in your field are doing. Well, not anymore. This is the year to stop comparing and start connecting. There's more than enough work to go around, especially if we've got the right attitude about it.
There's plenty we can teach one another if we're willing. If someone else in your field is doing something amazing, don't compare yourself to it. Reach out and let them know. If someone else is trying something new and looking for guidance, don't just scroll past and ignore them. Give them the support and encouragement you yearn for.
You and your “competition” have more in common than you know. Change your mindset, and encourage community over competition. Those positive vibes go a long way.
5. Work to Live.
Now that we've established we'll all be working smarter this year, we can work on that balance too. I know that when I inch my time right up to my deadlines, my personal life suffers—AKA what personal life? That ends now. No more putting work off today only to be a martyr about looming deadlines tomorrow. This is the year of the honest hustle. Let's work to live.
I know that as a creative, the creative process is an ongoing tug-of-war between frustration and fulfillment. It's easy to forget that your worth and happiness shouldn't be defined by what you create. We need to separate ourselves from our work and cherish the blessings that make this all worthwhile. Let's hustle smart and procrastinate less, so we can make time for living.
6. Invest in Your Brand.
Hustle isn't the only way to grow your business this year. Investing back in your brand can work wonders. I don't just mean better equipment or a dreamier workspace. While those things will certainly help, it's important to invest in your brand experience too.
The brand experience starts long before your customers even become customers—before they sign your contract or make a purchase. Make it your goal to not only deliver, but exceed expectations at every turn. When you focus most on serving your customers and their needs, that's when your brand truly flourishes.
Look Out, 2016.
What's your main mantra this year? Let me know in the comments below!
