Self-Branding is a time-consuming and comprehensive campaign through which you strive to make others’ perceptions and understanding of who you are match who you strive or aspire to be in life.

If you aspire to be an author, musician, artist, motivational speaker, graphics designed, entrepreneur, business owner, restaurateur, among countless other career aspirations, self-branding is an important component of shaping your public image and goes a long way in becoming a memorable, marketable figure.

But, the process first begins with as little as habitually telling yourself and calling yourself exactly what you aspire to be. I am a writer. I am an entrepreneur. I am an artist. For me, my self-branding efforts have centered upon being a career writer and widely published author. I am not yet either of these things. But if you following my Tweets on Twitter or Pages on Facebook, you might think I was already a New York Times Bestselling Author.

Is Self-Branding Deceitful?

Self-branding isn’t about deception. Calling yourself what you aspire to be is a two-pronged strategy: first, you intend to convince yourself that you are capable and more-than-willing to see your dreams through; and, second, to prove to others that you are able and confident enough to make your ambitious dreams a reality. The antithesis of self-branding can be destructive. How many men and women do you hear routinely say, “I want to be a writer some day,” or “I’m trying to be a painter,” or “I’d like to start a business at some point, but…” ?

While perhaps all accurate descriptions of one’s aspirations, these saying tend to indicate a level of insecurity, a lack of passion, and a lack of determination than an adequate amount of confidence and ability needed to achieve one’s supposedly deeply entrenched dreams. Not only are these insecurities revealed to others, but you are also subconsciously reminding yourself that you are not what you want to be, and may not even have the confidence inside you to be capable of achieving it.

For me, branding efforts began by calling myself a “writer” and “future author.” I think that “future author” is a more accurate description of my confidence and intentions.

Branding is the First Step!

The first component of self-branding is to call yourself exactly what you aspire to be. They’re your dreams. No one can achieve them but you. What may seem like a trivial act is actually the first component of persuading yourself and others that you are what you aspire to be. You already know it. Everyone else simply hasn’t realized it yet.