Painful or not, truth presents you with unlimited possibilities in life. You should serve it to yourself daily to create the change you seek – I do. Where I tend to get in trouble is serving it to others, too.

I like to believe that we have all had our share of false advertising. Whether it’s about a product that actually didn’t work like it was marketed, a restaurant where the experience paled in comparison to the glossy photos and rave reviews, a person who said they were one thing and in fact were completely different, or taking a new job just to find the job description was nothing like the work you’re actually doing. Businesses put a lot of money into marketing their products, and one thing we all know for sure, is when they have hit the mark.

There are some key indicators of a good brand. They are consistent, clear to you and others, and authentic. You can’t have one without the others, and every time you experience that product it delivers the same quality experience or taste. Building your personal brand should be no different. You should not market yourself as one thing, and the reality of who you are is different.

If your personal brand is not consistent, clear to you and others, and authentic, fix it. Don’t use cheap marketing tactics like stating skills that you don’t have, pretending that you’re happy in your life when you really feel stuck, or acting like it’s okay to accept bad treatment in your relationship with others when it’s not. You don’t have to tell everyone that your advertising is false, and your brand isn’t good while you’re working on it, but for the sake of the consumer and yourself, stop the false advertising!

As a relentless seeker of truth, I’ll ask anyone I think has the answer. What I’ve learned is, you can’t wait for someone to tell you the truth, you may never get it. Many people are willing to live a lie, you shouldn’t be one of them.  Serve the truth to yourself – always. Imagine how full your life would be if you were true to your brand. Let’s get to the truth of the matter and build the brand that is uniquely yours. Check out the tools on the resources tab of my website to get started www.yourpointofpride.com.