Is your decision just really yours?

Seeing is believing. That’s what we’re supposed to believe right?

Look again. Or should I say think again?

Dan Ariely – one of my favourite behavioral scientists – shows that our belief in “seeing is believing” is fundamentally flawed. It is so flawed that it raises questions about that inner eye of ours which oversees our decisions. How much of what we think we judge as our own decision is actually a decision of our own?

If you’re interested in more stories like these: check Dan Ariely’s blog: Predictably Irrational or read his book Predictably Irrational.

Now what does this tell us about being superbly human?

Personal branding: don’t be Billy Joel pt 3

You want people to like you?

You want people to listen to you, to respect you?

You want people to ask you to join their group, to be a part of their tribe?

Then I hope they do so because of who you are, not because of who you’re trying to be.

Being somebody seems like a hard thing to do these days.

It seems like being somebody is like trying to get on top of a mountain the whole world is climbing.

Or rather, a mountain the whole world can climb at least as fast as you do.

And you want to be somebody so you’re determined to go for it. You want to join that club of exceptional people. You want to feel special, you want to experience what it’s like to be on top of the world, right?

Because that makes you special, isn’t it?

I have news for you.

What makes you special is not that you’re the first to climb that mountain.

What makes you special is that you’re you.

That’s a whole different ball game.

Being you is just not about getting there.

It’s about being here.

It’s not about the destiny, it’s about the journey.

True leaders don’t lead when they’ve reached their destiny.

They lead when they take people in a different direction.

They lead while making their way into the world.

It’s easy to believe that getting to the top was what this leader’s destiny was all about.

It’s easy to believe that you getting to that same top will make you a great leader, or a great person.

What makes you a great leader happens from the day you are born.

And it happens every other step of the way

So before you take another attempt at trying to rush at the next mountain in sight, please remember that a guy like Billy Joel only became Billy Joel because he lived the life of Billy Joel, because of the journey he made, the people he met, the time he lived in and the passion and belief he had to pursue his course of life.

“So what the difference makers going to be now, I’m sorry to say, are the people that are going to come up with good ideas and execute and understand how to move the freackin’ needle. That’s how you break through the noise, ‘coz everyone is coming and everybody’s playing. And while everybody has the ability to play the piano not everyone is Billy Joel.”

Gary Vaynerchuk, How do you cut through the noise? (video, opens in new window)

Liked part 3 of this series? Read part 1 and part 2 here.

Personal branding: Don’t be Billy Joel pt 2

What’s the fun of trying to become Billy Joel? (If you want to know where this Billy Joel reference is coming from, click here to read the first episode of this series, link opens in new window)

Try to be (like) me is the number one marketing decoy of all times.

It’s so successful because it appeals to one of the most primary instincts we have: to try and copy the alfa-male or -female, to be as successful as the most successful member of your tribe in order to improve your chances to survive.

Does this sound familiar?

Just think for a minute about who you’re trying to be (like).

Think about the clothes you wear, the haircut you have, the girlfriend or boyfriend you sleep with, the friends you have, the house and place you live in, the tv-shows you watch, and so on.

Chances are you’re probably trying to be (like) a lot of people at the same time.

I know I am.

I know it’s not really satisfying too.

It probably never will be.

Not until you understand what you stand for. Not until you know what your strategy is.

Copy-branding yourself, dressing up, getting the right friends or haircut, it’s all just tactics.

And it will never make any sense, no matter how hard you try, until you’ve figured out what you really want (your passion) and what your strategy is to make that happen.

After all, you don’t want to be a second Billy Joel, do you?

You want to be you and you want to be admired and respected for who you are.

You want to prove that you know what’s beyond the branding.

You want to understand what really connects people, people like you, your friends and, who knows, Billy Joel.