Celinne Da Costa

The rise of entrepreneurship is making resumes increasingly less relevant, and the millennial workforce’s demand for more purpose-driven companies is pushing employers to hire candidates who–in addition to looking good on paper–contribute positively to company culture and are enjoyable to work with. A strong personal brand allows you to stand out in an oversaturated marketplace by exposing desired audiences to your vision, skillset, and personality in a way that is strategically aligned with your career goals. Here’s why creating a strong personal brand will get you farther in your career than a resume ever will: We live in a world where the average person’s attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish. Your competitive edge will no longer be just your skillset, achievements, and past work experience, but rather who you are as a person and how you’re able to leverage your talent, wrap it in a vision that is uniquely yours, and emotionally connect with those who encounter you.

Some people spend their entire lives feeling like they can’t do what they really dream of. I’ve lost track of the stories I’ve heard of people who hustled for 20+ years in a corporate job so they could finally have the funds and time to travel the world; those who didn’t launch their dream business because they felt they “had” to clock in time working for someone else first; those who waited and waited to pursue their true passions because they didn’t have enough money, time, motivation, and so on (the excuses are endless)

By exploring the motivating factors behind my relentless drive to succeed, I learned that there is a notable difference between success that is rooted in fear versus passion: the prior implies that we need to earn our success, while the latter recognizes that we are worthy of it as it comes. Passion-fueled success comes from a purpose-driven place, a desire to contribute to our world, and a sense of belonging and worthiness. Fear-fueled success comes from the desire to prove yourself to the world due to feeling unworthy, not good enough, nor fully accepted by others. To start feeling success with a deeper sense of gratitude, meaning, and purpose: Journal in the third person about the end goal for your success.

It’s easy to get caught up in this cycle of societal expectations without fully understanding why, and when you want to make a change, the same excuses pop up: you don’t have enough money, you’re scared to give up the comforts of stability, you don’t believe you’ll succeed, or you’re afraid of what other people will think. After witnessing many other entrepreneurs achieve similar feats, I can attest that it is absolutely possible to design the life of your dreams and achieve financial, location, and time freedom–if you’re willing to work for it. Once you get clear on what you want and what you don’t want, create a vision board (for the next three months to a year) to help you visualize your intention. When you’re intentional and strategic about going after what you want, you can create huge shifts in your life and business, discover yourself, and design your dream life in the process, all the while, enjoying every minute of the ride.