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Dec 28, 2010

My #PersonalBranding Reflections for 2011

One of my Personal Branding online mentors is Brenda Bence, an Internal-renowned Executive Coach, author and Personal Branding guru (I say "online mentor" because she's one of the many visionary leaders I "stalk" online to get inspiration and tactics from the pros). A few days ago I received her December e-newsletter (you can receive it too HERE), where she included her "FAVORITE YEAR-END REFLECTION QUESTIONS." I'll let Brenda Bence explain for herself in the following excerpt from her email:

"Please don't get me wrong with what I'm about to say - I'm definitely a forward-looking person - but I actually tend to think that spending time reflecting on the past year is just as important - if not more important - than looking to the future. After all, if you haven't learned from where you've been, how can you be sure you're heading in the right direction? How can you course-correct if necessary? Not taking time to reflect on, and learn from, the past may lead to making the same mistakes in the future, over and over and over again. And, that's no way to build a brand."

I decided that what a better way than doing my own reflecting here in my blog for public view....AND for personal motivation to do a REAL introspection of 2010 and how I can use this year's learnings to further grow my personal brand- and for personal fulfillment this upcoming year:

1. If you were writing a book about the past year and had to sum it up in one simple title, what would that title be?
Finally Looking @ Myself @ the Mirror:
12-Months of Personal and Professional Growth

2. What were the three best things that happened to you and/or to your company in 2010?
1 -Developing  my  passion for Personal Branding into a value-proposition, being able to share it with others and having visionary people believe in it.
2 -Finding out that the best free promotion for your services is indeed, referrals from your close network.
3 -A highed sense of self-awareness (both personally and professionally)

3. What were the three worst things that happened to you or your company in the past year, and what did you learn from them?

1- Placing all my eggs {energy} in one basket {project} and after much work, everything failing.
Lesson: You learn from every experience that you put your heart on - and meet amazing people - even if the project ended up being a flop.

2 - Failing to follow through with potential collaborations and projects due to work overload. Lesson: The times of "yes, yes" are over and now is more "I'll have to check my schedule and see if I can fit it in AND if it makes sense for me to get involved."

3- Not having a clear road map for my consulting and freelancing services.
Lesson: A plan allows you to stay on track and gives you direction, so a simple plan is better than no plan at all.

4. Now, look at your individual collection of personal and professional "ups" and the "downs" from 2010, and ask yourself how have those events shaped your personal brand over the past 12 months?
My "ups" and "downs" have shaped my personal brand by uncovering my expertise in different communication areas - that I didn't even know I had! This also provided with more confidence about the value I bring in to projects.  I've also streamlined my online brand into one that's cohesive and one that encompasses all the projects I'm involved with -and not fragmented, like before.

5. How will all of these learnings alter the way you move forward into the New Year?  What will you do differently as you think about starting 2011?

My overall professional and personal goal for 2011 is to take everything to "next level." It may sound a cliche, but this is exactly what I'll strive to do: drive marketing initiatives to increase ROI @ PR Newswire's multicultural division, use Integral USA Magazine and Integral USA TV as a platform to develop my program "La Marca Llamada: TU" and apply my web  marketing and social media knowledge to high-visibility campaigns.

I invite you to do do the same....reflect and answer these questions. Believe me, you'll feel like you have just written your 2010 Life Plan, like I do now (please refer to my answer #3 in question #3!). I wish everyone love, health, peace, happiness and prosperity for 2011!
- Anllelic

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