Much has been said about the economic situation in the past few months. Is it possible that there’s a stone unturned on this topic? Yes – the way you communicate with your personal brand in this economy can have a big impact on how well you weather the challenges that could come your way. Your reactions to the economy, your thoughts about the economy and your actions related to the economy can impact the ultimate outcome for your personal brand.
 

REACTIONS: If you want to see someone’s true personal brand, watch them react to adverse events. How you react in crisis situations says a lot about who you really are. The key to mastering your personal brand is to remain consistent over time. You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to what happens to you. Think about the personal brand you’re presenting through your reactions to the economy. You’ll make better decisions when you stop yourself from shifting into a fear-driven state that may cause knee-jerk reactions you’ll regret later.
 

THOUGHTS: Become aware of what your thoughts are telling you about the economic situation. Sit back and take inventory of how you feel about the financial climate right now. You will build your personal brand based on those feelings. Your thoughts drive your emotions, your emotions drive your behavior, and those behaviors are responsible for creating the results.

• Watch your words – What you say stems from your thoughts, so be mindful of how you talk about today’s economy. Calling the situation a “crisis” creates anxiety. Sit back and objectively analyze your own situation before deciding if it truly is a crisis. No one wants to be around someone with a negative or a defeatist personal brand.

ACTIONS: If you still find that the economic situation is keeping you up at night, objectively assess your situation and make a plan. Are you anxious because you’re too far in debt? If that’s the case, take decisive action by seeing a financial counselor. Sit back, and calmly consider: What feels “right” to do? Set some goals and take at least one action each day to move closer to that goal.

• How will we look back on this economic event in the future? Reports about both the 1929 and 1987 market crashes have shown that people who kept a calm demeanor and stayed the course ended up doing better in the long run – from both a financial and an emotional standpoint. And you can be sure they built strong personal brands in the meantime, too.