Success = monetize your passion [personal brand]

  • 1 min read

Many people in history have defined the word “success.” The question is, what exactly is success?

Here are some examples:

  • “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” – Mark Twain
  • “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” – Abraham Lincoln
  • “I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Henry David Thoreau

If I were to define success, from a personal branding standpoint, here is my definition: Success is the ability to monetize your passion

If you can establish a livable income at a job you’re passionate about, then you are successful. This is obviously quite challenging and there are many factors at stake. For instance, if you support children, a wife and are of a low income bracket, it will be difficult to transition from the job you are comfortable with to one you have passion for. For those who are in gen-y, have financial freedom and the support of others in their network, starting your career in the right direction is easier.

I’ve heard many people say “you define success.” Some may believe that you are successful if you’ve given birth to a newborn child, climbed mount everest or appeared in a reality TV show. There are even some who translate success into being a billionaire. I feel it’s about owning your career, creating your own salary and being anxious to go to work. Personal branding is about showing the world what makes you unique and memorable. By creating your brand and communicating it to others, you will be able to achieve success.

Tagged: Strumpette, Copyblogger, Converstations, Jaffe Juice, Diva Marketing, SEOmoz

Picture of Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm. He is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success (St. Martin’s Press) and the #1 international bestselling book, Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future (Kaplan Publishing), which combined have been translated into 15 languages.

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