Someone asked the question last week on Quora “What’s the most important action to take for personal branding?” Here was my answer:

Don’t do it. Branding is about strategy — an organizing principle for product, experience and messaging — don’t live your life that way.  If you try to live a strategy you are limiting the development of “self.”

Why do people want to be brands? Why not just be people? Will it help gain more friends and followers online? Get a better job? Or be more superficial and have something to blame when it doesn’t work out?

Not everyone defines a brand as I do, I get it. But it’s clear you can’t build a brand without a strategy (the above mentioned organizing principle). The Kardashian and Jenner kids are not brands. They are people. They are a television show. People who sell stuff.  

Please don’t confuse yourself with a brand. Just go out an live a fine, helpful and caring life.  That’s the hard part. It’s existential, not strategic.

Peace.