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Unfortunately, for much of my life, I neglected to proactively forward the most fundamental and influential story there is: My own story.

My own story opens doors which let me present any other kind of story that I want to tell.

Somewhere in my 40s, I discovered that I was neglecting my personal public relations. Honestly, the discovery was emotionally brutal. I rolled my eyes… smacked my forehead and grumbled:

"One more thing, I have to take care of!"

Have you ever witnessed the drama which ensues when family, friends, co-workers… try to figure out why so-and-so did such-and-such or why they don’t do blah, blah and blah?

It’s the definition of crazy!

I was amid witnessing one of those imbroglios, watching it spin out of control, when I was stupefied by a moment of clarity. People were going round and round, tempers flaring, relationships being torn to shreds, all because nobody had all the facts: Unbridled speculation, unfounded speculation!

It’s human nature to make up stuff to explain the stuff you don’t understand. We just can’t handle being stuck in a mystery and our only way out is to invent information when we don’t have it!

Natural Law

When faced with a mystery, we will invent an explanation.

Corollary 1

Neglect to proactively manage your own story and you will become a mystery to other people.

Corollary 2

Once you become a mystery, people will make up stuff,,, and you’ve lost control of your own narrative.



That’s what happened to me. I was gob smacked to discover how others were perceiving me!

“No,no,no! You’ve got it all wrong!”

Sometimes it was good-wrong and sometimes it was bad-wrong. Either way their perception of me didn’t align with the real me!

Any story we tell is perceived through the lens of how others perceive us to be. It even determines whether we get a chance to take the floor and be heard.

While you might be considering arriving to Master Crafters or you are already aboard, I urge you to evaluate the status of how others perceive you.

Are you known as someone who hops over others and burns bridges? Or are you someone who is building community, helping others pursue their interests and goals; someone people count on to have a positive attitude and willing to help?

How we are perceived is a constantly evolving frame of reference.

You might see it differently, but my experience is: The way I shape my personal brand determines if I get an opportunity to present my ideas and it most certainly determines my audiences’ predispositions to engage with my vision.

No matter where you are on the path of proactively creating your own personal brand, aka your personal story, it can be a daunting task. And one of the easiest ways to lose your way is to not know where to start or how to steer and keep put of the ditches.

In upcoming blogs, as the Founder of Message Crafters, I’ll share with you my guideposts for creating a personal story which is engaging, unique, and inviting. 

A personal brand is a lifelong project. The guideposts are offered to help you if you are taking your first steps or especially if you want to makeover your image.

Doors of opportunity open or close in response to our image. Creating the ‘right’ image determines how we are welcomed. Will it be, “Who are you?” or “Thank you for being here.”