How Low Can You Sink?

My sister says that I swim like sediment. I tell myself that I am a pretty good swimmer; problem is, I cannot float. But as soon as I learn to float, I will be swimming from coast to coast. The last time I tried swimming at Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia, I sunk like the titanic. And that was just after watching Ghosts of the Abyss. Have you ever seen that movie? It is my all time favorite 3D movie.

In the movie Ghosts of the Abyss, master storyteller James Cameron journeys back to the legendary wreck of the Titanic.  He captivates 3D moviegoers with vivid sights of the majestic Titanic. The movie goes deep into the ocean floor to the wreckage, inside and out, as never seen before. Using state of the art technology, Cameron and his crew explore the insides of the wreckage, interspersed with imagery of the ship as it looked like before sinking. It was a site where 1,500 souls perished; the depths of the ocean where you do not want to sink your personal brand.

How low you sink your personal brand determines how people remember you, think of you. As much as Bill Clinton was a great president, he will always be remembered for what he did with one Monica Lewinsky at the Oval office. You may spend years building your personal brand but ruin it overnight with an error of judgment. Thinking in advance about how low you can sink will help you set personal standards and limits on what you can and cannot do.

1. Physical Health and Wellness
2. Work & Career
3. Financial Freedom
4. Home & Family
5. Mind & Emotions
6. Social & Relationships
7. Values & Character

1. Physical Health and Wellness

You may spend time building your personal brand at your place of work and ruin it at an alcohol fueled Christmas Party. Think in advance what you may or may not do. Decide whether or not you will be ruled by the bottle or not. What is your take on taking drugs and alcohol?

Unless you are planning to be a sumo wrestler, you need to watch your weight for health and aesthetic reasons. Overly overweight people do not make brilliant personal brands. How much time are you willing to spend at the TV with a can of beer and pizza? Are you ok with spending a few months without exercise? Are you ok eating junk food instead of healthier choices? Watch your physical health and wellness, it has a big impact on your personal brand my friend.

2. Work & Career

I once met a lady who was working at a job she loathed. She was a talented writer but was stuck in an accounting role that she hated. She did it just for the money. What are you willing to do just for money? Are you willing to sacrifice your passion just to get paid? Are you compromising your career aspirations because of fear? How low will you sink your dreams and hopes?

Some people are so ambitious, they will sleep their way up the ladder. Does it bother you to use your sex appeal to climb up the corporate ladder? What limits have you imposed on yourself to protect your personal brand in the work place? How low can you sink for the sake of expediency?

3. Financial Freedom

There are few things that are more confidence sapping than a mountain of debt. Getting into debt does not happen overnight. It begins with lack of paying attention to the numbers. It grows on ignorance of financial matters. It thrives on consumption without regard for implications. How low are you willing to sink for instant gratification? How much are you willing to compromise your future for the sake of a little fun today?

Bank robbers know where the money is. They go for it and are proud to be bank robbers. But there are other robbers in business suits. There are people willing to embezzle public funds as long as they think they will not be caught. Are you willing to compromise your brand by being caught with your hand in the cookie jar? Set your standards even when you may need the money. The damage to your personal brand may take eternity to recover.

How well do you balance your chasing the mighty dollar with your family life? Do you sink as low as not spending quality time with your family as you chase the dough? Do you find yourself stressing about money when in the bedroom with your lovely wife or husband? Do you find yourself using sex as a weapon when things do not go your way financially? How low can you sink when you do not have money? Does love run out the window when poverty comes through your door?

4. Home & Family

With rampant divorce statistics, I sometimes wonder how low people are willing to sink as far as family life is concerned. Divorce is rarely done on impulse unless you got married drunk in Vegas. What are the signs of relationship trouble? Do you reckon a marriage counselor can help your case? Are you willing to make the relationship work for the sake of your kids?

Are you willing to stay in an abusive relationship for fear of what people will say? What is your standard on home life? What can you do and what can you let  others in your family do to you? Your personal brand is affected by your home and family life. Decide in advance how low you are willing to sink.

5. Mind & Emotions

Your emotions affect your personal brand. Do you let the emotions of rage, jealousy, fear or anxiety control your destiny? Do you take active steps to control your emotions or are you willing to sink to the ocean floor because of your emotions?

What kind of thoughts run through your mind? Do you let crippling negativity rule supreme in your mind? How much airtime do you give to negative imagery and imagination? Do you let negative people influence you? What is your standard, your boundary on what emotions or thoughts you can allow in your mind. Remember success or failure is all in the mind.

6. Social & Relationships

What do you do when everyone around you is hurtling towards self destruction? Do you join the bandwagon or do you protect yourself and jump out? Do you have a tipping point where you say enough is enough of negative influence from friends? How low can you sink if your friends are leading you astray?

Are you loyal to your family and partner? Are you willing to compromise your integrity and betray your partner? You probably have heard of people who seemed to have it all, but could not keep their love on a leash. How low are you willing to sink to have a good time tonight? How low are you willing to sink even when it may cost you your friends or love?

7. Values & Character

I feel like I have been ranting today. We all have our weak moments but some moral decay is inexcusable. My moral compass might be different from yours. But without setting a boundary we are not any different from animals. How low are you willing to sink as far as your morals go?

Do you have self limiting beliefs, taboos or traditions that have no place in your personal branding efforts? Why are you still holding on to them? Why are you not on the look out for empowering personal beliefs?

Character assassination is akin to murder. Are you willing to put others down to get ahead in life? Do you empower others on your journey for success or do you put them down so you can get their faster by stepping on them? How low are you willing to sink to get ahead in life?

Summary

There will be no conclusion today. Make your own. Hehe.

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