Our quest for significance. Isn’t that what we are seeking? Reputation? Relevance? Referability? Do you awaken every day and think, how can I slay that dragon today? A bigger, fiercer dragon, better than yesterday?

The validation that our experienced skillset, artful presentation and demonstrated thought leadership are valued by the market, dependent on clients to engage with us, enough to make a decent living out of being an independent businessperson?

Are these your goals?

They are mine.

A few questions to ponder in this context:

  • Does your heartbeat quicken when you are referred for a new opportunity to follow.
  • Do you surround yourself with people comfortable enough with you to suggest you?
  • Do these colleagues recognize your persona as worthy enough to put their reputation on the line and suggest you?
  • Is that an appreciable part of your quest for significance?
  • Where do you provide the earned details of your significance?
  • How can anyone read you speaking about you, in your own words, presented in a way that reflects your entrepreneurial being?

Yup, LinkedIn is the first place they look. More questions now that I narrowed this to LinkedIn:

  • Does your LinkedIn profile reflect well on you, elevate you, and instill the confidence in the mind of the person you were referred to, enough for them to invest time speaking with you?
  • It does? Keep tweaking it as you change because you are always in beta.
  • It doesn’t? You have work to do.
  • Can you think of anyone else more worthy of investing in your career narrative than you?

I can’t. You may need help here, but in the end it’s your product.

Seek significance. Self-express. Be real.

Be amazing-er than the competition. (another question: you suspected I would say that, right?)