Branding Decalogue
Throughout our years having the opportunity to serve customers in diverse industries, we’ve narrowed down some insights that hold true regardless of who you are, or where you stand.
We’re celebrating our third anniversary at the Rio Grande Valley (October 19), and our fourth as Moma Consulting (on October 27th). We couldn’t think of a better way to do so, than sharing a brief Branding Decalogue we’ve been working on ever since we began working together:
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You are a brand: Whether you want to, or not, you’re always communicating something. Our demeanor, the way we express ourselves (or what we don’t), and above all, the way we act are always communicating who we are, whether we want to or not. Be sure to act in such a way that anything, and everything you do is a step towards your happiness (without hurting others). Building your personal brand is a process that happens day in and day out, every single day of your life. Each morning, as soon as you wake up, envision what you need to do in order to get closer to your goal. Each night, before you go to sleep, analyze if what you’ve done has brought you closer, and be thankful. Don’t be afraid to shift your course of action, time is limited.
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A good foundation keeps the construction standing: Before you begin building something (anything), make sure you’ve laid solid foundations. Be it your personal relations, projects, your life; make sure your roots stand firmly on the ground! Do it in such way that everything you’ve achieved, and all that you are remains standing regardless of what storm comes your way. The most powerful foundation we know of, are shared values.
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Never turn your back: The best way to sail through a storm is by riding it. When you turn your back, and try to run away from your problems, they get bigger, meaner and will strike you from behind. Face every situation as soon as it arises, and never allow a problem to control you. There are times when you must listen to your heart, but always make time to listen to your brain. Being objective will allow you to stay on track when you’re right, but most important, when you’ve done wrong.
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You win some, you lose some: Such is life, and its inevitable. As important as it is to have category when you win, its important to be humble when you lose. There’s always something to learn both in victory, and defeat; make sure you learn the lessons. You can do everything right, and fall short from the objective, or you can do a lot of things wrong, and still emerge victorious. Losing is something that must be assimilated with your head, and victories with your heart. Never allow it to be the other way around!
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Never stop learning: You learn a lot from every set back, and especially from every obstacle that trips you down. Reflect on it, learn, and shake it off. Just like in boxing, whenever you fall, pace yourself. Use your protective count to get up; use your nine seconds, but make sure you’re ready to go, and always look forward to your next round.
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Behind every action, there’s a feeling to be discovered: A same decision can be triggered by different feelings. It’s our job to discover what lies behind any and every action. Never settle to the point where you’re only masking symptoms, find the real cause, and address it accordingly. Make sure you know and understand the situation inside out so you can keep your cool.
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Never give up on your dreams: Find the sweet spot between what you’re good at, and your passion. That’s where magic happens, and that’s where your core competency lies. It’s true what they say: “Be so good that they can’t ignore you”. It won’t be easy, and while you’re at it you’ll have to sacrifice a lot of things. However, when you look back, you’ll see that it was all worthwhile.
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Dare to reach where no one has gone before: In life you’ll hear that someone is the next Jordan, or the next Messi, or the next Pacquiao. It’s good to have a benchmark, but don’t ever settle to become just as good as. Dare to become the very best at something. Set your goal, and once you start, don’t settle for less, and never look back. This is your time to make it happen, make sure you give it your all, or it will never happen.
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Beware of the wolf dressed as sheep: Learn to identify who’s trust-worthy, and who’s just around to trip you or watch you fall. Just because the clown smiles, doesn’t mean it’s your friend. Wolfs appear to be there for you, and seem completely charming, but you’ll be able to recognize them once you understand that no one can truly shine by dimming anyone’s light.
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Life begins to make sense, when you give sense to someone’s life: Never work for money, or you’ll never find meaning. Work to make a difference, a real difference. Be sure to add value to any and every project, and make sure that anyone that has a relationship with you is changed for good. Do good, and be good. Always.